Hocker notes.The manufacturing academy operates through a structured board that includes community leaders: “We have a board that consists of the mayor, the Decatur County Community Foundation, the Economic Development Corporation, and various other employers and lawyers and different entities within the community.” The program’s value proposition is clear and immediate. “They actually work in those facilities as a senior, and then they get first choice at a job after graduation if they do well,” Hocker says. With manufacturing salaries in the region ranging from $41,000 to $96,000 annually, these partnerships create direct pathways to middle-class careers. SAFETY, EARLY LEARNING, AND FAMILY CULTURE Modern school districts must balance multiple priorities that create environments where safety, early childhood development, and community culture intersect to support student success. The challenge intensifies in rural communities where schools often serve as anchors for entire regions, carrying responsibilities that urban districts might distribute across multiple institutions. Decatur County Community Schools has invested strategically across these interconnected areas, recognizing that comprehensive student support requires attention to physical security, developmental readiness, and cultural belonging. Security investments align with contemporary realities. “We have spent quite a bit. We have in the last three years upgraded our entire camera system where we can track students based upon clothing, colors, descriptions, anything like that in the entire corporation within seconds,” Burns explains. The district employs multiple security factors: “Our Raptor sign-in system allows us to check people’s backgrounds as they’re entering into the buildings. We’ve installed window cling on all of the windows of our elementaries and in our junior and senior high schools.” Early learning initiatives address foundational needs. 251 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 08 DECATUR COUNTY COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
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