Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Prescott Schools Annual Report Given

Prescott School District held its annual public meeting on September 26, in the Prescott High School auditorium. Don Johnston, superintendent, gave the district's annual report which consisted of accomplishments during the 1994-95 school year and goals and objectives for the 1995-96 and subsequent school years. Among the highlights of last year's accomplishments are the completion of the multi-purpose complex at Prescott Elementary School, new intercom systems at the middle and elementary schools, and the new track.

Building program needs still include: installation of acoustical classroom ceilings; insulation and enclosure of the heating and air conditioning units at the middle and elementary schools; a computer lab for seventh and eighth grade; a middle school gym; and high school gym, field house and new bleacherss in the stadium.

Other financial needs include: replacement of one high school computer lab and updates of the other two; outfit the two new elementary computer labs.

Affecting Prescott School will be the new state regulation, Act 917 of 1995 which mandates school districts beginning in the 1994-97 school year to increaase the salary of beginning teachers with a bachelor's degree to $20,000. Beginning teacher with a masters degree will start at $23,000. A teacher with a masters degree and 14 years experience must be paid at least $30,000. Implementation of the new salary scale will be approximately $183,877 per year. School districts will also have to pay the matching teacher retirement and health insurance costs which have been paid by the state in the past. The grand total of enacting this legislation is $601,302. Johnston said, "You may hear that the new funding formula is suppose to pay for these mandated changes. I am very concerned we will not receive enough funds. Last year we had to pay the workman's compensation insurance. We were told that we should receive additional funding from the state for this. In 1994-95 we received $17,055 from the state. This year we received only $16,606. Our premium is estimated to be $30,667."

The instructional report was given by Hyacinth Deon. The school report card was shared with the audience. She gave a graphic representation comparing Prescott with the state's performance in the areas of attendance, graduation rate, and college placement in English, reading and mathematics. Placement in regular college classes is based on ACT scores of 19 or above or passing the individual college's placement exams. College students failing to meet such criteria are placed in remedial classes which do not usually count towards their degree plan. Students taking the more regorous high school courses in English and mathematics seldom need remediation. Parents are asked to encourage their children to take full advantage of the best that our schools have to offer. The advanced placement program is one way that students can better prepare themselves for higher education and can earn college credit while in high school if they pass the Advanced Placement Exams. An A.P. biology class is being taught this year by Grandy Royston. A.P. calculus, English and social studies are being considered for the 1996-97 school year.

To support a strong advanced placement program the high school level greater emphasis is being placed on the reading/language arts and mathematics, increased time on task in these areas with no pull-out of regular education students during these instructional times at the elementary school. Every child is expected to be at or above the fourth grade level when he is promoted to the middle school. This is a lofty goal but is achieveable when schools, homes and community work together to help kids. At the middle school level there is intense instruction in reading, writing and thinking. Teachers are aligning their curriculum to help students see the inter-relationships between courses and also make the needed connection with real life.

Janet Gordon, program coordinator, gave the Title I report. This federally funded program provides additional instructional support to students who are in need of special assistance at the elementary and middle school levels. 321 students are served through four projects that include the early childhood program for kindergarten and first grade, a comprehensive language arts program in grades second-fourth, and a reading program in grades fifth-eighth. Increased parental involvement is one of the objectives that Gordon will focus on this school year. Students served during the 1994-95 school year showed substantial gains on the Stanford 8 Achievement Tests. Title I focuses resources on helping eligible students meet the performance standards all students are expected to meet.

Middle school principal, Jim Gober reported an increase. We have been losing students over the past few years," he said. He shared curriculum changes, new staff and new assignments. He said, "Our year has gotten off to a great start. We have an excellent faculty who cares about students." Jamye Barnes is the new middle school assistant principal.

Tommy Morrison reported on the implementation of the 4x4 block schedule. He thanked patrons for their care, concern and input into what goes on at school. He asked them to encourage their children to take rigorous classes that will prepare them for success, instead of choosing to take the easy way out.

Patrons' and students' questions were taken after the reports were given. Patrons were entertained in a mini concert given by the Prescott High School music department, under the direction of Yvonne Thomas and Jonathon Kelly. Attendance was the best we have had in a meeting of this type. Open house was held at both the middle school and high school after the public meeting. Prescott Elementary School held its public meeting and parent orientation at beginning for the school year.