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BY REGINALD ROGERS - PARAGLIDE Change has come to E.E. Smith High School and it is good. After years of wearing a somewhat unfair stigma of being called one of Fayetteville's worst schools, the students at E.E. Smith can wear another title - achievers. The staff and student body at the school have improved in all areas of the annual, statewide end-of-course test, which takes place at the end of each semester. The test consists of various subjects that are predetermined by state education officials, who use the scores as a measuring stick in determining the progression of a schools curriculum throughout the school year. According to Clint Robinson, E.E. Smith's principal, and Assistant Principal Todd Finn, the school's academic success this year can be attributed to a change in mindset amongst its students. "One of the things about improving in all areas is that although our test scores have improved, we really focus on the process and the process will always lead you to a positive outcome," Robinson said in an interview on March 26. He said what is perhaps more important than the test scores, are the great things that the teachers are doing in the building, the mindset of E.E. Smith students, the newly, re-established pride in the school and the new dynamics within the school's culture. He pointed out that the first step to fixing a problem is acknowledging it and addressing the root behind the problem. "Of course all kids have challenges, regardless of which school you go to," Robinson explained. "However, in our school, we consider our children Family. With that being said, we do everything that we can to help them succeed. In comparison to the statewide percentile, E.E. Smith students scored 62 percent in Algebra I. In geometry, their scores were in the top 85 percentile. In Algebra II, the Golden Bulls placed in the top 98 percentile. In English I, their score was 58 percent, which was a drastic improvement said Robinson. Their U.S. history scores were within the 86 percentile, while their civic students scored better than 88 percent of the state's students. In the science department, E.E. Smith's biology students scored 70 percent and in physical science, their scores were 97 percent. "Those scores rival any school in the county," Robinson said. "As we stand right now, we're probably sitting within the top three in every category, except for English, but that's an area we're looking to improve in also." Things were not always rosy for the E.E. Smith Family, as students and faculty members, alike dealt with a negative reputation that preceded them in their endeavors. E.E. Smith is located just off Murchison Road, which also has a reputation for being one of the city's high-crime areas that includes various drug activities. "I attribute (their success) to the willingness to work together," Robinson said. "The most important thing, I think, is that everybody in our building cares. You've never seen a child that would come to high school and say, 'I want to be stupid,' or 'I don't want to be educated,' or 'I'm not here to learn.' That's what we believe in ... doing what's right for children." He added that love provides a solid foundation for learning. "I believe it all begins with love," he said. "You have to love what you're doing, and you have to have a love for children. If you love what you're doing and you have a love for children and you add a little focus, direction, guid-ance and discipline with regards to making sure students do what they're supposed to do, success has to be the outcome. High expectations and high standards, that's what it's attributed to." Robinson admitted that despite the recent success, there is still a lot of work to be done at E.E. S mith. "There's always room for improvement, and there are always things we can do better," he said. "As I reflect, I find it to be an interesting situation. I think we should be in the 90 percentile. Even though our overall performance composite is 82 percent, last year it was at 61 percent. Prior to that, it was at 49 percent. Since we’ve been in this school together, our school has made a lot of leaps and bounds. "It makes me feel good, but I'm not satisfied," Robinson said, "because if we leave one student behind, we've left one too many, and I truly believe that." (Editor's Note: This story is part one of a two-part series about changes and success at E.E. Smith High School. Part two will be featured in next weeks Paraglide.)
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