The Worth County School Board hired three volunteer coaches (who will not receive pay), along with two part-time teachers Thursday at their regular meeting. Named were Derek Fletchall (Football), Mark Terry (Track), and Les New (Girls Basketball). Janet Kinsella was hired as part-time Title I Math Teacher, while Jackie Findley was hired as part-time Title Reading. The board also approved a substitute teacher list for this school year.
Teachers Kelley Ross and Jodi Lawrence gave reports to the board on their work with the Solar Eclipse. Students from 4th through 12th grade went to King City to view it; however, torrential rains and clouds prevented them from seeing most of it. Mrs. Lawrence reported that the lights came on in town, along with the ones at Country Corners and the lighted cross in front of Crossroads Church.
Mrs. Lawrence reported that when the sun reached totality, the students went out to watch. The students from Kindergarten through 3rd grade spent all morning doing projects on the Eclipse, including watching the NASA livestream along with reading.
The Comprehensive School Improvement Plan was rated by Superintendent Dr. Matt Martz as Average. The school will do another one once the new state standards come out, which will be within the next two years. Strengths listed include the fact that the district is making progress on goals and that administration and staff are focusing on student learning. Concerns listed include the need for more district patron input. The school plans to get input from patrons in the district in the near future, putting them in a position to rewrite the plan when the new state standards are published.
The Partnership Library will have its ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, September 8th at 2 pm at the library for the new addition on the north side.
Enrollment this year at Worth County went up to 315, up from 312 last year. This includes 149 for the elementary and 166 for the high school.
Elementary Principal Chuck Borey reported that the students were transitioning over to Eureka Math. He said that it focuses more on critical thinking and would help students on their test scores. Teachers will be working on improving student math scores.
High School Principal Jon Adwell reported that students were focusing on teambuilding exercises during the first three weeks of the new school year. They will work on generating ideas and suggestions for the school. Students will also work on getting to know each other, focusing on sharing unique experiences and activities.
Another point of emphasis at the high school level will be digital citizenship. Students will be taught cybersecurity and how to protect themselves when they sign in to social media.
Adwell thanked the local churches for providing meals during the teacher work days before the first day of school.
Superintendent Dr. Matt Martz reported that the school will be purchasing two trailers and a recycling bin and teach students various tasks as part of their new recycling program. The school received a food services grant to purchase a small milk cooler and a breakfast kiosk, which they hope will increase student achievement; students show that students do better when they have had a breakfast every morning. The school got two vocational grants, which they will use to get desktop computers and technology for their ag program. The $2,500 America’s Farmers Grow grant from Monsanto will be used to purchase items for the girls athletics program. The winning farmer was Pat Hardy. Another Monsanto grant will help the school turn a vacant classroom into a science lab that teachers can use for their elementary students.
No comments:
Post a Comment