Adrian Hammitte named acting superintendent for the Jefferson County School District
Fayette, Mississippi in Jefferson County is where Alcorn State University alumnus Adrian Hammitte's roots lie. So to be named acting superintendent of the Jefferson County School District is now one of his standout career achievements.
"As a graduate of Jefferson County High School, it is an honor to serve as acting superintendent for this school district," said Hammitte, who earned a master's degree in secondary education from Alcorn in 2010. "This is something I do not take lightly. I consider it a blessing to be able to impact the lives of our students positively."
Hammitte began serving in his new role Tuesday, Jan. 15. In his short stint as acting superintendent, the school district has already displayed success under his leadership. Jefferson County's graduation rate increased from 86.2 in 2016-2017 to 87.6 for the 2017-2018 school year, according to a report released by the Mississippi Department of Education. This rate is higher than the state and the national average of 84 percent.
Also for the second straight year, Jefferson County is among the state's top ten school districts with the lowest dropout rates. The report found that only 3.4 percent of students in the district dropped out. An average of ten percent of students dropped out of high school across all Mississippi public schools.
The consistent graduation improvement in Jefferson County is a feat that Hammitte is proud of. He credits his colleagues for their commitment to inspiring excellence.
"It is an amazing feeling to witness our graduation rate increase. It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our administrators, teachers, students, and parents. We are proud to see that we are continuing to make gains by graduation more students."
The district's success falls in line with Hammitte's plans during his tenure, which is providing students in Fayette with a valuable education.
"My highest priority is to make sure every child receives a quality education. We are putting systems in place to ensure student achievement improves at each school. Also, we are promoting teaching and learning by fostering in a positive school climate."
Although happy with the latest accolades, Hammitte still sees room for improvement. He said that his team is implementing strategies that would help them reach their goal of graduating 100 percent of Jefferson County's students in the future.
"Our administrators are utilizing leading and lagging indicators to determine which students are at-risk of dropping out of school. These students will receive additional support to ensure that they are on track to meet graduation requirements. We will provide focused interventions to meet the needs of each student."
