Covington teachers face many challenges posed by
the school’s demographics. Poverty levels are high.
In a community that has experienced dramatic economic changes in recent years, a large number of
students deal with significant challenges before they
enter the school building each day. The school’s
staff understands this, and embraces it. More than
half of Covington’s teachers are also alumni of
the school. Many of the rest are parents of school
students and alumni. Mr. Concus is part of the latter
group, with a 17-year-old daughter currently attending the school.
“This is hard work, but just look at the change that’s
taking place in some of these kids. If one kid turns
it around, that can change a whole generation
of students,” said Mr. Concus. “We’re just kind of
a blue-collar family. We really have a hard and
tough task ahead of us. If you walk through the
hallways, you recognize very quickly that demographics are not always conducive to learning. But
it’s our job to make sure every kid learns.”
This gets to a hallmark of Covington life: Pride.
Students and teachers are happy to be there, Ms.
Blackley said. And kids who are part of the school
automatically have an extended network of support
in the local community.
“We do so much more than just make sure everyone has a diploma,” said Ms. Blackley. “There’s
a lot of pride. Teachers accept zero excuses. That
comes from what they expect of themselves.”
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IF ONE KID
TURNS IT
AROUND, THAT
CAN CHANGE
A WHOLE
GENERATION...
-Cory Concus