Chuck Hughes, Seat 5 Representative, Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education
♦ No one in Rowan County is more disappointed with the 2014-2015 Growth and Performance grades than I. Despite putting millions into the IT- 1:1 program, hiring co-principals at Knox Middle, hiring coaches to teach teachers to teach reading, as well as other staff investments, we did not even maintain the status quo, we actually took steps backwards as evidenced by the recently posted 2015 Growth and Performance grades. They were lower than those in 2013 and 2014 when the framework for change was initially implemented.
During a period of migration from books and chalk boards to iPads and a technology based system, some hurdles are to be expected. However, we do not have the luxury of blaming hurdles such as transition or county poverty for the failure to provide excellent education for our children. Rowan-Salisbury School system is expected, and rightfully so, to anticipate and compensate for hindrances that compromise academic progress.
When a football coach changes his game plan from a basic running game to a passing game and he gets throttled, I assure you, he will reconsider the basics. I would like our Board of Education to consider doing the same.
