By Jessica Dillon
The Henry County School Board met Nov. 6 to review the current grading system, receive updates on the RISE 2030 plan, and recognize several achievements. Members also congratulated School Board Member-elect Sherry Vestal on her win for the Blackberry District. Vestal will take the seat currently held by Thomas Auker next year.
The county school division recently adjusted grade weighting to 40% formative and 60% summative assessments. The change is intended to better align instruction and assessment with state expectations while supporting student growth and success.
A study showed that while students’ grades have improved, Standards of Learning (SOL) scores have not increased at the same rate, causing concern among parents and teachers. The data analysis aims to identify the reason for the discrepancy.
Of the 33.19% of students who have an A average, only 8.8% received an advanced score on their SOLs. If grades accurately reflected student progress, 84.67% of students would be passing. The current predicted fail rate is 15%, but the actual fail rate is 31.73%.
To address this, county schools joined the Comprehensive Instructional Program (CIP). Through the program, the grading weights shifted from the previous 30% formative and 70% summative ratio to 40/60. The program also revised which assignments could be scored or retaken. Rolling grades are now used, displaying averages across the semester rather than by marking period.
A parent, Myndi Mullins, expressed concern about how the rolling grade system affects students.
“I have spent the last two weeks scrolling back to find this communication. Had I been aware of this failure of communication with this rolling grade book, my son would not be in Algebra 1. You guys are not taking into consideration what you’re doing to GPA with this rolling grade book. And I’m going to use the Henry County School,” Mullins said.
Mullins said she felt the system does not grade in students’ favor and could negatively affect their overall GPA.
Superintendent Amy Blake-Lewis also provided an update on RISE 2030, outlining four key areas of focus: parent and community partnerships, high-quality instruction, high-quality professionals, and creating a safe and supportive learning environment.
“I’ve prepared tables showing the work of each committee within our RISE structure. There are four key areas of focus,” Blake-Lewis said.
The update included information on community engagement, such as tracking visitors to the school booth at the Latino Festival held at Patrick & Henry Community College. The report also noted teacher feedback and confirmed that bus GPS systems were installed over the summer.
During public comment, one speaker addressed an incident in which her son’s teacher allegedly cursed directly at him, saying, “shut the f— up.” She said her son had not misbehaved and was humiliated in front of his peers. The parent criticized the administration for not holding the teacher accountable and for prioritizing the school’s image over student safety. She said it was not the teacher’s first outburst and asked the board to investigate and enforce higher professional standards. She warned that future incidents could escalate if students feel disrespected and urged the board to act decisively to protect all students’ dignity and safety.
In other matters, the board:
*Recognized VSBA Bullying Prevention Month.
*Read a Veterans Day Proclamation.
*Announced that Henry County Public Schools received two Awards of Excellence from the Chesapeake School Public Relations Association (CHESPRA) for outstanding work in school communications.
*Recognized the VSBA Award of Recognition.
