FRANKLIN

The three schools in Franklin have been accredited — albeit one with conditions— according to preliminary data given to the city school board last Thursday.

S.P. Morton Elementary School, now being led by Dexter Warren, is in the red for the academic achievement indicator of science, which means that’s below standard. For English, both the academic achievement and achievement gap categories, the final performance level is yellow, near standard. While the academic achievement in math is green (at or above standard), the achievement gap rating is yellow. The minimal amount of chronic absenteeism has put the school at or above standard.

Professional development focus this year will be on science, English, special education and the economically disadvantaged. Academic areas of concentration will be English and science, the latter of which had a pass rate of 45 percent. To make improvements in this topic, the school will “Incorporate continued use of Jason Learning, STEM activities and Science labs for project-based learning and hands-on activities to support the revisions to the Science Curriculum framework.

English pass rate is at 67 percent. S.P. Morton will “incorporate the use of the new Reading resources (IRead) and IXL Reading directly aligned to the English standards.”

J.P. King Jr. Principal Darren Parker noted the school is also in the green where English, math, science and chronic absenteeism are concerned.

The pass rate is 65 percent for writing/writing. So the school will “develop a writing plan to address grammar instruction and more opportunities for authentic writing experiences.”

The pass rate for science is at 70 percent. JPK will “revise the curriculum to reflect new standards and integration of 6th-8th grade standards in physical science.”

Travis Felts, principal at Franklin High School, is in the clover except for academic achievement in math (yellow) and in the red for the achievement gap for math. Graduation was at 97 percent, he pointed out, and the dropout rate only at 1.3 percent. Carrie Johnson, the at-large member, asked Felts why such low absenteeism. He credited other staff members for staying on top of students to get into their classrooms.

Areas of focus for FHS will be both the overall academic achievement and achievement gap in math. The student pass rate this for 2018-2019 is 61 percent; 66 percent in the cumulative three-year tall.

There will be, according to the school board report:

Continued professional development with the math and exceptional education teams focusing on each math achievement gap group and overall math achievement

• Alignment of the written, taught, and assessed mathematics curriculum

• Weekly PLCs with the math team and the exceptional education team to ensure informal and formal assessments are aligned to the mathematics SOLs.

• Weekly PLCs with the math team and the exceptional education team to ensure lesson plans and delivery are aligned to the mathematics SOLs.

• Three times per year FHS math team will conduct professional development with the math team at JPK.

“We’re excited to work together,” said Supt. Tamara Sterling. “No one school is working in isolation.”

In another matter, she noted that the school system is “one step closer” to getting a grant approved for the Coordinated Early Intervening Services Update. Sterling added that budget has already been sent for approval by the Virginia Department of Education. Further, the new position of a behavioral specialist is included in the grant proposal, which was OK’d by the school board on July 18. When the grant is approved, the position will be posted and filled as soon as possible.”