Superintendent reports modest gains, expands advisory councils and new programs

Superintendent Dr. Andy Bryant told the board on Sept. 8 that the district saw encouraging results in recent North Carolina growth and school-performance data and described several initiatives aimed at increasing stakeholder voice and supporting instruction.

"We're certainly encouraged by some progress our schools have made," Dr. Bryant said, summarizing state results and noting that multiple district schools exceeded expected growth. He described an expansion of the superintendent’s student advisory councils — previously at the high school level — to include middle schools and noted ongoing teacher, classified-employee and parent advisory groups.

Dr. Bryant announced an early-release day for professional development on Wednesday, Sept. 10, to allow staff three hours of collaborative planning and training. He also previewed the Twin Counties Education and Business Leaders Summit scheduled for Sept. 18 at Nash Community College, which this year will emphasize local workforce connections and student participation.

Shareeda King (Speaker 16) reported the district received a donation from Trillium Health Resources of six laptops and two color printers to support the family resource center and teacher resource center. "The donated technology will enhance access to digital tools for both families and educators," King said.

The board also heard that all district 5th- and 6th-grade students are scheduled to attend the touring production The New Kid by the Children’s Theater of Charlotte on Nov. 20 at Edgecombe Community College’s Tarboro campus to support social-emotional learning and cultural enrichment.

These updates were informational; board members asked follow-up questions about advisory-group selection procedures and the reach of district programs. Staff said they would continue outreach and provide additional details to the board.