Student assessments are encouraging

At Monday night’s Board of Education meeting, Dr. Debbie Hobbs, Director of Assessment and Accountability with the Jeff Davis County School System, gave an encouraging report on student assessments garnered from students’ 2024 test results.
Hobbs told board members that local students’ test scores exceeded the state and RESA (Regional Education Service Agency) scores in 10 of 12 assessments administered.
She pointed out how scores revealed that most students were “proficient,” meaning they were “college-ready.”
School Superintendent Dr. Chris Roppe shared with board members how fortunate the school system is to have the leadership in the central office and the schools which facilitated the high test scores.
“I’m very, very proud of where we are as a district,” Roppe said. “Very proud.”
Hobb’s report wasn’t the only student performance highlight of the meeting as JDHS Principal Dr. Greer Smith recognized high school student Miles Rowland who was the only student at the high school to score Level 5 on the Pre-Calculus AP (Advanced Placement) test. Smith added that two more students — Samuel Yearty and Noah Aldridge — scored Level 4 on the test.
The students will earn college credits because of their scores.
High school mathematics teacher Johnathan Jordan explained to board members the significance of the students’ achievements in his pre-calculus AP class, saying Rowland’s Level 5 score was the highest score a student can achieve.
Dr. Adam Kirby, Director of Facilities and Operations, gave his monthly update on projects currently underway. It was announced that a groundbreaking ceremony for the new multipurpose agriculture facility will be held Aug. 22 at 10 a.m.
The board approved Kirby’s recommendation that a new bus be purchased for the Transportation Department. Kirby recommended that a diesel powered bus be purchased at a cost of $137,000, $88,000 of which would be financed with state funds with local funds used for the remainder.
The board also approved an agreement with the City of Hazlehurst to provide a School Resource Officer for the school system.
In other action, the board ….
…. accepted the retirement of high school records clerk Gail Davis
…. heard a presentation from Dr. Roppe on a training opportunity in October.