a COOL turnaround

John Hopkins Middle School in St. Petersburg, FLA has been known for fights, pepper spray, arrests, and teachers begging for help. So far this year it appears to be a better educational facility as student fights are down, teacher morale is up, and the parents relieved.

Rosa Robinson, a parent of a seventh-grader and chair on the school advisory council, states, "It's been pretty peaceful...you can walk the hallway and feel the difference. Before, forget about it. It was running around and craziness."

Last year, 2009, prior to the holiday break the school had racked up 40 arrests but this year they saw only 16. A staff survey rated morale as good as "high" to "good" at 60% which only last year had very low morale and prompted one staff to state, "We have no control of this school." Even the students attitudes are changing for the better, "People's attitudes are changing," says Chrisaih Ware, 14.

The reasons for the positive change range from expectations of student behavior have been made more clear, and consequences are quick and consistent. Some "chronically disruptive" kids have been given the opportunity to continue their education at alternative schools and teachers have credited the positive change to a new leadership team that now "takes care of problems and corrects them."

New Principal, Barry Brown, is hesitant to wallow in the praise, "I don't want the praise to be premature." He prefers to wait to the end of the year and gauge the progress then. Steve Frump, geography teacher, sees and praises the difference, "I haven't had to deal with in-class disruptions at nearly the level I had to last year."

John Hopkins has shown promise and has lots going for it: A student newspaper that is nationally recognized, An orchestra that is among the best, and a Chorus and drama program that constantly gets superior ratings.

Here's to the new principal and staff at John Hopkins Middle School for continuing to believe in their facility, their students, themselves, and for realizing the importance of an education for the youth of today-stay positive, stay generous, and STAY COOL!

What do you think of the positive turnaround John Hopkins Middle School has made concerning the negative behaviors that once graced its halls and the staff that continues to endure there?