Partnership Principal
Jerryelyn Jones

(Click here for a print friendly version.)

     Jerryelyn Jones, an eight-year veteran principal at Chicago’s Curie Metro High School says her greatest thrill in being a school leader is seeing growth in the school’s 3,000 freshmen through seniors.

   “I love to put programs in place and watch them take off,” Jones explains. “I like to see accomplishments—to see our students come in as freshmen and leave as seniors having gained knowledge and the ability to succeed.”

   And with the successes Curie Metro has experienced, Jones is one happy principal. Among those successes are:

•Being the only school in the state of Illinois that has a student-run bank. Through a partnership with a local bank (Park Federal Savings), the school operates a branch where students, parents and staff can open accounts and conduct all their banking operations. Students learn about banking as part of a freshman class and later staff the bank.

•Being named the best art program in the state by the Illinois Art Education Association in 2002.

•Having a teacher named one of 10 Illinois Golden Apple Fellows in each of the last three years high schools have been eligible for the award (2001, 2004, 2007).

•Improving attendance and graduation rates over the past five years.

•Increasing math scores on state tests by 12.8 percent and science scores by eight percent in the last five years.

   Curie is a magnet/career academy in the Chicago Public Schools with a student population comprised of 62 percent Hispanic youngsters along with African-Americans, Caucasians, Asians, and others. This mix is one of the school’s strengths, according to Jones.

   “Our students can learn from each other, and understand other cultures. They become familiar with what to expect in the world.”

   Curie is special in many ways. Along with the core curriculum, courses are built around three main components: an International Baccalaureate program, fine arts program, and vocational program. It offers AP classes in English, U.S. History, European History, biology, chemistry, environmental science, calculus, Spanish and art.

   The Vocational-Technical (Education To Careers) program includes accounting, architectural drafting, auto, carpentry, chef training, child care, graphic arts/photography, computer programming, print shop, electronics, software applications, metals, and television broadcasting.

  The Fine Arts Program includes band, chorus, dance, drama, electronic music, guitar, orchestra, piano, theater tech, and visual arts.

   Additionally, Bilingual programs are offered in Chinese, Polish and Spanish.

  “I tell our students, we offer you the extras,” Jones says. “All students major in something at Curie in addition to the basic curriculum. We require additional work from them, but in return they get the extras through performing arts, vocational training or whatever they choose.”

    A 1.2 million dollar grant spread over five years from the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation gave teachers and administrators a chance to deliver even more ‘extras’ to Curie students. The grant was used in three areas: student leadership, technology and staff development.

   A student leadership class was formed for sophomores through seniors, and about 90 youngsters participate in it each year. The sole aim of the course is for students “to work with the school and administration on making the school better,” according to Jones.

   “This class allows me to have more direct time with the students. They run their ideas and concerns by me on a weekly basis. That contact is important in a school of 3,000 young people. It allows me to get to know them better.”

    These classes have brought about a number of changes, not only at Curie but at schools throughout Illinois. One involved teen pregnancies after members of the leadership class noted the number of pregnant girls on campus. They conducted a survey of Curie students and other Chicago teens and discovered that a high percentage were sexually active and yet noted that the schools did little to teach about abstinence or safe sex. The Curie students took their concerns to the state legislature, resulting in a component being added to the ninth grade health curriculum throughout Illinois.

    They are also working with the city to construct an overpass from the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) station across from the school to Curie.

    “About 90 percent of my students take the CTA to and from school,” Jones explains. “While we are on a split opening, when almost 1,500 teens are crossing the student at one time, traffic can really be tied up.”

  The grant also provided funds to create a multimedia communication and distribution center through which every classroom now has a television set connected to a school broadcast studio. Students prepare a daily show of school announcements and information. Teachers are able to tape events and highlight numerous school activities which are shared via the system.

   The third component was staff development for teachers. The school trained teacher leaders in various areas, and the leaders work with all faculty members. For example, Judith Irvin has worked with Curie’s literacy team on strategies to use with high school students. The school’s schedule was structured so that during Monday’s prep period, the teacher leaders work with all teachers; then in Tuesday’s common planning groups, departments can review what they learned Monday and how they will implement strategies.

   While Curie is experiencing many successes, Jones still faces the challenges that come with school leadership.

   “Sustainability is a big challenge for us,” she reports. “Five years ago our attendance was at 85 percent and now it’s at 90. Test scores have also increased. But we need to determine how we can keep moving in those positive directions.”

   She also faces a retirement issue among the teaching staff, and is striving to find qualified teachers to continue the progress with students.

   Jones sees the Principals’ Partnership as a great resource to help school leaders meet the challenges they face.

   “When I first heard about the Partnership, I thought it was too good to believe. No one treats principals as the Principals’ Partnership does. The resources on the Web site, getting us together to share ideas, and the staff development throughout the year all help us do our job.”

   Currie can be reached at jljones3@cps.k12.il.us, and the school’s Web site is www.curiehs.org.

 
Past Focus Principals:

Focus- Gloria Erkins
Focus- Ron Sing
Focus- Bill Hittman
Focus- Jeanene Sampson
Focus- David Gilligan
Focus - Joy Walton
Focus- William Roberts
Focus- Franklyn Wesley
Focus- Magdalena Gutierrez
Focus- Kent Bergum
Focus- William "Rick" Johnson
Focus- Ken Ball
Focus- Dan Tenuta
Focus- Charlesetta Deason
Focus- Rene Posey
Focus- Stuart Baker
Focus- Paul Smith
Focus- Christie Gestvang
Focus- John A. Butterfield
Focus- Janie Hill Hatton
Focus- Steve Warmack
Focus- Glen Clark
Focus- Kittie D. Weston-Knauer
Focus- William Dunn
Focus - Richard Pemberton
Focus- Dr. Anthony Spivey
Focus - John Weigel