MEMPHIS, Tenn. (localmemphis.com) – Thursday morning, Shelby County Schoolssuperintendent Dr. Joris Ray mixed blunt realities and bold goals, as heoutlined the district’s major initiatives in the first-ever State of the Districtaddress.
Dr. Ray also used the event as a community call to action to helpimprove overall achievement.
“It takes everyone in this room to speak life to ourchildren,” Dr. Ray said.
That’s why Dr. Ray used the nearly hour-long address to rally new volunteersand mentors to serve the district’s most vulnerable students.
“Change champions are those who serve as fierce advocates onbehalf of our children,” Dr. Ray said.
The push for more SCS volunteers outside the classroom is part ofWe Are 901, one of four strategic initiatives outlined Thursday morning.
Dr. Ray and other community activists introduced part of thementoring program this past summer at the National Civil Rights Museum.
“Memphis is a city with many societal ills that plague ourcommunities,” Dr. Ray said.
The SCS superintendent said beyond after-school mentors,recruiting and retaining minority SCS teachers is critical, especially inelementary schools.
“It’s time to step up to the plate, to be the change that wewant to see,” SCS teacher David Jamison said.
David Jamison is one of those teachers. The Hickory Ridge Elementary instructor drew national attention last month with a video, where he motivated each of his students with personalized handshakes.
“That was pretty much the goal to inspire teachers on theimportance of being a human interaction and establishing relationships withkids,” Jamison said. “The world really needs more teachers that care.”
In his State of the District address, Dr. Ray also emphasizedimproving third grade reading levels.
District administrators said only one in four SCS third gradersread at a proficient level, and students who don’t read proficiently by thirdgrade are four times more likely to drop out of high school.