Students from Martinsville Middle School recently participated in the Odyssey of The Mind competition. The team participated in regional and state competitions and advanced to the world finals, and placed 7th overall for their skit. They also placed 2nd in a spontaneous competition. Members of the team are Niema Merritt, Sarah Green, Veronica Johnson, Noah Wright, Cristofer Santiago, and Nykira Johnson. The students were coached by middle school teacher Greg Hackenberg.
The Arts in Education Award was presented by Dr. Amaju Dixon to Brian Lane. Lane was honored last month for his achievements during the Clyde Hooker Awards celebration at Piedmont Arts. Lane is an AP English Dual Enrollment teacher.
VHSL Class 2 Outdoor Track Champion Rickyah Mitchell won the 100 Meter Dash Competition at James Madison University. Coach Earl Dodson praised Mitchell as an athlete that is going to give 100 percent.
Martinsville High School’s Career and Technical Education and Fine Arts program awarded 196 credentials among the students in the program. Those credentials were awarded to 116 students in the recent graduating class. 48 of those students had two or more credentials. The goal of the CTE program is that students would have credentials to take into their college or careers once they graduate. Students that took classes in business and entrepreneurship completed business plans, and developed and sold a product. Funds from those sales were used to create a fund called workforce development. The fund is being used for Martinsville High School students who are currently working and need to buy work-related items such as goggles or safety shoes can receive help from the fund. Five students completed the CNA program with three of them passing the state board examination and are licensed. “We are waiting on two more, they tested on June 1st,” said program coordinator Shauna Hines. Amongst healthcare students, 16 students completed CPR training. Students can earn a variety of credentials through the CTE program such as workplace readiness, business communication, and sports medicine. Students can take a variety of tests for competency and earn credentials through the completion of the program and are able to add the credentials to their resume.
Clearview Early Learning Center Director, Sheilah Williams, announced the city school’s participation in the summer feeding program again this summer. Meals are available Monday-Thursday at all city schools. Friday meals can be picked up on Thursday for children from ages 1-18. The students do not have to be a Martinsville City School student. Martinsville High School will be open through July 21st to provide meals. “So far we served 1751 breakfasts and lunches we served 1853,” Williams said. Delivery is available on a case-by-case basis and some paperwork will have to be completed. “If someone needs home delivery, they will just have to contact us,” said Williams.
City schools have participated in the Positive Behavior Intervention System program since 2013. Dr. Tammy Vaughan provided an update on the program at the recent school board meeting. The program has a division-wide team that meets and discusses attendance, discipline, and other issues. “We sit and problem solve and help meet the needs the schools have,” said Vaughan. The teams are tiered, and the students come up with goals and incentives. The other teams work with behavioral intervention plans. The program added social-emotional learning (SEL) to help identify students that need support. “We have caught lots of areas where students needed that support. Every child in the division is screened three times a year because the trauma may not just happen in the beginning of the year. We are focused on gaining community partners and having more parent involvement,” said Vaughn.
City Schools participate in a Triennial Wellness Assessment that is geared toward making sure that wellness Is a priority in the school system. “We want to make sure we stay committed to completing some of the goals we set in place,” said Sheilah Williams. The schools have wellness goals and action plans toward meeting their goals. Each school in the district is assessed to see where they stand with nutrition and exercise. Schools are encouraged to not allow access to be withheld due to punishment to encourage physical activity. The fresh fruit and vegetable program will be restarted for the first time since COVID. The program will work with every school so that every section of the assessment will be 80% or higher in compliance in each school. Community partners have been added to help add health fairs and other health-related activities as a resource to the schools.
Other meeting items are as follows:
Approved VSBA Policy Service Contract.
Approved Federal Consolidated Application Funds.
Approved Title III application as presented.
Approved VPSA Resolution.
VBSA Media Honor Roll Nomination of Monique Holland was approved.
Superintendent Designee stand-ins Dr. Angilee Downing, Dr. Cynthia Tarpley, and Dr. Travis Clemons were approved.
Authorization for the Superintendent to assign personnel was approved.
Virginia High School League participation application was approved.
