By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
LCSS students to be graded on weighted 5/4.5 point scale
LCSS logo

The Liberty County School System will be grading its students on a weighted 5 point/ 4.5 point scale beginning this semester, according to Chief Academic Officer Dr. Patti Crane. This was announced during the Aug. 27 Board of Education meeting. Advanced placement and dual enrollment courses that are academic and core electives will contribute to the 5 point scale. Honors and accelerated classes, as well as none core dual enrollment classes, like cosmetology and barbering classes, will contribute to a 4.5 point scale. The grades will be stream lined in Power School from the district level. 

Crane expressed the school system’s desire for its students to be able to “compete at a national level”. 

She went on to say that being graded on a weighted system would look good on college applications and would hopefully give LCSS students a leg up. Students and guardians will be notified by the change through the student handbook, course calendar, and through school counselors and administrators, etc. 

Travel for the 2019 NCTE Annual Conference in Baltimore, Md. and for the Reading Recovery Prof. Development in Harnett Co., N.C was approved. 

BOE also approved Cogdell and Mendrala Architects for their architectural design services in the Roofing Survey Service for several district facilities. It will cost $75,000 which will come from ESPLOST funds.

A permanent outdoor lightning monitoring system has been approved by the Board for $48,735 of ESPLOST funds. LCSS currently doesn’t have one in place, administrators having to use a hand-held monitoring device to alert those participating in school athletic activities. LCSS will begin using Thor Guard lightning prediction and warning systems to monitor and notify those taking part in outdoor activities. The system will be used at Liberty County High School and Bradwell Institute athletic fields, Olvey Field and at Lewis Frasier Middle School. These installations are part of phase one, other middle schools will be fitted with the monitoring system during phase two though no date was given. 

The current HVAC energy management system, which is over 18 years old, is being replaced at three schools for $46,655 worth of ESPLOST funds. 

According to Superintendent Dr. Franklin Perry, the school system spent about $1.9 million on energy, however there currently isn’t enough gathered information to speak to principals about the issue. 

Other things that were approved were: replacing all existing bus fueling pumps with fueling control systems for $96,220; all current and future employed bus drivers will receive incentive pay for perfect attendance for every month in the amount of $100. 

This will be payable on their paychecks for the month after. This incentive will only be available to full-time drivers and aids who are assigned to complete an a.m. and p.m. route per day. Also in concern to LCSS buses, Southern Linc Communications will provide a pilot program for what will be “immediate communication coverage for the buses with limited communication,” according to a LCSS PowerPoint. Nineteen bus radios and four base stations in four schools will be replaced. Fifteen handheld radios are to be given to district principals and assistant principals. All of this is a temporary solution until a permanent solution can be found, according to school officials.


Sign up for our e-newsletters