Jennifer Perry Middleton
Jefferson Jimplecute
Jefferson Independent School District’s Board of Trustees heard tax reports and accepted a donation during their regular meeting Tuesday.
Patti Wallace with the Marion County Tax Assessor’s Office reported that the next tax sale would be held at 10 a.m. October 4 and include tax warrants with lake lots, city lots and one-acre tracts. She told the board there are 25 properties included in the sale, and that there are some multiple lots together.
“If all goes well, we will sell them all,” she said. “We hope to sell them all.”
Wallace also told the board that they are hoping to have several more to offer in a sale on Dec. 6, with possibly at least 30 struck-off properties to include larger tracts of land. She added that last year’s December sale was extremely successful, as many of the properties were offered at “clearance sale” prices, and that they are hoping to have as much success this year.
Trustees also accepted two donations during Tuesday’s meeting. Former student Zach Baldwin said he had been working in the state legislature and had become aware of Senate Bill 797, which allows schools to display the national motto “In God We Trust” if it is privately donated. Baldwin donated 12 signs to the district. JISD Superintendent Rob Barnwell thanked Baldwin for the signs.
Melinda Fuquay with East Texas Professional Credit Union, formerly Northeast Texas Credit Union, gave JISD a check for $7,965.47 in Rally Card Rewards. She said this is a program they would like to continue, but that now the credit union has 21 branches, they may not be able to continue it.
“We really appreciate this and we enjoy the partnership,” Barnwell told her of the donation, which is usually around $8,000 annually.
Junior High Assistant Principal Lauren Anderson, along with Dr. Tim Phy, Dr. Robert Harper, Dr. Lynn Phillips and Coach Larry Allen also made a presentation on the new HOPE Initiative Character Classes being held at the junior high.
“After COVID, our kids need help socially and academically,” Anderson told the board. “So we developed a character class, and our coaches developed a vision. This has exploded into more than just a class these kids go to every day. It helps these students beyond the classroom.”
The HOPE Initiative is led by Dr. Robert Harper of Marietta, and has been developed into a curriculum for all of the junior high students.
“It’s this whole program that we’ve brought to the junior high and we are hoping it will spread,” Anderson said, adding that Coach Allen has been extremely enthusiastic about helping the students become responsible and identify their strengths and weaknesses.
As part of the class, the students were polled on their post-high school plans, with the majority stating they wanted to attend a two- or four-year university and some to branches of military service. In addition, some indicated they want to attain a master’s degree or higher education.
Harper told the board they worked to identify 10 strengths for students and had students identify their own top three strengths and their learning styles. The evidence-based reports were given to teachers for them to learn how the students learn.
“The majority saw the benefits of going to college,” Harper said, “and many indicated they were interested in having a mentor in their career fields, along with working on a community project.
He added that they were hopeful for the program’s continued success. “We ask questions and we let the kids talk,” Harper said. “And we just make it happen.”