LAURINBURG — The Scotland County Board of Education got an update on the process being taken to help students and raise the end-of-grades report throughout the district.
Superintendent Ron Hargrave shared with the board the district improvement plan or NcStar. The data was received in August and presented to the board at the September meeting.
“During that time you all expressed concern and displeasure about the overall growth of our district,” Hargrave said. “Prior to that, we began putting our plans to start to improve and, on Sept. 22, the principals came before you and presented their plan — elaborating on the data from the previous year and their plan for moving forward this year.”
While the documents are continuously updated, Hargrave explained that this year the cumulative district plan had to also go to DPI due to the low-performing status of the district. And while DPI isn’t in the district yet, it allows it for a third eye to look at what is being done.
“The plan we put together at the time was due to the state board or DPI at that time on Dec. 6 during an administrative meeting, during the administrative meeting on Dec. 2 we put the final product together to submit that,” Hargrave said. “All the plan was, was a combination of all the plans that have been presented to you in the September meeting.”
The district is still awaiting feedback from the submitted plan and Hargrave told the board that the process is a year-long process — but the school system is unable to wait to begin improvement so they began it as soon as data began coming in.
Hargrave added last Friday a letter was sent out with every student in the district with an update on the district plan as well so parents would be able to have it.
“All across our state our schools are judged on a system that many members of our state board and even our state superintendent does not believe in whole heartily,” Hargrave said.
Board Chair Rick Singletary shared what he shared back in August which was that he was embarrassed by the schools and to have all but two schools not meet the expectations were not acceptable.
“In my time in this district I have never been in the position where they start talking about designating us as a district as low performing,” Singletary said. “I’m going to say it again that I’m embarrassed and I’m disappointing … what are we doing to make sure we aren’t going to stay on that list.”
Singletary also added that he was not aware that the district had been designated as a low-performing and board member Darrel “BJ” Gibson said it was also the first time he was hearing about it.
“I just want to ask that we are not the last people to find out that we’re drowning,” Gibson said. “I think some of us have been confronted by teachers and parents about the situation and when I listen to the list tonight I’m thinking ‘so we are in trouble’ I just don’t want to be caught off-guard.”
Hargrave assured the board that when moving forward those items would be corrected.
Reach Katelin Gandee at 910-506-3171 or at kgandee@laurinburgexch.wpenginepowered.com
