School board president Lee Evans (left) expresses urgency
about correcting CM-HS problems to Superintendent Jane Lynch
By Bob Weaver
A status report regarding a November Office of Education Performance Audits [OEPA] audit of Calhoun Middle-High School was the focus of Monday evening's school board meeting.
An audit team returned to the school on February 22, interviewing about 20 teachers, 75 students and school administrators, related to looking at corrections of problems brought to light in the earlier report.
The report cited CM-HS having problems in achievement, curriculum, student and school performance and leadership, recognizing "the urgency for change."
The school has failed to meet average yearly progress, indicating low scoring in math, reading and writing assessment.
OEPA cited the school for "six teachers not having lesson plans and a special education Collaboration Teacher not having lesson plans," saying that "All teachers did not exhibit a climate of high expectations of all students."
The team on the re-visit said "Classroom visits revealed several classes still not utilizing instruction time to the fullest."
"They're basically saying when they go in the classroom the teachers are not teaching from the time the period starts and the period ends," said Lynch, when questioned about the report.
"When we started discussing block scheduling, this was one of the areas we looked at, including test scores, now the state department seems to have found out that time on task is not being used particularly in block scheduling," said board president Lee Evans.
The school board has voted to return to eight-period scheduling this fall.
CM-HS principal Karen Kirby presents time-line to deal with a myriad of problems, to board members Steve Whited (left) and Mike Wilson (right)
One of the report's recommendations was to employ a full-time curriculum director. "We want to see that happen right away," said Evans, with board member Cynthia Dale emphasizing the immediate hiring, saying "We need to have this person hired now."
The OEPA report mentioned black marks on walls and floors, "tobacco stains were viewed on the walls throughout the school," stating tobacco use was evident in both the high school and middle school male restrooms.
After a discussion about the school's physical plant, Evans confirmed that CM-HS has five janitors and one part-time janitor.
Student interviews confirmed that tobacco use is a problem, "not only smokeless tobacco but smoking in the restrooms," saying smoke detectors in the rest rooms did not operate.
The OEPA report mentioned shortcomings with a school counselor not spending 75% of their time in direct counseling.
It said the school does not conduct training regarding "disaggregation," or failing to look at areas where individual students are not meeting basic standards and how to help them.
The report said there was no written plan to include the "intent to involve the total school faculty in strategic planning," with no evidence of implementation.
CM-HS principal Karen Kirby presented a time-line document to the board showing how the issues are being addressed within the school.
"I know we have work to do, but we are making progress," said Kirby.
"I'm glad to see the time-lines," said board member Steve Whited.
The report said that Superintendent Lynch is "clearly committed to improving education of all the children at CM-HS."
The board went into a lengthy executive session to discuss personnel issues.
Other details about board meeting to follow.
"These are serious challenges," says superintendent Jane
Lynch (left) to president Evans, members Dale and Starcher
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