News
February 6, 2023
By: Dwayne Page
This spring, if your child is in the third grade, a single test could determine if they go on to fourth grade or if they will be held back.
According to the state, only 37% of those students read proficiently. The percentage is about the same locally.
(Click links below to view recent letters to parents from the DeKalb School District)
DeKalb Co Oct 2nd grade letter.pdf
The Third Grade Retention legislation just went into effect this school year, but already state lawmakers have filed at least 18 proposals to try to address concerns about the new reading law that could force tens of thousands of third-graders here and across the state to attend summer school this year to avoid being held back if they don’t show proficiency on their TCAP test for English Language Arts.
Patrick Cripps, Director of Schools in DeKalb County told WJLE that he doesn’t like the Third Grade Retention Law.
“A child could be advanced in Math or Science but if they are determined “below” or “approaching” in ELA that student would be held back. There are many factors that go into a child’s education and to allow one test to be a snapshot as to whether a student moves up to the next grade level or not based on one test (ELA) is not fair,” said Director Cripps.
Several bills in the state legislature would gut the retention provision altogether, while others would keep the law mostly intact but extend related state-funded summer and after-school programs beyond this year.
Some measures would give authority back to local school districts instead of the state to determine which students should be retained. Others would add measures beyond Tennessee’s annual test for making such a decision. And one proposal would establish a new reading and retention checkpoint even earlier than third grade — making students who are finishing kindergarten take a reading test to determine whether they are ready for the first grade.
The controversial law was passed in 2021 during a weeklong special legislative session called by Gov. Bill Lee to address learning disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The same law created summer learning recovery camps that began that year and tutoring programs that started in 2022.
The interventions were intended to help students catch up from the pandemic, but the law’s retention provision — which kicks in with this year’s class of third-graders — has sparked opposition across the state.
Third grade is considered a critical year for reading because literacy is foundational to all subsequent learning. But reading scores have been mostly stagnant in Tennessee, with only about a third of the state’s third graders meeting the law’s high threshold for proficiency based on state tests.
In 2011, lawmakers passed a retention law to try to address the problem, but the statute was largely unenforced, with few third graders being held back by local school leaders. That set the stage for the 2021 retention provision that, starting this school year, requires third graders to get extra help if they don’t show proficiency on their TCAP test for English language arts.
The law says students whose scores on state tests show they are “approaching” proficiency must attend a summer camp and demonstrate “adequate growth” on a test administered at the camp’s end, or they must participate in a tutoring program in the fourth grade. Students who score “below” proficiency must participate in both intervention programs.
Third graders are exempt from retention if they were retained in a previous grade; have or may have a disability that affects reading; are English language learners with less than two years of English instruction; or retest as proficient before the beginning of fourth grade.
Although the law provides options for students to re-take the TCAP ELA exam during the summer Director Cripps said challenges remain for students and their families.
“If a student doesn’t pass the test or if the child is “below” or “approaching” he or she has options to take the TCAP again during summer break. The problem with that is the TCAP during the school year is on paper and pencil and the one during the summer is on computer and that is a totally different set up for a kid from the way the first test was given. Of course, the turnaround time is supposed to be pretty quick in getting those scores back so if the student fails to pass again, he or she can come to a summer school or they can choose tutoring for their 4th grade year and still move on, but they have to attend 90% of the time,” Director Cripps continued.
Extra work for students during the summer, Cripps explained could also create a hardship on families.
“You are really pigeonholing families. There are things they have going on in summer that a kid has no control over, and this dictates how parents schedule their summertime. I have a problem with that,” said Director Cripps. “There are other avenues that need to be looked at and I do appreciate that they are planning to allow us to have a little say whether a kid goes on because I have a problem with one test determining if a child goes on to be a 4th grader or not. I would hate to have one test define him or her. And what about when this kid gets in high school, and he is 19 years old? Its tough enough to keep kids in school and engaged at 18 years old. I can’t imagine having 19-year-old kids and how that is going to affect the graduation rate,” Director Cripps said.
State Representative Michael Hale said he supports making changes in the third-grade retention law which currently provides up to nine options for a student to advance even if he or she has failed the TCAP ELA test including an appeals process at the state level. Hale said he and other state lawmakers believe the appeal should be handled at the local level.
“The law currently provides for a nine-step process beginning with the initial TCAP test and if students don’t succeed on that or are deemed below average then there is a short form TCAP along with the process of tutoring, going to summer school, etc. but there are challenges with those from the local school district standpoint. Finally, there is an appeals process and right now this is the toughest issue we are having with the Governor’s administration. They want that appeals process to be handled through the state school board where we as legislators feel like that should be a local decision through a local process,” said Representative Hale.
Director Cripps praised Representative Hale for his cooperation on this issue. “He has been great reaching out to us to find out what we think,” said Director Cripps.
DeKalb Co Oct 2nd grade letter.pdf
DWS Basketball Players and Cheerleaders Honored
February 6, 2023
By: Bill Conger
The hard-driving teams of basketball players at DeKalb West School were recently honored at a banquet on January 26.
Bulldogs Head Coach Kelly Pyburn presented Chase Young with the Best All Around Player award. Ben Barton was honored for the Biggest Gains while Ethan Brown was chosen for Best Defense, and Ben Driver was named the Scrappiest Player. Porter Hancock took home Best Offensive Player while Drew Cook received the plaque for the 6th Man Award. Izzy Prichard was named Best Manager.
“I am really proud of how much the boys improved over the season,” Coach Pyburn said. “They had some really good games and it was fun to coach them.
I will really miss the four 8th graders that are leaving the team to go to high school. I look forward to next year’s team and the continued improvement we can make as a team!”
Lady Bulldogs Head Coach Mary Ann Puckett handed out varsity awards to the following players: Kenadee Prichard–Best Teammate and Best Attitude;
Sophie Desimone–Best All Around / MVP, Best 3-Point Shooter, Best Ball Handler, Autumn Crook—Best 2-Point Shooter, Best Rebounder, Heart & Hustle Award;
Camille Barton–Most Points Scored, Best Rebounder, Best Defense; Hannah Brown–Best Free Throw Shooter, Most Steals and Assists, Heart & Hustle Award, Best Passer;
Emily Fry–Most Improved, Best 6th Man, Best Face Guard. JV Awards went to Kaylee Womack (JV)–Best All Around / MVP, Best Offense, Best Ball Handler; Katelyn Fry (JV)
Best 6th Man and Quietest Player; Bella Franz (JV)–Most Points Scored, Best Defense, Best Rebounder; Zoey Skeen (JV)—Best Rebounder, Heart & Hustle Award, Most Aggressive; Caroline Neal (JV)–Best Teammate, Best Attitude, Best Passer; Kylie Pierce (JV)–Most Improved.
“We went 11-8 for the season and faced several tough opponents,” Coach Puckett said. “Even though we would’ve liked to have had more wins, our improvement from the beginning of the season to the end was tremendous. Each player grew in their basketball skillset as well as their awareness of being good teammates and showing leadership on and off the court. The challenges we faced from game to game gave us all great chances to grow and learn. Each girl welcomed those opportunities and got better, and that made for a meaningful and memorable season.”
“We will really miss our three 8th graders. Hannah’s scrappiness and determination, Kenadee’s rebounding and positive energy, and Emily’s tenacious defense all helped us out so much this year. We wish them the best as they move up to DCHS and hope to see them playing Lady Tiger basketball next year.”
Cheer Coach Tammy Payne announced the 2022-23 Cheer awards. The Best All Round Cheerleader Motions/jumps/dance/pom/leadership/spirit), as voted by her peers, went to Miah Hall. Charli Cripps received the Coaches’ DEAR (Dedication, Enthusiasm, Attitude, and Responsibility) Award. The “Ruff” Award went to Timothy Goss (Mascot); Most Improved: Miley Tays and Most Spirited: Mia Hall.
“The 2022- 23 DWS were an amazing group of girls,” Coach Payne said. “Each cheerleader (all 8) brought their own strengths to the squad; they put the “T” in teamwork, working together to get better and better as each practice and game progressed. I will miss them; they are family.”
Carter Street to be closed to thru traffic this week for sewer line and manhole rehabilitation
February 5, 2023
By: Dwayne Page
The City of Smithville Public Works Department has announced that Carter Street will be closed to through traffic starting this week for the rehabilitation of deteriorating sewer lines and manholes.
Although the street will be closed to the general public, residents who live on Carter Street of course will have access.
The work is the beginning of an almost one-million-dollar project to rehab sewer lines and manholes in certain parts of town including Earl Avenue and West Main Street in addition to Carter Street.
Last September, the aldermen voted to award a bid to the John T. Hall Construction Company of Sparta in the amount of $939,620 which was the least expensive of the three bids submitted. The other two bids were from Pipeworks of Tullahoma at $1,159,000 and H.L. Construction Management of Cleveland for $1,186,000.
Earlier in the year the city had budgeted $750,000 from its share of American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) and Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) grant funds to cover costs of the rehab effort but as it turned out that amount was not enough. The city is making up the difference from its water and sewer fund reserves.
Last March, the city contracted with J.R. Wauford & Company Consulting Engineers to provide services related to the project.
Daniel Tribble, Manager of Field Services for the J.R. Wauford Company who addressed the mayor and aldermen in September said the project will be done in phases.
“Phase one of this project includes the open cut sewer replacement of approximately 2,700 feet of sewer line along Earl Avenue, West Main Street, and Carter Street. The second part of phase one of this job is the CCTV or closed-circuit television inspection of approximately 7,400 feet of sewer lines mostly in cross country areas that flow along creeks and not in roadways. Our plan is to review the CCTV footage and make a recommendation to the city as to the appropriate rehabilitation methods for these areas,” Tribble said.
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