Watson-Harris acknowledged that about three weeks ago, conservative projections at McNair High School were for a graduation rate under 50%, but she said she got personally involved and worked closely with the principal. Theres some bigger schools around our area here that have increased their pay scale. The DeKalb ISD Board of Trustees officially named Dr. Christophor Galloway Lone Finalist for Superintendent at a Special Meeting on May 13. Our 2A District proudly serves three campuses and approximately 875 students, grades Pre-Kindergarten through 12th. We also feel like its going to help us with our mental health program for students, Kuhn said. If you appreciate our work on this story, pleasebecome a paying supporter. Instead of spending the weekend preparing for the week ahead, theyre able to do so on the fifth weekday. At its Dec. 12 meeting, the school board awarded a $761,000 contract to Plante Moran, PLLC to audit how the district is spending special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) money. A passing score on the AP exam is a 3, 4 or 5. The district was able to fill all 14 open positions for the upcoming school year before June, much earlier than usual. ", According to Woods, schools can use federal COVID-19 relief funds for facilities improvements, particularly clean and safe buildings for students and teachers. I keep pondering what it will be like if I continue to serve on a Board where progress is stifled, adult egos prevail and students are forgotten, Gervetz wrote. A graduate is considered college ready in Reading or Math if he or she has met or exceeded the college-ready criteria on the Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA) test, the SAT or the ACT test. In the scathing message, state school superintendent Richard Woods scolded the county board members for not taking swift action to improve conditions at the school. We might do more hands-on that day, it may be team teaching where a couple of teachers are team teaching a small group. And students across the nation are over-scheduled and busy. There is a shortage of qualified candidates, and those with senior-level experience have multiple leadership opportunities from which to choose. The board has the utmost confidence in Dr. Tinsley serving as the interim superintendent. Theyve been able to keep experienced teachers and hire more. Some, like Happy Independent School District in the Texas Panhandle, are on a hybrid schedule, with four-day and five-day weeks. He cited his April 25 letter, saying he previously called on their team to empower the former superintendent to take immediate action. District leaders hope it will give them a leg up since theyre unable to offer teachers competitive compensation. In a recent DeKalb ISD survey, 97.2% of staff members voted in favor of the four-day option. Our board would have to approve it. This year, it has been a much easier hiring season, weve been able to get more certified teachers, weve been able to retain some of our great teachers, and theyve said its because of the four-day.. Instructional support Financial support The State Board of Education stepped in, sending an inspector to investigate the claims of "unsafe" and "unsanitary" conditions. At least three staff members with over 20 years of experience came to DeKalb from other districts, mainly due to the four-day week. At the end of the mandatory 21-day waiting period, the DeKalb ISD School Board will vote on hiring Dr. Galloway as the next Superintendent. I have. Decaturish is now on Post. Amid statewide teacher shortages, four-day school weeks are gaining popularity among small, rural school districts in Texas. Superintendent. The school received an accountability rating of B for the 2018-2019 school year. DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. DeKalb County's fired school superintendent says she is a woman of integrity and has not been told why she was terminated. And a whopping 66% of educators throughout Texas said they have recently considered leaving their jobs. While teachers can work from home most Fridays, the DeKalb, New Summerfield and Pewitt districts have periodical staff development days, where teachers collaborate on lesson planning. waived accountability ratings Union says DeKalb schools should tear up new contract containing vague performance factors The head of the Georgia Federation of Teachers, Verdaillia Turner, told Channel 2's Richard Belcher that the school district needs to start over. In this position, he supervises and supports the 17 schools and centers within Region IV, and their principals, to inspire our community of learners to achieve educational excellence. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the state, identified as being at risk of dropping out of school, Learn more about how four-year graduation rates are defined, considered college ready in Reading or Math, Latest public education stories in The Texas Tribune. Teachers typically teach six or seven hours a day, with about a 45-minute conference period, Bobbitt says. The move came during a virtually-called meeting Tuesday. Of 346 parent responses on DeKalb's survey, 66% voted that they would be in favor of the four-day week, while 21% voted no and 13% voted maybe. The weakness in DeKalb County Schools is the DeKalb County School Board. Photo by Dean Hesse. If you are the site owner (or you manage this site), please whitelist your IP or if you think this block is an error please open a support ticket and make sure to include the block details (displayed in the box below), so we can assist you in troubleshooting the issue. One of the early adopters, Dimebox Independent School District in Central Texas, switched to the shorter schedule in 2019. To address learning gaps, students at Hull-Daisetta have a half-day one Friday per month. its about the entire school system and whats really best for the beautiful and brilliant, over 94,000 scholars, Watson-Harris said. A district survey found that 86% of students, 78% of staff and 68% of parents were in favor of the growing trend. Twenty-four percent of the staff said they took the job because of the four-day week, and 53% said its motivated them to continue working at Athens ISD. The board made the vote during a virtual executive meeting, deciding to name Dr. Vassane Tinsley as interim superintendent. The DeKalb County School Board, during its Nov. 14 meeting, approved an $877,000 contract for an audit of how the district spent its COVID-19 relief money. The district hired 17 teachers this school year, about half after announcing the shorter school week. Certified by the Texas Education Agency as continuing education providers and with a record ofsuccessful experience in all aspects of school operations, consultants at Arrow Educational Services, Inc. offer a unique combination of positive leadership experiences for a superintendent and board of trustees. Twenty-seven Texas districts implemented the change for the 2022-2023 school year, hoping to attract and retain teachers. Want Decaturish delivered to your inbox every day? A look at the percentage of students enrolled in certain programs offered at schools for the 2020-2021 school year. The parents who are working say it gives their kids an extra day to sort of unwind from school and maybe more playtime.. This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Texarkana Gazette, Inc. Board Member Jason Wilson, left, Superintendent Chris Galloway and Board President Kyle Dooley have a discussion Monday, April 18, 2022, during a DeKalb Independent School District board meeting. School days are slightly longer from 7:45 a.m.-3:42 p.m. to 7:35 a.m.-4 p.m. Because some parents of elementary students are concerned that their children wont be able to handle the longer days, the district will be monitoring student engagement and performance. 02 Mar. Students who started eighth grade in 2008 in this region had a college graduation rate of 23.6 percent. As Executive Director of Student Support Services, he supervised and supported GSCS Departments of Student Services, Exceptional Students (Special Education), Mental Health and Positive Student Supports, and Counseling Program. Everman ISD is located a short drive south of Fort Worth. The board made the vote. The district has received two-dozen applications to replace Watson-Harris. Four-day school weeks are gaining popularity among small, rural school districts in Texas. . Also, students in those districts as well as New Boston and Silverton who need academic help can get tutoring on certain Fridays throughout the year. Theyve been able to keep experienced teachers and hire more. A student can be enrolled in more than one program. The former CFO, Masana Mailliard, worked for the district for 12 years before starting a new job withGwinnett County Public Schools in January. For one northeast Texas district, it was too much change too fast. It was getting to the point where it was harder and harder to find quality teachers, said superintendent Melissa Reid. Students start to see a response to their call to action. The Finance Division is the principle organizational entity responsible to the Superintendent relative to the long and short-term financial preparedness of the School District. The percentage of test-taking students in grades 11 and 12 who passed at least one AP or IB exam in the 2019-2020 school year. 2021 Region 8 ESC (903) 575-2600 Mailing: PO Box 1894 | Mt. Most parents in the district work Monday through Friday, according to Russell. Decaturish is now on Flipboard. Superintendent . They claim the nearly 100-year-old building is falling apart, showing mold, dirty and nonfunctioning bathrooms, sewage leaks, extensive water damage, and electrical issues. Instead of opting for reconstruction, the board decided to lump Druid Hills with several other schools in line to get repairs. "I also see the positive impact this could have on student achievement.". DK District 2021-22. Everman ISD has put in place incentives for new and existing employees that include competitive starting salaries and retention bonuses. To allow for a shortened week, the 41 school districts in Texas embracing the change lengthen the school day and/or the school year. "I think, overall, it's a good deal," Galloway said. DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. Just one day after DeKalb Schools superintendent said she was "blindsided" by the school board's decision to terminate her tenure, the district swore in an interim superintendent. Superintendent DeKalb ISD Jul 2012 - Present10 years 2 months West Texas Superintendent Responsive Education Solutions Feb 2010 - Aug 20111 year 7 months Adjunct Professor Wayland Baptist. Often the most prudent path in filling executive level positions lies with assistance of an outside partyto coordinate the application and interview processes. Arrow Educational Services, Inc. is proud of our record of successful work since 1998 in assisting over 170 school boards across Texas in the selection of a superintendent. DeKalb County, GA DeKalb County Schools officials are crafting a budget for Fiscal Year 2024, which begins on July 1. Our goal is to expand the walls of the classroom by providing access to information and programs anytime, anywhere for anyone in a 21st century learning environment. ), Print Headline: DeKalb ISD votes in favor of four-day school week. After a few months, the pandemic made implementing the schedule a nightmare for administrators. Superintendent DeKalb Independent School District Jun 2021- Present1 year 9 months De Kalb, Texas, United States Superintendent of Schools managing the day to day operations of the school. Yes, I have, Watson-Harris said. In a statement to 11Alive, Watson-Harris wrote she was "blindsided" by the Board of Education's action. In April, the Pewitt Consolidated Independent School District board unanimously voted to transition to a four-day week starting the upcoming school year. She is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. The Board of Education and superintendent appreciate these individuals for their support of DeKalb County Schools.. They will remain in these roles until permanent leaders are chosen. The Board Member Handbook outlines the practices that build and sustain a positive Board/Superintendent relationship and define a culture of quality, equity, and respect. Associate Superintendent, Office of Continuous Improvement, Associate Superintendent, Leadership and Schools, Coordinator III, Intergovernmental Relations. Decaturish is now on Mastadon. A few others said they hoped it would help with student attendance and achievement. The school district is also undertaking two in-depth audits. The lack of stability in leadership in the seat of the superintendent and other key leadership roles have resulted in antiquated systems, structures that do not allow for the brilliance of many of our staff members to fully be realized, and what I have been doing for the last 20 months is helping to uncover areas in need of improvement, build strong systems and structures, Watson-Harris said. Christophor Galloway; chris.galloway@dekalbisd.net (903) 667-2566; Higher Ed Outcomes. The schedule change isnt always successful. The maximum score is 36. Dekalb ISD is a school district in Dekalb, TX. Right after the district announced that it had a new four-day schedule in April, applications started rolling in. Safe Return to In-person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan Survey Results- Hubbard ISD - February 2022; Family Survey English & Spanish/Espanol; Federal Report Card 2022 019913; Federal Report Card Letter Hubbard ISD 2022. 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