Calhoun County school children, K4-6th grade, will return to the traditional school model effective next Tuesday, Sept. 8 – meaning five days of in-class school each week with a daily dismissal time of 2 p.m.The earlier dismissal will also apply for students in 7th-12th grades, although they will continue on the current hybrid schedule of some going Monday-Tuesday and the rest Thursday-Friday.
Those decisions were unanimously made by the school board Monday night in Pittsboro following an executive session during which the board met with Bruce principals Paula Maddox, Julia Aron and Dallas Gore.
Supt. Dr. Lisa Langford said the board and district officials have been regularly studying all options with hopes of eventually getting everybody back on a traditional schedule.
“We listen to all our own folks and we also look at districts around us and watch their data,” Dr. Langford said. “Throughout this process we’ve weighed the academic benefits and issues voiced with our current setup from (internet) connectivity to childcare. A lot of variables went into this decision. The board has listened to all teachers, parents, and fielded tons of calls. All things considered, with our numbers at this time they felt like this was the best decision.”
Dr. Langford explained the 2 p.m. dismissal is needed because if students are coming back to school five days a week, teachers still need time to clean their rooms and get virtual assignments uploaded.
The district currently has 470 students participating through the 100% virtual model. Those students do have the option to return to school after this change in policy.
The 2 p.m. dismissal will also apply to 7th-12th because the district can’t run double bus routes, so all schools must dismiss at same time. State regulations do allow the district to change the dismissal time and still meet the required hours of learning for students.
Dr. Langford explained the board intends to do another review in two weeks and hopes to phase 7th-8th grades back into the traditional model next and continue working toward all grades being back on campus five days a week.
“The academic and social aspects of school are very concerning to us (in the hybrid model),” Dr. Langford said. “We’re trying to do what’s best for our students and be safe. We always have the option to become more restrictive if necessary.”
“We’ve had a smooth start (to school) which is testimony to our principals and teachers,” Dr. Langford said in her superintendent’s report. “We’ve had very few compliance issues with masks and minimal discipline issues thus far. We want to continue to give teachers as much support as possible.”
In other news, the board approved the Equity in Distance Learning Act application which uses the CARES money set aside by the state to purchase 1,500 chrome books for students and 180 teacher laptops.
The state will review the district’s plan to spend the (COVID) money to support more digital efforts and if awarded the computers should be arriving in late September or October.
Other items approved by the board:
•Deny student transfer from Calhoun County School District to Houston School District for the 2020-2021 school year.
•Contract with DBM Educational Consultant Team, LLC to serve as the external evaluator for the District’s 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) STEAM program.
•Amendment to the 2020-2021 contractual agreement between the Calhoun County School District and Baptist Memorial Hospital - Calhoun.
•Classkick program for Vardaman High School in the amount of $749 for one year.
•FluentU program for Vardaman High School in the amount of $499 for one year.
•Contract with Starfall Education Foundation for Kindergarten and Pre-K supplemental online curriculum.
•CCHS 2020-2021 Band Handbook.
•2020-2021 Calhoun County School District’s Crisis Response Plan and School Safety Plans for all the schools in the district.
•ESSER application in the amount of $727,040.
•Student transfer from Calhoun to Oxford for the 2020-2021 school year.
•Student transfer from Houston to Calhoun for the 2020-2021 school year.
•Student transfer from Calhoun to Houston for the 2020-2021 school year.
•Terms of Use and Service Agreement with DragonFly that will provide the service of paying our officials electronically.
•CCHS to transfer $1,000 from Band Account (1609) to General High Account (1615).
•Part-time contractual nurses Paula Lovorn, Tameisha Jewell, and Sarah Rosenthal. The funds for these nurses will come from ESSER funds.
•BHS to sell the old band uniform jackets to help pay for the new uniforms.
•Commercial Service Agreement for garbage pickup.
•Revision to VHS coaching supplements by adding Gary Griffin as assistant Jr. High football coach with a supplement of $700.
•Revisions to BHS and CCHS coaching supplements.
•Salary Schedules for 2020-2021.
•Hired Wayne Mayhan as teacher replacing Whit Casey.
•Hired Thomas Sanders as part-time teacher replacing Allison Movitz.
•Hired Donna Longino as teacher assistant replacing Christy Edgeworth.
•Erin Beth Earnest resigned as teacher assistant.
•Hired Anna Zemek as computer lab aide replacing Amanda Bennett.
•Hired Kasey Parker as substitute teacher.
•Hired Austin Burl as substitute teacher.
•Hired Stacey Farmer as tutor replacing Jennifer Rogers who resigned in 21st Century Program.
•Hired Davin Parker as substitute bus driver.
•Hired Dana Brasher as substitute bus aide.
•Hired Alisha Jackson as bus driver replacing Geraldine Vance who resigned.