Value Students and Results Will Follow
Donald Jolly II has proven that in an educational environment where urban school districts face additional hurdles, success and progress is possible. He has set a precedence across his district to strive for excellence every day.
“Every student has a gift, and it's our job to nurture that gift."
-Donald Jolly II, Superintendent, Warrensville Heights City Schools
When Donald Jolly II was appointed superintendent of the Warrensville Heights City Schools the district was struggling. Due to its failing report card, it was on the verge of a takeover by the state. Yet, less than a decade later it serves as a model for other urban districts to follow. For this and many additional reasons, Mr. Jolly was selected as the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation’s Ohio Outstanding Superintendent in 2023.
"We are one of the best at what we do,” says Mr. Jolly, whose economically-challenged, urban district lies southeast of Cleveland. “And that is taking at-risk students from where they are and providing the intervention and support needed to grow them to where they need to be by the time they graduate."
Mr. Jolly likens Warrensville’s transformation to a metamorphosis: “Like a caterpillar, we went into a cocoon, and we came out this beautiful butterfly, with all new buildings, a renewed energy, and a renewed sense of trust within our community. We are now producing positive, productive graduates," he remarks.
That success, he emphasizes, has been a team effort.
In 2015, when educators in the district faced poor educational outcomes, declining enrollment, and high staff turnover, Mr. Jolly says he was “blessed to be named superintendent.” Growing up, he attended the same schools he now leads, and he was determined that an all-in effort could turn the district around before the state intervened. From the onset, he sought the wisdom and knowledge of every possible stakeholder: members of the community, elected officials, parents, students, staff, alumni, and business professionals. Together, they analyzed critical issues facing the district as they pertained to finances, facilities, transportation, staffing, and curriculum. And they committed to making the investments necessary to give their students an education they deserved.
"Mr. Jolly's visionary leadership created a much-needed road map designed to face our challenges head-on," wrote Traci Mitchell, President of Warrensville Heights Board of Education, in a letter recommending Mr. Jolly for the Jennings award. He developed a "Return to Excellence" plan and eventually implemented changes to create a challenging and supportive learning environment for all students.
Mr. Jolly meets with high school students to learn what is important to them. Putting students first, he says, is what urban districts need to do to achieve success.
The results of that work have been impressive. To name a few: the district has significantly improved its state ranking, brand new classrooms and labs are stocked with the latest technology, the graduation rate has soared from 67 to 94 percent; the K-3 literacy program has earned an "A" in Progress on the state report card, and administrators and instructors are accountable and working with a renewed sense of purpose. Mr. Jolly has established advanced placement programs, implemented a new math curriculum, and increased Title 1 funding for after school tutoring. Notably, he also led efforts to pass a multi- million-dollar levy — in a community where 80 percent of the voters are seniors — to replace outdated, deteriorating buildings with new 21st-century learning facilities district-wide. These are all open and operating in 2023.
Mr. Jolly earned a degree in Early Childhood Education from Morris Brown College and a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Cleveland State University. He completed the Superintendent Licensure Program at Ashland University.
“The most crucial thing I have done is to refocus our community, our board, and our staff on our students and their outcomes,” says Mr. Jolly. “What's really different is that now there is an expectation that our students will learn every single day.”
Mr. Jolly has worked in urban districts throughout his career, including 18 years in the Cleveland Metropolitan schools. He understands the challenges inherent in reaching and teaching students at risk. "Everything starts with putting the students first," he exclaims. "Every decision I make is based on how it will affect students -- How will it affect their classroom? How will it affect their social-emotional learning? How will it affect their experience? How will it affect them getting to school? How will it affect them getting home from school? Once we start with the students, everything else seems to fall into place.”
In addition to implementing best practices within the academic curriculum, Mr. Jolly says it has been essential to determine students' gifts and to nurture those interests as well. "Our job as a school district, and I view this very seriously, is to engage students where their strengths are," he explains. "We have to find out exactly what our youth are interested in, and we have to find an avenue to provide for that. Not just through academic programs, but through extracurriculars, too."
Mr. Jolly stands proud with young men in the “Kings on a Mission” Program, which he began several years ago. The initiative exposes students in grades 4-7 to unique opportunities and challenges to lead them on a road to success. Mr. Jolly says he will do all he can to provide specialized services “to enhance a young person’s life.”
He goes on to list a sample of these activities, many of which result from partnerships with the community: drama programs, auto mechanics, health and wellness ventures, a high school cafe operated by students, and a variety of STEAM initiatives. Because hair braiding and hip-hop dance appeal to some students, he mentions, teachers have created ways to nurture those interests as well.
"We have to do what we can to keep our kids interested and nurture their unique gifts," he continues. "If we make this experience rewarding, one that they cherish and value, then they will come to school. And when they come to school, we can give them the skills, the knowledge, and the information they need to become educated and positive and productive members of society."
A fourth-grade reading teacher at the former Westwood Elementary School in Warrensville Heights inspired Mr. Jolly to become an educator. At a young age, he recognized how that teacher valued his students: "He wore a shirt and tie every single day. He was firm, but he was fair," remembers Mr. Jolly. "He made sure we all knew how to read before leaving his class. On the other hand, he used to play with us at recess. I thought that was the coolest thing. It was just him doing his job. And that inspired me."
While Mr. Jolly is proud of what his district has accomplished since 2015, he realizes there is still much more to do. "Overall, our story is one of teamwork and growth,” he remarks. “It takes a community to educate children, not just a school. It takes everyone believing that all students deserve a quality education.
"My ultimate goal,” he continues, “is that our district will be considered one of the top districts in the state and that our city will become a destination for families regardless of race, or culture, or anything else. But we're not there yet. We are on our way, but we're not there."