MCS exceeds summer school enrollment goal

Duke

Murfreesboro City Schools more than doubled its 750-student registration goal for summer school and set plans for the spring TNReady assessment week.

MCS Director Trey Duke, who was recognized for recently receiving his doctoral title, gave an update on where the school district stands with the upcoming summer school session during its meeting last week.

The district has had 2,000 students register for summer school as of the registration end date of April 9. That is 1,250 more students than it had initially planned to register. The district also had 200 teachers committed to teaching this summer.

The district is now planning to determine which schools will host the summer school classes.

“Obviously, with this many students we’re thinking strategically of where to place those students to make it most successful to our parents and to still do the work we need to do in our schools over the summer,” said Duke.

Parents of summer school students are expected to be sent the information this week.

Board member Roseann Barton thanked Director of Curriculum and Instruction Sheri Arnette for her recruitment efforts and praised the district’s summer school teachers.

“After an incredibly difficult year of teaching, they care enough about those kids getting caught up that they’re willing to give half their summer as well,” said Barton.

The board members also discussed how remote learning will work in conjunction with this year’s statewide standardized testing.

Board member Wesley Ballard asked if the groups of students being homeschooled or participating in virtual learning would count toward the 80 percent participation required for the state’s Accountability Hold Harmless Law to be applied for TNReady.

Duke said that the district’s policy requires students at the fifth grade level to come in and sit for the test.

Duke confirmed Vice-Chairman David Settles’ assumption that the scores would be used as a benchmark to assess where homeschoolers are academically in comparison to the other students.

TNReady testing is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, April 21 for students in second through sixth grade.

Duke said schools will be setting their own testing schedules and that all grade levels will not test simultaneously.

“We are also — and this is very important — working with our distance learners to set up schedules for these students to come into the school and test in a safe way they’re comfortable with,” said Duke.

He also announced that three bids were received for the asphalt track installation at the Discovery School. The board voted to approve the low bid from Sessions Paving Co. based in Nashville.