Questions regarding the potential impact on test scores, school management and finances caused the Kosciusko School Board to postpone action on a potential merger of the three elementary schools.
Last year the Kosciusko Board of Trustees combined its lower and middle elementary schools into a single entity under principal Michelle Nowell. Board members stated that this move was intended to be a short-term fix and would return to having separate schools the following year.
However, early results have caused the district to not only consider keeping those two schools unified, but also adding the upper elementary school to the mix.
Early student test results at the lower and middle elementary schools, both under Nowell’s leadership this year, have shown growth, according to Superintendent Gina Smith.
“We don’t have the data yet to validate the testing point,” said board member Brad Love. “What are the real advantages to leaving it as one?”
Board member Randy Fuller agreed, noting that his preference is for each school to have its own principal.
“For testing, that is great, but as an administrative role, how would that work?” he asked.
One proposed model would station an assistant principal at each of the three school sites, but even that raised questions about state requirements to be considered a single entity for testing and evaluation.
Board President Dr. Kenneth Quick suggested leaving the lower and middle elementary schools together for a second year before making a long-term decision. However, Business Manager Sandy McBride indicated that might trigger the need for the district to repay $90,000 in state funding.
It also remains unclear if having a single principal for all the elementary schools would be enough to have the state consider test scores in a unified fashion. To receive such consideration, it may be necessary to house all the students at a single site, or at least have a strategic plan to do so.
When the board reconvenes at the Central office at 6 p.m. Tuesday, the board asked to have more information available. They are expected to learn about the experience of other districts with unified elementary schools, verify state on unification requirements, and determine whether various options would trigger the fund repayment.
The board is also expected to take up handbook changes for the Middle and High schools. Board members stated a key issue is the topic of parent-teacher conferences, particularly at the high school level. Staggering hours and/or days of conferences across the district, having upper grade parents schedule specific conference times, and the content of the conferences were all put up for discussion.
In other business, the board:
• Approved 25 teachers to participate in the Teacher Effectiveness Academy May 23, funded by $9,000 in title II funds
• Approved Title amendments
• Approved the Federal Procurement Manual for the 2016-17 school year
• Approved the District Test Security Plan for the 2017-18 school year
• Approved a temporary easement agreement with Bobby Lowery and Eli Dew with the Attala County Board of Supervisors
• Approved contractual services at $60 per hour for speech therapy after hours for PSD students, paid with SPED funds
• Approved to delete and dispose of inventory and remove from the general ledger according to MS Code
Approve Venture Technologies with e-rate bid for equipment upgrades for the 2017-18 school year in the amount of $23,770.80
• Reviewed and approved the Early Graduation Policy
• Approved Art Cook as architect for KLE classrooms
• Approved Trustpoint for scanning of active payroll and board meeting files to preserve space for upcoming years at a cost of $4,035 per year, with an additional one-time fee of $5,580
• Approved the retirements of Denise Corbett effective May 24, 2017, and Donna Myers for the 2017-18 school year
• Approved the resignations of Kirsten Black and Larry Farmer
Approved the hiring of Betty McBride to fill Corrie Ramage’s class at KLE effective March 27 through May 24, 2017 at contract pay for 41 days
• Approved Lindsay Dickerson as a sub bus driver for the 2016-17 school year
