GOSNELL -- Gosnell's school board approved plans Monday night to fund next year's teacher professional development programs, including continued services from JBHM, an educational consulting company also used by the Blytheville school district.
Consultants will continue to offer an instructional package to elementary and secondary teachers on working with struggling learners. Teachers will also continue to study Literacy Lab and other professional development sources.
High School principal Brian Carter gave good news to the board that more than 70 percent of 11th-graders who took the recent state-mandated end-of-course literacy exam scored proficient, which is one of the highest rates of proficiency in the area. The school also had 10 students who scored advanced on the exam, which is also unusually high.The proficiency rate is up from last year's 65 percent.
Some changes to the student handbook were also approved, including additions to the school's anti-bullying policy and calendar.
Changes in policy are also being made regarding the use of technology in schools by the students. Cell phones, iPods, and other personal electronic devices can be used to aid in instruction, according to Assistant Superintendent Kevin Evans.
"We have curriculum now that students can link to on their personal devices," said Evans. "And if we can use this technology to help with instruction, there is no need to keep fighting it. We just want to broaden our policies to allow teachers to use these technologies if they so wish."
The board also approved the purchase of 27 new computers for the high school's distance learning lab, as well as the purchase of smartboards for all classrooms in grades one through four.
sharris@blythevillecourier.com