The Oktibbeha County School District made some changes to a grading and assignment policy in Monday night”s regular board meeting.
All board members were present for the meeting, which handled mostly routine business matters. Board president Bennie Jones also presented an update of several legislative items of importance to the schools.
The new grading policy makes weekly tests count for 25 percent of the grade, daily in-class work and homework assignments count as 50 percent and the nine-week test count as 25 percent. There will also be no grade lower than a 55 given for the first nine weeks.
“This will give that kid a fighting chance the first nine weeks,” said Superintendent James Covington. “They can still see some hope.”
Teachers are required to give at least five weekly tests and eight daily grades in addition to the nine-week test each time. The goal was to give struggling students a better opportunity to pass their classes.
The board unanimously adopted this policy on Cynthia Ware”s motion and Melvin Harris” second.
In other business, they handled two 16th Section forestry matters. In one, the bid for a timber sale came in under the minimum they would accept. In the other, they returned a performance bond because the company that won the bid was unable initially to harvest because of wet conditions and later chose not to harvest.
The board handled several other items before convening in closed session to discuss personnel matters.
Because of the Fourth of July holiday, they will meet again at 1 p.m. July 5 for their next regularly scheduled meeting. They plan for this meeting to be the first in their new central office building on Main Street in Starkville.
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