THE SCHOOL SYSTEM

            The present physical plant of John I. Burton High School was built in 1953 and named in honor of John Ira Burton, who served as principal of the local schools for 38 years.  The building is in a constant state of improvement with painting, remodeling, and cosmetic changes occurring.  Teachers and the administration at Burton consistently strive to make the school and rooms attractive and conducive learning environments.

            The building accommodates students in grades 8-12.  Burton has a classroom capacity of 615 students with a current enrollment of approximately 253.  Enrollment has continued to decline since the eighties because of the constantly changing economy and the decreasing population.

            Of the 201 Burton students surveyed, 105 live with two biological parents, 52 live with one parent, 12 live with grandparents, 19 live in a step-family situation, 8 do not live with either parent, and 8 students state that he or she live in a situation not addressed. The school system provides free transportation for all students.  John I. Burton operates as a closed campus allowing only seniors with few classes and outside employment to leave during the school day.  Some students in their senior year opt to enroll in classes at the local colleges and arrangements are made to accommodate these students as the situations arise.

John I. Burton High School offers a comprehensive program of course offerings leading to a Standard Diploma (22 credits), a Modified Standard Diploma (20 credits), or an Advanced Studies Diploma (24 credits).  Of the 53 graduating seniors in 2002, 11 earned the Governor’s Seal, indicating a “B” average for all high school courses, and successful completion of at least one advanced placement course (AP), international baccalaureate (IB), or one college-level course for credit.  The Board of Education’s Career and Technical Education Seal will be awarded to students who earn a Standard or Advanced Studies Diploma and complete a prescribed sequence of courses in a Career and Technical Education concentration and maintain a “B” or better average in those courses.  The Board of Education’s Seal of Advanced Mathematics and Technology will be awarded to students who earn either a Standard or Advanced Studies Diploma and satisfy all of the mathematics requirements for the Advanced Studies Diploma with a “B” average or better and pass an examination in a Career and Technical Education field that confers certification from a recognized industry.    Thirty-three seniors earned a Standard Diploma, two a Modified Standard Diploma, and eighteen an Advanced Studies Diploma.  Of the 2002 graduating seniors, 58% plan to attend a four-year college or university, 20% plan to attend a two-year college, 7% plan to join a branch of the military, and 15% plan to seek immediate employment.  A three-year average showed that 60% attained the Standard Diploma, 36% attained the Advanced Studies Diploma, 2% attained the Modified Standard Diploma, and 2% attained a Certificate of Completion of a program.

*Taken from Fall 2001 Membership Report

The dropout rate for John I. Burton High School has decreased over the last five years due to the aggressive approach of the dropout prevention program.  The dropout prevention coordinator for the city uses a variety of methods to keep students in school, including phone monitoring for absences and home visits as well as counseling referrals.  The dropout rate for 2000-2001 for grades 7-12 was 2.22%.  In 1999-2000 the dropout rate was 0.90%.  The highest dropout rate for the five years was in 1998-1999 with 5.71%.  In 1997-1998 the rate was 4.58% and the rate in 1996-1997 was 3.42%.  Students that had been reported as dropouts in 1999-2000 were also counted in the 2000-2001 reports.

For the 2000-2001 school year, attendance at John I. Burton High School was at 95.6%.  An attendance policy was approved July 11, 2000.  All students are required to be present in each class a minimum of 28 blocks per 30 block six-week grading period.  Students absent over that two-block limit will be given the opportunity to make up this time at Saturday School.  Students making up this time will not be penalized.  Any student absent over two days from a class during a six-week grading period and who has not made up this time at Saturday School will be assigned a failing grade of 68.  Tardiness of more than 30 minutes to a class will be counted as an absence.  An exam exemption program also creates an incentive for good regular attendance.  Seniors are allowed to exempt all exams if they have a “C” average and a maximum of two absences; a “B” average and a maximum of four absences; and an “A” average with a maximum of six absences.  Underclass students may exempt two exams if they also meet the grade/absentee criteria.  Any student who passes their SOL test for a course may exempt that examination, in addition to those exams exempted under the grade/attendance exemptions.  Attendance, tardiness, check-outs, and discipline overall have seen improvement.

A large number of students receive free or reduced breakfasts and lunches.  In 2001-02, 35% received this service.  This is directly related to the fluctuating family income of many parents/guardians.

Students at John I. Burton High School may pursue college preparatory and/or a wide variety of vocational programs.  Vocational programs are offered on campus and at the Wise County Career and Technical Education Center.  TECH PREP courses are also offered at John I. Burton High School.  These are courses that students receive college credit for if they enroll at Mountain Empire Community College and are required to take that same course.  Advanced courses are available in English, social studies, math, and art.  John I. Burton High School offers electives in a variety of disciplines including fine arts, business, consumer and family sciences, English, social studies, Spanish, physical education, SVETN, tutoring, and sign language.  SVETN courses are offered to augment those offered at John I. Burton High School.  Pupil expenditure in the 2001-2002 school year was $6,889.00 per pupil.

The Special Education Department averages serving approximately 45 students per year, grades 8-12.  Students are classified as learning disabled, educable mentally handicapped, emotionally disturbed, autistic, and OHI (other health impaired).  Special Education students take the same SOL tests as regular students and those in the 9^th grade take the Stanford 9.  Accommodations may be made for these students if they qualify according to their disability.  Accommodations may include: 1) small group testing in which the special education teacher administers the test, 2) tests may be read to the students based on their reading level, and 3) students may present answers orally.  Certain Special Education students require extra help during the school day and John I. Burton provides three full time aides to help these students.  PLATO software is being used to provide reinforcement for these students for SOL testing.  These aides also help with testing in the Special Education department.  For the 2001 school year, eight Special Education students earned a Standard Diploma and two earned a Modified Standard Diploma. 

John I. Burton High School measures student achievement by standardized tests, objective referenced tests, and teacher created tests, observations, class participation, journals, projects, writing, and reports.  Each year those students in the 9^th grade take the Stanford 9.  The school administers the Standards of Learning tests each semester to those students in SOL testing classes.

   As of January 2002 14 seniors, four juniors, one sophomore and one freshman had taken the SAT I.  On the SAT I verbal section the average score by seniors was 602.  The math score average by seniors was 626.  In 2001 14 juniors took the PSAT/NMSQT: six sophomores and one 8^th grader also took the test. 

The Stanford 9 Assessment is a norm-referenced test.  On the Fall 2001 test the Ninth Grade scores are as follows:  

*Battery Total of 53% or a Stanine of 5 (4-6 is considered average)  

COMMUNITY PROFILE

            Norton, Virginia, centrally located in Wise County, is situated in the mountainous terrain of Southwestern Virginia.  A 2001 Population and Economic Analysis of the City of Norton provided by the City Manager’s office indicates Norton’s last census showed a population of 3,904 in 2000.  Since the 1980 census the city’s population has declined 17.9% or 0.9% annually.  The median age in Norton is 39.0 with the age categories 35-54 creating 29.1% of the population.  The city covers an area of 7.21 square miles with a population density of approximately 500 people per square mile.

            There are essentially two types of economic activity:  the basic activities which produce and distribute goods and services for export to firms and individuals outside of the study area, and non-basic or support activities whose goods and services are purchased and utilized with the boundaries of the local economic area.  Basic industry is the cornerstone of the city’s economic vitality.  Manufacturing, mining, agriculture, wholesale and retail trade, finance and real estate are all important sources of outside income.  Local commercial interests, banks, schools and professionals, such as lawyers and doctors, provide support to those persons employed by the basic sector (Population and Economic Analysis 8).  Mining still employs the majority of labor in Norton; however recent shutdowns in area mines have contributed to the large unemployment rate.  Other employers include hospitals and related medical facilities, retail soft drink bottling plants, the communication industry, colleges, the local school systems, two state prisons, one federal prison and small privately owned businesses.

            The labor force in the Norton-Wise Labor Market Area (See Chart, Population and Economic Analysis 10) in October of 2000 was 15,592 with 14,666 of this force employed and 5.9% unemployed.  In comparison, only 2.3% of the labor force in the entire state is unemployed.  The average weekly wage for 1999 was $488.71 while the median household income in 1997 was $23,171.00.

            The educational attainment for the City of Norton, according to the 1990 U.S. Census, is as follows:  27% have less than a 9^th grade education, 19% have 9^th – 12^th grade education, 23% have a high school or equivalent degree, 17% have some college, 3% have an associates degree, 7% have a bachelor’s degree and 4% have a graduate level degree. 

            Taxes for Norton include real estate, machinery and tools, personal property, utility taxes, and retail sales taxes.

            A recent survey administered and compiled by MarshWitt Associates of the citizens of Norton conducted in October, 2001 included the following information:

Survey Facts:  1,480 Households were surveyed with a response rate of 26%.  The population represented equaled 890 people or 23% of the population.  73% have Internet access at home for families with children in Norton Schools.  70% stated that they are either very satisfied, satisfied, or somewhat satisfied with the quality of John I. Burton High School.  71% felt that increasing school enrollment is either very important or somewhat important; 82% feel offering vocational classes is either very important or somewhat important.  76% feel offering high school athletics is either very important or somewhat important with 80% rating extra-curricular activities as either very important or somewhat important.   Advanced Placement classes are considered either very important or somewhat important with 82% of the respondents.  59% of the citizens surveyed feel that operating an independent school system is either very important or somewhat important, while 68% of the respondents think it is either very important or somewhat important that Norton remain an independent city.   However, 75% feel increased funding for current school programs is either very important or somewhat important.  74% feel that maintaining all current school programs is either very important or somewhat important and 63% feel that the amount of money spent on public schools is about right.

            Norton is in close proximity to a number of institutions of higher learning.  Mountain Empire Community College offers two-year degree programs in technical and occupational subjects and the first two years of college level subjects in the arts and sciences.  The University of Virginia’s College at Wise is a four-year liberal arts college and the only branch of the University of Virginia; it offers the opportunity to pursue higher education in 13 disciplines. 

Also conveniently located from Norton are:

  Emory & Henry College

  Virginia Tech

  Radford University

  Appalachian State University

  Carson Newman College

  King College

  East Tennessee State University

  The College of Alice Lloyd

  Lincoln Memorial University

  University of Tennessee

A citizen of Norton has access to the Lonesome Pine Regional Library, the Library Art Gallery, Wampler Library at MECC, which also displays work by local artists, and the John Cook Wyllie Library at UVA – Wise.

            The Pro-Art Association plays an important role in bringing plays, music, opera, musicals, and other theatrical performances to the area.  Norton residents may also attend the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, the state theatre of Virginia.  The Virginia/Kentucky Opera is located on Park Avenue in Norton where such artists as Ralph Stanley perform.  THE TRAIL OF THE LONESOME PINE, the longest running outdoor drama in the state of Virginia, offers yearly summer opportunities for students and adults to participate in an outdoor drama.  Students and adults may also participate in the theatre program at UVA – Wise.  The Southwest Virginia Museum is located in Big Stone Gap, Virginia.

From Norton, there is access to a variety of outdoor recreational activities, including:

   High Knob Recreation Area

   Jefferson National Forest

   Breaks Interstate Park

   Guest River Gorge

   Natural Tunnel State Park 

Norton has a swimming pool open during the summer, a number of playgrounds available throughout the city, a track for walking, tennis courts, and summer athletic programs for young people and adults.  Membership at the Lonesome Pine Country Club includes an 18-hole golf course, tennis, swimming, and clubhouse facilities.  Norton residents may opt to join the Holiday Inn swim club and/or the Best Western swim club, which allows non-guests the right to use the pool and hot tub facilities.  The annual Best Friends Festival is a week of music, crafts, and other fun activities including a party at the Virginia Avenue Park organized by J.I. Burton students on the activity committee of the festival.  Other local events and festivals include the Lonesome Pine Arts and Crafts Festival, Ralph Stanley Memorial Bluegrass Festival, Doc Boggs Festival, the Wise County Fair and Horse Show, and Home Crafts Day at MECC.

            Norton has a large Protestant and Catholic community with approximately 200 churches in Wise County and the City of Norton representing most major Christian faiths.  As ethnic diversity in Norton grows, more faiths will be represented.  As of 1990, the ethnic breakdown in Norton was 92.4% Caucasian, 6.3% African-American, 0.3% Native American, 0.8% Asian American, and 0.2% other.  The recent trend for Asian and Hispanic movement into the city continues.  John I. Burton High School reflects the ethnic breakdown of the city and in many ways both the city and the school are a microcosm of a large urban environment.

            Norton enjoys easy access to interstate travel with the completion of US23/ALT.58.  Interstate 81 is 50 miles from Norton, I-64 is 110 miles away, and I-75 is 95 miles away.

            The community of Norton is privileged to have a historical background of innovative and independent leaders who had the foresight to establish a separate school system from that of the county.  Consequently, citizens regularly attend and help organize a variety of events.  Residents use the schools for many activities not associated with students.  The city and the school system are a tightly woven entity and one would be hard pressed to exist without the other.