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Burnette asked to reverse fortunes of junior high school in high-poverty area
This is particularly true when it is the first day of school and it happens to be your first day as the school's new principal. Multiple viewings of the 2006 documentary Corridor of Shame" prompted Democratic Party presidential candidate Illinois U.S. Sen. Barack Obama to visit J.V. Martin Junior High last summer while campaigning in South Carolina. Obama and former First Lady Hillary Clinton are the front runners for the party's presidential nomination. This is how Cherokee County resident Amanda Burnette started her year as principal specialist at J.V. Martin Junior High in Dillon District 2. She took a sabbatical leave from the Cherokee County School District last spring to work for the state. She replaced the J.V. Martin Junior High principal and has taken on the challenge of helping turn around a highpoverty rural school with poor student achievement. "This is a land of haves and havenots,'' said Burnette, in describing Dillon. "They're building a $10 million football stadium at Gaffney High in Cherokee County 250 miles from here, while we're worried about patching up roofs and replacing carpets.'' J.V. Martin Junior High was built in 1896 and is the oldest school building still being used in the state. One third of the school's 560 students read at three or more grades below level. Obama often cites J.V. Martin in speeches as an example of the need to address poverty in rural areas. "This has been an exciting and challenging year," said Burnette, who was principal at Ewing Middle for three years. Burnette has served on an education panel with Obama this school year. She has appeared on CNN as part of a feature about J.V. Martin. The popular news show "60 Minutes" plans to air its own story about the school. "Sen. Obama is real interested in the issue of inequity in school funding," Burnette said. "He has been a fascinating person to meet. He is an intellectual and seems to have a genuine concern and empathy for schools in highpoverty areas." Principal specialists are among the technical assistance available under the state's Education Accountability Act to help struggling schools improve. While addressing student reading problems, Burnette has implemented single gender education classes at J.V. Martin this semester. She started a similar program at Ewing Middle last year where some of the school's top teachers are assigned to teach underperforming students in all boys and girls classes. Burnette will continue to commute from her home in Gaffney during the week to the Dillon District 2 school. "The state has asked me to stay on another year so I will be returning to J.V. Martin Junior High," she said. "I plan to keep my options open to return to Cherokee County schools in the future." |
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