LEDGER – The Mitchell County Board of Education met in regular session Wednesday, May 13, via digital live stream on YouTube. The meeting covered several topics, including additional funding for graduation, the uncertainty of reopening schools, the updated grading policy and the results of the recent FBLA competition.
Superintendent Chad Calhoun explained whatever graduation plan is chosen will come with additional costs, such as audio equipment and stage setup. Consequently, Calhoun asked the board to set aside $10,000 from its fund balance to go toward Mitchell High School’s graduation costs. The board unanimously approved the additional funding for the ceremony.
Calhoun also addressed uncertainty and rumors concerning reopening schools in the fall.
“I don’t know what it will look like next year,” he said. “There are all kinds of ideas floating around, but nothing has been approved.”
Even though he is proud of the remote learning he has witnessed, Calhoun said he would love to be “back to normal” in the classroom.
“I feel good about our remote learning, what we’ve done as teachers and staff and principals, but it’s not like being in a classroom,” he said. “I think that this made everyone realize how bad they miss having those students sitting in their classroom or being able to hug that kid or talk to that kid or listen to that kid.”
Calhoun said he expects the state to decide what will be done about reopening schools “pretty soon.”
Director of Curriculum Kristie Autrey spoke to the board about the updated grading policy for this school year due to remote learning.
Kindergarten through fifth-grade students will not receive a final grade this year. Instead, teachers will provide written feedback based on their academic, social and emotional progress. Middle school students, grades six through eight, will receive either a pass or a withdrawal in addition to written feedback.
“A withdrawal is not necessarily a fail,” Autrey said. “But they didn’t demonstrate proficiency for the content for this particular school year.”
For high school students in grades nine through 11, they have the option to choose a numerical grade or a pass/withdrawal grade. If they decide numerical, their grade from March 10 will be averaged with their performance throughout remote learning. If the average is higher, they will receive that grade. If the percentage is lower, they will make the grade from March 10. The only difference, Autrey said, is the numerical will be calculated into the student’s GPA while the pass/withdrawal pathway will only count as high school credit.
Senior high school students will all be graded on a pass/withdrawal basis, a policy the state adopted on March 27.
“The state’s biggest thing with that is they just want to make sure our seniors graduate and move on with their futures,” Autrey said.
Executive Director of Career Technical Education Kim Hodshon presented the Future Business Leaders of America, or FBLA, results from the recent state competition. Because the conference was canceled, students had to compete electronically.
At Harris Middle School, Brinkley Hodshon, Allie Johnson and Ivy Young placed first in Critical Thinking. Because of this, they will be able to compete at the virtual national competition Wednesday, May 20.
“We’re really excited about how they did,” Hodshon said. “That was a real bright spot for these kids to have something very positive happen in their lives.”
Also at Harris, Chloe Cook placed third in Business Communications; Maddox Burleson and Bryce Miller placed third in Desktop Publishing; Deren Hise placed third Parliamentary Procedure; Rheagan Thomas placed in the top 10 for Business Computer Technology; Ashlyn Buchanan, Kedren Hughes and Rylee Carver placed in the top 10 for Computer Slideshow; and Lydia Crosby, Kaylee Hollifield and Chanlee Gentry placed in the top 10 for Desktop Publishing.
At Mitchell High School, Jaden Barnett, Cassidy Gentry and Isaac Holmes placed second in Partnership with Business; Allie Suddreth placed third in Future Business Leader; and Maggie Martin placed fourth in Introduction to Public Speaking. All five students qualified to compete at the national competition.
“We’re proud of our kids,” Calhoun said. “I think they’ll do well nationally. Everyone that was mentioned has the drive, the determination and the ability to take what they did remotely and do it on the national side of things.”