School Foundation Gets $30,000 Donation

By Rachel Dickerson

McDonald County Press [email protected]

The McDonald County Schools Foundation has received a donation of $30,000 -- its largest single donation ever, according to Frank Woods, vice president of the McDonald County School Board.

He outlined the donation during the board's Nov. 12 meeting.

Woods said $10,000 of the gift is earmarked for scholarships, with the rest being designated for school needs. He also noted the foundation recently added two $2,000 scholarships.

Assistant Superintendent Angie Brewer presented the results from last year's annual performance report from the state, which addresses test scores, attendance and graduation rates.

See donation page 3A

The district recently received its results. The school district earned a 90.7 percent with strong showings in attendance and graduation rates. Brewer said the score was down a bit from last year, but still a good number. Principals from each school presented their areas of strength, areas to focus on and their strategies for improvement for the next APR.

"I feel very proud that we're above 90 percent," Brewer said. "We've looked at it and found areas where we can improve, because we want to get better every year."

Dr. Cindy Machado, director of student services, requested permission to open Early Childhood Special Education classrooms at Anderson Elementary and Noel Primary schools.

Board member Kim Harrell said the district started expanding the ECSE program four or five years ago and wondered how effective it has been. Machado said the principals have seen a huge benefit from the program. Superintendent Dr. Mark Stanton said once children are identified as eligible for the program, the district is required by law to serve them.

As for the needed space for the classrooms, Machado said the district has a modular building that can be used at Noel Primary, and there is a plan to have high school students paint murals on the currently drab walls. The School Board approved the expansion of the ECSE classrooms.

The board also approved a request by White Rock Elementary School Principal Adam Lett to apply for a $10,000 grant related to Community Emergency Response Team training for safety teams. Lett said the program is free, but funding is needed to pay substitutes for the days personnel would be in training as well as for supplies for the program. He proposed training about 40 people, with representatives from each building in the district. The board approved Lett's request to match $1,400 for CERT bags containing emergency supplies for each building.

According to its website, CERT "trains and organizes teams of volunteers that provide assistance to their communities before, during and after disasters. CERT volunteers help others following disasters when professional responders are not immediately available to help, and supplement and support the efforts of professional responders upon their arrival."

Laurie Kinder-Lang received approval to to take band students to the 2017 Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. She said students will be asked to pay $600 each, which they can pay in installments until Nov. 1, 2016. Any student expenses beyond the $600 will be paid for by the booster club, she said.

In other business, Stanton announced that the filing period to run for School Board begins Dec. 15 and ends Jan. 19. Two three-year positions are open.The incumbents are Frank Woods and Chris Smith. The election will be April 5.

General News on 11/19/2015