Each day leading up to our first "Stars of Public Education" banquet held Thursday, April 27, at the USC Aiken Convocation Center we will be featuring a different Honor Court member from among this year's Giving Even More (GEM), Teacher of the Year and Principal of the Year honorees.
Through it all, South Aiken High School Principal Jill Jett, who is completing just her third school year at SAHS, has been a steadying source of stability and calm during times of stress, while also pushing forward with new improvements to take the school from good to great.
Ms. Jett is no stranger to exceeding expectations. Glass ceilings? She shatters them.
Alongside this year’s National Blue Ribbon designation for SAHS, she lists among her top accomplishments as a building principal being named as the first female principal at Strom Thurmond High School, in Edgefield County, and then overseeing the construction of a much-needed new stadium complex at STHS that many in the area thought would never be built.
Her daily focus, however, remains dedicated to the success of students at South Aiken High School.
“In order to cultivate future-ready students, we continually seek to support struggling learners, and challenge learners who excel,” Ms. Jett stated. “Our District mission statement promises that we will be innovative and literacy-focused. We tell our stakeholders they will be able to evaluate our progress toward fulfilling that promise through rigorous personalized learning opportunities. The South Aiken community takes that promise seriously.
“We will support those who struggle and challenge those who excel. We also believe that you must challenge those who struggle. We give them tools and resources to increase their chances at success and then we challenge them to prove to themselves that victory is within their reach.”
Ms. Jett says there are many levels of high-quality support the school provides for students no matter where they may fall along the academic spectrum, with special attention paid to student literacy and STEM initiatives.
“Data analysis, primarily from Reading Inventory, enables us to identity those struggling readers who need strategic and personalized learning opportunities. We provide support for these students in our Read 180 and System 44 classrooms, our teachers utilize differentiated instructional strategies and activities, and our during the school day tutoring enables students to meet with specific teachers,” Ms. Jett commented. “South Aiken also provides learners who excel with personalized learning opportunities. Our Advanced Placement (AP) program offers eighteen courses across the curriculum, and we work through the Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics to provide students the opportunity to launch an engineering career. Our teachers in the AP program receive specialized training allowing them to work with ALL students.”
South Aiken High School teacher Glenda Smith says Ms. Jett provides next-level leadership through an “open door” culture with all SAHS stakeholders.
“Mrs. Jett is dedicated to the faculty, staff, and students and to seeing that all achieve their potential. Her instructional leadership style offers all members of the school community the opportunity to discuss with her their concerns, brainstorm ideas, and find real solution which inspires success and generates improvement,” Ms. Smith stated.
“Ms. Jett’s commitment to excellence has always been her trademark,” added Mr. Scott Newman, Aiken County Public Schools’ interim Executive Director for High Schools. “The students and staff at South Aiken High School are tangible evidence of her commitment.”
Jeanie Glover, who serves as Director of Federal programs for Aiken County Public Schools, says Ms. Jett’s advocacy for all learners is just one of her exceptional qualities as a principal.
“Ms. Jett is an advocate for all learners. She worked with her teacher leaders to develop the Power Hour, which is a time for students to receive tutoring from their assigned teachers during their lunch. This time is critical because teachers can meet students where they are,” Ms. Glover stated. “Ms. Jett also supports an active Buddy Club, which encourages general education students to support special education students. Her out-of-the-box thinking combined with a willingness to do ‘whatever it takes’ to help students success make her a tremendous Principal of the Year candidate.”