In September, Dr. Mike McElrath admitted Jamestown’s newest school, the Success Academy, was an institution faculty and staff members were still attempting to figure out.

At the time of its opening, McElrath, the Success Academy principal, said the goal of the building, located at 41 Hebner St. in the former Rogers Elementary School building, was “in the name” — success.

Now, in the month before the second semester begins and more than six months since its opening, McElrath believes there have been moments of early success, but indicated there will likely be coming changes going into the spring.

“Given that we just opened from where we came in the summer with this being a place that was for storage for the district to where we are now I think we’re making progress,” McElrath said when asked about potential first-year success. “Yeah, I’d say — the Success Academy — I guess we’re having success so far. I think we’re moving in a good direction. The staff has been really good. We are working together really well.”

Pictured is the new logo for the Success Academy, which was created by Jason Williams, a Washington Middle School teacher, who passed away in June 2019.

One of the primary and initial goals of the Success Academy when it was announced in March 2018 was to improve school attendance among specific populations in the school district. As of mid-December, 68% of full-time students who were in the JPS school system last year had exceeded their yearly attendance percentage and another 13% had only a 1 to 3% decline, McElrath said.

He noted that some students transferred to the Success Academy from alternative education settings, other school districts and home teaching environments, making attendance percentages for those individuals more difficult to track from year to year.

School officials previously said the purpose of the building has been changed in order to be more supportive to the needs of students in grades 5-10. The grade range, student populations and coursework are moving targets, as the academy will likely be expanded after the district reviews the progress of year one of the new school.

“Students seem to be happy here. They’re adjusting to being in a different type of environment and we’re adjusting with them,” McElrath said. “I’ve seen a lot of growth in a number of students, but we’re still a work in progress. We’re still learning every day trying to figure things out.”

At the beginning of the school year, McElrath said total enrollment at the Success Academy was about 50 students where it currently is at as of January. The principal spoke about the potential for bringing students to the Success Academy to improve certain characteristics and then have them return to their initial school. However, McElrath said there haven’t been any cases of students transferring, improving and returning to their original placement because of how early on in the process Jamestown is.

Additionally, transportation is being provided to every student, removing another potential road block for students attending school every day.

The school is set to address a wide variety of issues among student needs including trauma, absenteeism, anxiety and others.

Agencies like social services, mental health providers, counselors, job training and mentors were anticipated to get involved in offering help to students who are falling behind in school due to previous traumatic events.

Since opening, more agencies have begun partnering with the Success Academy. The Resource Center, Chautauqua County Mental Health and Hygiene, Family Services of the Chautauqua Region and Prevention Works have been providing student counseling. With student counseling being offered through various agencies, the Success Academy has just less than one full-time employee in the school each day.

“It’s different people, but it’s a start. That’s come together a little better,” McElrath said.

Other agencies involved with the school include Chautauqua Striders, , Impact, JPD, Jamestown Community Learning Council JCC Liberty Partnership.

Success Academy officials have also looked at other unique ways to assist students. New ideas include offering to provide haircuts to students, providing yoga sessions for students and integrating a Success Academy student store. The store is filled with mostly clothes allowing students to earn in-school currency to purchase items. Students are also enabled to work at the store, too.

McElrath said while the first semester was tailored to getting every student acclimated to the new setting, a more curriculum-heavy plan is going to be implemented going forward.

“I think we’re going to try to push a little bit further on the academics and other things now that they’ve been here for a little while,” he said. “We also want to expose the kids to more community resources so that they have a better understanding of what they have in their community.”