Greenfield Middle School Principal Jason Potts provided a brief update to school board members at its regular meeting Monday regarding a number of matters including reading improvement measures and absenteeism.
Potts spoke about attendance and how school administrators have been successfully dealing with absenteeism. He said that between last year and this year so far, there has been marked improvement. One of the ways excessive absenteeism has been improved is with attendance meetings set with students where parents and guardians are encouraged to attend. In these meetings, Potts said, information that may be causing the absenteeism is better able to come to light and can be utilized in helping the student improve. He reported that there are only three attendance plans so far this year. During last school year there were 98.
Potts also talked about changes with English Language Arts (ELA), which includes weekly meetings with all ELA teachers to co-plan the content for the coming week. There’s a weekly feedback provided to teachers. It’s working very well, he said. He also briefly discussed plans to revise the success period program to make it more effective for students.
The principal also talked about the success of targeted reading work among students previously deemed “non-readers,” which are now able to much better grasp the skill.
In other news, senior marching band, Tigerette, and majorette members were recognized at the meeting. Those are: band – Chloe Anderson, Jessa Baxla, Ava Calhoun, Jaylyn Douglas, Shelby Ford, Emily Howard, Nevaeh Stauss, Randi Stodgel, Aurora Thompson, Tommie Watts, and Madesyn Wheaton; Tigerettes – Kathy Alvarez, McKenzie Anderson, Vivian Dennis, Jennifer Freshour, Elaina Gilbert, Abby Mustard, Rachelle Priest, Payton Pryor, Abigail Roberts, Addie Simpson and Savannah Switzer; and majorette Emily Hester.
In other business, superintendent Quincey Gray reported that the legal matters brought against the village earlier this year all came before the court Monday and a decision is expected by the judge by Friday.
Gray also touched on her monthly Coffee and Crumbs gatherings where people may join her at local eateries and catch up on district happenings. The remaining ones this year are: Nov. 18 at 11:30 a.m. at Catch 22, Dec. 15 at 6 p.m. at Old Town Pizzeria II, Jan. 19 at 7:30 a.m. at Simply Fresh Creations, Feb. 22 at 7:30 a.m. at Cream-n-Sugar Cafe, March 23 at 6 p.m. at El Canon, April 21 at 11:30 a.m. at Subway, and May 18 at 7:30 a.m. at McDonald’s.
The five-year forecast was approved as part of the consent agenda. As presented by district treasurer Joe Smith on Monday, the projected year-end balances are as follows: 2023 – $8.28 million, 2024 – $6.90 million, 2025 – $4.63 million, 2026 – $1.84 million, and 2027 – negative $1.78 million. That the 2027 number is negative is not a cause for alarm, but rather a product of the difficulty of projecting so far into the future.
The five-year forecast is a snapshot of what is currently known, Smith said previously, and the projections are based on many different variables, like the state budget.
On the evening’s consent agenda, items approved included awarding the Rainsboro pump station project, policy revisions, a handbook for transportation employees, bus routes for the school year, and a handful of resignations, some for the purpose of retirement, and a couple so that the resignees may fill other positions.
One of those resignations was that of Greenfield Elementary secretary Kris Davis, effective Jan. 2, 2023. Davis was later approved to fill the position of administrative assistant to the superintendent, a position held for many years by Candy Black, who is resigning for the purpose of retirement effective Jan. 1, 2023.
Another resignation approved included Greenfield Middle School Assistant Principal Ron Sexton, effective July 31, 2023. He previously retired from the Wilmington City Schools after nearly four decades before coming to the Greenfield in 2019.
Donnie Willman is retiring after many years of teaching elementary physical education. His resignation is effective Aug. 1, 2023.
Other resignations included Tyler Carman as girls bowling coach, though he was later approved as the boys bowling coach. Maintenance worker Dalton Sowers’ resignation was also approved.
Employment recommendations approved by the board were: Robert Thorne, maintenance; Kimberly Hazlett, clerical, aide/monitor; Cherish McCarty, clerical, cook, aide/monitor; Kayla Warfield, aide/monitor; Rose Milnes, ½ year middle school Hi-Y; April Molloy, ½ year middle school Hi-Y; Rick Duffus, middle school boys swimming; Keith Penwell, baseball assistant; Coty Barnhart, wrestling, varsity girls; Tyler Carman, boys bowling; Kaleigh Easter, girls bowling; Adam Coonrod, bowling, boys/girls; Gary Ryan, wrestling, varsity boys; Tim Lyons, middle school wrestling; Richard Swan, volunteer baseball assistant; Blain Bergstrom, volunteer boys basketball assistant; Heath McNeal, volunteer boys basketball assistant; Emma Stegbauer, Tigerette volunteer; and certified substitutes Shannon Brunner and Amy Hester.
Angela Shepherd is a correspondent for the Greenfield Exempted Village School District.
