School leaders forgive Flo days

Oct. 18--The Sampson County Schools Board of Education approved Friday, Oct. 26, as a makeup day for students, following the recent scare of Hurricane Michael.

It was originally scheduled as a mandatory workday for teachers, but is now a regular to compensate for school being canceled on Thursday, Oct. 11. The decision was made after Superintendent Dr. Eric Bracy presented calendar flexibility options for students and staff following Hurricanes Florence and Michael. North Carolina's General Assembly met Oct. 2 to discuss Florence and filed an act to provide calendar and employee pay flexibility for districts effected.

Due to the challenges of Florence, Sampson's school district missed nine days, which started Sept. 13 and continued through Thursday, Sept. 25. The legislation of Senate Bill 2 and House Bill 3 allows districts in counties placed under a major disaster declaration by President Donald Trump to makeup up to 20 school days or the equivalent of instructional time. Other options presented were making up the instructional days or using a combination of both makeup and waived days. Bracy recommended to waive all nine instructional days missed because of Florence.

"Based on our current high school schedule, a schedule that was light in the fall and heavy in the spring, we would complete all (End of Course) testing before going home for Christmas," Bracy said.

Bracy added that the Oct. 26 for Michael is already a built-in inclement weather day before the storms. He met with high school principals to talk about the time students missed in the classroom.

"The good thing is, having met with all of our high school principals last week, they have some very creative ideas that I'm going to send and share with on how to makeup these instructional hours," Bracy said to Vice Chair Kim Schmidlin and other board members. "It's very creative and they did a good job."

Board member Sonya Powell showed for concern for teachers who took optional workdays and their compensation. Finance Officer Stephen Britt reported that instructors and staff members will be held harmless and receive full paychecks. Britt said educators will be compensated for workdays.

"Their days will be added to their annual leave balance," Britt said.

According to a news release from the General Assembly, the bills they approved requires educators and employees to be reimbursed if they worked during scheduled instructional days considered completed by the public school system during September and October.

The legislation also gives $6.5 million in nonrecurring funds for the 2018-2019 fiscal year to fund authorized compensation for employee with income normally supported by school meal receipts or federal funds that will be given to the state for missed school days.

"As one of the districts that is dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Florence, we are grateful to the Legislature and to Governor Cooper for rapid approval of funds and flexibility," Bracy stated after the information was released. "The allocation of dollars will allow school employees to be paid for the time schools had to be closed and the waiver of up to 20 days of instruction will provide flexibility to our Board in determining the calendar for the remainder of the year. We need this support and welcome the state's actions."

During the meeting, Britt made a request for the board to approve an application to send to N.C. Department of Public Safety Division of Emergency Management for disaster assistance. According to the document, the district is required to provide information regarding needs and compensation from the hurricane.

SCS enrollment drops

After about a month in the academic year, Sampson County Schools reported a decrease in enrollment.

During a Tuesday meeting, Dr. Eric Bracy reported that the enrollment for elementary, middle and high schools is 2018-2019 is 8,003 -- a drop of 264 students from the last school year (2017-2018). The official total was taken on the 20th day of school. For the current school year, the target was 8,274. When asked, Bracy said Sampson along with other pubic rural districts are seeing a decrease in the Average Daily Membership, which is used a measure of local and state funds awarded to districts.

"Some parents are choosing other options," Bracy said. "There are virtual options now and a lot of private options that are available. Some of our families cross the line and go to physical charter in another county."

The report also showed previous school years with more than 8,350 students counted for the 2016-2017 period. In 2015-2016, the total was 8,452. In four years, it was noted that drop was about 450 students.

"It just seem like a lot to me," said Board Member Tracy Dunn. "It basically averages about 100 students a year, on average."

Board Chair Tim Register was concerned about the drop well, while referring to finances.

"My concern is that is still costs the same amount of money to heat the buildings," Register said.

Over the past seven or eight years, Board Member Sonya Powell added that a lot of private schools have opened, which factors into the decrease.

"But there's still an underlying reason," Dunn said.

According to elementary data, Midway and Union Intermediate were the only two of nine schools with increases in enrollment, with totals of 437 and 291, respectively. At the middle school level, Hobbton and Union enrollment went up at 410 and 404, respectively. Midway and Roseboro-Salemenburg middle schools saw a decrease.

Sampson Early College in Clinton was the only high school with an increase of about three students, bringing the total to 263. High schools in the Hobbton, Lakewood, Midway and Union areas dropped in enrollment totals.

Reach Chase Jordan at 910-249-4617. Follow us on Twitter at @SampsonInd and like us on Facebook.

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