Boundary Line Update from Superintendent Linthacum

When voters approved Propositions J + C in 2017 to build a second high school and renovate Jefferson City High School, the Jefferson City School District committed to reviewing current boundary lines (established 25 years ago) in order to develop scenarios for consideration that represent two balanced middle school areas which will populate the two high schools in the fall of 2019.

After months of gathering public input at community, public and staff meetings, and through the Boundary Line Committee, three scenarios were chosen for final consideration. This week, the Board of Education voted on the scenario that will move a portion of the Lewis & Clark boundary area to the Thomas Jefferson boundary area ( Scenario B ). Students within that attendance area will continue to attend Cedar Hill through fifth grade and then attend Thomas Jefferson Middle School and Capital City High School. Scenario B also specifies that all Thorpe Gordon students will now go to Lewis & Clark Middle School and Jefferson City High School.

 

When boundary lines go into effect at the start of the 2019-2020 school year, the primary goal will be for students to go where they reside. We are fine-tuning applicable special permission guidelines and will share those in the next couple of months.

 

We sincerely appreciate the input we have received from residents, staff members, parents and others as we worked through this process. As part of their vote last night, the Board of Education also agreed to review boundary lines and district enrollment on a more regular basis. We will be in touch with our stakeholders when further feedback and input is needed.

 

The future is bright for our school district as we continue on our journey to becoming a premier school district in the State of Missouri. Together we can give every student hope for a brighter tomorrow!

#JCStrongerTogether

Difference makers are those who go above and beyond to serve our students, staff and schools. The following Difference Makers were recognized at the September Board of Education meeting:

Read more about this month's Difference Makers here.

The Jefferson City Board of Education held its monthly meeting on Tuesday, September 11th. The agenda included:

We have exciting news: Thorpe Gordon Elementary is continuing the Walking School Bus program! 

The Walking School Bus (WSB) is a group of children who walk to school together under the supervision of an adult leader (such as a parent).

The program promotes good health, a safe walk to school, and reduced traffic around school. Parent participation is not required for students to participate.

Questions? Please contact Kelsey Chrisman , Healthy Schools Coordinator

KRCG will air a special on college placement tonight (9/13) at 10:00pm. Hear from Jefferson City High School staff as they talk about AP offerings and the importance of planning ahead to ensure compliance with requirements at your chosen college.

Last week teachers and students at Cedar Hill & Thorpe Gordon Elementary talked with the News Tribune about flexible seating options. "It gets students really excited about being in the classroom" Read more here.

West Elementary 4th grade teacher Monica Higgins said she's witnessed how communication between parents & teachers has evolved over time. She received national recognition for her use of an app in the classroom which was recently covered in the News Tribune. Read more here.

Thorpe Gordon is the first school in the district to participate in the nationwide "Walking School Bus" program. "We're getting a lot of great feedback from the teachers. Kids are having a good time and we have had parents drop their kids off and take pictures as we go because they're so excited for them to participate." Watch more from KRCG.

The annual JCPS Foundation Gala will be held on September 25, 2018 at the Capitol Plaza Hotel Ballroom in Jefferson City. The gala is an annual event to celebrate public education and induct special friends of the Foundation and school district into the Foundation's Hall of Leaders program. For more information, to become an event sponsor, or to purchase tickets, visit the JCPS Foundation website.

There are many ways to stay in touch with Jefferson City Public Schools, including our district website, weekly newsletter, and social media accounts. Be sure to visit, like, follow, subscribe and more to stay in-the-know with all that's going on with JCPS. Learn more about the district's communications department here.