Panel cites need for consistencyBy Maggie Blackwell
mblackwell@salisburypost.com
The Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education approved a field trip to Italy and Greece for South Rowan High School students, but agreed Monday on the need to develop a policy guiding future field trips.
The 2010 field trip was proposed by Lee Ann Freeze and Wanda Corriher, teachers at the school. Advance approval was necessary to allow families the opportunity to make payments toward the cost of $4,149 per student. Administrators hope to take 42 students and nine chaperones, enough to fill one bus.
The cost concerned board members Karen Carpenter and Patty Williams.
“I feel the trip is too expensive in these challenging times,” Carpenter said.
“I feel the same as Ms. Carpenter,” Williams said, “but we need to be consistent. We have already approved two (international) trips.”
Board member Jean Kennedy felt the educational opportunity could not be overlooked, saying, “The trip is so well-planned. I am quite impressed.”
Member Dr. Kay Wright Norman encouraged the board to consider a policy regarding field trips.
“I am not against this trip, but we must remember we are a public school system,” she said. “We are pricing educational opportunities out of the realm of possibility for the majority of our children.”
The board approved the trip 4-3, with Carpenter, Norman and Williams voting against. Dr. Jim Emerson, board chairman, asked that the school board’s work session, scheduled for March 9, include plans to develop a field trip policy.
In other business, Delores Morris, assistant superintendent for human resources, and Susan Heaggans, ILT coordinator, presented results from the annual Title II assessment from the state.
The purpose of the assessment is to ensure the school system provides teachers with professional development opportunities. A team of seven educators visited the school system, conducting a comprehensive evaluation. More than 100 staff people were involved with the visit, preparing documentation and supporting interviews.
Results from the team listed six positives and one area for improvement.
Dr. Walter Hart, assistant superintendent for administration, presented a proposal to change the policy for school transfers. The goal of changing the policy is to be sure no one “shops schools for athletic reasons.”
Board members approved it on first reading. They will put it to a final vote at the March 23 meeting. Board attorney Don Sayer had reviewed and approved all policy changes.
Assistant Superintendent for Operations Gene Miller presented the bid for rebuilding the football stadium at West Rowan High. The concrete has deteriorated with age, and aluminum seating units need to be replaced.
Despite the project being fairly small, 17 contractors submitted bids. The winning bid came in about 25 percent under projections. The board approved the project by unanimous vote. The bid was awarded to Carpenter Construction of Oakboro. The bid totals $410,000.
Miller also presented policy changes regarding staff transporting students in private cars. Under the new policy, staff is discouraged from driving students in their cars but must have personal liability insurance. The driver’s insurance will be the first coverage in case of an accident. Board members unanimously approved the change and voted to forego the second reading.
Carpenter asked that the board consider changing the policy on allowing schools to send communications to students’ homes. The current policy is not specific. and different schools interpret it differently. Carpenter provided a sample policy from Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. Carpenter and Dr. Judy Grissom will develop a draft policy and present it at the March meeting.
North Rowan High School’s Rodney Bass presented an update on the iPod project for freshmen. Students will present projects on their iPods to the board in April, Bass said.
In open comments, the board heard from Col. Rollins Collins, the ranking JROTC officer, who has been asked to allow JROTC students to help with the “Learning for Life” project on April 1 and 5. Costs and inadequate lead time have hampered Collins’ decision.
Also in open comments, several speakers spoke regarding the OCS coffee shop at South Rowan High School. The coffee shop serves as vocational training for students in the occupational course of study, who are required to have 300 hours of school-based training and school-based work enterprises.
The coffee shop was recently closed as it was considered to compete with the school cafeteria for students’ funds. Students and advisors asked the board to intervene and allow the coffee shop to continue.
The shop sells coffee, cocoa and juice. It is housed in a separate building from the cafeteria.
The final open comment came from a Kathy Hardwick, a parent from South Rowan High Schook, questioning the “bump up” policies at system high schools. The policies allow principals to raise students’ final grades if they score a 3 (meets requirements) or 4 (exceeds requirements) on end-of-course tests. Principals at different schools administer the “bump up” differently, Hardwick said, so that results are inconsistent. “What you do for one, you must, not should do for all,” Hardwick said.
Carson Principal Henry Kluttz and Salisbury High principal Windsor Eagle responed that the “bump up” policy is a necessary tool that gives students an incentive to attend end-of-course tests.
The policy has been in effect for about 10 years, and each principal only bumps a grade up one letter grade if the student scores well on EOCs. Eagle detailed his rules for bumps, including making the EOC count as 25 percent of a student’s final grade. A student at Salisbury High must have an average of at least 60 to be considered for a bump, Eagle said.
Board members agreed to review the issue on March 9.