JVS gets Excellence in Education Leadership Award

BLOOMINGDALE -- Jefferson County Joint Vocational School has been recognized by Making Schools Work of Northeast Ohio with the 2023 Excellence in Educational Leadership Award.

JVS Making Schools Work team members Rebecca Kelley, Allison Boyd and Shawna Myers were among 100 people in attendance at the Reconnect and Best Practice Showcase at the NEW Center in Rootstown on March 7. The team, which includes Principal/Supervisor Andy Long, Assistant Principal/Supervisor Gabrielle Wilson, guidance counselor Shellie Henderson, Erin D'Aurora, Dale Palmer, Boyd, Myers, Christina Henderson and Tamela Marshall, gained distinction for efforts to improve student success. Additionally, the team received the Mike Burkholder Leadership Scholarship for $2,000 to fund professional development or Southern Regional Education Board summer conference travel.

"We have been working to improve student engagement and success by using the Achieve 3000 and Alek programs," said Kelley, who coordinates the team with Wilson. "We are also focused on work-based learning and increasing the number of students who are earning work-based learning hours."

In his nomination letter, Long lauded Kelley and the team for their outstanding contributions to the school community.

"Their dedication, passion and expertise have made a profound impact on our students, colleagues and the school as a whole. Their commitment to excellence and innovative approach to education have set a high standard for the rest of us to follow," he continued. "Rebecca Kelley and her MSW team have had a positive impact on the direction of the Jefferson County JVS. Through encouraging teamwork and collaboration among staff members, the MSW team has implemented new ideas and approaches to problem-solving, which has resulted in improved outcomes for students."

He praised their efforts to improve work-based learning opportunities for students and said it can help students become better prepared for the real-world challenges of the 21st century workforce.

"Work-based learning is a crucial component of education that provides students with valuable hands-on experience and skills that are essential for success in the workforce," he noted. "The importance of WBL can be highlighted in the following ways -- career readiness, real-world experience, networking opportunities, skill development, improved employability. With the work done by the MSW team, the JCJVS is well on its way of reaching the 15 percent Perkins V program performance level."

Kelley was excited about the honor and to work with such an innovative group of people.

"We are excited and honored to be selected to receive the 2023 Excellence in Educational Leadership Award. We have worked together over the last couple of years to improve our school and feel this award shows that we have had a positive impact on students at the Jefferson County JVS," Kelley said. "I am honored to be co-coordinator and working with this awesome group of colleagues to improve student achievement and engagement at the JVS. I would like to thank Mr. Long for the nomination and believing in us."

Making Schools Work is part of the High Schools That Work and Making Middle Grades Work initiative to improve student achievement, with research and data that prove it works. HSTW is a framework that provides direction for schools to improve academic and career-technical instruction, while MMGW is the middle-grades component. In 2019, SREB added an elementary component and the name was changed to Making Schools Work to reflect a K-12 school improvement initiative.