Educators gave Board of Education members a glimpse into the broad spectrum of information that goes into meeting the needs of and educating students at a recent work session.
The March 6 meeting was called to order by Board Chairman Ginger Bailey, and School Superintendent Charles Lundy began the session by sharing a collaboration with an unlikely partner. He said Jones County Public Works toured the CTAE campus and was impressed by the heavy machinery simulators.
“We are going to work out a deal to help them with training by using the simulators,” he said.
Lundy said the department would pay for the instructors and for use of the equipment. He said board members would hear more about the idea at a presentation at their next meeting.
Accountability and School Improvement Director Clinton Burston talked to the board about student discipline and population.
He said the enrollment numbers differ slightly from day to day. The current enrollment is 5,005 students. The director said there are still new enrollments even this time of year.
Burston said the percentage of minority students remains steady. He reported that the numbers for school discipline continues to be low. That includes suspensions, both in-school and out-of-school.
Discipline issues are mostly at the high school and middle school levels with very few in the lower grades.
“Jones County does not have as many problems as surrounding counties,” he noted.
Bailey stated that the principals and teachers stay on top of any problems.
Burston said the majority of disciplinary actions are in-school suspensions. He said the state keeps track of all the disciplinary information.
Lundy reported for Jones County Virtual Academy and Achievement Academy Director Leslie Poythress. He said 39 students were currently enrolled with 23 expected to exit in May. Eighteen of those students attend virtually.
Board member Brady Skinner questioned why that was allowed.
“That would seem the easy way out. These students may need the structure of an in-person classroom,” he said.
Lundy said that may need to be considered. He said the decision of in-person or virtual was made by Poythress. Most of the virtual students are high school students.
Skinner said he works in software development, and he sees people use it as a crutch.
Grades 6-12 Curriculum Director Mary Frances Stewart said the law mandates offering a virtual program.
Skinner said he understands that, but alternative school should be in person.
Stewart said, if a student falls behind in the class, they are required to come back in-person.
Lundy gave the numbers for the Virtual Academy. A total of 113 students attend virtually with 89 from the high school.
Open enrollment for the virtual academy is March 11-25.
Class size
Stewart and K-5 Curriculum Director Teresa McCuen gave a presentation about class sizes and how the numbers are determined. The calculations also determine the number of teachers and parapros needed.
They said pre-K classes should have 20 students. Jones County pre-K currently does not have a waiting list.
McCuen said Lundy taught a professional learning session about how to keep class sizes correct, and the teachers asked for a session to help with class scheduling.
The director said they created worksheets to help with determining the class sizes in each grade that uses the number of students and teachers.
“The state funds the appropriate class sizes, but it’s the principals who make the final decision,” McCuen said. “They know their teachers and kids.”
Stewart said middle school classes are easier to schedule than high school. She said middle school students all take the same classes, which is not the case for high school.
The students meet with counselors to plan their credits and the process can also be complicated when students need additional help.
Title I
Assessment & Federal Programs Director Charlotte Foskey talked about Title 1 funding and how the funds are allotted. She said the funds were previously calculated using the free and reduced lunch program numbers, which is no longer possible.
Now the numbers are based on poverty rates. The schools with the highest poverty rates receive the most money.
“Title I is intended to make sure students are successful,” Foskey said.
She explained that school districts also receive Title II and Title IV funds, but in Jones County it makes more sense to put those funds together before distributing them. The funds are allotted per student.
“Every school has its own plan for the use of the funds,” the director said. “The biggest expense is personnel.”
Awareness Walk
Foskey and Alisha Gordon gave the final presentation for the session, the Instructional Awareness Walk update.
They explained that leadership teams go into classrooms to observe students using accreditation review tools from Cognia.
Foskey said based on school system accreditation reviews by Cognia, they been told there was a need for rigor and high expectations.
“Mr. Lundy told us it’s time to learn what we need to work on,” she said. “He said everyone needed the training, and it had to be done before the school year.”
Foskey said the staff committed to taking the training that focuses on students.
“It’s about how they engage and learn,” she said.
The instructional walks are accomplished by teams of two. She said the focus has been core classes and homeroom. The teams and classrooms are randomly selected.
After the visits, the team members put their information together and come up with one score from each classroom visit.
The Cognia sheets contain observation of the learners in the classroom for items such as their activities, discussions, support, resources, engagement, conversations, collaboration and interaction with teachers.
The observations include how the learners engage and interact toward each other.
The class visits last a minimum of 20 minutes. The visits started last fall.
Lundy said the Central Change Team shares the information.
“The idea is to see what students are doing in all classrooms.”
Gordon said there were debriefing sessions after the visits, and there has been a significant shift in student conversations in the classroom.
“It is all about the learners,” she said.
