LIBERTY — Amite County School District trustees heard updates Thursday about a recent meeting with the Mississippi Department of Education as part of the district’s attempt to pull its elementary school out of the slumps of an F rating.
Amite County Elementary Principal Le Tisha Guice, trustee Jimmy Burns, Superintendent Scotty Whittington, district official Mary Russ, teacher Crystal Woodard and parent Jeree Simmons recently appeared before a panel with the Mississippi Department of Education.
“We had to go talk to them because we were a failing school two years in a row,” Guice said.
Amite County Elementary received the F grade in the fall based on the results of standardized test scores from exams taken last school year.
While the school received an F last school year as well, Guice said students showed some improvement in 2016-17, noting that scores were six points away from a D.
Burns said state education officials pressed Guice on how the school planned to improve this year.
“They grilled her, but she was on top of her game,” he said. “There was no stuttering, she didn’t have to think of an answer. The lady knew her stuff.”
Burns, Russ and Whittington commended Guice for adequately handling the pressure of the meeting with state officials.
The remarks came during a monthly presentation from the district’s principals — a new element for school board meetings that began in the fall, right around the time the district received its letter grade from the state.
“I told them that we were already doing principal updates,” Burns said. “They told me if you hadn’t said that, that was going to be our next requirement for you.”
Guice said there are already improvement efforts in place at Amite County, one being Classroom Dojo, an online program that aims to connect parents with their child’s classroom.
“It’s kind of like Facebook. Parents can text their teacher, see what they’re child is doing and like what’s going on,” Guice said.
A parent in the audience said the program was helpful and helped her check on her child’s progress.
High school principal Cedric McDowell gave an update on his plans to raise the high school’s D letter grade.
In November, McDowell told trustees he was pushing for more students to take the ACT, noting how participation in the college entrance exam is just one factor in assigning points to high schools as part of the state’s school ratings formula.
McDowell said 46 students have signed up to take the ACT.
McDowell also said the high school was starting a new program to identify the students who scored in the lowest on state tests.
After the presentation from principals, Whittington harped on a recurring problem facing the district — absenteeism.
“It doesn’t matter how well we do, if they’re not there, we can’t teach them,” Whittington said.
