By Rupert Howell
“Rigor” was the common buzzword used by several South Panola  principals during the monthly trustees’ meeting Tuesday, September 20 as they gave oral progress reports and incidental happenings at their respective schools.

 “ . . .(We’re) teaching and testing rigorously so students know what’s expected of them,” Pope School principal Susan Vance told trustees.

“We’re focusing on rigor with assessment,” Batesville Junior High School principal Charles Beene said during his report.

On a related subject, Intermediate School principal Dr. Jeremy Stinson told trustees that the school district

“. . . is on track with the state, (with Common Core Standards) but the state is behind,” and blamed current lack of state resources for slow implementation.

Common Core is a national standards initiative adopted by most states that gives consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn at certain levels nationwide so that teachers and parents know what to expect and can help them.

Dr. Carol Gary at Batesville Middle School warned trustees not to come to her building and expect a “dog and pony show.”

Gary did invite them to come any time. She also mentioned that staff at her school are recognizing “problem students” with discipline problems who were keeping others from learning so that intervention could be used to thwart potential problems.

“Their name’s not Bean is it?” Board President Lygunnah Bean asked sarcastically.

“I hope not,” answered Junior High Principal Charles Beene who has a child in the Middle School.

South Panola High School principal Tim Fowler used his report time to continue his ongoing message of having seniors take rigorous courses, as those are the ones college ready as well as the ones who do better on the ACT.

Fowler’s message piggybacked his predecessor, Jay Foster, who emphasized the need for higher scores on the ACT as it was the most important test most students take in their careers.

Fowler drew parallels of successful college students, higher ACT scores and scholarships with rigorous coursework throughout high school and then cited dismal figures of how many students were not actually college ready in four major areas of study.

Batesville Elementary School principal LaSherry Irby told trustees that enrollment continues to climb in her school, noting that she had three new students that day. She also reported an almost overwhelming turnout of family during her school’s Grandparent’s Day.

Career and Technical director Leslie Busby reported 19 CTE programs and of 1,211 students at the high school, 789 have a class in the CTE program.