Report Cards Go Home On Thursday
Board Hears Top Funding Priorities For 2011 – Superintendent Dr. Deborah Moran (second from left) presents her report to the School Board at their meeting Oct. 4. Among her topics was the top legislative priority for 2011, full funding of the Mississippi Adequate Education Program.
Grace Dickerson, Assistant Elementary Principal and District Test Coordinator, explains the District’s testing policy.
By Jack Gurner
Reporter
WATER VALLEY – Parents will get a first official measure of their child’s progress in school when report cards go out this week.
Superintendent Dr. Deborah Moran told District School Board members at their meeting Monday, Oct 4 that the cards would be issued Thursday, Oct. 14. “The first nine weeks of school have passed very quickly,” she said.
Among other actions at the first Monday meeting, the Board of Trustees;
• Accepted donations of $500 from Guardian Pest Control for the fifth grade classes and $600 from D&S Haulers for the fourth grade classes at Davidson Elementary School.
Board member Pierce Epes asked, “Are all the classes sponsored now?”
“All classes have been covered so far,” responded Davidson Principal Chester Drewery. “Plus, we have other people donate supplies. We appreciate everything.”
• Approved the District Test Plan.
Grace Dickerson, who replaced Carol Gary as Assistant Elementary School Principal and District Test Coordinator, explained to the Board that the plan was essentially the same as last year.
“We have to update it every year regardless of who is in the position,” she said.
• Disposed of a Whirlpool air conditioner.
• Heard from Mattie Mims, an associate with the AFLAC district office in Greenwood.
Mims thanked the board for the for the District’s 35-year association with the insurance provider.
• Heard the Superintendent’s report (full text is below this story).
Dr. Moran told the Board that she had attended Mississippi Association of School Superintendents training for new superintendents and the top legislative agenda priority for 2011 is full funding of the Mississippi Adequate Education Program.
Other priorities include revision of mandatory publications of tax increases, legislative relief to reduce operational costs, and the 55 mil cap. The group also wants to make sure that the legislature mandates no new educational programs during the current economic crisis, according to the Superintendent’s report.
• Entered executive session to discuss a student discipline issue and hear from a staff member regarding a personnel issue.
The next regular meeting of the board will be Tuesday, Oct. 19 beginning at 6:30 because of the District’s fall holiday on Monday, Oct 18.
October 4, 2010 School Board Report
from Dr. Deborah Moran
Our next scheduled board meeting falls on our Fall Holiday, October 18th. I suggest the board consider moving our meeting to Tuesday, October 19th instead of Monday to allow a longer weekend if needed by some. Many of our teachers are choosing to take the Tuesday, which is a no-student day as their Furlough Day. I am considering attending the MASA Annual Fall Leadership Conference which will be October 17-19 in Jackson. The conference ends after the luncheon so I will be here for the meeting.
I attended MASS Superintendent Network Training for new superintendents. The 2011 Legislative agenda priority item is full funding of MAEP.
Major priorities that require no money include:
Revision of Mandatory publications of tax increase
Legislative relief to reduce operational costs
55 mil cap
No new programs mandated by legislature during the current economic crisis.
Items for study and planning pending economic recovery include:
Teachers’ salaries
Building Funds
Instructional supplies
At Risk Funding
Mandatory Kindergarten and Funding of facilities and staffing for a statewide Pre K program
I also attended a Region 4 Legislative Meeting in Grenada to discuss issues that are important to superintendents, educators and parents. I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with our Representative, Tommy Reynolds. Dr. Sam Bounds shared with the group the legislative agenda for 2011.
State Superintendent, Dr. Burnham, has invited superintendents to attend a regional meeting next week to discuss the Ed Jobs Bill funding and additional topics.
Our universal screening and professional development are getting underway. The leadership team of Water Valley School District is meeting the morning after school board meetings to ensure that everyone stays current and on target.
I will have the first month’s average daily attendance figures as verified by MSIS and hopefully some data from our universal screening at WVHS. We had two retesters in English writing in August and both passed. Congratulations to these two students. We retested the week of September 20th and hope to get the results soon.
Report Cards will be going out October 14th. Nine weeks have passed very quickly.
