When Therese Palmer-tree took the reins as interim superintendent of the McComb School District in June 2006, she knew she was facing a double challenge: Bringing up academic performance and decreasing student discipline problems.
And when school trustees made her post official in February 2008, they did so to let Palmertree to continue her ideas for progress.
Last Tuesday, the board voted 4-0 to extend Palmertree’s contract through 2014, giving her a solid vote of confidence.
Palmertree’s watchword has been accountability — on the part of students, teachers, administrators, school board members and the community.
Disciplinary problems are being dealt with, and schools are making academic progress. This past year, both Denman Junior High School and Higgins Middle School were labeled Successful schools.
School board president Eliece Rayborn said trustees believe Palmertree has the district on the right track.
“We have experienced tremendous growth in our school district and are continuing to work in other areas. We want growth for all of our students,” she said. “As part of our transformation process, we have after-school programs, and at every grade level, we offer an academic fast track program that covers the same objectives, but at a different pace.
“Also, as part of the transformation, we have focused on early childhood education,” she said of the new program established at Kennedy Elementary School that teaches students from birth to kindergarten. “We want to take our children and grow them, which will impact their elementary, junior high and high school years.
Rayborn, in her first term as a school board member, said trustees will make sure the district keeps a focus on school safety. And, she pointed out that the district’s progress comes at a time of stringent budgeting of funds.
Trustee Dr. Kent Kebert agrees the district is making progress.
“I think we’re really moving forward. Ms. Palmertree’s been doing well getting a good instructional program in the school,” Kebert said. “We’re getting too many children in kindergarten at a low developmental age. Adding the early childhood education program will get them ready for school. I applaud her for that.”
Kebert said Palmertree has “proven to be an excellent superintendent. ... We’re really lucky to have her.”
Trustee Maurice Chester, who was absent for last week’s vote due to an illness in his family, supports the trustees’ decision.
“I was there when we had our work session, and I was OK with it. I’m in agreement. ... The early childhood intervention will be one of the key things that hopefully gets us over the hump,” said Chester, a board member for 15 years.
Chester and Kebert, a 10-year board member, said the district has been consistent with its discipline. He praised all school principals and administrators, including deputy superintendent Levander German and school safety officer Greg Gilmore, for keeping things under control.
“Greg does a great job,” Kebert said. “We’ve got good, safe schools to go to. I just wish more people in the community would go there. ... The future of McComb is for all of us to try to make the public school better and better, one that everybody would want to send their children to.”
Palmertree is pleased with the board’s positive feedback.
“I was following their wishes and moving the school district forward according to goals that they had set when I came on board,” she said.
She firmly believes the early childhood emphasis will pay off.
“What we found with our data, is that 40 percent of the children who are entering kindergarten come to us developmentally behind,” Palmertree said, with half of those students one year behind their kindergarten peers, and the other half two years behind.
“We think a lot of that is simply environmental,” Palmertree said. “We’re able, as they progress, to ‘catch up’ our children. If we can begin to address deficits in kindergarten, that’s a huge goal.”
The district has long had a family nurturing center, previously housed at Higgins Middle School.
“The program we have cares for children of our teen moms if they commit to staying in school,” Palmertree said. “Even if they go on to Southwest Mississippi Community College, we keep their children. ... We fill up the rest of the slots (in the early childhood education program) with children of our staff. And we have children who are identified through Child Find for special education.”
Kennedy also partners with four Westbrook Head Start classes. After Head Start teachers complete their curriculum, they work with McComb teachers to work on children’s readiness skills.
Palmertree said 40 percent of students in McComb are in publicly subsidized housing. And roughly 40 percent of African American students drop out of school each year.
“I think it’s the right thing to do for the state of Mississippi,” Palmertree said of pre-school education. “If you look at that 40 percent dropout, you really begin to see why early childhood is an economic development issue.”
She said the MAP software system ensures that students are not slipping through the cracks.
“We’re administering assessments four times a year, to track progress of students entering kindergarten, all the way through the 11th grade,” she said.
Community backing is key.
“What I believe more than anything is the success of the community and the success of the school system are interwoven,” she said. “One is dependent on the other.”
She said a good crowd was on hand for Monday night’s school district reading rally in Summit.
“ That event was beautiful and it was driven by our young people,” Palmertree said. “I always tell people that the schools are a reflection of the communities they serve. Now, it’s looking very positive.”
Rayborn agrees.
“We will continue to build on relationships with the community, other stakeholders and at each school. The response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive,” she said. “Our expectation is for all students to achieve their full potential.”
And the district isn’t focusing solely on those students who need help pulling up grades.
“At every grade level we’ve implemented academically gifted classes, based on achievement. We’re growing all children,” Palmertree said. “I really believe we’re moving to create a new generation of parent and child. “We now have children who are identifying, ‘This is what I’m lacking in terms of my studies. This is what I need more help with.’ They’re taking ownership of their own learning.”
