Grading scale, longer school day gets go-ahead from New Kent school board

New Kent County School Board members followed through on recommendations made by director of curriculum Nate Collins and implemented both a longer school day and 10-point grading scale for next year.

Members approved both actions at their May 19 work session after hearing preliminary discussions at the regular May meeting. Under the new grading scale, elementary school students will be on a straight, 10-point scale, while secondary students will have a plus/minus grade available.

“We feel this will make our kids more competitive to get into colleges and for scholarships,” reiterated Collins. “I know that some jurisdictions have a scale where students can reach as high as a 5.5 GPA (grade point average) and implementing this scale will move us into that direction.”

Also approved by board members was lengthening the school day. Students will receive 10 minutes of extra instruction per day next year. That extra cumulative is 30 hours, or five days, of bank time that the school can use for inclement weather. If those days are not needed, the superintendent may give them back to students as days off due to the number of obligated classroom hours being met.

One area that may affect funds next year is the school’s nutritional act. School nutritionist Leslie Smith indicated the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) is stepping in to inspect local programs and implementing mandates. The result could impact schools financially when it comes to lunch.

“We make a lot of money from our ‘A La Carte’ menu,” said Smith. “Most of our kids bypass lunches for that menu.

“But starting next year, that entrée has to be less than 350 calories, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see kids packing more lunches next year,” she concluded.

Smith gave an example of new federal regulations on the menu. A ‘good’ chicken sandwich would have to be cut in half and served to be under the calories’ limit, but still sold at full price. Another example is that chicken nuggets would have to be sold individually, but not in numbers.

Smith also advised board members that the school still has to meet the required number of sales to be eligible for federal reimbursement, regardless if those lunches are eaten or not by kids. That comment prompted superintendent of schools Dr. Rick Richardson to speak out.

“The federal government can’t regulate kids to buy lunches,” he said. “They can enforce the mandate but they can’t force the kids to buy the food.”

In other policy approvals for New Kent schools next year:

–Approved new facility rental rules and prices.

–Approved a revised student-athlete policy for the high school. Starting the second semester of next year, students will be required to maintain a 2.0 GPA to participate in athletics.

–Increase the summer school tuition for middle and high school students to $450 for repeat credit courses, and $650 for new credit courses. Collins indicated that due to funding from the county that may be reduced, the rate was raised to offset and provide adequate staffing.

–Increased elementary and middle school meals by 10 cents ($1.35 breakfast/$2.35 lunch) and high school meals by 25 cents ($1.50 breakfast, $2.50 lunch). The 10-cent raise at the elementary and middle school were mandated federal raises, while the high school’s raise was a combination of a 10-cent mandate plus 15 cents due to the portion size served.

–Announced that athletics director Julie Ellis will be elevated to assistant principal of the high school next year.