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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Officials invited to hear heartbeat of schools

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Pay raises for longtime teachers, flexibility with standardized tests and student performance objectives, funding to supply classrooms with needed instructional materials — it all boils down to the success of the students, said teachers and principals to elected officials during a Jan. 8 legislative luncheon hosted by New Hanover County Schools.

New Hanover County Schools Teacher of the Year Meredith Kokoski, who teaches English at Laney High School, talked about the tension she feels between preparing students to perform well on a slew of state-mandated standardized tests and what she called the humanity of education and the inspiration of every teacher — nurturing the intellectual and personal growth of her students.

“We are the scaffolding that connects these two seemingly discrepant ideologies, and makes them seem less incongruous,” Kokoski said.

Test scores present a limited view of the success of both students and teachers, Kokoski said, referring to an additional set of standardized tests recently implemented to rate and evaluate teacher effectiveness. She requested elected officials invest in teachers and return control of their classrooms to them.

NCHS Principal of the Year Dr. Robin Hamilton, of Parsley Elementary School, shared suggestions on how elected officials can help public school employees harness the transformational power held by both groups, like offering competitive compensation to attract and retain high-quality and experienced public school employees, including raises for veteran teachers and for principals and assistant principals, who she said sometimes earn slightly less as administrators than as teachers.

Some of Hamilton’s requests, like ensured funding to cover student population growth and the driver’s education program, were echoes of superintendent Dr. Tim Markley’s message to officials.

Rep. Ted Davis Jr., R-New Hanover, explained the legislature’s decision to award heftier pay raises to beginning teachers in the 2014-15 state budget as a strategy to keep the career a tenable path for newcomers. He pledged to work to secure raises for veteran teachers during the 2015 legislative session, but warned of the challenge posed by funding shortfalls from lowered income tax rates.

Davis said he was inspired by talking to teachers and school staff at the 2014 legislative meet-and-greet to visit three schools in his district, experiences he said opened his eyes.

Sen. Michael Lee, R-New Hanover, and Reps. Rick Catlin, R-New Hanover, and Susi Hamilton, D-New Hanover, also attended the luncheon.

Wrightsville Beach School Principal MaryPaul Beall underscored the message conveyed by Kokoski and Hamilton. She listed pay raises for veteran teachers and funding for teacher assistants as top priorities she hoped to convey to county and state officials at the luncheon, and also extended an invitation to visit the school and witness teachers in action.

“They know they’re all welcome to come into any of the schools at any time. We encourage it,” Beall said, adding that other community members are also welcome. “I wish more people from the Wrightsville Beach community would come to the school and see what’s going on.”

County commissioners Jonathan Barfield Jr., Beth Dawson and Rob Zapple also attended the luncheon.

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