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SWAMP Students are on a Mission! velop natural leadership qualities that they were identified by their teachers last school year to have. The students completed a two day workshop earlier this summer and have quickly put to work some of their instruction.
SWAMP students complete a Trust Walk activity in teambuilding
As a part of the work that UF/ Lastinger Center is doing on our campus, a student leadership team was born, now known as the SWAMP kids—Students With A Mission and Purpose. This group of 31 students grades 10-12 meet bi-weekly to de-
Earlier this month, the group traveled to a workshop at Ribault Senior High School entitled Destined for Excellence where they heard from members of the community in leadership
positions about traits of excellent leaders and positive choices. This group has also created two task forces within the group to provide service based on student-identified needs from focus group data collection at the close of last school year. They are putting plans together to address those needs in the areas of cleanliness and school spirit. The students, along with our partner representatives Lauren Gibbs and Chris White, are so excited to embrace these opportunities and put their leadership skills to work.
“Jackson has the best teachers and administrators in Duval County.
Educational Directions Update
I would put them up against
Educational Directions is joining us for their second year, and Steve Hite, Jackson’s lead “coach” has started this year right where we left off at the end of last school year. Mr. Hite, along with other Educational Directions personnel Dr. Robert Knight and Dr. Donna Gooden, have been observing classes particularly our reading, ELA, and math classes and providing feedback to our admin-
istrative and coaching teams. They have also played an active role in some of our school Professional Learning Communities meetings to provide tips and guidance for our teachers.
He knows our daily work in an Intervene school is especially challenging, but he believes we have the “best teachers and administrators in Duval County” and would “put them up against anyone.”
Mr. Hite has taken on a special role at our school through his naturally warm and Southern demeanor. He charges himself with the task of working to keep the morale of our teachers high.
The ongoing observations and morale building that are supported through Educational Directions help add to the culture we have built for teaching excellence.
anyone.” Steve Hite
EWRS Helps “Bridge” the Gaps for 10th Grade Students Thanks to funding by United Way and partnership with the Bridge of Northeast Florida, the EWRS team works diligently with students in our 10th grade population around attendance, behavior, academic progress, and social/emotional support in a case management program. The majority of these students were a part of the cohort created last school
year when the students were in the ninth grade, so the team of advocates has been able to continue to expand the growth made with these students since little time was lost in transition from one year to the next. The focus on relationship building and mentorship serves as an additional layer of support for these students. The advocates check in with their
caseload of students at least once per week, but they are using lunch time as an opportunity for almost daily checkin. They make parent contact monthly and perform home visits as needed. These advocates are working hard to make sure that the students are successful by almost any means necessary. We thank Mr. Monagan and his Advocate, Jucoby Lee, team—Jucoby Lee, Eric Razor, and works with a 10th grade Reginald Mitchell for their hard work! student
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