Johnston County
Board
of Education report from June 11 session |
 |
Board members present: Chairman Mike Wooten, Teresa Grant, Ronald Johnson,
Terri Sessoms, Peggy Smith, Todd Sutton, Tracie Zukowski
Absent: None
Board approves dress-code
revisions
that allow teachers to wear
"flip flops"
The Johnston County Board of Education on Tuesday approved a few changes in its dress-code policies for students as well as staff. Perhaps the most notable is elimination of an outright ban on "flip flop" sandals --- replaced by wording in the revised policy that prohibits "footwear that limits employees' ability to maintain a safe environment and prevent injury."
In both student and staff policies is a new rule that "leggings should be worn with a tunic/top that reaches at least the mid thigh."
In the revised student policy, automatic school suspensions for repeated violations are removed. Instead, the policy now states that "repeated violations may result in consequences including parent contact, and other disciplinary actions," including suspensions from school.
A new rule in the staff policy states that "staff dress on non-student days and special occasions are at the discretion of the Principal."
Board member Todd Sutton said his biggest concern about enforcement of the student dress policy is that "it is consistent across the board for every student in our system."
Read the complete Student Dress and Appearance Policy>
Read the complete Staff Dress and Appearance Policy>
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS REASSIGNED
Following two closed sessions to discuss personnel matters, the board approved a number of administrative transfers. Among those of local interest:
• Michelle Deyo, assistant principal, moved from Benson Elementary to Smithfield Middle School.
• Beverly Moore, assistant principal, moved from Smithfield-Selma High to Meadow Elementary.
• Junior Creech, named an assistant principal at SSS, moving from a position of operations director.
• Mandy Huber, one-year administrative intern at SSS.
• Nicole McKenna, one-year administrative intern at West Smithfield Elementary.
• Beth Rhyne, one-year administrative intern at Smithfield Middle School.
JoCoReport has the complete list of reassignments>
PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS
The board appointed Tara Neal to the Parent Advisory Council for West Smithfield Elementary School and reappointed Megan Barnes, Leanne Daughtry, and Terri Lee to the council for South Smithfield Elementary. All of the appointments are for three-year terms.
BENTON SAWREY APPOINTED TO COLLEGE BOARD
The board appointed Benton Sawrey to the Board of Trustees at Johnston Community College. He replaces Jonathan Breeden, whose term has expired. The school board appoints four of the college's trustees; others are appointed by the County Commissioners and the Governor.
View the complete list of JCC's Board of Trustees>
CAREER & TECHNICAL EDUCATION PLAN APPROVED
The board approved Johnston's Career and Technical Education (CTE) Plan for the 2019-20 academic year for submission to the State Board of Education. New initiatives include implementation of a Hospitality & Tourism Academy at Smithfield-Selma High School, planning for an Academy of Engineering at North Johnston High, and implementation of aviation courses at Cleveland High. Suzanne Lujan, Johnston schools' director of career and college readiness, reported to the board that the past year's graduation rate for "CTE concentrators" was 100% --- a first for the program. She noted that CTE enrollment in Johnston for the year just finished totaled 6,725 in middle schools and 7,706 in high schools. She added that 106 students took part in work-based internships, 31 of them from Princeton High School, by far the most from any one school.
NEW "CHOICE PLUS" ALTERNATIVE HAS A GOOD START
Deputy Superintendent Paula Coates gave the board an encouraging report on Johnston's new "Choice Plus" program for students facing long-term suspensions from their home schools for disciplinary reasons. The program was launched the first of April at the system's "West Campus" administrative complex (the old Smithfield School campus), and 14 high-school students were able to catch up and complete their required classwork by May 15. Dr. Coates said the students were "respectful and polite" with their instructors. "Not one issue at all" regarding discipline, she added.
INNOVATIVE PROGRAM ENROLLMENT REPORT
Deputy Superintendent Coates reported that enrollment in Johnston's high-school "innovative programs" this past year was "closely aligned with our district population," with 53.7% of participants Caucasian, 24.9% Hispanic, and 15.% African-American. Included in those programs are the International Baccalaureate program at Smithfield-Selma, AVID, IDEAL Academy, Fire Science, JoCoTeach, and Aviation.
DIGITAL ARCHIVING & FILTERING CONTRACTS RENEWED
As part of its "consent agenda," without discussion, the board renewed two contracts related to digital security. For annual payment of $168,985, Gaggle.Net, Inc. of Bloomington, Illinois will monitor e-mails and Google apps to ensure students' safety in the school's "digital environment" and also retain all of the school system's e-mail records in accordance with state law. For annual payment of $168,076, BorderLAN Cyber Security of San Marcos, California will filter and monitor Internet content to protect students from online content that is harmful, obscene, and pornographic as required by the federal Children's Internet Protection Act.
STUDENT TRANSFERS APPROVED AND DENIED
The board approved and denied numerous requests for reassignment of students to schools outside the attendance districts where they reside. Most of this month's approvals include school employees' children or students previously assigned. Most of the denials were for schools with "capped" enrollments because of overcrowded classrooms.
View this month's list of APPROVALS>
View the list of DENIALS>
BOARD MAY NOT MEET AGAIN TILL AUGUST 13
The school board will forego its regular monthly session in July. Its next scheduled meeting is set for Tuesday, August 13.
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