• A P-16 Council (community advisory council) has been developed and implemented. The council meet every month, collect thoughts and develop plans to improve NASD.

• Town hall meetings were conducted to share information about the District.

• A District Curriculum and Instructional Management Plan was developed and implemented

during the summer of 2013.

• The School Board has been recognized by Mississippi School Boards Association Center for Board Development Honors Program.

• Spending and reliance on educational consultants have been reduced by $500K.

• Vocational enrollment has increased by over 25 percent.

• Enrollment of 8th grade students in Algebra I has increased (84 to 210). The passing rate for 8th grade students was 78 percent. The state average for all students, including high school, tested in Algebra (statewide) is 85.2 percent

The questions may be asked, “What does this list have to do with me as superintendent?” Nothing. The complaint is that the district is regressing under my leadership. I beg to differ. With or without my leadership in the future, the results of the things that are happening in this list will lead to NASD being back on top. It tends to be our nature to find the negative that exist. But the question is, “What are we going to do to fix it?” I shared with the community at my first town hall meeting that there is no way that NASD can improve without assistance from the community. As stated earlier, let’s take your platform of concerns from the concerned citizens and push Natchez-Adams School District back to being a model for the state. With this push, we have to be honest with ourselves and realize that change and growth are hard. We will experience growing pains, but it is worth it when we put the students first.

When I interviewed with the board in 2012, I made a bold statement to them. I shared that if, after the second year of my tenure, the district had not improved; I think it would be fair for someone else to take lead of the district. If that is indeed the case after scores return, I will be willing to sign The concerned citizens petition for my removal.

We all agree that we want a better school district. Now that we have a platform outlined by you, let’s develop, implement and evaluate a plan.

Is it unreal to ask to put the emotions and politics aside and let the numbers speak? If not, let’s mobilize. Thanks for your assistance in making NASD an extraordinary school district.

 

Frederick Hill is the superintendent of the Natchez-Adams School District.