BY DEBBIE PAGE
The Mooresville Graded School District Board of Education approved salary supplements to teachers and instructional support personnel on Tuesday night.
Chief Finance Officer Jonathan Smith told the board that the district was allotted $533,442 for the effort, with a maximum per teacher supplement of $977. This payment will be made in June 2025 to eligible employees who are actively employed through the end of the school year.
Superintendent Jason Gardner and Rob Orrill, director of Testing & Accountability, also notified the board that the N.C. Department of Public Instruction informed districts last week of a new option to conduct EOG/EOC retesting before the last day of the academic year.
At the March meeting, the board approved the MGSD retest plan based on original guidance that did not allow for retests within the academic year. The MGSD plan was revised based on this updated guidance. New retesting dates will be offered May 14-16 in grades 3-8.
Parents will be notified through Parentsquare if their child is eligible for retesting on Monday, May 12. Orrill promised that students will not miss any fun activities during the retesting time, and parents may choose not to have their child retested.
MHS CAFETERIA FURNITURE UPDATED
The board approved the School Nutrition and Mooresville High School request to purchase new cafeteria furniture for the campus. This purchase will include updated tables and booths specifically selected to better accommodate the needs and comfort of high school students.
Staff identified Nu-Idea as the most responsive and responsible bidder. The total project cost, including shipping, installation, and applicable taxes, will not exceed $293,596.52.
This expenditure will be funded through School Nutrition Funds in accordance with the state-mandated spend-down plan.
2027 EUROPEAN HIGH SCHOOL FIELD TRIP BEING OFFERED
Mooresville High School is requesting permission for a field trip to travel to Austria, Germany and Switzerland during the 2027 spring break. This trip will involve an estimated maximum of 80 students with a cost $4,189 per student. English teacher Kelsey Agar is organizing this opportunity and will attend as a chaperone.
EF Tours will facilitate this opportunity with a proposed 10-day trip itinerary that includes stops in Vienna, Salzburg, Munich, the Tyrol region, Liechtenstein, the Lucerne region, and Heidelberg. These locations offer direct connection to various academic standards and align with MGSD’s commitment to developing academic and durable skills.
Additional chaperones will participate to maintain a 1:7 teacher to student ratio.
Agar said one of the goals when looking at the cost of the trip was to keep the monthly payments as low as possible to help make the trip accessible to a wider range of students, aiming for payments to fall under $200 per month.
If students sign up early, their monthly cost will be $178. As with previous tours, the school will provide multiple fundraising opportunities, including business sponsorships, carwashes, and restaurant fundraisers.
STUDENTS OF THE MONTH
Park View Elementary School first-graders Jakobe Alexander, Griffin Clark, Cameron Hayes, Abigail Stahl, and Ryan Wigder were honored as the Students of the Month for April. They were nominated by teacher Jessy DeFrancisco, Principal Misha Rogers, and Assistant Principal Jennifer Marshall.
This group of first-graders was chosen because they have “consistently demonstrated what it means to be safe, respectful, responsible, and kind. Their enthusiasm for learning American Sign Language has created a more inclusive and welcoming classroom where every student feels valued and supported.”
They show “their kindness in the way they help their classmates, treat others with respect, and do their part to keep our classroom a great place to learn. Their dedication to inclusion and love for learning inspire those around them and show just how powerful kindness and teamwork can be.”
“Their efforts are truly appreciated and show that even small actions can have a big impact. It’s inspiring to see their dedication to making our classroom and school a welcoming and supportive place for everyone.”
ARTIST OF THE MONTH
Kindergartner Princeton Kitambala, nominated by Park View Elementary art teacher Kimberly Jones, was selected as Artist of the Month for April.
Jones said that “Princeton is a joy to have in art class. Besides being artistically talented, he is a great example of a Park View Patriot by being very kind, respectful and responsible.”
“Princeton’s artwork being showcased this month is a still life collage of apples. By creating this artwork, Princeton, along with his fellow kindergarten students, learned the definition of a still life and collage.”
“As Princeton’s art teacher, I am very proud of his artistic abilities and his accomplishment in earning the title of MGSD’s Artist of the Month. I hope that he continues to use his artistic talent to create art throughout his life.”
ABCD AWARD
Park View Elementary data manager Missy Foley, nominated Rogers and Marshall, was selected for the “Above and Beyond the Call of Duty” honor for April.
Foley has been a part of the MGSD for over 20 years and has made a lasting impact on countless families in the Park View community.
“She welcomes new families with warmth and kindness, making sure they feel right at home from day one. Mrs. Foley is also the person you want in your corner when challenges arise. She’s quick to gather the right people, offer reassurance, and always puts families first.”
“Mrs. Foley is dedicated to doing her best work; she keeps everything organized, accurate, and running smoothly. But what really sets her apart is her willingness to step in wherever she’s needed.”
“Whether it’s helping with bus duty, jumping into the daily chaos of a busy school, or simply anticipating what her teammates need before they even ask, she’s always there to lend a hand.”
“Her support, kindness, and commitment make a difference every single day. We are so grateful for everything she does.”
I READY MATH PRESENTATION
Rogers and Marshall presented the Park View Elementary i-Ready Math program, selected this school year to enhance student learning and track student progress.
After staff professional development in August, the school began implementation of the i-Ready program in the first quarter. At initial core data reviews in early October, each team set measurable goals based on their students beginning diagnostic test data.
The teams’ focus was on getting students to use the program on their My Path for at least 30 minutes per week with a 70 percent pass rate. Data was reviewed and team discussions on students’ usage occurred weekly.
Classes with the highest student usage each week were announced on the Patriot News and had the Yoop Yooply (a green alien character in the I-Ready program) stuffed toy visit their classroom for the week.
After middle of the year diagnostic assessment, the school showed the highest median growth in MGSD, rising from 50 to 62 percent, with students at or above grade level rising from 4 to 17 percent. Those from early to on-grade level rose from 3 to 13 percent.
Those students one grade level below fell from 73 to 64 percent, and those two grade levels below fell from 20 to 6 percent.
At least one-third of each grade level had improved their placement and moved up a color level from beginning to mid-year.
After this mid-year testing, teachers and administrators analyzed the data. Students one to two grade levels behind were growing the most, and those early on grade level showed significant growth.
Students at mid or above grade level experienced the least growth, leading teachers to ask what they needed to do differently for and with these students in addition to strong core instruction.
Though students were growing with i-Ready usage, they needed to develop higher growth, personal accountability and user “buy in.”
The staff devised a pep rally type program, with the “Snargg” i-Ready character visiting the school to instill excitement, and the teachers and staff created an i-Ready Math Madness in March, including celebrations, competitions, and prizes (like using the principal’s chair for a day) to motivate students.
Staff continued to monitor student usage and added a requirement that all students complete and pass at least two lessons per week, with teams using various methods to monitor this goal, including tens frames, punch cards, sticker charts, and graphs.
“The kids are boosting each other up,” Rogers explained. “They believe in themselves, and they believe in each other.”
At the third quarter core data review in March, 48 kindergartners were on or above grade level, 71 were likely to be at or near grade level, and three were selected for increased interventions to improve their learning.
Twenty-six first-graders were on grade level, 42 were near grade level, and two were chosen for increased interventions. In second grade, 50 students were on grade level, 63 near grade level, and one was selected for intensified intervention.
The highest achieving class at the end of the contest period will receive a pizza-making lesson and a pizza party from Pie in the Sky Pizza.
Students like the i-Ready math program for the program’s challenges, coins and prizes, its bilingual capabilities, the entertaining characters, and the class competitions.
DANGERS OF VAPING
Southern Family Medicine will present a session on the Dangers of Vaping at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 10, at Selma Burke Middle School. This event is open to the community.
NEXT MEETING
The next MGSD meeting is on Tuesday, May 13, at 6 p.m. at Mooresville Town Hall.