By Pat Lawrence
Jorea Marple |
Jorea Marple has held positions at almost every level of the school
system, written an insightful book about making school systems work
and established her credentials as a fierce education advocate. As
an elementary school principal, she greeted every student personally
each morning, often asking “What did you read last night””
During her five years as Superintendent of Schools in Kanawha County,
she was able to institute changes that made education better and test
scores higher. When those results were no longer supported, she
quit and took up a new challenge, adult education.
For the past five years she has been implementing her vision of education
as principal of Garnet Career Center. Between 2000-3000 students enter
Garnet each year. Jorea says, “The greatest deterrent for most
students is the money to go to school. The lack of resources they
must overcome can be terribly discouraging. Single parents have
to put food on the table. There are no provisions for transportation,
babysitting, medical costs or groceries for people trying to get an
education. I am amazed at determination of the individuals I see here.”
The Sutton High School graduate is the daughter of a teacher and
grand daughter of a school superintendent. Education may be the
family business, but Jorea’s focused sense of mission has resulted
in an impact beyond the classroom. Acknowledged early in
her career as an Outstanding Young Woman, she continues to reap recognition
for her unending efforts to provide a level playing field and a solid
foundation from which all students can learn.
A friend to students as well as an educator, Jorea takes her responsibility
to students to heart. “Children don’t forget the
teachers and principals that made a difference in their lives. Every
day we have the opportunity to reach the hearts and minds of children
and adults -and change their lives. Education offers that unique
opportunity many times a day. It’s a gift that everyday,
you can do something - by encouragement, by kindness, by teaching
a concept – that will make a difference in someone’s life.”
The position at Garnet requires less after-hours involvement, which
gave Jorea time to reflect on her experience as a professional educator. The
result, “An Insiders Guide to Making School Systems Work”,
was published in 2002. Jorea says, “It’s a book for
policy makers and anyone in education.” In it she describes
how, “ Professionals must clearly define the staff, programs
and services that will be available at every level. We need to identify
and meet the ratios that will allow children to be successful, like
how many teachers or how many counselors per student. We must
have the reading teachers, arts and foreign languages necessary to
make our children world-competitive. And, we need funds to pay for
the teachers, programs and services that make education work.”
Jorea says many students have been laid off and are returning to
school to improve their skills or complete their education. She
says, “Life is a progression. For every disappointment,
you have some opportunities. Some of our students weren’t
successful in public schools. They come to get their GED and
to improve their prospects. With maturity, they’re more
motivated - we don’t have discipline issues here!”
Garnet offers an array of classes, on site and online. Seniors
and students take advantage of over a hundred Pentium equipped computers
and the latest in computer technology and training. A host of
business education classes include data processing, accounting and
office administration. Medical professional skills are taught
in addition to nursing assistant training and a twelve-month licensed
practical nurse program offered twice a year. Classes including
automotive technology, have cooperative training experience, so students
may work in their chosen field before graduating.
Although she completed her doctorate in 1987, Jorea still takes on
line classes herself. She hasn’t ruled out going back to
school, perhaps doing something completely different someday. “When
you stop challenging your mind, you become endangered socially, intellectually
and physically.”
Endangerment doesn’t seem a likely possibility for Ms. Marple.
Jorea has taught elementary students, exceptional students and college
students. She directed planning for Kanawha County Schools and administered
their Federal, State and Local programs. An author and former advisor
for WPBY, she’s married to attorney general Darrell V. McGraw,
Jr.. Her son Darrell McGraw, III, works with Pricewaterhouse
Coopers in London, England and her daughter, Elliott McGraw, is a
student at UCLA. Each day she takes on the logistical problems
of adult students, helping them get the resources they need to succeed,
and “I try to make sure I don’t lose that opportunity
to reach out.”
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