James Clemens will have senior class for 2012-2013
A senior class will be in place at James Clemens High School for the 2012-2013 school year.
At Madison Board of Education’s March 22 meeting, Superintendent Dr. Dee Fowler dispelled any doubt about seniors attending Madison’s new high school. “If James Clemens opened today, we would have 925 students” with more expected in coming months, Fowler said.
“No child that has started at Bob Jones as an enrolled student will go to James Clemens if they do not want to,” Fowler said. “We’re not forcing people to leave Bob Jones.”
The board approved the purchase of James Clemens football uniforms from Titan Team Sports for $53,633. Jeff Dunnavant has been hired as head coach for girls’ basketball at James Clemens.
Secondary Education Director Dr. Camille Wright recapped the professional development training for principals and assistant principals in the distrcit. The administrators are “focused on learning, coherence and a cultural shift from where we are … to where we are going.”
“Instruction is a silent killer,” Bob Jones High School Principal Robby Parker said. “You know (instruction) is there, but is it any good? Good instruction is fluid and changes daily with needs of students.”
Wright said a task force will study implementing foreign language study in elementary schools. Board member Connie Spears said the system’s goal is to have students competing on a global scale and “by bringing in foreign language, we will have global citizens.”
From the grand opening of Target, Fowler described the Discovery Middle School Jazz Band performance as “phenomenal.”
In comments from the board, Ranae Bartlett agreed with State Superintendent Dr. Thomas Bice who recently said that No Child Left Behind did not benefit all students. “Bice wants to see Alabama focus on ‘the entire herd headed in a northeast trajectory,'” Bartlett said.
At an Alabama Association of School Boards meeting, Dr. Terry Johnson was reminded that a school board “is not a managerial board. We are a leadership board. All board members should know what keeps our superintendent awake at night.”
On March 23 at the Central Office, Madison City Schools will host the Leadership Alabama meeting.
