KINGWOOD — Preston County parents, teachers and staff will receive a survey from the board of education soon.
During an earlier meeting, board member Cross Kisner called for a recommendation for kindergarten through fourth grade report cards and grades to be delivered to parents in the same manner as those for grades 5-8. The request would require a change to PCS Policy R-3-22-7 (grading policy and grading scale for grades K-4) and PCS Policy R-22-8 (grading scale for grades 5-8).
“The (current) report card does not inform parents,” he said. “The information on them can be taken several different ways.”
According to Preston County Schools Superintendent Brad Martin, the system now puts students into four categories:
Advanced — the student consistently meets and at times exceeds the standard as it is described by the grade level standards.
Proficient — the student regularly meets the standard as it is described by the grade level key indictors.
Approaching — The student is beginning to, and occasionally does, meet the standard as it is described by the grade-level key indicators.
Below — The student is not meeting the standard as it is described by the key indicators for this grade level.
Curriculum Director Katie McDonald said making the change will take time. A committee would have to be formed and teachers who are currently using a different grading system would need to be retrained.
Kisner questioned this.
“We had an in-depth meeting about this,” Kisner said. “A-B-C-D-E-F and 1 to 100. There is no training needed. The teachers I talked to said we should do it now. At that point in time, it was one week before delivering grades. The report card we are currently using doesn’t communicate.”
Kisner said the board should revisit the grading policy and grading scale no later than May.
“I want to see the survey before it goes out to parents and teachers,” he said.
In other business, Martin said county schools have been granted a waiver in regard to House Bill 3271 by the West Virginia State Board of Education during its July 12 meeting. The waiver has been approved through Aug. 1, 2024, and will provide the district with time to install audio devices in required special education restrooms.
Martin said before making a final decision on a product, a few demo devices will be tried out.
According to Martin, all student laptops have been delivered to the schools, and iPads for K-2 students should be delivered this week. He said once the devices are delivered, students will complete required cyber safety training and work will be done to ensure the students are able to access any needed and required online textbooks or other supplemental materials.
Board members approved a bid from Veritas Contracting for $329,327 for work related to the concessions area, exterior door replacement and classroom enclosure work at West Preston. Veritas is also planning to begin moving materials on site in preparation for the door replacement and front entryway project at Preston High School. Initial work will involve an additional door entry at the front of the school in advance of replacing the front storefront.
A discussion about reinstating a valedictorian and salutatorian was tabled until the next meeting.
The board went into executive session to discuss personnel.
The next meeting of the Preston County Board of Education will be 6 p.m. Sept. 11.
