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Community Area school districts brace for letter grades BY CORINNE SAUNDERS The Daily Advance Tlie Edenton-Chowan Schools and other area school districts ;ire prepar ing for the state's release of first-ever letter grades for each school in North Caro lina — letter grades school officials feel were unfairly compiled mid that don't ac curately reflect students' true level of learning. Individual school" grades for the 2015-14 school year are set to he released Feb. •\ along with the annual school report cards that de tail school achievement in a variety of areas. Tlie letter grades, man dated by state lawmakers to begin this year, tire based so percent on student achieve ment — the number of students proficient on end of--grade and end-of-eourse testing — tuid 20 percent on student .growth, which measures whether students learned a year's worth of material in a year's time. Educators have ex :ip'ssei 1 coik vms al»>tit that formula, calling it inverted. A resolution opposing the letter grades adopted in De cember by four area boards of education — Edenton Chowan. Currituck County. Perquimans County and Elizabt*t h City -1 ’asqui >tank — states the new grading syst ent "under-emphasizes gains in yearly growth” and "disproportionately" em phasizes performance on standardized tests. Student academic growth is "the best indicator of the overall quality of instruction provided" in the schools, states the resolution, which was drafted by the North Carolina School Boards .As sociation. 'Hie resolution also claims that students from wealthier neighborhoods score better on standardized tests than students from (x Hirer neigh Ixirhoods. so it's unfair to award schools comparative letter grades that only un derscore those disparities. While most area school officials believe then schools' letter grades will 1h“ low, only one school dis trict has hazarded to make a guess publicly what its scores may be. Paul (i'Brimit. chief infor mation officer for the Curri tuck County Schools, sakl at a school board meeting ear lier this month that, based on preliminary <-'Ic'intions, “most of our .schools" will get Cs. He's also expecting "a couple I>s (;md) maybe a B." he said. (VBriant said that's con cerning because Currituck and other school districts already have the data used to calculate the school let ter grades, ;md are work ing to improve student achievement in areas where it's needed. Compiling and releasing the grades will do nothing to benefit that work, he said. Sandy Kinzel. assistant superintendent < >f ('unituck Comity Schools, said in a followup email that district officials "believe one grade does not accurately tell a complete stop,' of a school or district's performance." "Teaching ;uid encourag ing students to be creative. compassionate and pro ductive citizens isn’t mea sured in standardized tests on which tiais school jver formance grade is based," Kinzel said. ‘We re proud of the education our schools provide our students, which includes the .arts, commu nity-focused projects and leac lership < ipport unities. ” Other area school offi cials have expressed similar concerns. “We w;mt our students to be proficient, but the only way to get there is to grow,” said Teresa Beardsley, co ordinator of community relations for Perquimans County Schools. “We know as educators that the indi vidual growth of each stu dent is the most important thing.” If a student “has worked hard all ye;ir and done well all year” but then did poorly on one test, his grade isn't based on that one test. Beardsley Slid. By the same token, she said, a school that has shown academic improvement over the year shouldn't be issued a letter grade based on one perfor mance measurement. It's demoralizing, Beard sley said, if teachers work all year, helping students grow individually, but now “they're being put in a cat egory of a C or a P or what ever." Beardsley noted that the school letter grading system doesn’t account for the fact that students enter school with different backgrounds and levels of preparation. Tire grades also don't con sider mentoring programs, college and career readi ness programs, community events and other school based initiatives, she said. A school letter grade also “doesn't capture the great things happening in the ruts, (physical education ), career and technical education" or other areas not measured by a state exam, said Camden County Schools Superinten dent Melvin Hawkins. The grades also “just gloss over" the fact that all Camden sch< >ls met or ex ceeded growiit on last year's state accountability testing. he said. Growing students academically is the purpose of schools. Hawkins noted, ;uid being successful in that “is reason to celebrate.” Anticipating a lot of pub lic interest in the grades once they are released, s< in «>1 (ifficials are taking a number of steps they hope will explain what the grades mean — and don’t mean. Perquimans’ Central Of fice staffers have spoken to local civic clubs, the Per quimans Ministers Council — a local group of minis ters who work closely with the schools — and the Per quimans County NAACP. They’ve also encouraged local ministers to speak to their church congregations, Beardsley said. Officials in the Eliza beth ('ity-Pasquotank Public Schools plan to hold a community meet ing this week to explain the school letter grades. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday and will be held in the Sheep-llarney Elementary School audi torium at (CIO pan. Police warn of fake bills »:■ va” ;eDcr:s I he Edenton Police Department is curremh investigating several recent cases where individuals passed or at tempted to pass counterfeit $10 bills at businesses m T< >\\ n. There is no particu lar suspect at this time and we are ask mg individuals and businesses to keep an eye out and report an> suspicious activity that may lead to the suspects in this. ase. Information about how to detect counterfeit money can be found at http, w w w.s ec ret service, gov-'money _ detect.shttiil. or call the Edenton Police 1 tepart 11let a foi assistance. To report an> activity related to this investigation please call the Edenton Police Department at 2-’>l2-4S'J-4444. Commissioners focus on procedure for appointments BY REBECCA BUNCH Staff Writer Mow in handle apimintments to lioanis and commissions remains a vexing qut'stion for the Chowan ( ounty Boanl of Commissioners. The county commissioners dis cussed the issue for the second meeting in a nm at their.Jan. 20 ses sion but did not reach a consensus. Currently there are advertised vacancies tlrai need filling on tlie Chowan Coiuity Planning Board. ( In >\van County Tourism I)e\ tio[> ment Autiiority, and the Kdenton Aii]« m (i nnnussii m < ►] au ms under cimsidenitjim m elude a simple application process eurrenth in use where the commis sinners review submitted applica tjoas and then vote on the various applicants without conducting in dividual interviews. The second oj> tion would involve an interview in addition to a review of tile various applications. The third proposal be ing considered is to conduct inter views by committee. "I think part of our decision (in volves) whether they would all go before the lioanl of commissioners or just a committee," Commission er Keith Nixon said. “It may be hard t< i interview all the [icople that may come before us. '' Nixon asked that a list of all the committees with meml>ors that are named by the commissioners be provided to the b< lardi Town presents service awards From staff reports Town of Edenton employ tvs who have worked for die town from 5 to 2d years were honored at the Jan. Id town council meeting. New em ployees were also given spo ci;d recognition. Awards w ere presented to: • d-Ye;irs: Percy Brown, public works; Eric Colson, Police; Randy Jordan. Admin istration; Russ Micliael Jr., pi > lice; and Ileitry Sutton, public works • 10-Years: David Myers, public works; Ronnell V;den tine Sr., public works • Id-Years: Scott Dees, public works; Allen Summer, lire dept.: ;ind Bobby White, public works • 2l>-Ye;us: IJonel Rmikins, INiblic Works • UA-Years: \Silli;un "Billy" Bass Jr., lire ilept.: Arnold Brothers, electric dept.; Dar lene (';uler. Billing and Col lections: and Ferrell Pavlich, electnc dej it. New Councilman Elton Bond Jr. was recognized as were liras emj>l< >yees: • \i ilnnteer firemen: Jo seph (Urbach, Matthew Jones. Bnurdon Smith and Just m Si iter • Police: Brian Callon, Joseph Cruiracho, .Jeffrey Church. David Nance. John Simpson and Austin Wynn • Electric dept.: Andress hi irlines • Public works: Aaron I bu - ns. K« “l il lellr ( hvens, Willi; u 11 Spry. Clifford Town Jr.. Amy White and William WortersJr. SECOND STORE ‘-0" 1A 1 >1 < UpatH - I '1 f> Tl I'vl '|\ ! V - it; up ''iii, .'\:-ui;a; vi> k a ur< m-t t;> ■,i * —- ;n r Ia■ ' ' '! ! i I ! I II lit \ Ml-!. .11 k: • 'A I I I Mi F • » M I L|| )i! s link 'll ! I .II.Apai *' I: I i 1 .111 '*!!;! 1 ip rtu. uii■ | kail'' tia> k m a, r*-s|(|.-nis tru^I raifi! ainl k h > k 111 'j t'. k .1 a! ■ i nil iaK !'i >1 ali-vs i'|-v 'It itk' f. -r tin a n > keep the storefront dark '.at K< lent on Village) once ' IH", tuo\ e or to sublet tlie s| ini e to a non-gl'i >< er\ re late! I business." he stud. And while officials are d' ung all 11 ie\ etui to get an -w ■ Ts. til! ise seem to lie ill -lioit supply. Miglorie said. He added that the Part i let's hip wants the shopping | etiters to be sun essful. "We w tint ’fens, i Reeves. • ivs net (if ( how an I r<>ss mg to be successful," Mi nil 11 ie Stud "Wed like to sec every storefront filled." ('ouneiLman Steve Biggs, who works in Bertie Coun ty in economic develop ment . agreed. "I don’t want am hodv to get the idea that I'm upset with Terry." he said My anger is with Food Lion for handicapping our eiti /.I'llS." Complaints m recent days have included talk ahout a shortage of ma terials on the shelves at Food Lion and allegations that the store is remov ing national brands front its inventory at the Eden ton store and replaeing them with Food Lion store brands. Biggs thanked Miglorie for his diligence in look ing tit other possibilities to bring the impasse between Food Lion and the eonimu nity to an end. ”1 thank you for look ing for an alternative site," Biggs said, noting that Piggv Wiggly had expressed inter fst in th(' Fanner's Foods sit (' before a deal w as made by Food Lion to relocate there. "They couldn't even net their loot in the door, he said. Prior to the stall of Mi glories presentation Mayor Roland Vaughan noted that County Manager Kevin Howard and Chowan board of Commissioners Chair man .Jeff Smith were sealed in the audience to listen to the update. "W.‘ invittyi (them) to show the concerted effort that's being made by local officials (to deal with the lack of a second grocery store here)," Vaughan said. "We all are doing everything within our capability (to deal with the situation )." Vaughan said that the town is also looking into whether there are legal options that could he exer cise! I to make sun* such a situation does not reoccur m thi' future. RESIDENTS > otiui aried 'ii i >fii ,1; a -a 11 >i ,t> I winner ;uk lw i ■ i mi mi nnf ii i i )tf> -r a til cal •'Ik >| >| >u m > \; * ricncc tin mu i imii in icrs A lli I ]o\\ JiHl t Baker s;iid ~'l:c aiit! V»;,n<• a aiii n/ l'ci h i x «i Lit a i - .a icnlK m hill I-l.se I ;u, >\ e 11| I •" Baker asked Aiid i diint Aarii to sit there ,uid do 11‘ >1 t ill lit tt llili ■ ! III hulk e\ •■r. in m l\ " 'This is ,ui < >1 It 1ft I'm J X -i > !il«■ in U' heard.” White said. !• t'l-rnn^ to tin- Fari'liook I -■>-*' Tin- ion^eviK and fl' I' t <il this | K i\ i i it! mii • pu'iit remains to he seen, it'll .ui ini|«irtajit eju.soiie iii the ei uiumtnm s histoiA involved a tea hoveotl hv I’enelojie Barker and Tl oilier women liei’innmn m t )' toiler 1774 a tinivciuent ilia! ciuni1 P i tic known as the Kdenton Tea Party The eoiniimnity eonuneniorated the dldth anniversary of t)u* Kdenton Tea Paity this past \< i\ eiither I hat lustoni episode is often des( Tit m -das one of I he lust instances of organized political iu 11\ ity hy women m the. American colonies. In this modem 111(11111' stance, one ol the main is sues lor organizers is a w ish for transpareiK y. "Food Lion needs to be open with us." While s;ud. "Were trying to put lues sure on them - m our own way - to do that." “People need to be heard about this." Baker said. W hitesaidthe' don't want then jiage to U a town- or i i H ml > bashing | > ige. Laker sjii«l eventually there \\ ill be a seeond gro eety store in Edenton be eause the demand is there White said the retail leak age in the grocery market - ill ready high - could in crejise exponentiidly. White s;ud they invite people to.join their page hut don't want anyone to join the pilge who doesn't w;uit to he there. Every family has to do what they need to do. Baker said. Some might not be able to drive out of town to shop, for instance, she said. They ac knowledged that "boycott” might not even he the right word. Mostly they w;ui! to give people a voice. Hut they d< m't want Food Lion to be a bully, they in sisted. "1 ton’t hold us hostage1 to one gn >rery store.” White said. Baker and White p<anted out they have nothing at all against the employees of the Food Ijoii store. "They're doing the best they ran m a difficult situa tion." Baker said. 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North Carolina, under Act of March 3, 1870 SUmKJITlON HAT PS Daily Advance home delivery area $27.00 (Chowan, Perquimans, Pasquotank, Camden, Currituck, parts of Gates) Elsewhere in continental United States $46.00 POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO: The Chowan Herald • PO. Box 207 • Edenton, NC 27932 Telephone: (252) 482 2623 Fax: (252) 482-4410 chowanheraldo* ncweeklies.com
The Chowan Herald (Edenton, N.C.)
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Jan. 28, 2015, edition 1
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