Johnston County
Board
of Education report from February 12 session |
 |
Will schools start by Aug.
15 this year, or will shortened first term start
Aug. 26?
At Tuesday's monthly meeting, the school board was asked to adopt a 2019-20 calendar similar to the one in effect this school year in compliance with current state law that prohibits North Carolina's public schools from convening no earlier than the Monday closest to August 26.
Brian Vetrano, the school system's chief of human capital, said parents and staff are anxious to see the coming year's calendar so they can schedule vacations and other personal activities. "Folks just want to know," he said.
The school board two months ago decided to delay setting the calendar in hopes the N.C. General Assembly would allow Johnston to open schools in mid-August.
School board member Todd Sutton raised concerns that a shorter fall semester under the current calendar restricts teachers' ability to cover required subject matter. "It's very disheartening to hear high-school teachers talk about the time they lose," he said.
The current and proposed calendars start the school year in late August yet end the first semester before Christmas holidays.
Despite the late-August opening, Mr. Sutton said "over 3,000 students" actually report to school in early August to participate in band and football practice and other extracurricular activities.
Board member Peggy Smith pointed out that the current calendar requires 10 teacher workdays in August before classes begin. "Children should be sitting in desks that second week," she said.
In the end, the board voted unanimously for another 30-day delay in adopting the calendar for 2019-20. The board also adopted a formal resolution directed to the General Assembly "supporting local control of school calendars."
Here's the full text of that resolution>
"STANDARDS-BASED GRADING" IN UPPER GRADES OPPOSED
An overwhelming majority of parents, teachers, students, and "community members" responded to a Johnston County Public Schools (JCPS) online survey in opposition to extending "Standards-Based Grading" to middle and high-school students (grades 6-12).
Just over 70 percent of 9,588 who responded said they oppose the proposed change in grading from the traditional A-F system. What's more, 81 percent of JCPS staff, including teachers, said they oppose it.
Board member Todd Sutton remarked that it's "very eye opening" so many of the system's staff said "no."
Superintendent of Schools Ross Renfrow said the survey's results are "a clear signal that this stops at fifth grade."
JCPS began phasing in Standards-Based Grading (SBG) in 2013-14 in pre-kindergarten through second grade. Since then it has been extended through Grade 5 as well as the Innovation Academy at South Campus and some subjects at the county's Early College Academy.
According to the school system's website, under SBG teachers assess student performance based on the N.C. Standard Course of Study and assign letter grades as follows: M (mastery of a subject), P (progressing toward mastery), B (beginning to progress toward mastery), or N (not yet demonstrating progress).
NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFIED TEACHERS SALUTED
The board recognized the newest class of Johnston County's National Board Certified teachers: Lindsey Johnson, North Johnston High School; Shannon Joseph, Riverwood Middle; Samantha Lam, West Clayton Elementary; Venus Little, Corinth Holders High; Rebecka Mercer, Clayton Middle; Kristin Parker, Polenta Elementary; Benjamin Williamson, Cleveland High.
Recognized for securing renewed certification: Laura Burke, Riverwood Middle; Russ Ann Cook, Princeton Elementary; Karen Covey, West View Elementary; Karen Johnson, South Johnston High; Richard Nixon, Corinth Holders High; Amber Parker, Benson Elementary; Melissa Pearce, Cleveland High; Brandy Peters, South Johnston High; Holly Reece, Princeton Middle/High; Kelli Sanderford, River Dell Elementary; Tania Taylor, Johnston County Early College; Casey Tetterton, South Smithfield Elementary.
Johnston's schools now have 199 employees who are National Board Certified.
SMITHFIELD MIDDLE SCHOOL ADVISORY APPOINTMENT
The board appointed Rodney Taylor to fill a vacant seat on the Smithfield Middle School Advisory Council. Other members are Elizabeth Cepin, Deborah David, Allison Jones, and Betsy Stevens.
SSS FOOTBALL BLEACHERS TO BE REPLACED
The board authorized staff to seek bids on replacing the visitors-side bleachers at Smithfield-Selma High's Charles T. Tucker Stadium. This year's capital budget includes $175,000 to cover the project, which staff hopes will be finished in time for high-school graduation May 30.
CLEVELAND HIGH'S AG BUILDING NAMED FOR TEACHER
The board approved a request from Smithfield businessman Durwood Stephenson to name the new Agriculture Building at Cleveland High School in honor of Shelby Rose Bireley, a graduate of South Johnston High School who has returned to Johnston County from N.C. State University to teach high-school agricultural courses. Mr. Stephenson assisted Ms. Bireley with her schooling and paid for the Cleveland High building's construction. "This man works behind the scenes helping students," said Board Chairman Mike Wooten. "He has a big heart."
"WEST CAMPUS" HVAC REPLACEMENT APPROVED
The board awarded a contract for a new HVAC system to replace an inoperative one inside the Rose Street building of the school system's "West Campus" adminstrative complex (once the site of Smithfield Elementary School). Allred Mechanical Services of Rocky Mount, the low bidder, will do the work for $302,850.
FISCAL 2018-19 AUDIT CONTRACT AWARDED
The board awarded a contract to Anderson Smith & Wike of Statesville to audit the school system's financial records for the current fiscal year that ends June 30.
BOND-ISSUE CAMPAIGN LEADERS THANKED
The board thanked Brandon Evans, Harold Keen, and Landis Bullock of Citizens for Better Schools for leading last year's successful campaign that won approval by Johnston voters of county bond issues of $61 million for public-school construction projects and $15 million for Johnston Community College projects. Mr. Bullock said the three men would volunteer their services again, if requested, to help with similar bond-issue campaigns in the years ahead.
BOARD CHANGES FORMAT FOR MONTHLY MEETINGS
The board decided to change the order of business for its monthly meetings, still convening at 2 p.m. but reserving the first two hours for a closed session to discuss personnel and other legal matters (as authorized by the state's Open Meetings Law). Starting at 4 p.m. the board will re-convene in open session but will wait until 6 p.m. to begin the "Public Comment" portion of the meeting. The school board meets the second Tuesday of each month.
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