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By: Erin Smith
Plain View Primary School in Tar Heel was abuzz with excitement on Thursday night as parents, members of the community, and members of the Bladen County Board of Education and staff gathered for the live taping of Tar Heel Teachers Town Hall Meeting/Talk Show with special guest State Superintendent June Atkinson.
Palin View Primary Principal Deborah Belle said, “I’m really excited.”
She added when she first learned her school was going to be the location for the taping, she said at first, she was skeptical.
“Really knowing it is happening, it means so much for our school bringing the Tar Heel Teachers to Tar Heel. It’s exciting having them film the show here,” said Belle.
The show discusses topics facing the educational system in North Carolina and the plight of the schools. The show’s host, Marlow Artis, is a former student at Plain View Primary School.
The show, which is divided into four segments, features Tar Heel teachers Ashlee Garrison, reprsentatvie for Elementary School and Support Staff; Cassandra Parsons, representative for Middle School and Special Education; and Amanda O’Brien, representative for High School and Virtual Education.
The show opened with a vocal performance with the Plain View Primary Busy Bees singing Wade in the Water. Following the vocal performance the cast welcomed State Superintendent of Schools June Atkinson to the stage.
Atkinson was asked to explain the meaning of “standard six” and the changes to it. She said that several years ago, the state developed a document to evaluate teachers and the standard No. 6, was the growth component. Atkinson said that it was met with mixed reviews and the Legislature removed standard six to allow teachers and principals to work together to improve student growth.
Atkinson said there have been conflicts in states where growth was used as a method of evaluating teachers. Atkinson said Tennessee and other states would use student growth as part of their employment decisions.
Atkinson said the General Assembly passed a law to include practices and growth among other standards to evaluate teacher performance. Atkinson explained that one teacher may have students who met expected growth while another teacher may have students who exceeded expected growth. She said that the flexibility with the change to how growth is used, allows the principal to open a dialogue with the teachers regarding student growth.
Atkinson added that the growth component is not added to be punitive. It is simply part of the information the principal has at his disposal. Atkinson said the local flexibility comes in how the principals choose to utilize the information.
Another topic of concern is local spending. It was pointed out the state is using the 2014-15 funding model. The panel said that the lowest funding county spent only $383 per student and highest funding county spent about $4,000 per student.
“I think when all the school districts went bankrupt in 1933, the state took over. There has been a long tradition with the General Assembly supplying most of funding (for education),” said Atkinson.
She added that funding is important. Atkinson said the Leandro case puts the responsibility of adequate funding squarely on the General Assembly.
The question was raised, can the Legislature put pressure on the county to spend more on education. Atkinson again said that the responsibility comes back to the Legislature to fund education and the residents need to hold the General Assembly accountable for making the funds available.
Some other topics touched on included ensuring that students can read and they are supported in their efforts to read and Atkinson said the need for security officers in the schools is appropriate in some curcumstances.
Atkinson said she would like to see the state continue moving forward with more individualized learning and she would like North Carolina to move away from the end-of-course tests and assessments to using assessments that are embeded in the day-to-day instruction instead. She also said she would like to see teacher salaries become more competitive.
Atkinson said the biggest challenges facing North Carolina are higher teacher saleries and more resources for the classrooms.
There was also a segment for audience questions.
Tamekia Kelly was the first to ask a question regarding the use of student surveys as a part of teacher evaluations.
Atkinson said that she felt student surveys should not be part of evaluating process but can provide feedback to the teacher.
Next, Bladen County Board of Education Chairman Wilbur Smith spoke. Smith addressed the issue of the urban divide and how it conintues to grow.
“It seems to me that the legislators in all of their rulings come out in favor urban areas,” said Smith.
He added that the board always stressed quality and the Board of Education has to make tough decisions like cutting teacher supplements, whether or not to cut teacher assistants; and he asked how the local schol boards can get state school board members to listen to plight or the rural school systems.
Atkinson said the divide between rural and urban North Carolina is becoming more pronounced and it is time for the General Assembly to look at the low wealth funding formula.
Sara Judy Burns spoke and asked why Plain View Primary School cannot get a new roof, funding and the issue of the potential closure of the school itself.
“We do not want our school to close. This community has produced many productive students,” said Burns.
Atkinson said, “I think goes back to what I said in the beginning. If state does not provide the funding, the local board has to make difficult decisions such as whether to put a roof on or hire teachers.”
The event was closed with a performance by the Plain View Primary School Busy Bees Step Team.
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