Although the Obion County School system is under a news embargo about it’s annual yearly progress scores (AYP), the Obion County School Board was informed the news will be good.
At its July 7 meeting at the Central Technology Center in Union City, Nancy Hamilton gave a brief report on the topic. She is Obion County’s supervisor of instruction for grades seven through 12.
“Let’s just say we will have nothing to appeal,” chimed in David Huss, director of Obion County Schools.
“Our graduation rate is up,” among other things, he said.
That was one of the top improvements he had wanted to see for the year.
In other business the board heard a report from an Algebra 1 Project Committee, regarding whether to continue and expand that pilot program.
Hamilton also reported that principals recommended keeping the Algebra I pilot program as the school board originally approved for the coming year.
The state recommends that only students who plan to major in mathematics, technology or engineering be allowed to take Algebra I in middle school.
The Algebra I committee noted that high schools are considering block scheduling beginning with the 2009-10 school year.
If block is recommended, Hamilton (a member of the committee) said there will be no reason at all to have Algebra I in middle school.
Obion County Central High School and South Fulton High School are considering going to a block school system.
If so, students would have eight opportunities for scheduling math classes. The Algebra I committee wants to see how well the those first students do in ninth grade Algebra II, before expanding the program.
After the committee discussed the topic, the decision was for Lake Road to have only those students in Algebra I who scored 42 or above on the placement test.
Lake Road will draft a letter to parents of children who will not be in the class. But they will be allowed to attend a mandatory meeting for parents of students who do qualify, in order to gain information about the new requirements.
In other business the board approved the July personnel report, which includes the retirement of Peggy Lohaus, a teacher at South Fulton Middle/High School, and the employment of Barry Bondurant, in maintenance, at South Fulton Elementary School.
Approved bids for three school buses, with the bid of $74,739.20 each, from Cumberland International, which reportedly makes 68 percent of the school buses in the nation.
The bid with shipping included was $76,097 each. The board will provide drivers from the last point of completion of the vehicles, which will cut down the costs.
Huss noted that the Obion County Commission asked that the 4 percent cost of living raises for support personnel be included in the school board’s budget that is presented to the county.
He said the school budget will come before the county commission and its budget committee again before it is considered it for final approval Aug. 4. Huss said the commission would either have to raise the tax rate or find funding on its on if the raise is adopted.
