NEWTON COUNTY – Three months into the fiscal year, Superintendent Duke Bradley III and Newton County Schools (NCS) have released the district's quarter two (Q2) report.

The report was discussed at the March 11 Board of Education work session and presented by Benjamin Roundtree, special assistant to the superintendent. Roundtree highlighted many subjects including but not limited to updated literacy strategies, staff compensation and staff recognition. 

The district stated that its top academic priority is to unify its literacy strategy. Currently, at South Salem and East Newton Elementary Schools, NCS has installed its REAP pilot program that trains teachers in structured literacy. 

According to the report, all K-5 teachers are also receiving professional learning and instructional materials in the science of reading. Among academic literacy assessments, Roundtree noted that the district has implemented a new K-12 universal screener for reading and math.  

“Quarter two work consisted of a combination of continued research along with identification of core literacy strategy elements,” Roundtree said. 

In the area of operations, NCS is looking to elevate its compensation. The findings of the classification and compensation study, which evaluates and updates pay structures to ensure they are fair and align with market conditions, will propose pay scales for employees, linking recruitment and retention. 

Transparency was another area of operations discussed in the report. During Q2, the district conducted its first staff budget input sessions, where they heard staff feedback, priorities and provided an overview of the budget development process. 

Also discussed under the transparency were board actions taken during the past few months. These included increased communication with stakeholders, prioritization of financial reporters and increased transparency of the calendar development process. 

Under the culture and engagement portion of the report, expanding staff recognition was emphasized. During this quarter, the district held its first State of the District event which celebrated academic accomplishments and select individuals' hard work.

Additionally, two other programs were launched – Counselor of the Year and Support Professional of the Year. 

“Our counselors, school psychologists and school social workers have some of the most vitally important jobs within our organization,” Roundtree said. 

Aligned with the goal of making deeper investments in the leadership capacity of staff, during Q2 the district launched THRIVE, an executive leadership development program that aims to develop future school leaders. Recently, the elected cohort of 11 members was launched. 

“It is a dream come true to see more of our people within the organization reach those next levels of leadership,” said District 1 Board Member Trey Bailey. 

Looking into the future, the district outlined a number of aspirational goals it wants to develop. This included increasing participation and eliminating barriers for those wishing to take higher-ed classes such as dual enrollment. 

This framework was listed in two tiers. Tier I is goals that are “difficult to generate strategy around,” but that are significant. These points included:

• The need to increase underrepresented participation (Black and Hispanic) in AP courses.
• Increase Black and/or Hispanic male participation in dual enrollment and AP/honors courses. 
• Increase the number of students identified as gifted.    

• To increase AP courses offered. 
• Increase dual enrollment participation.
• Increase CTAE pathway completers. 

Focusing on both tiers, the district has reached an agreement with Georgia Piedmont Technical College to provide dual enrollment online classes to engineering pathway students. 

“Every bit of what you heard this evening is really a function of the work that is being led by the individuals in this room and their individual teams…,” Bradley said. “...We’re moving in the right direction; we’re doing the right work.”