Pence visits JCHS

There was positive news for Indiana Gov. Mike Pence to help celebrate Friday.
Pence visited Jay County High School, touring the facility and congratulating Jay School Corporation on its high marks on the school grades the Indiana State Board of Education released earlier in the day. All 10 schools in the corporation were rated as A schools for the first time since the implementation of the A-F system.
The governor spoke briefly to a group of local officials, business owners, school administrators, teachers and students.
“When you see all those As up on the wall, it is a testament to the administration, the leadership here,” he said, referencing a string of 10 As posted on the wall behind him. “It’s a testament to some great teachers. … But mostly … it’s a testament to the students who are here, who have stepped up, who are grabbing their futures and by that ensuring a brighter future for all the people here in Indiana. Congratulations.”
Every school in the corporation earned an A grade after nine of 10 achieved that goal last year. Westlawn Elementary in Dunkirk slipped to a B in 2012 after earning an A in 2011, but jumped back up to an A this year to complete the clean sweep.
Jay Schools had at least four schools get a grade of B or lower in each of the first six years of the A-F system but has been one of the top performing corporations in the state the last two years.
“For our scores to be as high as they are, I’m ecstatic,” said Tim Long, superintendent of Jay Schools. “But it’s a team effort. It takes the students and the parents and the teachers and the school board. Everybody’s pulling in the right direction. We have a great team.”
Bloomfield Elementary has earned an A grade every year since the system was implemented. General Shanks Elementary has six in a row, and Judge Haynes Elementary has five in a row.
South Adams Schools picked up a pair of A grades at the middle school, which has earned an A six years in a row, and elementary school. The high school slipped from an A each of the last two years to a C in 2013.
The grades are based on “student academic growth” based on ISTEP+ test scores in English and math, graduation rate and college/career readiness. This year, 938 schools in Indiana received A grades after the count was 856 in 2012.
Pence’s stop at JCHS, which lasted about an hour Friday afternoon, included a stop in a preschool classroom to say the Pledge of Allegiance and sing a couple of Christmas songs. He also took photos with several recent Character Counts honorees, visited an art class and toured the vocational classrooms.
He watched a demonstration in the robotics classroom with seniors Austin Wendel and Cydney Huey explaining the process and giving him a few pointers before handing him the controls.
“Thank you for setting the standard,” Pence said.
“I really wanted to come here because this is a school that is really well ahead of many schools in Indiana, particularly in the areas of career and technical education. … What you’re already doing here in Jay County, we’re hoping to do as we make career and technical education a priority in every high school in Indiana again.”
Also visiting JCHS Friday were Portland’s Bill Davis, executive director of the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs, and Greg Beumer (R-Modoc), who took over the District 33 seat in the Indiana House of Representatives after Davis resigned last month.
Every principal from Jay Schools was also on hand.
Pence received a variety of gifts, including a set of pottery bowls from an art class, a medal from Jay County FFA, several T-shirts and a JCHS hat.
He wished those in attendance a merry Christmas and also made a request before heading back to Indianapolis.
“This can be the most joyous time of the year, and it can also be one of the most difficult times of the year for people that are facing economic hardship, people that have experienced the loss of a loved one in their family,” Pence said.
“So as you prepare to slip into the wondrous experience of a Christmas week of celebration, I hope you’ll just remind yourselves to reach out to a friend who might not be as fortunate as you are.”[[In-content Ad]]