For forty-two years, Southern Pines na-tive Carolyn Penland has transported Moore County’s most precious cargo. She began driving her school bus route for Moore County Schools [MCS] in 1970, with a starting pay of $2.70/hour. She supplemented her income working as a substitute teacher and as a mentor for the district’s younger bus drivers.
On the first day of school each year, Penland makes a simple yet effective request to the students on her bus: “Talk and laugh quietly, show respect to each other, and keep your hands and feet to yourself.”
“When I show respect to the children, they in return give me respect,” she told members of the Moore County Board of Education during their Monday, February 11 regular meeting.
Charles McDowell, Executive Supervisor for the MCS Transportation Department, introduced Penland during a presentation that kicked off School Bus Driver’s Appreciation Week.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to come before you and show appreciation for our wonderful school bus drivers,” said McDowell. “The ‘Love the Bus’ campaign was founded in 2007. It’s the only way to recognize the hundreds of thousands drivers across the nation. Our purpose in being here is to bring you up to date on state of transportation as it is today.”
Transportation Specialist Steven Saunders stepped up to report on 2013 transportation service, beginning with a quick introduction to “Buster,” a three-foot-tall, yellow, remote controlled school bus that was maneuvered into the crowded room. “Buster” is on loan to Moore County and touring the elementary schools for the next week.
Saunders asked the questions, and Buster provided the data on the MCS transportation program. Moore County’s school buses drive 1.7 million miles each year, using 250,000 gallons of fuel. “Moore County Busses save 15,464,522 miles for parents,” Saunders said. “That certainly adds up.”
“In Moore County each car averages about 1.5 children per vehicle,” he explained. “Could you imagine adding those cars to that traffic we already have? Our kids would never get to school. One bus equals 35 cars. We serve a great service in the county and help reduce traffic.”
“For the very first time in history, we have reached a height that we have never reached before,” Saunders said. “The board supported us in our transportation effort. Under the leadership of Charles McDowell and the forethought of the board, for the very first time, we are funding one hundred percent of our transportation cost with state funds. This year we are on track to save over $180,000.”
Board chairwoman Enola Lineberger complimented the transportation staff. “I got to see Buster at Aberdeen Primary,” she said. “I was really touched at how many students Mr. Saunders knew by name. I really appreciated that.”
On Saunder’s command, Buster made a 90 degree turn and wheeled out, bringing the presentation to an end.
Recognizing Nationally Certified Teachers
Board members applauded eighteen nationally certified teachers during the meeting, ten who had just achieved their certification, and eight who had renewed theirs.
It takes commitment and hard work to become nationally certified, Board member Laura Lang explained, meeting “professional teaching standards dedicated to advancing quality in teaching and learning.”
“It’s a voluntarily process and takes one to three years to complete,” she said. “Educators that complete the accreditation earn a twelve percent salary increase and a one time, one percent raise from the county. It is renewable every ten years.”
Teaching to Greatness
One of the newly certified teachers, Kimberly Phelps-Deaton of Pinehurst Elementary, was named as one of the evenings Growing to Greatness award recipients for what Lang called her “innovative and engaging instruction.”
“She encourages her students to take responsibility for their own learning,” Lang said. “She has her Masters in math education, and this year initiated a school-wide behavioral program at Pinehurst Elementary.”
First Year Anniversary
The Board congratulated Superintendent Dr. Aaron Spence for completing his first year in Moore County.
“I want to say again how humbled and honored I am to serve here,” Spence said. “I love being here. It has been one of the most rewarding years in my professional career.
“I have had the opportunity to meet some hardworking dedicated teachers and the wonderful children who are why we are here. I am as excited and energetic as I was the first day that I came to work here.”
Literacy Takes Off
The MCS Literacy Initiative is showing a marked success in improving students’ reading ability and in closing achievement gaps. Associate Superintendent Kathy Kennedy briefed the Board on the strides the literacy initiatives have made in during the last school year.
The objective is to have all students reading; to challenge average to above average readers to raising their Lexile scores (a measurement of reading achievement), and to motivate and coach below average readers to improve their comprehension.
“It is great to work in a district where our teachers take their jobs seriously,” said Kennedy.
“Thank you for your comprehensive presentation of the work that is going on around literacy in Moore County,” Spence said after Kennedy finished. “It is phenomenal. It’s incredible the results we are seeing in the classroom. We have great hope for literacy in Moore County.”
STEM Grant
Board Members heard a progress report on the the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) Infusion grant received in 2011 from the Mebane Foundation. STEM imbeds master and beginning teachers in Aberdeen Primary and Elementary; Southern Middle School; and Pinecrest High School.
The team collaborates with classroom teachers to develop lesson plans that contain STEM attributes. They then co-teach the lesson and model in the use of any technology that the classroom teacher might not be familiar with. The lesson plan is then available for use by other teachers.
The program has received rave reviews from both students and teachers. One of the most popular lesson plans was a fifth grade unit on genetics and fingerprints. Students learned about specific pattern of finger prints and how to collect fingerprint data.
They looked at the five different types of fingerprints, graphed their data, and discussed how those statistics varied. Southern Middle was able to invite representatives of the Aberdeen Police Department to speak to the class about using fingerprints and DNA to help solve crimes.
Feedback from teachers and students has been positive. Teachers said that it provided novelty and variety to the lesson and students reported that it helped them to understand science better and make it exciting.
Public Role of Board Members
School Board Chairman Ed Dennison recently attempted to arrange a meeting with several community leaders, in order to share some information on MCS’ Career and Technical Education (CTE) program. Due to scheduling conflicts, the meeting never happened, but some Board Members had questioned whether such meetings, involving an individual Board Member, were appropriate.
“Since this was a concern,” Dennison said during February 11 Board meeting, “I thought this was something we needed to discuss as a board. Should board members be required to notify the entire board and superintendent before they meet with community members? Or should we trust each other that we individually will not represent the entire board except on policy and decisions we have already approved — or by making any decision, statements, or issues that have not already be approved by the board?”
Kathy Farren said it was not a question of trust, but rather perception. “We understand, because we are on the Board, that we are not going to go out and represent the Board,” said Farren. “But I don’t think the community necessarily understands that, and that was my concern.”
Informing the Superintendent’s Office when meeting with a community leader for lunch would be a common courtesy, she suggested. “It’s when a board member starts putting multiple community leaders together,” Farren said. “I just don’t think that’s good.”
Lang questioned whether Board Members were the best choice to speak at meetings on behalf of the schools. She recommended involving multiple Board members or having a staff member present.
“After giving a talk, when the floor opens up to questions,” Lang said, “I would hate to have the answer be ‘We will have to get back to you,’ or to give an answer that might not be completely accurate. Policy making is our responsibility; Dr. Spence and the staff is in charge of school system operations.”
Several members agreed that the Board should serve in a supporting role by, for example, making sure that a board member would be present to support the Superintendent and his staff when speaking at public functions.
“As a courtesy to each other and Dr. Spence and everyone that works so hard, we need to make sure that we don’t interfere or become inadvertently a party to something that we didn’t intend,” said Enola Lineberger. “Because we never know when we take a first step where that might end up. We need to be as transparent as we can; that is so important.”
Budget Wise
Chief Finance Officer Mike Griffin told School Board Members that finances for the current year are right on budget, and demonstrated that point with a detailed report on revenues and expenditures.
“We are on target to where we should be,” said Griffin.
