Elementary principals tackle math at meeting
What the Board of Education meeting Thursday, Oct. 28 lacked in timeliness, it made up for in content.
The two-and-a-half hour meeting saw presentations from a slew of elementary school principals on how they were going to improve curriculum in their schools.
Dr. Mary Long, director of elementary education, mentioned there was a learning gap in math in elementary school students, specifically in poverty and minority students.
Daphne Jah, principal at West Madison Elementary said there were commonalities in students’ weaknesses.
“The reading was in the 90 percentile or above, but in math there was an achievement gap,” Jah said. “Research said students who struggle in math have difficulty in number sense.”
In an attempt to improve math skills, Jah said they were going to try the same type strategies used in successful subjects such as student engagement, specific pacing guides and consistency, which, she said, is key.
“The approach needs to be different, but the strategy the same,” she said. “If students know we have high expectations for them, then they’ll rise to meet that expectation. They have to feel they are respected and treated fairly.”
Madison Elementary Principal Dr. Tim Scott presented ways teachers could improve math skills in students.
Mill Creek’s Principal Melanie Barkley presented the Alabama Math, Science, & Technology Initiative. The initiative would provide data analysis in math for each grade level in schools. She said they would like to have data meetings once a month by grade level to see and discuss student results and how teachers could improve in certain areas.
Columbia Principal Nelson Brown presented Identified Subgroups, in which he said students need somewhat of an intervention in the classroom in math. His plan included ways in which the board members would be involved in the classrooms.
Rodney Richardson, principal at Horizon presented “another alternative” at his school with the Enrichment initiative. He asked for Math Enrichment Kits in the city’s elementary schools, which he said would address special needs that would help students improve on tests. He said the kits have been a tremendous help at Horizon.
In other presentations: Liberty Middle’s Robotic team sponsor Nate Pahman presented the team, who reached level seven at the region competition, which included 19 other schools.
“We were able to reach the semi-finals and we were told that was a rare thing for a first-year team to reach that level,” Pahman said.
Mill Creek President Allyson Willis presented a $10,000 check to the board, paying off the remaining balance of a loan the board gave the school for a new playground.
Bobby Jackson presented the board’s seat belt pilot study. He said the study concluded that school buses were one of the safest modes of transportation students could have.
“Even with seatbelts, the percentage of added safety did not warrant the cost to do that,” he said. “Buses are safe as they could be, so if you have any money you should spend it on the loading and unloading areas.”
Other board actions included approving minutes from the previous two October meeting, three LEA plans and a bid for Bob Jones tennis court sports lighting.
