Officials release performance grades for MCS

The State Board of Education formally notified Moore County on October 3 that four schools; Aberdeen Elementary School, Elise Middle School, Robbins Elementary School, and Southern Middle School as low-performing schools based on their school performance grades.

All four schools received a school performance grade of a D. Three of these schools have been low performing schools since 2015, with the exception of Elise Middle School which became a low performing grade for the first time this year.

The Moore County Board of Education Monday presented a plan for school improvement that consists of several innovations and stages:

School teams are supported with clear school improvement planning frameworks that include:
•  Comprehensive Needs Assessment.
•  Utilization of NCStar as an online facilitation tool.
•  Twice a year process checks.
•  Laser like focus on instructional frameworks, professional learning communities and student health, safety, and welfare.

The district has also implemented plans of support from Central Services:

•  Professional Learning to ensure effective school improvement systems and processes.
•  Academics and Student Support Services team members in schools supporting the needs of each school.
•  Tiered support plans for each Low Performing School and schools that have not met growth for two or more years.
•  District Level Coach.

In addition, district coaches will work collaboratively with the schools’ principals to complete the following:

●  The Coach will meet with administrators monthly to discuss and monitor the Tiered Support Plan and overall work and progress.
●  The Coach and administrators will perform instructional walks with a focus to be determined by the administrative team and school improvement plan.
●  In an effort to provide support and suggestions, coaching comments within NCStar will be facilitated by the district assigned coach.
●  The Coach will attend twice-yearly process checks to aid in school improvement efforts.
●  The Coach will attend to professional development needs of the administrator and will seek to find resources as requested by the administrator.
●  The Coach will lead the District Improvement Facilitation Team discussion and follow-up.

Moving forward the district is focusing on the following strategies:

•  Deep implementation of professional learning communities, instructional frameworks, and continuous improvement systems and processes.
•  Focused intensive support through Tiered Support Plans.
•  District level coaching through the school improvement process.
•  Potential realignment of current resources.
•  Review of opportunities for additional resources and flexibility.
•  Continued advocacy for additional local resources to lower class size and push-in instruction supports.

According to Moore County School Board of Education Chair Helena Wallin-Miller, this is going to be a multi-year process to improve these schools.

Sandhills_SentinelArticle by Local News/Government Reporter Chris Prentice.
Contact him at [email protected] or (910) 639-9303

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