4.5% of students were enrolled in bilingual and English language learning programs. All rights reserved. We are asking for the things we need to succeed in life. Home of the 4-Day Instructional Week. Superintendent Janie Sims says its helped the rural district compete with larger districts in Dallas-Fort Worth and Tyler. Were a small district, were not as fortunate, just like a lot of other smaller school districts, as far as our pay, superintendent Joe Brannen says. We also feel like its going to help us with our mental health program for students, Kuhn said. Before the meeting started, students and parents stood outside with signs urging school officials to take action. He is planning, however, on proposing the schedule for specialized positions the district is short on including speech therapists, physical therapists and diagnosticians. For Mac OS users, there is a system setting that may not allow you to tab onto several types of elements in a web page. We had a pre-K teacher position open all year. District leaders hope it will give them a leg up since theyre unable to offer teachers competitive compensation. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. "Instead of moving deliberately and decisively in line with my recommendations, the board chose to largely meet this moment with dysfunction and deflection," Woods wrote. Open System Preferences and go to Keyboard: Select the Shortcuts tab. I know that both as the superintendent and also as a mother my son is a tenth grader at Druid Hills.. The percentage of students who started ninth grade in 2016-2017 and received a high school diploma on time by Aug. 31, 2021. If you like what we do, consider becoming a paid supporter. Dekalb Academy of Technology & Environment. The switch added more time to each class over 1,800 minutes per class period. 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. Click to Subscribe. Dekalb ISD is a school district in Dekalb, TX. 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. Heres what a state committee found. Sign up for our free newsletter by clickinghere. Theres some bigger schools around our area here that have increased their pay scale. Arrow consultants areuniquely qualifiedto provide instructional assistance to schools. 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. Yes, I have, Watson-Harris said. 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. Everything thats happening, it isnt just about me. 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. Board members voted to name Dr. Vasanne Tinsley as the interim superintendent. . DeKalb County Schools has nine vacancies in superintendent's office Dan Whisenhunt Feb 15, 2023 Interim Superintendent Dr. Vasanne Tinsley remarks during DeKalb County Board of Education's Oath of Office Ceremony at the Robert R. Freeman Administrative & Instructional Complex in Stone Mountain on Friday Jan. 6, 2023. When asked about the vacancies, DaCosta said they have been caused by an abundance of things., There has been a nationwide shortage in teachers and staff in the field of education, so its an abundance of things, he said. I was not given any reason for termination, Watson-Harris said. The firing follows weeks of reports on the bad conditions at Druid Hills High School, where her own child attends. Sauce served as principal of Chamblee High School within DCSD, and as an elementary principal within Fulton County Schools. 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. For the small percentage of students who took the redesigned SAT with a maximum score of 1600, their scores were converted to the equivalent scores on the previous SAT using College Board concordance tables. Winne asked Watson-Harris. The overall grades are based on three categories: student achievement (how well students perform academically), school progress (how well students perform over time and compared to students in similar schools) and closing the gaps (how well schools are boosting performance for subgroups such as students with special needs). Varsity Girls Softball vs Rewater @ DeKalb. I still have not received any formal communication, Watson-Harris said. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. "DeKalbs facilities plan will not move forward in its current form. Tinsley brings a wealth of experience to DCSD, formerly serving as the deputy superintendent of student support and intervention in the district, the district said. Decaturish is now on Mastadon. Arrow Educational Services, Inc. can provide that level of support. He cited his April 25 letter, saying he previously called on their team to empower the former superintendent to take immediate action. Pleasant, TX | 75456 Shipping: 4845 US HWY 271 N. | Pittsburg, TX | 75686 Residents in the DeKalb County School District on Monday voiced complaints about teachers being ordered back into . In a statement to 11Alive, Watson-Harris wrote she was "blindsided" by the Board of Education's action. A look at the percentage of students enrolled in certain programs offered at schools for the 2020-2021 school year. As smaller, rural districts in the area struggle with the ongoing teacher shortage, the new schedule format is meant to reduce teacher stress and become a key tool in the recruitment of teachers. We have some teachers that say before they were struggling to get the curriculum covered, Francis said. 2023 Cox Media Group. Superintendent's Cabinet Superintendent's Profile Budget Strategic Plan Cabinet Regional Superintendents Academic Regions (map) MR. ERICK HOFSTETTER Chief Operations Officer Profile, Function, & Departments MS. MONIKA DAVIS Chief Information Officer Profile, Function, & Departments We ask only for our expenses. The soon to be released Cognia report shows the weakness in the District does not lie with the students, teachers, administrators or even the superintendent. Here's a timeline of events so far. for the 2020-2021 school year. Asked whether they want to continue for the fourth year, 76% of parents said the schedule has had a positive effect on their child and 65% said their child was as successful or more successful in school. While there are some concerns about the four-day weeks impact on test scores, Michelle Francis, superintendent at Silverton Independent School District, says STAAR scores have actually increased since the shorter week took effect last year. Sauce served the Griffin-Spalding County School System (GSCS) in the positions of Executive Director of Student Support Services and as Executive Director of Elementary Education. And a whopping 66% of educators throughout Texas said they have recently considered leaving their jobs. Its bad. Our primary mission is assisting school boards in the selection of a superintendent. The average ACT composite score for students graduating in 2019-2020. Texas assigns ratings to districts and campuses that designate their performance in relation to the state's accountability system. Before being hired in DeKalb County, Watson-Harris served as first deputy chancellor, senior director of field support and Brooklyn executive director for the New York City Department of Education. Woods said the state will be in touch with the board to help develop "immediate, short-term, and long-term plans.". Some, like Happy Independent School District in the Texas Panhandle, are on a hybrid schedule, with four-day and five-day weeks. Superintendent. Parents who arent working or can be off on Fridays are spending additional time doing things for their kids, they enjoy that, Sims said. The Board Member Handbook was approved by the DeKalb Board of Education . "I was unaware that my contract or employment would be discussed during todays meeting as I was not notified and it was not identified on the meeting notice," she wrote. We had been getting for several years a lot of brand new teachers, which does impact student learning, because it takes a brand new teacher a few years to get accustomed to everything and get their craft going, Sims said. Its just hard for us to stay on the same pace as them.. 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. DeKalb ISD DeKalb Middle School 7th Grade Science, 6th-8th Grade STEAM, 8th Grade CTE Horticulture Read Biography Janie Coheen Judson ISD Elolf Elementary School PreK Read Biography Eric Hale Dallas ISD David G. Burnet Elementary 1st & 2nd Grade Self-Contained Read Biography Tiffany Kilcoyne Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD Hurst Junior High School The DeKalb ISD Board of Trustees officially named Dr. Christophor Galloway Lone Finalist for Superintendent at a Special Meeting on May 13. A school superintendent provides the leadership required for converting a shared vision of educational excellence into reality. is also looking for a new superintendent to replace Cheryl Watson-Harris, two-dozen applications to replace Watson-Harris. Options exist in making this decision. MORGAN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT: ADOPTED DISTRICT OF INNOVATION (DOI) Adopted Budget 22-23; Parent & Family Engagement Plan; Curriculum Resources; 2021-2022; 2020-2021; 2019-2020; . An additional hour was added to the school day to make up for Fridays being off. The weakness in DeKalb County Schools is the DeKalb County School Board. As Executive Director of Elementary Education, Dr. DeKalb County, GA DeKalb County Schools officials are crafting a budget for Fiscal Year 2024, which begins on July 1. How can Texas keep more teachers in classrooms? Instructional support To follow us, visit:https://post.news/decaturish. Nearly 43,000 Texas teachers left their job in the last school year, according to a July report from the Texas American Federation of Teachers. It makes it difficult for students that need consistency.. How would it affect our families? 2023 Cox Media Group. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Sauce is the proud husband and father to his wife and twin boys. Moments later, 11Alive captured Tinsley walking into the county meeting to join district officials. Superintendent Chris Galloway said moving to the shorter week would promote teacher retention. . To support us, click here. 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. They are doing so without key personnel in place, including a chief financial officer. The Information Technology department comprises of customer service-oriented professionals dedicated to the integration and implementation of technology across Dekalb County School District. Stone Mountain, GA 30083 | P: 678.676.1200. The former CFO, Masana Mailliard, worked for the district for 12 years before starting a new job withGwinnett County Public Schools in January. How working families would adjust to a schedule change was a driving force in the conversations at Everman Independent School District about adopting a truncated school week. Before COVID, Hull-Daisetta had an average 95% attendance rate, then it dropped to 92% for elementary students and 89% for junior high and high school. So he decided to follow suit starting this school year by adding 40 minutes to each day. The termination signifies a boiling point as tensions around Druid Hills High School's renovations or lack there of rather arise. That was the main driving force of why were not going to a four-day week, said district Chief of Communications and Marketing Nikita Russell. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. While most districts hope the change helps them hire and retain teachers, some Texas districts said they were motivated by increasing student enrollment. The State Board of Education stepped in, sending an inspector to investigate the claims of "unsafe" and "unsanitary" conditions. Arrest warrant issued for Jalen Carter for racing in connection to deadly UGA crash, Black event planner wants to bring more joy into the world, Forecast | Isolated showers possible this afternoon, IRS pushes tax deadline back to Oct. 16 for storm victims across Georgia, Vote to make repairs at Druid Hills High School still comes with opposition, DeKalb County Board of Education votes to terminate superintendent, State school superintendent issues scathing letter on conditions at Druid Hills High. We have lots of needs in our facilities across the county lots of needs. 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. 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. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the state waived accountability ratings for the 2020-2021 school year. Students in Dekalb ISD are part of the Texas Education Agency's Region 08. The board has the utmost confidence in Dr. Tinsley serving as the interim superintendent. Four-day school weeks are gaining popularity among small, rural school districts in Texas. The Board of Education and superintendent appreciate these individuals for their support of DeKalb County Schools.. It was getting to the point where it was harder and harder to find quality teachers, said superintendent Melissa Reid. The school district is also undertaking two in-depth audits. Federal Report Card Letter Hubbard ISD 2022 Spanish; Federal Report Card State 2022 #iLoveDCSD To learn more about Dr. Tinsley: https://t.co/Hu7HAcBlEn pic.twitter.com/lMz8ydMSen. So as we were experimenting with it the first year, March of that year is when all schools closed, said Nick West, who was superintendent at the time. I will fight to fulfill my commitment to the children of DeKalb County School District, Watson-Harris said. As of Thursday, the projection is slightly over 61% and tracking toward the state threshold of 67%. Masked This statistic is hidden because it may make it possible to identify a student. Its something that couldnt be done in a year, it would have to be planned out, she added. Were going to provide them with some instruction thats not exactly the same as they get on a daily basis, Bartram said. Everman ISD has put in place incentives for new and existing employees that include competitive starting salaries and retention bonuses. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the state Four years later, its at the top, 4-day school week helps some rural Texas districts hire teachers. School Board Chair Diijon DaCosta said Tinsley is diligently working to fill the central office vacancies. View a more comprehensive breakdown of the higher ed outcomes in Region 08. 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. I want to welcome you to The New Boston Independent School District's website. Make sure the box for "Use keyboard navigation to move focus between controls" is, Select the Advanced tab. Its bad. In February, Clarksville Independent School District superintendent Kermit Ward pitched the idea to the school board to help with recruitment, and they voted against it. That was after a bill passed by the 84th Texas Legislature amended the Texas Education Code, no longer requiring 180 days of instruction. Watson-Harris was named superintendent for DeKalb Schools in June 2020. If you appreciate our work on this story, pleasebecome a paying supporter. Please check back often for updates and tell a friend! After students publiclycalled out Druid Hills Highand put renovations back on the agenda, the DeKalb County School Board voted not to make changesto the building. A spokesperson for the school district says it has everything covered, despite the number of vacancies. . As of the 2020-2021 school year, an average teacher's salary was $51,942, which is $5,699 less than the state average. The letter disagrees with the board decision to lump the high school with others for repairs rather than fixing immediate issues. Make sure the box for "Press Tab to highlight each item on a webpage" is, Notice Of Public Hearing Regarding Reapportionment Of DeKalb ISD Single Member Trustee Districts, Notice of DeKalb ISD School Board Election, Leave Request Form -Emergency Paid Sick Leave and Expanded Family and Medical Leave, Application for Service/Support Personnel, 2022 DeKalb ISD Fall Community Publication, Chromebook Insurance Information for Parents, Proposed District of Innovation Plan Renewal, Required Informational Postings 2022-2023. In April, the Pewitt Consolidated Independent School District board unanimously voted to transition to a four-day week starting the upcoming school year. Close. And so we hope that this extra day off for students will help them.. Learn more about how four-year graduation rates are defined. (Staff photo by Andrew Bell), Brandy Smith: Never Going Back and Never Backing Down, Local teachers organization holding gala to support fellow educators, Texarkana College Trustee Kaye Ellison retires; Derrick McGary sworn in as Place 5 successor, Texarkana nonprofit Grace House to raise funds with Souther Soiree Gala, Copyright, Privacy Policy, Terms & Conditions. Before the CFO left, the superintendent started working on the budget in November and December to put things in place for the new fiscal year, DaCosta said. And DeKalb parents can get $60 a month child care on Fridays offered by First United Methodist Church. Watson-Harris was named superintendent for DeKalb Schools in June 2020. You have more time to give remediation during those periods also.. I have been the seventh superintendent in I believe the last 10 or 11 years. Switching to a four-day week gives teachers more time to plan the curriculum and lessons, says New Boston Independent School District superintendent Brian Bobbitt, helping to combat burnout. Teacher retention is important, according to Russell. DeKalb CUSD 428's mission is to provide an equitable and inclusive education that supports students holistically, providing the tools they need to thrive by partnering with families and supporting staff to meet the needs of each of our students.