Watson Chapel School District principals touted parental involvement, data-driven instruction and discipline as helping to improve the quality of education students receive during their reports to the public Monday at the school board meeting.
Watson Chapel High School Principal John Hayden said Superintendent Connie Hathorn set standards and they are simple: teachers teach and students learn. The high school is in academic distress yet they are making strides to improve, he said.
Hayden said fewer students are misbehaving. The district had 550 disciplinary referrals in fall 2014 through Oct. 9, 2014, and a corresponding 70 referrals for fall 2015 to date, he said. Principals are inspecting classrooms to help the educational process, Hayden said.
Dean of Students Dovie Burl said fewer students are fighting and being suspended. She said she visits repeat offenders at their homes and learns students are being raised by grandparents and great-grandparents.
Burl said she “treats children like they are my own. We are working great as a team. Our ultimate goal is to reduce these [disciplinary] numbers.”
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Coleman Intermediate School Co-Principal Annie Shaw said her goal is to educate students in a safe place. They have 28 highly qualified teachers who prioritize students, she said.
“We solicit and value parental input,” Shaw said.
L.L. Owen Elementary School Principal Sandra Williams said communication with parents is the key to success.
“We are excited and look forward to another great year,” Williams said.
These Watson Chapel School District educators were recognized for outstanding achievement: Sandy Bobo, Deana Hulse, Cyndy Glover, Leslie Henderson, Paula Branch, Phyllis Cage, Shawn Poindexter, Jasmetria Edwards and Joseph Dylan Owens.
In other business, Hathorn asked the board to postpone his recommendation to award $1,000 bonuses to all Watson Chapel full-time employees who are employed as of Oct. 15. Hathorn said he plans to make this recommendation at a future meeting.