To make sure high school students are ready for the next level, local educational leaders are ready to make many improvements.

Col. Tommy Macon, assistant superintendent for curriculum and student services, recently made a presentation of priorities to the Sampson County Schools Board about improvements an goals throughout the district. It was later approved by the board.

Hobbton High School would like to improve biology, math and English II proficiency at the end of the 2016-2016 school year.

“The primary focus is to increase all scores with an emphasis on biology,” Macon said about the school struggling in the subject.

At Lakewood High School (LHS), school leaders would like to increase Math I proficiency from 40.6 percent to 45.6 percent by the end of the academic year. They would also like to see English II go from 54.4 percent to 59.4 percent. The third goal is increase the graduation rate from 78 percent to 81 percent.

LHS recently started Peer Assistant Learning Support (PALS). The program selects students to act as peer tutors to help classmates for the first semester End-of-Course tests.

“It assist students during school who need improvement in a particular skill,” Macon said.

For Midway High School, some of the priorities are to improve ACT scores and increase teacher and student access to instructional technology. The school would also like to increase End-of-Course performances in English II (61.8 percent to 67 percent), Math 1 (62.1 percent to 67 percent) and biology (70.1 percent to 71 percent) by the end of the year.

At Union High School, district leaders would like to improve overall proficiency from 48 percent to 52 percent. Another goal is to provide at least three opportunities for parents and community members to go over issue at school or throughout the district. During his presentation, Macon said community bashes were organized to increase engagement.

“It was beneficial the first time so it will continue,” Macon said. “Hopefully, if it works out, we’ll continue to be the model for the other schools at well.”

Union also wants to start partnerships with local businesses and put students in work environments to learn important skills.

Macon said a literacy training day is being provided to staff members to have the education beyond elementary and middle school.

“We have to work on that in high schools,” Macon said.

Sampson Early College High School wants to maintain a pervasive and constant focus on students being ready for college, in addition to being competitive students and earning college credits.

To achieve the goals at local high schools, Macon said the school will use assessment methods at the beginning of school and use midterm benchmarks. Some of the other include collaborating with teachers, peer observations and school remediation.

“These systemic best practices are done across the board,” Macon said.

Macon
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By Chase Jordan

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Reach Chase Jordan at 910-249-4617. Follow us on Twitter at @SampsonInd and like us on Facebook.