School graduation rates in W-JCC slip a bit, with gap between city and county students
Good morning! Today we'll review graduation rates at the Williamsburg-James City County schools...update you on the new cruise missile factory coming to James City County, and post holiday closings.
Correction: As proof that we need help with remedial math, we updated this page to reflect the correct number of high schools in the W-JCC system — three.
Williamsburg-James City County schools’ graduation rates are slightly better than the state average, but still have some catching up to do with some schools in the region, according to the state education department’s latest scorecard.
The graduation rates for students from the city also continue to lag behind those who live in the county, the scores show.
School Superintendent Daniel Keever walked the school board through the results at its meeting last week, explaining the factors taken into account for each score.
The state scores he shared show W-JCC’s three high schools slipped slightly in the percentage of students who graduated on time last year — defined as those who graduate four years after entering 9th grade.
They outperformed the state average by less than one percentage point, and were below other schools in the region:
School officials noted, however, that 97% of students are able to complete their studies within five years, either through a traditional diploma, a high school equivalency diploma (GED), or a program study that lets them continue to the trades, the military, or go to college.
Keever said that was an important measurement, because “if we can’t get you done in four, how do we help you get over the hurdle in five?”
Williamsburg Board Member Amy Chen expressed concern with the slightly lower graduation rates and the gaps between different student groups, saying “I always felt like we are above a lot of the state averages.”
“We also acknowledge that there are gaps.,” said Keever, adding the schools’ focus will be on the four year graduation rate.
Four-year graduation rates slipped by 1.5 percent at the three high schools last year, down from the 92.7% rate the previous year but above the 2023 rate:
Students with disabilities, and those who were learning English, or from low income families, fell below the average when it came to graduating on time:
Williamsburg students were less likely to graduate on time than those from the county:
More than 40% of students at the W-JCC schools are minority:
Keever said he regularly checks in with his counterparts at other school systems to learn best practices. He said the administration would be focused on learning more about why some students do not graduate on time and what help they need to make the grade.
Cruise missile factory ground breaking set for next month
The Norwegian defense company coming to James City County expects to break ground on its new location Jan. 16, Williamsburg Watch has learned.
Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace will build its 150,000 square foot facility in the industrial park at Hazelwood Farms off Interstate 64 near the New Kent County Line.
The president of the company’s American operations, Heather K. Armentrout, told an October meeting of the Greater Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce that Kongsberg was already looking for local employees.
The James City County location will be the company’s first munitions assembly plant in this country, producing two types of cruise missiles for the U.S. military.
Holiday closings
James City County
County Offices:
Closed Dec. 24-26 and Jan. 1.
James City County Recreation Center and Abram Frink Jr. Community Center:
Closed Dec. 24-25 and Jan. 1.
Open Dec. 26.
Closing at 6 p.m., Dec. 31.
Parks:
All County parks are open year-round.
Park Stores and Guest Services Offices:
Closed Dec. 24-26 and Jan. 1.
Jolly Pond Road, Tewning Road and Toano Convenience Centers:
Closed Dec. 24-25 and Jan. 1.
Open Dec. 26
Garbage Transfer Station:
Closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1.
Open Dec. 24 and 26.
Curbside Recycling:
No collection on Dec. 25 and Jan. 1.
Dec. 25 recycling will be picked up on Dec. 26.
Jan. 1 recycling will be picked up on Jan. 2.
Libraries:
Closed Dec. 24-26 and Jan. 1.
Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Dec. 31.
Williamsburg:
City Offices:
Closed Dec. 24- 26, and Jan. 1.
Quarterpath Recreation Center and Waller Mill Park:
Closed Dec. 24-25. Closed Dec. 26 until 4:30 p.m., when it will be open for scheduled programming.
Garbage and recycling will be collected on their regular schedules.
Residential curbside leaf collection:
Blue Route collection will begin on Monday as normal and pause Wednesday, Dec. 24 through Friday, Dec. 26. If the Blue Route is not completed, collection resumes the following week.
Red Route: collection will begin as normal on Monday, pause on Thursday, Jan. 1, and resume Friday, Jan.
York County:
York County Offices, York-Poquoson Social Services, and Waste Management Center Administrative Offices
Closed December 24- 26, and Dec. 31-Jan. 1.
York County Public Libraries
Closed December 24-26, Dec. 31- Jan. 1.
York-Poquoson Courts (Circuit, General District, and Juvenile & Domestic Relations District)
Closed December 24-26, Dec. 31 -Jan. 1.
York/Poquoson Cooperative Extension
Closed Dec. 23 - January 2
Waste Management Operations (citizen drop-off of trash and recycling)
Closed December 25 and January 1
VPPSA Compost Facility
Closing at 12 p.m. on December 24; Closed December 25 and January 1
Garbage will not be picked up on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Therefore, collections will be delayed one day until all collections are completed.
Want to dine out Christmas day?
Changed your mind about cooking Christmas dinner? Here’s our list of Williamsburg area restaurants that will be open Christmas day:
Passings
Benjamin Alexander Bornstein, 44, Dec. 18.
All this talk of graduation rates and splitting hairs across economic and racial differences between students but what is missing is in the article is statistics regarding the gap between genders. As boys fall behind in their education the administration does not see care. This is painfully evident for parents of boys. The administration and faculty are painfully ambivalent about the gender educational gap.