St. Louis Public Schools Superintendent Kelvin Adams said what to many ears will be the magic words, in a statement released to The St. Louis American this afternoon: “I do not believe closing Sumner High School is the answer at this point.”
However, that was the last unqualified good news in a stern statement that challenged administrators, faculty, staff, families and students to do much better if the struggling, historied institution is to survive as a public school.
“Charles E. Sumner High School, established in 1875, has a rich and proud history as the first African-American high school west of the Mississippi,” Adams said in the statement.
“However, current incidents, as well as poor student attendance and academic achievement, have tarnished its legacy.”
As a result of these indicators, Adams warned, “maintaining the status quo will no longer be acceptable.”
Adams presented the troubled status quo, as well as necessary steps to improving it, in detail.
School safety: “Since school started this year, Sumner students have dealt with shootings, fights and other altercations, and this is unacceptable. Students should not be sent to a school where they feel threatened,” Adams said.
“To address this issue, the district will be working with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department to provide more security in and around the building. Faculty and staff will work to reduce student movement in the building and will create an additional In-School Suspension classroom to address student issues and concerns.”
Academic achievement: “Students attending Sumner High School are not performing well academically. Recent school statistics show 35 percent of the student population is one or more grades behind, and 203 students are failing one or more classes,” Adams said.
“To address this issue, additional Central Office support will be provided, credit recovery courses will be offered, and student academic support teams will be created.”
Student attendance: “Students at Sumner High School maintain a 76 percent attendance rate, the lowest in the district,” Adams said.
“Because attendance drives academic performance, attendance teams will be developed to engage parents and refer more truancy cases to juvenile court for excessive unexcused absences.”
Mary Armstrong, president of the local teachers’ union, enumerated the same list of problems with the school that Adams identified – in the same order of priority – citing staff and student safety, discipline, academics, attendance and the dropout rate.
Armstrong said the teachers’ union will look at next semester as a sort of trial run to prepare for improving the school in the following school year.
“When the building reopens in August, we will have had a semester to talk about how we are going to turn Sumner around and make it the school of history it once was,” Armstrong told The American.
Armstrong pledged her organization’s full support in realizing the district’s plan.
“I do plan to work with the administration, with any assistance we can get from our national organization,” Armstrong said.
“The union will work with the principal, school staff, students and all interested parties. We all need to be on the same page about saving this historical school.”
To start, Adams proposed to the district’s Special Administrative Board to use Tuesday, January 5 as a planning day to address the issues of safety, academic achievement and student attendance. Staff training will take place on that day, as well as a volunteer training session for interested community members wanting to be directly involved.
“The district, as well as the community, must work together to ensure the success of Sumner’s students,” Adams said.
“Students, parents, the community, local leaders and alumni must take a proactive interest in the educational achievement of students.”
To become engaged in saving Sumner, call (314) 345-4692. If student needs are not being met, Adams asked that parents and staff notify his office by calling (314) 345-2296.
