9486 in the collection
Speaker questions testing program
By David Wall
Public comments became emotional Tuesday,
during the Richmond County Board of Education
monthly meeting.
Phillip Perkins of Rockingham, addressed the
board and the attending audience requesting
answers to questions he posed to the board
during its August meeting, regarding the stress
imposed upon children to perform at designated
levels on “high-stakes End-of-Grade testing.”
“I am just trying to do my part to help the
children,” Perkins said. “I have been to
Washington and have spoken to senators and
their staff and they have at least listened to
me. They seem to want to help. But, I can’t
even get anywhere with this board. Your silence
speaks loud and clear.”
During the board’s August meeting Perkins
presented a report to the members of the board,
which he referred to as the, “The Dowling
Report.” According to Perkins the report
indicated the high-stakes testing has been
shown to be detrimental to children.
“Have you even read the report,” Perkins asked.
North Carolina public school students are
required to meet statewide standards for
promotion from grades three, five and eight and
for high school graduation. The standards, also
called gateways, ensure that students are
working at grade level in reading, writing and
mathematics before being promoted to the next
grade.
The North Carolina End-of-Grade (EOG) Tests are
mandated by the state to meet the requirements
of the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)
of 2001.
Perkins was asked repeatedly by Board Chairman
Bruce Stanback and the board’s attorney, George
Crump, to focus his comments to the board at to
refrain from mentioning any particular child’s
name directly.
“You are out of order,” Stanback said. “We just
hear public comments, we don’t respond to
them.”
After Perkins completed his address to the
board, several other members of the audience
expressed their dismay of the perceived
disconnect the board had to Perkins’ attempt to
raise awareness for the effects of placing high
amounts of stress on children in schools.
Also addressing the board was Dr. Fred McQueen,
with the Richmond County NAACP, who renewed his
request that Tasers be removed from the arsenal
of weapons Richmond County Schools Special
Police may use in the performance of their
duties.
“The use of a Taser should be in a situation
just short of needing to use deadly force,”
McQueen said. “In our schools our children is
unarmed. There is no need to use something on
our children that has been involved in the
death of children.”
He also requested the board look into reported
incidents of bus overcrowding.
McQueen finished his address to the board by
asking board members not to let Leak Street
High School become re-segregated.
“A large number of the new students being
assigned to Leak Street are black,” McQueen
said. “Please do not let Leak Street or the
transitional school become black schools.”
Other Business
Board members were presented with policy
changes by Assistant Superintendent Dr. Michael
Perry regarding student accountability,
graduation requirements and the county’s
alternative school settings.
A policy revision for student accountability
standards was placed for 30-day review, which
was revised as part of the new realigned school
district. The new policy reflects standards
that have been established for a student to be
considered for promotion to the next grade
level taking into account the county’s new K-5,
6-8 and 9-12 grade system.
Policy 3460, governing graduation requirements,
was presented and retracted for a second time
to allow for further revision. The revised
policy increases the number of credits required
by a student to graduate from Richmond County
School. Students must earn a total of 26
credits to graduate, however, beginning with
the class of 2013, student will be required to
earn 28 credits before being allowed to
graduate. The exception to this requirement
will be in a student is in the Occupational
Pathway, where only 22 credits will be required
or assigned to Leak Street High School, where
the standard will be 21 credits.
Currently the state requires only 21 credits
for graduation from high school.
Policy 3470/4305, regarding the district’s
alternative school settings, was placed for 30-
day review. This policy describes the county’s
alternative school settings as an option for
when a student’s behavior management or
academic performance needs cannot be met in a
regular educational setting. Within the
guidelines of the new policy, a student may be
placed in a school, outside of their attendance
area, by the superintendent or his designee,
for the student to attend a specialized school
or for any reason they, in their sole
discretion, deem sufficient. A student may be
placed in one of the school district’s
alternative settings for being “a significant
disruption,” “at risk of dropping out” or “not
meeting standards for promotion.”
Assistant Superintendent Jeff Maples presented
the board with a new beginning teacher support
program plan.
The policy sets out for the immediate and long-
term support for new teachers.
“We are trying to have a positive impact on
teacher retention,” Maples said. “This plan
will help us to provide the nurturing
environment new teachers need to succeed.”
As part of this plan, new teachers will receive
more assistance from a mentor, staff
development meetings and evaluations by school
administration.
The board thanked and welcomed new teachers to
Richmond County after each of them introduced
themselves and stated where they have taken
assignments.
Superintendent Dr. George Norris advised the
board’s retreat has been rescheduled for Sept.
12.
Board Member Ed Ormsby requested the use of
Tasers in schools be placed on the agenda for
the retreat meeting.
Norris also informed the board of a contract
with the North Carolina Symphony, that will be
performing at Richmond Community College at
1:15 p.m. Oct. 30. Symphony members, in the
string and wood-wind instrument sections, will
also be on-hand to work with high school
students.
— David Wall
Richmond County Daily Journa
2008-09-03
INDEX OF OUTRAGES
Pages: 380
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