Greenwood schools are going overtime working with about 20 seniors who are in danger of not graduating because they haven’t passed state-mandated subject-area tests.
Out of the approximately 20 students, three must pass the algebra exam, two biology, one U.S. history and the rest English II, Assistant Superintendent Jennifer Wilson told the School Board Wednesday.
The state has identified 3,500 students throughout Mississippi whose graduation hinges on their making the grade on the assessments. State Superintendent of Education Tom Burnham has sent letters to each of those students’ parents.
The last opportunity for them to take the tests and have them graded before May graduation is April 4 through April 8. If they don’t pass then, they can take the tests again in late April but would graduate during the summer.
Wilson said the Greenwood district has three tiers to try and help students pass:
nTwo-hour in-school remediation at least twice per week;
nAfter-school sessions from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays; and
nSaturday school.
“Dr. (Margie) Pulley and I met with all of the seniors and tried to convey to them the critical nature of where they are, and I do believe that they understand that and they are putting forth their best effort, and hopefully we will not have any students not graduating because of SATP assessments,” Wilson said.
Administrators have also met with parents and had them sign off that they were aware of their children’s status, Wilson said.
One difference in the testing this year is that the state is administering English II over two days instead of one. Wilson said some students were taking up to eight hours to complete the exam previously. Dividing it up enables them to put forth their best effort and not tire as easily, she said.
Board Member Pann Powers commended Wilson and Pulley for putting the remediation plans in place.
“It sounds like a lot of work has gone into this, and it will continue to serve the students in this district so well,” she said.
Also Wednesday:
nDr. Kenneth Beal, a Leflore County dentist, brought forward concerns about communication between teachers, parents and students.
Beal said when he asks his daughter, a seventh-grader at Greenwood Middle School, if she has any homework, she says she never has any because they do homework during school.
He said he asked several people about it and was told students were simply going to copy one another’s homework if it was sent outside school. But Beal said he doesn’t care because at least students would see the material.
Beal said the schools have an electronic system that is supposed to provide teacher’s notes for parents but that system “has not really transpired.”
“I shouldn’t have to ask my child, ‘What did you do at school today? What did you learn today? What homework do you have today?’ And the reason for that, not just looking at myself, but I’m looking at other parents that have two to three jobs,” he said.
Beal said the situation has been going on since September. He said his motivation is improving the school system so parents can reinforce what students need to know before their children go to class.
He said he’d met with Greenwood Middle School Principal Chiqueta Daniels and Assistant Principal Melvin Cook to do a curriculum outlook and syllabi review and added that more parents needed that type of information.
He said it’s an economic and business situation, not just an educational one, because they want to prepare students for coming back to the Delta and being successful.
Board Member Jimmy Carter, who was presiding over the meeting at that time, eventually said Beal had gone over the allotted limit for public comment and needed to arrange beforehand if he desired to speak further. Beal said he would do so and be back next month.
nPulley announced Birdette Hughey, a Greenwood High School algebra teacher, will find out Friday at a ceremony in Jackson if she has won the Mississippi Teacher of the Year award. Hughey has already been honored as the top teacher in the Greenwood system and the 2nd Congressional District.
nThe board approved allowing the superintendent to approve field trips within the last 20 days of school on a case-by-case basis. Pulley said the current policy restricting such trips hampers some incentive programs that schools plan.
nThe board moved its meeting next month back to April 12 from April 6.
nThe board approved applying for a 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant. It would provide learning centers for students and parents at each of the six schools. The maximum amount available would be $250,000 in the first year and $100,000 in the fifth year.
• Contact Charlie Smith at csmith@gwcommonwealth.com.
