Wood County Schools looks to challenges of new year
By MICHAEL ERB, merb@newsandsentinel.comPARKERSBURG - After a successful year of completed projects and transitions, Wood County Schools officials are looking toward a new year of challenges.
Superintendent Bill Niday said many of the goals met in 2008 have led to new goals in 2009. Among those goals is completing the freshman transition started in the fall. From sports and academic counselors to schedules and graduation requirements, officials are still working to make sure the ninth-graders are properly provided for in the new schools.
"I think the movement of the ninth-grade has presented some challenges that are going to be there for awhile," he said. "It is going to take a couple of years to make those adjustments to sort everything out."
Another major challenge, Niday said, is one affecting everyone in the community, state, nation and world: the economy.
"Another challenge definitely is going to be the budget," he said, "We still have to see what impact the economic slowdown has on tax collections, the state budget, everything. I think the unknown of the economy and what effect it is going to have on state and local revenue is something we're going to have to pay a lot of attention to."
With the transition from President George W. Bush to President-elect Barak Obama in early 2009 comes possible changes in funding and federal regulations governing education.
"One of the things President (-elect) Obama is talking about is a stimulus package and modernizing schools," Niday said. "That may provide some opportunities to improve things like electrical service and technology and technology in our schools. I hope we get that opportunity."
Another unknown is the federal No Child Left Behind legislation.
The education laws went through dramatic changes under the Bush administration, emphasizing standardized testing, proof of progress and sanctions for low-performing schools. The legislation is up for reauthorization, and it is as yet unknown what changes will be made under Obama.
"With the uncertainty of what will happen with No Child Left Behind, we know already the WESTEST (state accountability exam) we are going to give in May is going to be more challenging and more difficult for students," Niday said.
The WESTEST 2 is designed to better mirror West Virginia's curriculum standards, which focus on the development of 21st Century skills. Educators will not be able to compare scores between the two tests, so how the new exam will affect accountability tracking for this year is unknown.
"This will be a challenge for teachers and students alike," Niday said.
In addition to new challenges, Niday said the first part of 2009 will be filled with traditional issues the school system faces each year.
"You have normal things you always are looking at this time of year, like what our personnel levels will be, building a budget for next year," he said. "Those are routine but they take a lot of time and effort.
"It is going to be a busy winter and spring," Niday said.
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k26101
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01-05-09 5:53 PM
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in order to get a good education and stay focused, kids have to not be hungry
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AmmeJJ
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01-05-09 2:24 PM
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Shouldn't we be worried about the quality of education and not the quality of food? I agree that food is important and sometime that hot meal at school is the only one the child eats ... but unless they get a good education to be able to better themselves and their situation, nothing will change.
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k26101
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01-04-09 9:35 PM
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they cant even have ketchup and mustard - or sauce on hotdogs.. mmm i am sure u would like a plain hotdog for lunch that is real pathetic
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Mama01
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01-04-09 5:40 PM
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go to your child's school and purchase a meal ticket and see what is being fed to the kids. Don't trust kids to be entirely truthful when they would rather have junk than nutritional food.
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yellingsoccermom
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01-04-09 4:03 PM
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One thing you need to look into is this bogus food program. I believe it is unrealistic and my children plus the children I have spoken to tells me this food is not fit to eat. When my child tells me a hot dog can sometimes be green or red, there is a problem. My children are no way overweight and they are not getting a good nutrious hot meal. Yes, I can pack a lunch, but why should they be punished and not have a hot meal for lunch...have someone take a look at that!
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