Employee of the Week:
Please join in recognizing
Mrs. Debbie Hubbard,
Administrative Assistant/Bookkeeper for Chatham
Elementary School,
on her selection as Employee of the Week
for Pittsylvania County Schools. Please click on the
following link to find out what employees do to make
this A Great Place to Learn and Work!
http://www.pcs.k12.va.us/staff/employee-of-week/
A Tribute
to a Colleague:
On
Saturday, August 13, 2016, the
Army Junior Reserve Officer Training
Corps (JROTC), from Chatham High School (CHS), Dan River
High School (DRHS), Gretna High School (GHS) and
Tunstall High School (THS) honored the life of Captain
(Retired) Roderick James Henderson at Chatham High
School. Captain Henderson served as the JROTC Officer
at Chatham High School from 2005 until 2016. He passed
away on August 4, 2016. Mr. Randy Foster, Principal of
Chatham High School, and Mr. Ronnie Emerson,
Warrant Officer
(Retired) of the JROTC at Dan River High School,
remembered and honored Captain Henderson. Both spoke of
his dedication and concern for his students, as well as
his work ethic and strength. Countless students and
parents of students spoke of what he meant to them.
Their stories of how he impacted their lives are a
legacy that he leaves. Each spoke of how he encouraged
(many said coerced) and taught them and because of this,
they became self-confident and strong. JROTC Cadets
ceremonially folded the flag, fired a three-round
volley, played taps, and presented the flag to his
family.
Compensation Study Update:
The employee
orientation and outreach sessions during the week of
August 29, 2016, have been extended to September 1,
2016, to ensure that bus drivers have an opportunity to
attend. Please be reminded that all employees are
invited and highly encouraged to attend one of the
orientation sessions. The revised schedule is as
follows:
-
Monday, August 29, 2016, at 3:30
PM - Gretna High School and Tunstall High School
Auditoriums
-
Monday, August 29, 2016, at 6:00 PM - School Board
Office Boardroom
-
Tuesday, August 30, 2016, at 3:30 PM - Chatham High
School Auditorium
-
Wednesday, August 31, 2016, at 3:30 PM - Dan River
High School Auditorium
-
Thursday, September
1, 2016, at 10:00 AM - School Board Office Boardroom
Employees
who cannot attend a session are encouraged to watch the
video of the session on our website. Employees will be
randomly selected to attend focus groups to provide
feedback on current compensation and classification
practices. These employees will be individually
notified.
I would like
to report that Amaia Jones placed 4th in the National
SkillsUSA Competition Job Skill Demo A instead of 5th
place as she was recognized in the Weekly Wrap-Up last
week.
State
2015-2016 Standards of Learning Results
Dr. Steve
Staples, Virginia State Superintendent for Public
Instruction, announced the results of the 2015-2016
Standards of Learning (SOL) tests on Tuesday, August 16,
2016. His report indicated improvements in math,
reading and science scores across the State. Eighty
percent of students achieved proficient or advanced
scores in reading, and the same percentage passed tests
in mathematics, compared with 79 percent in both
subjects in 2014-2015. Eighty-three percent passed
grade-level or end-of-course SOL tests in science,
compared with 82 percent previously.
Dr. Staples
said, “A one-point improvement in mathematics means that
approximately 11,500 more students met or exceeded the
benchmark for proficiency for their grade or course. In
reading, a one-point increase equals approximately 8,000
students, and in science, more than 6,000. The success
of these students – many of whom have struggled in the
past – reflects great credit on our teachers, especially
given Virginia’s rigorous standards and challenging
online assessments.”
His report
also indicates larger gains made by third graders, fifth
graders and high school students on specific grade- and
course-level tests, as follows:
-
77 percent of third graders
earned proficient or advanced scores in mathematics,
a three-point gain compared with achievement during
2014-2015;
-
82 percent of fifth-graders achieved proficient or
advanced scores in reading, a two-point gain over
2014-2015; and
-
89 percent of high school students taking the
Algebra II test achieved proficient or advanced
scores, also a two-point gain.
He noted
that 915, 904, and 939 of the 1,822 public schools in
Virginia improved in mathematics, reading, and science,
respectively.
The State,
Division and school averages for the tested areas are
provided in the tables below.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
2015-2016 Standards of Learning Pass Rates |
|
VA
State
Ave. |
PCS
Division
Avg. |
BES |
CES |
GES |
HES |
KES |
MAES |
SES |
SMES |
TSES |
UHES |
Gr. 3 English:
Reading |
76 |
84 |
79 |
100 |
75 |
95 |
82 |
90 |
75 |
88 |
87 |
96 |
Gr. 3 Mathematics |
77 |
83 |
74 |
100 |
73 |
81 |
82 |
90 |
85 |
82 |
88 |
89 |
Gr. 4 English:
Reading |
77 |
84 |
63 |
92 |
87 |
81 |
77 |
96 |
87 |
86 |
87 |
89 |
Gr. 4 Mathematics |
83 |
88 |
81 |
92 |
95 |
85 |
89 |
100 |
95 |
87 |
82 |
91 |
Gr. 4 VA Studies |
87 |
91 |
80 |
94 |
92 |
91 |
88 |
100 |
92 |
97 |
90 |
100 |
Gr. 5 English:
Reading |
81 |
82 |
78 |
85 |
86 |
85 |
69 |
68 |
92 |
90 |
83 |
94 |
Gr. 5 Mathematics |
79 |
86 |
71 |
88 |
94 |
93 |
76 |
74 |
93 |
94 |
83 |
100 |
Gr. 5 Science |
81 |
89 |
85 |
98 |
92 |
89 |
83 |
66 |
99 |
96 |
85 |
100 |
MIDDLE SCHOOLS 2015-2016 Standards of Learning
Pass Rates |
|
VA
State
Ave. |
PCS
Division
Avg. |
CMS |
DRMS |
GMS |
TMS |
Gr.
6 English: Reading |
77 |
78 |
83 |
76 |
78 |
78 |
Gr.
6 Mathematics |
82 |
85 |
87 |
87 |
79 |
88 |
Gr.
7 English: Reading |
82 |
85 |
90 |
80 |
82 |
89 |
Gr.
7 Mathematics |
72 |
45 |
48 |
35 |
25 |
65 |
Gr.
7 Civics & Econ |
87 |
86 |
81 |
79 |
88 |
97 |
Gr.
8 English: Reading |
75 |
75 |
75 |
75 |
69 |
82 |
Gr.
8 English: Writing |
71 |
65 |
65 |
67 |
53 |
72 |
Gr.
8 Mathematics |
73 |
76 |
86 |
78 |
57 |
84 |
*Algebra I |
83 |
89 |
90 |
97 |
92 |
90 |
Gr.
8 Science |
79 |
82 |
84 |
82 |
82 |
82 |
HIGH SCHOOLS 2015-2016 Standards of Learning
Pass Rates |
|
VA
State
Ave. |
PCS
Division
Avg. |
CHS |
DRHS |
GHS |
THS |
English: Reading |
89 |
90 |
93 |
92 |
83 |
91 |
English: Writing |
83 |
87 |
89 |
86 |
86 |
88 |
*Algebra I |
83 |
89 |
90 |
89 |
85 |
86 |
Algebra II |
89 |
97 |
99 |
97 |
88 |
99 |
Geometry |
80 |
93 |
89 |
95 |
95 |
98 |
Biology |
84 |
86 |
86 |
93 |
78 |
88 |
Chemistry |
88 |
93 |
96 |
99 |
82 |
93 |
Earth Science |
84 |
87 |
90 |
82 |
84 |
93 |
VA&
US History |
86 |
91 |
91 |
95 |
82 |
93 |
World History I |
84 |
85 |
84 |
97 |
73 |
88 |
World History II |
86 |
89 |
93 |
92 |
73 |
96 |
Congratulations!
Cyber
Saturday Event Held at STEM Academy
The STEM
Academy held a Cyber Saturday event on August 13, 2016,
for 65 gifted students in grades 6 through 9. Students
flew drones, built robots, made batteries and
flashlights, programmed with NXT, and worked with TI-84
Calculators. The following staff members and volunteers
assisted with this activity:
-
Staff-Ms. Deborah Powell (Principal), Ms. Tommie
Evans, Ms. Jill Collins, Mr. Jacob Taylor, Mr.
Phillip Stamps, Mr. Charlie Hudson, and Mr. Lawrence
DeShazor
-
AmeriCorps Volunteers-Ms. Audia Harris, Ms. Jessica
Beebe, Mr. Don Cox, and Ms. Katie Scott
-
School
Volunteers-Ms. Carol Cox and Ms. Rhonda Jefferson
Eighth grade
gifted students from the four middle schools visited the
STEM Academy on August 17 and August 18, 2016. A Keokee
grant funded this opportunity for students to complete
hands-on engineering activities with model rockets and
model race cars. The grant will provide additional
opportunities for these students to participate in the
engineering design process during the 2016-2017 school
year. The next opportunity is scheduled on September 21
and September 22, 2016.
Your
patience on Monday and Wednesday afternoons this week
was greatly appreciated. On both afternoons, all air
conditioning units at designated schools were set at
nighttime set points beginning at 2:15 p.m. until 4:00
p.m. This energy management program allows school
divisions to reduce spending.
Because this
was a one-time
event, we will not have to repeat this process during
the school year unless there is a very high demand on
power companies between now and the end of September.
Mark Your Calendars:
-
Accounts Payable Cut-off
Due to Mrs. K. Wade - August 23, 2016, by 12:00 noon
-
Volunteer Fingerprinting
- August 24, 2016, @ School Board Office, 11:00 a.m.
to 2:00 p.m.
-
Volunteer Fingerprinting
- August 25, 2016, @ Tunstall High School, 3:00 p.m.
to 6:00 p.m.
Please send media requests to: http://www.pcs.k12.va.us/media/.
This may be (1) to request media presence on site to
cover an upcoming event or (2) to request media coverage
(without media on site) of an upcoming event or (3) to
report news from a past event. Thank you for
identifying the great things happening in the schools!