June 13, 2018 – Just as the fall semester brought a new beginning to Jefferson County K-12 under the direction of Somerset Academy, Inc. and school principal Cory Oliver, spring continued to see students blossom and the school excel in meeting new challenges and cross-pollinating budding intellects with ideas of leadership, academics and entrepreneurship.
In January The State Board of Education and Commissioner Pam Stewart recognized senior Elliott Robinson, from Jefferson-Somerset School, with the Commissioner of Education’s Leadership Award. The school also hosted The Akropolis Reed Quintet, held its first Literary Week and held the STEM focused Lego League’s first ever Robotics Presentation. Literary Week was extra special with guest readers such as Jefferson County Sheriff McNeill, Superintendent Arbulu and Judge Bobby Plaines who came into the classrooms to read to the students. Sheriff McNeill was so impressed with the third-grade students that he surprised them with a pizza party! The week also offered a Teddy Bear Tea Party where parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and teachers came to the Media Center to read to students from Pre-K to fifth grade. Other highlights included the Jefferson-Somerset varsity and junior varsity cheerleading squads who won several awards and trophies at various competitions.
The school participated throughout February in several events focused on and celebrating Black History Month. Most notably, students from all grade levels presented a spectacular Black History performance titled, “My History, Your History, Our History.”
February also saw two Jefferson-Somerset students, Anthony Seaton and Tahja Chavis, receive the distinguished honor of serving at the State Capital as Senate pages. The school honored Rowena West as elementary teacher of the year, 1st Sgt. Terry Walker as middle school teacher of the year and Nicky Seaton as employee of the year. The school also hosted a military ball and a Pretty Girls Rock pageant. Another big event in February was the national Arrive Alive campaign that taught students about the negative effects of texting while driving.