Johnston County
Board
of Education report from April 9 session |
 |
Board members present: Chairman Mike Wooten, Teresa Grant, Ronald Johnson,
Terri Sessoms, Peggy Smith, Todd Sutton, Tracie Zukowski
Absent: None
Two former school board members
awarded Order of the Long
Leaf Pine
The Johnston County Board of Education on Tuesday honored two of its former members by surprising them with their induction into the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, a prestigious honor bestowed by North Carolina's governors. Butler Hall wrapped up 34 years in public education as principal of North Johnston High School. He served the past 12 years on the school board. Dorothy Johnson was a home economist for 30 years with the Agricultural Extension Service (today's Cooperative Extension). The first African-American woman elected to Johnston's school board, she held office for 21 years, 18 of those years as the board's vice chair. Both Mr. Hall and Mrs. Johnson left the board in December.
178 STUDENTS REASSIGNED TO "CAPPED" SCHOOLS
The board approved and denied numerous requests to transfer students to schools outside the attendance districts where they reside. The list of approvals included 178 students reassigned to "capped" schools that are already filled beyond their enrollment capacities. Of that number, 32 are transferring to Cleveland High School, 28 to Corinth Holders High, 17 to South Johnston High, 22 to Archer Lodge Middle, 17 to Riverwood Middle, 15 to Cleveland Middle, 5 to Four Oaks Middle, 33 to Cleveland Elementary, 28 to River Dell Elementary, 23 to Riverwood Elementary, 21 to Four Oaks Elementary, 16 to Dixon Road Elementary, 13 to West Clayton Elementary, 12 to West View Elementary, 11 to Polenta Elementary, 7 to Corinth-Holders Elementary, 7 to McGee's Crossroads Elementary, 6 to Cooper Elementary (Academy), and 1 to Benson Elementary. According to its published policy, "the Board of Education will not entertain requests for reassignments to those schools with a projected enrollment which exceeds the capacity established for the school." Why so many exceptions to that rule were approved was not discussed at Tuesday's board meeting.
To view this week's list of APPROVALS>
To view the list of DENIALS>
LOCAL SCHOOLS LAGGING IN "PROFICIENCY"
The board received from Deputy Superintendent Paula Coates an update on how the county's "low performing" elementary and middle-school students are progressing so far this school year. The data shows some slippage in "projected % proficient" at South Smithfield Elementary: in math --- from 42.1% measured by end-of-grade (EOG) testing last year to 37.2% now; in reading --- from 40.9% to 36.4%. Results are mixed at other local schools: West Smithfield --- improvement from 26.7% to 28.1% in math, slippage from 32.3% to 29.9% in reading; Wilson's Mills --- a drop in math proficiency from 48% to 36.8%, improvement in reading from 36.1% to 41.8%; Smithfield Middle --- a slight decline in math from 27% to 26.5%, a gain in reading from 46.7% to 50.4%. Countywide, the data shows gains of 1.1% in math and 9.6% in reading at the measuring point on February 8. "The trend is positive but we won't know for sure till the EOGs are done" later this spring, Dr. Coates noted.
SOUTH JOHNSTON HIGH TO GET NEW BLEACHERS
The board approved a $227,685 contract with Gates Concrete & Construction to replace the visitors' bleachers at South Johnston High School's football stadium. Funding will come from the school-bond issue voters approved last November.
SSS HAS 61 NEW SECURITY CAMERAS
Chief of Staff Delores Gill gave the board an update on projects to improve safety at Johnston's schools. Smithfield-Selma High now has 61 new interior and exterior cameras in service. All of the county's middle schools are in line to get exterior cameras, with installations starting this August. Meanwhile, all schools continue to hold quarterly "lockdown" drills, Ms. Gill noted.
BOARD CONCERNED ABOUT HIGH TURNOVER
Board members voiced concern when they received a report showing a high number of staff leaving the school system's Academic Innovation Department. The report, from Chief of Human Capital Brian Vetrano, showed 23 resignations this school year and 27 the previous year. The department has about 70 employees, Mr. Vetrano noted. "This is an unstable situation," said board member Terri Sessoms, who stressed the department's importance in efforts to raise levels of student achievement. "Why are they leaving?" asked board member Ronald Johnson. Mr. Vetrano didn't have a direct answer to that, but noted that 15 of the 23 who have resigned this year "left the system" while eight remain employed in other departments. Among the 15 who left are "several who retired," he added.
MORE ABOUT "MARGINALIZED" AFRICAN-AMERICANS
Following up similar concerns voiced at last month's school board meeting, the Rev. Robert (Bob) O'Neal complained about "ongoing marginalization of African-American leaders in the superintendent's administration." Without giving any names or details, he cited an instance where "one of the most celebrated principals" at an elementary school was "marginalized and given a lower profile position in a subordinate role." He noted that only one African-American serves in the superintendent's "cabinet" (his chief assistants), none serve as high-school principals in Johnston, and just four are part of the superintendent's 84-member administrative staff. "Can you imagine how disappointing this is to the African-American citizens and students of Johnston County?" Mr. O'Neal asked. Board Chairman Mike Wooten responded: "I respect your comments, and I assure you we will stay engaged with the Johnston County Education Summit" (an "education think tank" that includes Mr. O'Neal and other African-American community leaders).
A MID-YEAR REPORT ON HIGH-SCHOOL DROPOUTS
The board received a "snapshot" report from Amanda Allen, director of social and emotional learning, showing dropout numbers at Johnston's high schools through the month of March. So far this school year, the county as a whole has recorded 119 dropouts, up from 78 at the end of March a year ago. The total at the end of the 2017-18 term was 135. At Smithfield-Selma High, the number of dropouts through March of this year is 19, up from 15 at the same point a year ago. Chairman Wooten asked about "student advocates" employed to help struggling students stay in school. Dr. Allen said each of Johnston's eight traditional high schools has such a staff member in place at this time.
To see the complete agenda for Tuesday's meeting, including links to backup materials related to items considered, go here>
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