By: Mat Cloak
The Parsons Advocate
At last week’s Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Campbell updated the board on the board office’s goal to improve communication throughout the school system. “It really is something the board staff has decided and really has taken on the challenge of improving our board office communication with our other staff at our three schools,” Campbell said.
One reason for improving communication is for clarity, so that everyone can understand the direction of the school system. Campbell stated that communication improvement would help mentor and finance new staff. The final reason for the focus on communication is to develop trust.
According to Campbell, the board office will seek to achieve this improvement through developing a countywide staff handbook, a staff bulletin, and one on one accessibility. The staff handbook differs from the policy handbook, because it will be, “A nuts and bolts staff handbook,” Campbell said. The staff bulletin will be a “routine mechanism to keep people up to date in the county,” Campbell explained. Finally, Campbell wants to see the open door policy become a reality by creating more one-on-one accessibility.
The meeting was held at Tucker Valley Elementary Middle School. There were a number of presentations that began the meeting. Attendance Director Amber Kyle presented the current school year data. The total enrollment for the three schools in the county is 1,013. Davis Thomas Elementary Middle School has the highest attendance rate at 95.51 percent. The average attendance rate is 94.61 percent, which Kyle said is almost identical to last year’s average.
Other statistics included in the report were: there are 55 homeschooled students, 60 transfer requests, 77 homeless students in the county, 539 students receiving a free lunch, and 71 students receiving a reduced price lunch. “This information will be helpful moving forward,” Board President Tim Turner commented after the presentation.
Finance Director Tracy Teets reported on substitute costs by location for the beginning of the year. According to the report, the school system used 19.23 percent of the available substitute funds. The school year is approximately 24.44 percent complete, which means the budget is in good standing.
Tucker Valley Elementary Middle School Principal Teresa Brusak presented a comparative benchmarking analysis. “We are on target to do better this year, according to the numbers,” she stated. Brusak noted that administration is struggling to collect data on specific goals.
Stephen Cosner, Tucker County High School Principal, gave the board an update on a sustainability project a class at the high school is working on. Cosner is considering applying for the Sustainable Schools Award. Vicki Fenwick-Judy is working with the class toward the goal of energy conservation. Cosner asked the board to consider rewarding the students. “It’s something we are really trying to do and are looking for your support,” Cosner said.
Roseanna Barlow retired as a gifted teacher, and Vice President Preston commented on her development of the gifted program. The board approved the purchase of a 2019 Blue Bird school bus for $97,167.
The next board meeting is scheduled for Monday, December 4 at 4:30 at the Board of Education Office. Tucker Valley Elementary Middle School will host a LSIC and PTO meeting at 6 p.m. The high school will host a LSIC meeting on December 6 at 4:30 p.m.
