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T. A. Dugger Jr. High

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About the School

Principal: Chris Berry
Asst. Principal: Jason Carter
Asst. Principal: Travis Williams

Mission Statement  

In cooperation with home and community, the T. A. Dugger faculty and staff will develop a well-rounded program of education that will meet the needs of adolescent students and develop skills necessary for personal fulfillment and success. 

 

About The School  

ACADEMICS: 
The students and teachers dedication to learning the state standards in Language Arts and Math have paid off substantially.  One of many luxuries at TAD is the small student/teacher ratio. Evidence of this is observed from the State mandated test scores such as Writing Assessment and TCAPS. This year State-mandated Writing Assessment boasted an average of 4.705, (on a scale from 1-6)!  Eighth grade math students that took the State-mandated Algebra Gateway Exam yielded 100% advanced and proficient in all areas! In addition, the 8th grade EXPLORE/ACT produced results that exceeded all State and National Benchmarks for high school readiness in every category, level and sub-level. During a 5 year period, attendance at TAD has yielded a 2.3% increase for the 2nd quartile of the 2007-2008 school year.  In addition, attendance was 100% during the entire week of TCAP testing, which is another indicator of the value that is placed on being dedicated, respectful, and responsible at TAD. Free after-school tutoring in math, science, language arts, and social studies is offered during the school year for any student needing assistance above and beyond the classroom. In addition to one full time counselor, TAD contracts with Frontier Health to offer additional counseling services. 

CLUBS & EXTRACURRICULAR: 
TAD offers many clubs and extra-curricular activities of which students may take advantage. Some of the clubs include  Student Council, Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), and the Tech Ed Club. Also, the Jr. Cyclone Band, in-school & out of school dances, and ballgames give an even greater variety for those who are interested. Expeditions & field trips abound all year, examples:  TAD students visited the Natural History Museum at Gray Fossil Site and learned first hand about Paleontology. Other trips have been to the Bays Mountain Nature Park and Planetarium in Kingsport, the 8th Grade trip to Washington D.C. and the OverMountain Victory Trail hike in the fall.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH: 
More quality opportunities now exist for community interaction such as: PTO meetings and luncheons, Open Houses, Orientation, Food for the Multitude, Second Harvest Food Bank, the Backpack Program, Earth Day activities, and numerous other service projects.  Every fall the PTO sponsors a Bean Supper Fundraiser; this year's Bean Supper secured state of the art technology for the computer lab and teacher classrooms. The Fine Arts program collaborated on the school play, Mulan and the annual Art Show, in addition to raising money for leukemia patients by collecting plastic caps.  The TAD Student Council raised $400 for the Red Cross to aid and assist tornado victims in West Tennessee, and the FCA raised $540 to help build schools for underprivileged children in Northern Uganda.  Several TAD students were selected to the prestigious People to People Ambassadors to Australia and Europe program.

ATHLETICS: 
A diverse assortment of sports are offered for interested students at TAD, including: track, football, swimming, boys & girls basketball, baseball, soccer, cheerleading, cross country, wrestling, and softball.  In addition, 2009-2010 will find the 6th grade students being allowed to participate in athletics, and a new athletic warehouse for storage and dressing rooms.

There is so much to celebrate at T. A. Dugger Junior High School this year!

 

History of T. A. Dugger Junior High
T. A. Dugger Junior High School is nestled in a well established neighborhood amid the natural beauty of lush mountains and rolling hills covered with trees. Rich in tradition yet ever changing, T. A. Dugger was originally called "City Junior High." The first Junior High principal on record was W. K. Main, 1924-1925. We respectfully look back to our heritage, because history provides a great comfort and a solid foundation that secures us firmly throughout the frequent changes presented by public education.

In August 1925, the announcement of American Bemberg and American Glanzstoff Corporations locating in Elizabethton led to a large influx of families with children to be schooled.
By April 1927, the city voted $60,000 bonds to enlarge its Junior High school building by adding 8 classrooms, shop, home economics, library, and a gym-auditorium to seat 1000.
Over-crowded conditions by 1933 saw the Junior High enrollment escalate to 900, and Elizabethton High School (in a school built to serve 250) jumped to 600 students. An announcement was made that by 1938 Elizabethton High School would be "dropped from the approved list" unless "a more commodious and suitable high school building" was constructed. Therefore, the new EHS was constructed at 306
West E Street, during 1939-1940. The school moved into the present T. A. Dugger building in August 1941.

During the 1950's, Mr. T. A. Dugger Jr. was the City Superintendent of Education. In November 1959, at the suggestion of the Junior High School faculty, Principal John Large presented the faculty's wish to the Board of Education to call the City Junior High School "The T. A. Dugger Junior High School." The School Board adopted this on January 19, 1960.

This traditional two-story brick building housed Elizabethton High School until 1974. At that time the high school moved into a new building, and Mr. Paul Pless, (the T. A. Dugger Junior High Principal), with faculty, moved about 400 students from T.A. Dugger, which was the "Old High School" on Doe Avenue, into the former high school building, 306 West E Street, which to this day is T. A. Dugger Junior High School.