Ready to launch: After an impressive high school career, the Class of 2015 is ready for the next step
Dr. Dee Fowler is Superintendent of Education for Madison City Schools.
Only a month remains before the new school year begins on Aug. 5. We look forward to welcoming back students and greeting new ones.
Please allow me just a few moments to brag on our most recent graduates. It seems like only yesterday I had the pleasure of greeting every single one as they marched across the stage for their diploma. I feel confident Madison City Schools provided a good foundation to send them out into the world to make a difference.
Seniors from the class of 2015 leave big shoes to fill. Their success is a testament not only to our good teachers but to the fine upbringing by their families, a nurturing school and community environment, and more importantly – their hard work.
Madison City graduated 444 students from Bob Jones and 378 from James Clemens. A remarkable one third (148 from BJHS and 114 from JCHS) finished with a grade point average (GPA) of 4 or higher.
Districtwide for Madison City Schools, 54 percent (447 of the 822 seniors) received scholarship offers totaling $45.7 million, with $16.8 million accepted. That makes for an average of $37,584 per scholarship accepted!
That’s great news for the approximately 70 percent of Madison City graduates who matriculate to a four-year-university and 20 percent to a two-year college. The rest will pursue career opportunities, hopefully aided by one of our outstanding career tech academies.
The Board of Education and I take our responsibility very seriously. We want students to be prepared whether they plan to pursue a college degree, join the military, enroll in a two-year college or technical program, or enter the workforce.
Of course, our seniors wouldn’t shine without exceptional preparation from the feeder schools. Both middle schools and all seven elementary schools do a phenomenal job, backed by a Board and an instruction team that place high expectations on all fronts.
My commitment to you is that we will never be complacent with doing great. We will continuously look outside our comfort zone for ways to take education excellence to the next level.
Dr. Dee O. Fowler
Superintendent of Education
Madison City Schools