Lincoln County High School leaders and students outline priorities: test scores, CTE support and facility upgrades

Principal John Roy presented the Lincoln County High School’s Local School Improvement Council (LSIC) report at the board’s Dec. 2 meeting, giving a snapshot of enrollment, student needs and academic performance and outlining requests for facility improvements.

Roy said the school’s student population includes a high share of students identified as low socioeconomic status (62%), special education (30%) and students experiencing homelessness (reported as 31% in the district’s WAVA system). He flagged a recent dip in state and local test results: “Our ELA proficiency is 47%,” Roy said, and cited PSAT data showing an ELA figure of 48% for juniors.

Roy described strategies to raise achievement, including continued SAT prep for eleventh graders, renewed work with the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) to support teacher planning and classroom monitoring, and the purchase of the IXL benchmarking tool to track student skills three times per year. He said credit‑recovery changes have reduced the number of students needing make‑up credits from roughly 423 to about 230 and set a four‑year graduation goal of 92%.

Student body president Chevelle Salmons summarized priorities gathered from a diverse group of students. Chevelle presented three concrete proposals: hiring certified teachers to fill substitute and core positions in math and English to improve instruction and outcomes; assigning teachers to monitor bathrooms during busy periods to reduce misuse and facility damage; and a beautification project at the main entrance that would honor the four predecessor high schools and create a more welcoming campus.

Board members responded supportively to the student presentation. Several board members encouraged the LSIC and student leaders to develop cost estimates and implementation plans to be brought back to the board. One member suggested involving CTE students (construction and welding classes) in the proposed beautification work so the project could serve as both an improvement and a learning opportunity.

Roy also listed recent and planned facility improvements: an awning for the back drop‑off that helps students arrive dry; bathroom door locks that allow closing only one restroom for maintenance; and planned man‑trap work at the main entrance to improve security. He urged continued attention to restroom, locker room and athletics‑area upgrades, which he described as a “big ask” that will require additional funding and planning.

The board did not take formal action on the LSIC requests during the meeting. Several members asked administration to return with cost information and recommended next steps so the board can consider which items to fund or prioritize.

The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Dec. 16, 2025, at 6 p.m., where members may consider follow‑ups on these requests.