Jackson Schools Credit Success To Focus On Growth

Jackson County Schools designation as one of ten Exemplary Districts across the state due to an emphasis on student growth regardless of age.

That from Director of Schools Jason Hardy, who said the district focuses on preparing students to be college or career ready graduates as soon as middle school begins. Hardy said families also play a large role in the success as parents are working hard to hold their students accountable to schoolwork at home.

“When you get to the district level it’s not about one school or two schools, it’s about every school you have in the system,” Hardy said. “So I think just the overall goals that we set to grow our students every year, to make sure they’re improving. We try to set the bar for all our students to achieve.”

Hardy said the high score reflects the hard work put in by the entire Jackson County community. Hardy said it is impossible to measure everything that goes into creating a successful school district but it is a big morale boost to be recognized.

“Those are the same metrics that are used across the board for all of our peers and all of our other districts and schools,” Hardy said. “So for us to be in the top ten of every district in the state of Tennessee, it’s rewarding and it shows you that our teachers and staff and administrators are doing the right thing.”

Hardy said Jackson County may be a small, rural system but this rating proves it is putting out a product that prepares students to compete with anyone in the postsecondary world. Hardy said everyone involved should take pride in the achievement.

“We also know that scores change,” Hardy said. “And next year we may not do as well, but just to know that we have that ability and we’re setting the bar high to keep striving for perfection is what we’ll always do.”