Greenwood High School is being reconfigured in response to preliminary reports of unsatisfactory test scores, says Dr. Montrell Greene, the school district’s superintendent.
Official results on required state standardized tests from the 2012-2013 school year won’t come back until September, but school administrators are privy to some score projections. Those numbers don’t look good, Greene said.
“We’re seeing a downward trend in the preliminary results,” he said. “The high school is not where it needs to be.”
Greene said the district is adding support to the infrastructure of the school, though the reconfiguration looks more like two schools within one. Two principals will take charge of two grades each. Percy Powell, who took charge of the high school in 2006, will oversee 11th and 12th grades. Dr. Lorita Harris, who currently serves as director of operations in the district’s central office, will be principal of the ninth and 10th grades.
Cassandra Hart will continue to serve as assistant principal but will focus her attention on the 11th and 12th grades with Powell. Clinton Gatewood, who has also been serving as assistant principal, will assist Harris with the lower two grades.
Greene said he hopes the change will provide more individual attention to students and help raise achievement. He said the additional support will also aid teachers and staff members this year.
“In order to reach our goal of A and B schools, we need to be proactive,” Greene added, referring to the school grades he hopes to achieve in the district.
That leaves Harris’ job in central office open, but Greene said he considers that problem secondary to putting the necessary leadership in place at Greenwood High School.
“Our greatest priority is not central office,” he said. “Our greatest priority is the schools.”
Powell’s salary will remain the same. The only thing changing about his job is the area on which it will focus.
Greene said he’s been proactive about not surprising students with the new format. He addressed Greenwood High students earlier this week and told them the news. He said Harris received a thunderous applause from students who remembered her from her days as principal at Greenwood Middle School.
• Contact Jeanie Riess at 581-7235 or jriess@gwcommonwealth.com.
