Ronald Wiggins is quick to point out that teamwork is vital to turning around Josey High School.

Before school began this year, Josey's new principal, his father, his Omega Psi Phi fraternity brothers and the school's faculty and staff began changing the facility's physical appearance to set the tone for the changes to take place within its classrooms.

The group painted doors and cut grass, some of it so tall that it was growing through windows.

Fraternity President Daniel Sapp participated in the cleanup and said it was great to see the school and the community grow.

Josey is also reaching out to the community for greater teamwork, Dr. Wiggins said, building partnerships with businesses such as Waffle House.

Dr. Wiggins was transferred from Sego Middle School, where he served as principal for six years, to Josey, which has been on the No Child Left Behind "needs improvement" list longer than any other Richmond County high school.

"I think it is a challenge as a leader, but more importantly, the people in this community deserve a quality education," Dr. Wiggins said.

"I need to be a drum major for my students' success," he said.

Adding to the challenge, Josey serves as a "hub" for nearly 180 Richmond County special education students. Graduation rates determine whether a high school makes adequate yearly progress under No Child Left Behind. Special education diplomas, however, count against a school's graduation rate. The state's graduation formula counts only general education diplomas.

The atmosphere at the school is like night and day compared with last year, Superintendent Dana Bedden has said on more than one occasion.

Assistant Principal Barbara DeGatis agrees.

"It is 100 percent better than last year," she said.

The school's administration is much more visible, Ms. DeGatis said. Administrators step into the hallways and work alongside teachers during each class change to deter disruptions.

Any issues that arise are handled promptly, she said.

The principal's conference room, where athletics gear was being stored to prevent theft, is now used for administrative meetings. Posters with handwritten academic data and instructional strategies now line its walls.

Josey is also implementing America's Choice, a nationally recognized reform model, in its ninth grade. The program includes professional development and "double doses" of classes such as math and language arts for students in need.

"We're using this to hopefully springboard our ninth-graders to increase our graduation rate," Dr. Wiggins said. "That's the year they decide if they're going to drop out or not."

Josey is also squeezing in 20 more minutes of instruction each day by reducing the number of lunch periods from three to two.

"We're stressing to all of our classes, nine through 12, that Josey is here to get you a diploma and move you into a relevant postsecondary option," Dr. Wiggins said.

When Omega Psi Phi members from Augusta State University began tutoring at Josey, the first question the high school students asked was how they could join the fraternity, he said.

The answer starts with going to college.