On Thursday, October 12, students, teachers, parents, and other relatives and friends lined the Ruleville streets of L.F. Packer and Harrison with joy, laughter, and pride to cheer on students who achieved academic success on the state assessments.
It is those students’ scores that made Ruleville Middle School (RMS) a successful school with a “B” rating. When asked what he, the educators, students, and other administrative faculty and staff did to get to the level they are now, Earnest Nelson, the current principal of RMS, replied, “Everyone involved in this journey just kept the faith, belief, and effort that was essential in becoming a successful school. One of the biggest factors was getting teachers and students to understand and manipulate the accountability model.”
This is Nelson’s fourth year as principal at Ruleville Middle; he served the previous three years of his career as the assistant principal at Gentry High School. He has seen RMS at some of its highest and lowest points. Ruleville Middle School has been either a “D” or “F” rated school since the current accountability model was introduced in 2014. “I was here as the social studies teacher and head football coach from 2011 - 2015. RMS was rated an “F” in 2011 and an “A” in 2014,” Nelson said. Ruleville Middle has been through the storm and the rain, but now the sun is finally shining.
According to Nelson, “Having a “B” rating means a lot to all stakeholders involved in the education process. It means making the school safe and exciting for students. It means rewarding and exposing our children to things they have not seen or done before. As the principal, it means taking the good with the bad, listening to and accepting criticism, and being flexible and willing to adapt to all the changes that take place throughout the school year.” It is safe to say that being a successful school comes with correction, collaboration, and challenges, but all of those things are worth it in the end.
When I asked Nelson what community members and other stakeholders could do to support schools, with assurance he said, “Community members and stakeholders can ease the process by understanding that local education agencies (LEAs), especially in the Delta, need assistance in meeting goals, rewarding and recognizing students, and contributing a fair share of economic assistance to the schools.” Outside funds are needed to help schools provide scholars and teachers with resources and extra amenities that would otherwise be missed.
To maintain their current standing, Nelson believes two things must occur. “One, we must increase our rigor within the classrooms. We cannot teach “down” to our students. We must teach on a higher level than we have in the past. And two, we must never lower our expectations. We cannot develop student or school or community apathy. We are great and we must accept our greatness. With that, we must expect to be great.”
