SRO Watson lends a helping hand at HJH


Fourteen-year police officer James Watson serves as the School Resource
Officer at Haywood Junior High School.

Haywood Junior High School administrators and teachers have a little extra help with the students when it comes to maintaining order at the school. School Resource Officer James Watson, who has been on the Brownsville Police Department force for 14 years and at the school for 6-1/2 years, says his job involves law enforcement, teaching and counseling.

SRO Watson’s position was created when the Brownsville Police Department secured a Safe Schools Grant to provide both the junior high school and Haywood High School with school resource officers. His job includes dealing with any criminal problems that arise at the school, such as suspected gang activity, drug and weapon offenses, and he also investigates child abuse cases if there is evidence of the problem. He spends some of his time teaching in the classrooms on various civil subjects, such as amendments to the U. S. Constitution, crime-scene report writing in the English classes, and about drugs and alcohol prevention in science and P. E. classes.

“We’re very busy here with about 600 students,” SRO Watson said. He also offers students an open door policy to talk to him about problems before they become unmanageable. He works closely with school counselor Janet Willis.

While SRO Watson helps school officials with criminal offenses that occur at the school, Principal Dontye Bradford and Assistant Principal Robert Wright handle all discipline. Mrs. Bradford also visits the classrooms to talk to students about the choices they make regarding their behavior, and everyone – teachers, administrators, Mrs. Willis and SRO Watson work together to create the best learning environment they can for their students. Mrs. Bradford expressed her appreciation of the help of SRO Watson.

“His presence here is invaluable,” she said.

HJH students register for high school classes

Haywood Junior High School students are getting their first “glance” of high school this month as they register for ninth-grade classes. Guidance counselors from Haywood High School, Deitra Wade, Paula Edwards and Greg Grimsley, along with HJH guidance counselor Janet Willis, met in one-on-one conferences with the students and their parents to help them make important decisions about their last four years of school.

These conferences are designed to assist each student in choosing a curriculum path for high school, establishing a four-year plan for high school courses, while registering for ninth-grade classes. During these conferences, the guidance counselors reviewed the child’s test scores, career interests, and academic plans, and assisted each student and parent in planning the high school program that is best suited to fit the child’s needs.

“Education is a shared responsibility between the school system and parents,” was the message parents of ninth graders received in a letter asking them to participate in the registration process. “We know you want to help with this very important task.” School officials said they had a great response from parents.

Students can choose one of four paths offered at the high school. State-wide, each high school has a Technology Path, University Path and Dual Path, and additionally, Haywood High offers a Distinguished Scholar Path. Each of these paths and the required courses are outlined for students and parents. In the Technology and University paths, each student will earn a total of 20.5 units of credit. In the Dual Path and Distinguished Scholar Path, students will earn 21 units.

Other notes of interest include:

1. All entering students must complete a credit in Algebra I before they graduate.

2. The social studies curriculum shall include United States history, world history, economics, and government.

3. Both units of foreign language must be in the same language.

4. Students completing the Dual Path will complete the requirements for both the Technical Path and the University Path.

5. Students pursuing a Distinguished Scholar Diploma must take honors-level courses in English, math, science and history.

6. To receive an Honors or Distinguished Scholar diploma, a student must maintain at least a 3.0 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale.

7. Students must participate in the Distinguished Scholar Curriculum in order to be listed among the top ten students at graduation.

8. Students may be denied admission to college unless they have earned the requisite number of credits among the following courses: four units in English, three units in math, two units in science, two units in foreign language, one unit in fine arts, and two units in social studies.

9. Students must pass Gateway tests in Algebra I, English II, and Biology I before they graduate.

10. Students must earn at least four credits before they can be classified as sophomores.

For more information, call the Haywood High School Guidance Department at 772-1845.