Jackie Dye

Ruth J. "Jackie" Dye is an involved citizen and retired educator who worked in both Homewood and Jefferson County Schools.

Education career

Jackie Dye received her bachelor's degree from the University of Alabama and her master's from UAB. She pursued graduate studies back at Alabama and post-graduate studies at UAB.

Dye spent many years teaching English and computer science at Homewood High School. She left to become assistant principal of Shades Valley High School in 1998. She was then promoted to principal of Leeds Middle School in 2000 after Principal Chip Stewart retired. In 2002 she became principal of Rudd Middle School in Pinson.

It was at Rudd that Dye tried an unusual experiment, along with Pam Horton, principal of North Jefferson Middle School. Both schools did a year-long trial of separating boys and girls during academic classes. This trial was based on the teaching of therapist Michael Gurian, who says boys and girls learn differently and therefore must be taught differently, which is necessitates separating them. The separation also leads to fewer discipline problems.

After receiving permission to try the separation from the Jefferson County Board of Education, Dye spent a week studying at the Gurian Institute in Colorado Springs, Colorado before implementing the program during the 2004-2005 school year. Dye did not take sole credit for the program, saying all of the school's teachers were part of the team and all the parents were invited to give their opinions. Although Rudd saw many successes, a large influx of male students the following school year wrecked plans of keeping the male classes small and the experiment was discontinued. At the conclusion of the 2005-2006 school year, Dye retired from public education and became a trainer for the Gurian Institute.

Community involvement

Jackie Dye has been involved with the greater Birmingham community beyond her career. She is a member of the Bluff Park Art Association and, along with her husband, Hugh, sponsors a $300 Commitment to Purchase at the annual Bluff Park Art Show. The two have chaired the event for 15 years as of 2006.

Dye is also a member of the Transportation Citizens Committee of the Birmingham Metropolitan Planning Organization representing Shelby County. She began a two year term in October 2005.

Preceded by: Chip Stewart	Leeds Middle Principal 2000 - 2002	Succeeded by: Margaret McCullough
Preceded by: Pam Horton	Rudd Middle Principal 2002 - 2005	Succeeded by: Steve Laney

References

• Martin, Wayne. "Two Middle Schools Plan Single-sex Classrooms." The Birmingham News 4 August 2004.
• Connolly, Daniel. "Separate Classes: Two Jefferson County Schools Offer Same-sex Education." Birmingham Post-Herald 9 August 2004.
• "Needs of boys overwhelmed experiment in single-gender classes." The Birmingham News 3 August 2005.
• Bluff Park Art Association. "Awards and Donor Pledges". 11 September 2006. Accessed 22 September 2006.

External Links

• Jackie Dye, Certified Trainer at the Gurian Institute, Education Division web site