JACKSON SCHOOLS ENJOY SPECIAL COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIP

A state evaluation of the Jackson School District found little wrong with the school system and cited an outstanding relationship between the district and the community.

That comes as no surprise, given the attitude not only of patrons living in Jackson, but those who live in the sprawling rural area the district serves have as well. Anytime the schools have been in need, school district residents have seen to it that the job gets done, no matter what the cost.

That is important to the success of any school district. It would be difficult to find communication and teamwork between a school system and its patrons any better than in the Jackson School District.

The state evaluation, done once every five years, was conducted under the Missouri School Improvement Program. It involves a comprehensive review required by Missouri law to monitor a school district's progress.

Only minor concerns were noted by the evaluators, and the district was aware of most of those. Among them: better accessibility to some buildings, better library facilities at outlying schools, and development of the guidance and counseling program.

The district met all of the state's standards, Dr. Howard Jones, Jackson school superintendent told the Board of Education last week. Under the program, just meeting the standards means the district is doing an outstanding job.

But it was the pride in Jackson schools that impressed the evaluators the most. That pride was detected in interviews with business people, parents, students, teachers and administrators -- the same pride that is traditionally displayed throughout the schools and school-sponsored events.