Following the second of three tries, 85.7 percent of third graders in the Marion County district have now passed the reading gate test.
Superintendent Wendy Bracey gave an update during the school board meeting Monday.
The pass rate was 81.3 percent after the first attempt.
Marion County’s performance has exceeded the state average. The initial pass rate statewide was 74.5 percent on the first try and 82.8 percent following the second, according to the Mississippi Department of Education.
Bracey, West Marion Primary Principal Vicki Boone and East Marion Elementary Principal Chase Robbins said they all agreed it was due to the hard work and determination of students, parents and teachers.
On the second test, West Marion increased its pass rate to 90.9 percent and East Marion to 79.4 percent.
There are just 12 third graders remaining who have not passed, and they will have one more chance after summer school.
In past years students only needed to make a 2 out of a possible 5 to pass the test, which is designed to catch students struggling with reading before they get too far behind. This year the state increased the standard for passing to 3 out of 5.
Also Monday the board approved holding a special meeting June 24 for closing out the fiscal school year, which ends June 30. The board also moved its next regularly scheduled meeting from July 8 to July 15, at which time a public hearing will be set for the next school year fiscal budget.
The board also approved:
• The Lowe’s 2018-19 Toolbox for Education for East Marion Elementary and West Marion Primary schools in the amount of $5,000 each;
• Culpepper Construction to repair the suspended ceiling in the West Marion High School field house.
The board went into a 45 minute executive session to discuss two student disciplinary committee recommendations.
The following resignations were approved:
• Randy Roberts, East Marion High teacher effective June 30;
• Shalamar Walker, East Marion High assistant teacher and assistant football coach;
• Melanie Bass, West Marion Primary teacher;
• Eugene Shaplin, West Marion High custodian;
• Nicole Taylor, East Marion Elementary teacher;
• Susan Bedwell, West Marion High teacher;
• Shanna Franklin, East Marion Elementary special education assistant.
Hires approved include:
• Felicia McCain and Betty Buckley, managers, to be hired at the West Marion High cafeteria for the youth work summer program;
• Fred Cooper, board attorney, for the fiscal year 2019-20;
• Katie Sauls and Twila Burton as substitute bus drivers for the CARS route during the summer program;
• Traci Moore, East Marion Elementary teacher;
• Martha Kennedy, East Marion Elementary teacher;
• Tonya Pittman, East Marion Elementary teacher;
• Melissa Seals, special education teacher;
• Kaitlin Walters, West Marion Primary pre-K assistant teacher;
• Karen Kemp, West Marion Primary pre-K teacher;
• Jordan Smith, to provide remediation during the summer for students who did not meet the third grade reading gate assessment;
• Tracey Sullivan, West Marion Primary assistant principal/librarian for 202 days;
• Dixie L. Cripps, West Marion High English teacher;
• Melissa Taylor, West Marion High counselor;
• Karen Creel, West Marion High English teacher;
• Brian McNail, West Marion High custodian.
Regarding 16th Section land leases, approval was made to cancel two leases belonging to Glenda Rushing. Also a five-acre parcel in Section 16-3-18 was approved to be divided into two parcels. One parcel would be 1.2 acres and be classified as residential and the other 3.8 acre parcel was approved to be classified as forestry.
Three lease assignments were approved:
• Vicky Wesley, 80 acres in Section 16-2-13;
• Jared Slade, 626 acres in Section 16-3-17;
• Burt and Dawn Rowell 40 acres in section 16-3-12.
Two invitations to bid were approved, one for 160 acres in Section 16-3-12 and the other 79 acres in Section 16-2-12.
In other actions the board approved the following fundraisers:
• West Marion High School-Activity Student Dodge ball;
• West Marion High-Activity Coke Rewards Profit bottle caps;
• West Marion High-Activity Fall Into School Day;
• West Marion High-Activity/student council school themed T-shirts;
• West Marion High-Activity/student council Trojan Block Party;
• West Marion High-Activity/student council t-shirts/concessions;
• West Marion High-Activity/student council snack zone;
• West Marion High-Activity/student activity cookie dough.
All of these fundraisers are for funds to be used for PBIS, awards, field trip travel, homecoming and graduation expenses and student activities.
Other fundraisers approved include:
• West Marion High football quarterback club, T-shirt sales funds raised to be used for equipment, pre-game meals and jerseys;
• West Marion High quarterback club, Kane’s funds raised will be used for equipment, food and jerseys;
• West Marion High cheerleaders car wash, funds raised will be used to help each cheerleader who works the car wash pay for uniforms and camp fees;
• West Marion High cheerleaders mini cheer camp, funds raised will be used for supplies;
• West Marion High Band Boosters bake sale funds raised will be used for the band.
Pictured Above: Marion County School Board members Richard Culliver, left, and Keith Stuckey listen Monday as Superintendent Wendy Bracey gives an update on the third-grade gate. Only 12 students remain in the district who have not passed the test, and they’ll have one more shot this summer. | Photo by Susan Amundson
