ALBEMARLE – The Stanly County Schools Board of Education met Tuesday, August 1, with updates on various district programming and funding.
The board first approved the Beginning Teacher Support Plan for the 2023-24 school year.
“Stanly County Schools, in compliance with NC State Board of Education Policy TCED-016, has developed a Beginning Teacher Support Program for all beginning teachers in years one through three of service,” said Beginning Teacher Support and Recruitment Coordinator Deborah Rowles. “Components include Beginning Teacher orientation, mentor selection guidelines, a process for achieving a continuing license, a plan for beginning teacher professional development, and participation in the beginning teacher support program monitoring process through NC Department of Public Instruction.”
According to Rowles, the plan will support beginning teachers at both the district and school levels.
“SCS provides beginning teachers multi-tiered support beginning at the district level with the beginning teachers support coordinator and at the school level with administration and individual mentor,” Rowles said. “A lead mentor at each school has been included in the 2023-24 plan as an additional measure of support. Also included in the 2023-24 BTSP plan is the increased opportunity for beginning teachers to observe expert teachers in order to improve knowledge of effective instruction, classroom management, and or other designated skills.”
“We want to support our beginning teachers all that we can,” said Board Chair Glenda Gibson. “I know every board member up here wants to do that.”
The board also approved the Consolidated Federal Programs Title I, II, III, and IV plans.
“The three goals that we have are: meeting or exceeding growth in reading, meeting or exceeding expected growth in math, and to retain at least 80% of our beginning teachers here in Stanly County,” said Chief Academic Officer Lynn Plummer.
“Within Title I – Improving Basic Programs, our plan is to provide opportunities to employ or contract additional staff to support student learning at our schools and support our parent and family engagement. Title 2 – Supporting Effective Instruction, includes the beginning teacher support plan, providing development opportunities for teachers, stipends for mentors of our beginning teachers, and reimbursing teachers who attain additional certifications on their licensure throughout the school year. Title 3 focuses on our English Language Acquisition Program and provides additional materials and resources for our English as a second language program and making sure those students have the resources in front of them to support them throughout the school year. Title 4 – Student Support and Academic Achievement revolves around three different areas of funding, supporting well-rounded education opportunities, which we devote that funding towards our dual-immersion program at Endy Elementary, supporting safe and healthy students that we partner with the YMCA for our second grade learn to swim program and supporting the effective use of technology which we provide opportunities for professional development for student engagement and digital literacy with technology integration.”
The board was also presented with an update by Superintendent Jarrod Dennis on SROs.
“We now have SROs in all of our schools, which is outstanding, especially for a rural area like Stanly County,” Dennis said. “I want to thank the local municipalities, commissioners, and everyone who’s helped to make this happen.”
Dennis also stated that the district was applying for funding for additional recruitment and retention bonuses.
“We are applying for another round of recruitment and retention bonuses that will be for all staff,” said Superintendent Jarrod Dennis. “There will be some similar guidelines to last year, and I hope to give an update shortly on that.”
The Stanly County Schools Board of Education will next meet September 5.