development and intellectual growth,” JeffersonMorgan is setting students up for success. CORE VALUES “We have a motto, ‘Whatever it Takes’,” notes Superintendent Brandon Robinson.“That’s whatever it takes for our students to be successful. We just want to give them all the tools that they need. Whatever they would find in a big school, we want them to have here in a small school as well.” A strong connection to the community is also valued, and the schools serve as a hub for events and activities.“Almost every weekend we have something going on that is for our community and for our kids,” portrays Robinson. “As a small school, there’s not a lot of places for people to go, or for our students to go, so we want to make sure that we’re always ready to accept students or community members for a variety of reasons.” BRIDGING GENERATIONS Jefferson-Morgan’s leadership class is designed to bring together students and the community.“We want to involve people into what we do on an everyday basis in our school, and then in turn, we want our kids to become better citizens, to understand what it’s like to be a part of the community,” expands Teacher, Jodi Fulks. One successful initiative is a partnership with the local Senior Center, where students spend time interacting through games and conversations. Colleen Valosen, a volunteer coordinator at the center, recounts,“After their first visit, we knew it was going to work because I saw older people smile and get excited and want to talk to these younger people so much. I knew right then that this is something we needed to keep doing.” STEM AND CAREER PATHWAYS Jefferson-Morgan School District has prioritized STEM education, incorporating dedicated makerspaces for elementary students. “In our elementary school, grades four, five and six have a dedicated social studies/science teacher,” Robinson says, noting that pre K to third grade students also have scheduled time in the maker space, ensuring they get exposed 277 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 01 JEFFERSON-MORGAN SCHOOL DISTRICT
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