Final-minute touchdown by Southwestern drops East, 37-30

Comment by Watchdog: Friday, September 10

I knew it - East Jessamine always were Colts at heart!...read more...

Final-minute touchdown by Southwestern drops East, 37-30

Comment by zerovic: Thursday, September 9

Kind of looks like Mr. Stark had gotten bored reporting about East Jessamine in the third to last pa...read more...

Two candidates eyeing Jessamine County clerk seat

Comment by jjhle6: Thursday, September 9

Finally someone else running against her! Joseph Hagen, you have my vote and my support for your cam...read more...

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Expectations were high district-wide before the No Child Left Behind test results were released last week, but nowhere were they higher than at East High and West Middle schools.

East High made significant strides toward reaching its goals last year and were looking for even better results this year, while West Middle met its goals last year and another strong year would move them out of tier one consequences altogether.

So it was no surprise that there was a lot of celebration for both schools’ staffs and central office when the scores were revealed.

Superintendent Lu Young said it was very gratifying for her to see the hard work pay off for West Middle.

“They have worked harder than any team I have ever known and it is so gratifying to know that their hard work has paid off. I was able to celebrate with them two weeks ago when we first received the embargoed scores and there were many tears of joy and encouraging pats on the back shared by all,” Young said. “These results were not accidental. They came as a result of two very strategic years on the part of the entire West Middle community from students to families to staff. No one ever gave up on West Middle and these results are a tribute to their commitment to do whatever it takes to meet their students’ needs. I could not be more proud of any students or any staff than I am of West Middle.”

So it was no surprise that there was a lot of celebration for both schools’ staffs when the scores were revealed.

For the first time ever, East high met its adequate yearly progress goals, something not many high schools across the state accomplished, especially those with a high number of special needs students, such as East.

“There are 247 high schools that tested and 47 made NCLB and of the 47, eight were like us, they had enough students with disabilities that those scores count,” said an excited principal Janet Granada. “I felt really confident going in because I know how hard the teachers worked and because the kids took it really seriously and wanted to do well. It takes a relationship between the teachers and the kids. You have to make them feel like you are in their corner and you want them to do well. And we do want all our kids to do well. That’s why we became teachers.”

Young gave all the credit to the East faculty and the hard work they put in.

“It is becoming rarer and rarer that a high school is able to meet its AYP goals as the targets increase each year, but I am delighted to say that East High is beating the odds. Not only did they meet all 13 of their goals, but they made phenomenal gains with students with disabilities in both reading and math,” Young said.

Granada said her staff tried to push the students to raise their expectations for themselves.

“We have more than 250 kids taking AP classes, so we are trying to raise the bar, and give all of our kids the type of education where they are ready to attend college or to get a job because in today’s work-world you need to be a good reader and processor of information and a problem solver, so you need those skills,” Granada said.

But, while her staff is excited about the recent scores, Granada said they know they can’t enjoy it long, because the bar gets even higher next year.

“You can’t really rest on your laurels because you have a whole new group, and they have new challenges, so it’s not like, ‘OK we made it once,’ because next year the bar is set even higher, so you can’t rest on your laurels, you just can’t,” said Granada.

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