Civil Municipal Magazine Aug 2023

261 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 8 JEFFERSON-MORGAN SCHOOL DISTRICT Superintendent Robinson supplements Silbaugh’s comments with his perspective as a parent in the district. He highlights the numerous events hosted by the elementary school, aimed not only at students but also the broader community. “Elementary school does host a lot of different evening events that are open to the whole community,” Superintendent Robinson adds. He gives examples of events such as ‘Literacy on the Lawn’, focusing on reading and other skills, and the delightful ‘Book Prom’, where children walk in a promenade with a favored book, followed by reading activities. These inclusive events, he explains, are an excellent opportunity for even non-school-aged children to become familiar with the school environment. STEM in Middle School: Preparing for Future Success In the Jefferson-Morgan middle school, students find themselves standing at the threshold of a comprehensive STEM education, which begins as early as seventh grade. Wesley Loring, the middle high school principal, highlights the commitment to preparing students for high-tech careers. “As far as STEM goes, we start right in seventh grade. We offer coding courses, robotics courses,” Loring elaborates. “We have a full curriculum based on engineering that kids can go through every single level, grades seven through 12. The courses build upon the one prior, providing that pathway and a plethora of opportunities when it comes to STEM education, engineering, and cross-curricular ties.” The school’s resourcefulness is evident in how it equips classrooms. “As far as the equipment that we’ve utilized, a lot of it has been grant funded. We’ve also received donations from different organizations,” shares Loring. A notable donation, Finch Robots, came from a local company, demonstrating the school’s effective partnership with community businesses. Loring speaks of their mission to involve students in as many local businesses and employment opportunities as possible, aiming to create connections that benefit students post-graduation. Whether they’re headed into the workforce or college, early networking gives Jefferson-Morgan students a competitive edge. School Safety: Balancing Protection and Comfort Addressing safety concerns is an unfortunate reality for schools across the nation. In Jefferson-Morgan, each of their two school buildings is monitored by a school police officer, both of whom are retired state troopers. Superintendent Robinson shares, “They’re each armed and in uniform, present every day the students are here.” These officers serve as the primary security force for this rural district, which lacks its township police force. However, creating a secure environment is about more than just having armed officers. It’s about integrating them into the school community, creating a sense of security without causing unease. Superintendent Robinson stresses the importance of clear communication and visibility in achieving this balance. “It’s a mix of education,” he explains. “We teach our students that the primary responsibility of these officers is to ensure the safety of students and staff. They’re not there for discipline, they’re there for safety. To facilitate this, we ensure they’re visible—they’re in the cafeteria, they’re talking to students, they’re even giving lessons in classrooms.”