Clinton County Board of Education held a lengthy combined meeting and work session last Thursday evening at the Central Office with four of five members present.

The primary issues of the meeting and working session included revisions to the school calendar and the need for possible additional cyber-school, or non-traditional school, days be added due to the number of days missed this year from inclement weather. Ironically, school was closed once again the very day following last Thursday’s meeting when another snowfall forced the ninth day of school cancellation to date.

The board also heard presentations from ECC Principal Sheldon Harlan and CCMS Principal Teresa Scott regarding student data for the first half of the school year.

The only actual vote taken during the meeting was in regards to adjusting the 2015/16 school calendar to add this past Monday and Tuesday, February 15 and 16, as instructional days. Those had originally been set aside as off days for President’s Day and a staff professional day on Tuesday.

Superintendent Charlotte Bernard told the board there had already been eight missed instructional days, and with three of those being used as cyber-instruction days, the district had a total of five days to make up as of last Thursday.

The superintendent noted that by adding the two days back into the calendar, it may avoid having to cut out spring break and/or extending the school year past Memorial Day, something that neither students, parents nor staff would like to see.

Board member Kevin Marcum made the motion to amend the calendar to include February 15 and 16 as instructional days, and it passed by unanimous vote.

Principal Harlan then gave the board a presentation regarding student data at the Early Childhood Center, discussing the RIT, or Responsive Intervention program at the school.

Harlan said the primary focus is on reading and he has grouped the students in basically three categories of need, insofar as instruction, based on MAP test cognizance, and needed assistance in that area. The first is those students who are at or about their reading level, the second would include those students who are in need of improvement, and the third group being the ones needing more individual help.

In order to accomplish more one-on-one assistance to students, they are included in smaller groups of five or six students so they can receive more individualized instruction.

Middle school principal Scott also gave a presentation on that school’s student data and reviewed the various programs being used to train and educate students

Scott also discussed a new computer program now in the schools, Chromebook, which gives teachers the opportunity to set up google classes. Scott feels that although there will always be the need for actual “pen and paper” school work, the educational system is moving to the technology age and the more the students can learn through that technology the better.

“I think kids will be learning through technology and they are more motivated by technology than pen and paper,” she said.

The report showed some need for improvement in areas of gain at the eighth grade level, but all other grades showed improvement growth, especially among fifth grade students in all subject areas, including math and reading among middle school students.

Both Harlan and Scott agreed that education was changing and although the schools could not do everything for students, they need to understand “the whole child” and what problems they may be having at home or elsewhere.

Each principal also presented graphs to board members showing what was taking place at each school to try and educate students to their full capacity, especially in core areas such as math and reading.

Another issue discussed was the newly used “cyber-school” days, with board members and principals alike saying for the most part, they have heard nothing but positive comments. It was stressed that students who did not get their cyber packet assignments completed at home on the designated “cyber day” would get help in completing the assignments at school.

Superintendent Bernard also told the board that although the cyber day instruction was beneficial in a lot of ways, and was needed, it cannot replace actual instructional days in the classroom, and also said that anytime more than six school days are missed, the Food Services department loses funding which cannot be made up.

The committee who put the local plan together to apply for the district to obtain a cyber day waiver from the state Department of Education, initially opted to use only three–of up to 10 days allowed by the state, with the first day not to begin until after six days were missed.

Due to the already high number of days missed due to the weather, Supt. Bernard told the board she would be requesting an additional three cyber days, making six total, be approved for this school year and would bring it before the board at this past Monday night’s regular business meeting. (Details on the board’s Monday night meeting can be found beginning on page 1.)

Also during the work session, the board discussed the facility plan, staffing policy and a fundraiser prior to approving the meeting agenda and adjourning.