The Little Red School House 2011 Winner
Wagner
Community School
The Little Red School House Award is presented
to a school district that is selected for
implementing the most significant, innovative
and successful education program or project.
Jobs
for
America
’s Graduates (JAG) Program
Beginning as a dropout
prevention program in
Delaware
in 1979, JAG has evolved into a career awareness and leadership development
program that reached
South Dakota
two years ago when Superintendent Susan Smit and the
Wagner
Community
School District
agreed to pilot the program. The
program includes a class covering eight skills: career development, job
attainment, job survival, leadership development, personal, life service,
work place and basic (reading writing, math and oral communications).
JAG has helped the students involved decrease their absences,
decrease their office referrals and increase their earned credits.
The program gives the students a sense of belonging in
Wagner
Community
School
through co-curricular activities of civic awareness and community service.
They have found a purpose for their education, their community
responsibilities and their civic duties.