LCS receives additional funding
Money was the major topic. at Tuesday night’s Lexington City Schools (LCS) Board of Education meeting. Dr. Anitra Wells, superintendent of LCS, announced that the system had been approved for over $10 million in Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief (ESSER) III funds. The system has previously been awarded ESSER I and II funds.
The money is part of the Education Stabilization Fund that was established by the U.S. Congress through the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act. The grants are awarded to state educational agencies (SEAs). SEAs provide local educational agencies with emergency relief funds to address the impact COVID-19 has had and continues to have on elementary an secondary schools.
This round of ESSER funds will run through Sept. 30, 2024. Highlights include $1,000 retention bonus for all returning LCS staff, performance bonuses for teachers who perform above satisfaction and a “Grow Our Own Teachers” program that will target freshman who have an interest in teaching as a career. The money set aside for the program will pay for mentors as well as provide students in the program with supplies when they head to college. Mentors in the program will continue their service as the students matriculate through college.
Wells also announced that the ESSER II funds, totaling over $4 million, will be used for instructional support. salaries, benefits, supplies and materials, contracted services, professional development and indirect costs. It will also allow for more students field trips. LCS Assistant Superintendent Emy Garrett stated those would include visits to college campuses and science based museums and centers.
Nicole Piggot, director of Secondary Instruction for LCS, presented updates to the Career and Technical Education (CTE) plan that had been previously approved by the board. Lexington Senior High School is introducing a masonry program, the city of Lexington and the Lexington Fire Department donated a fire truck to the school for use in its fire academy program and adobe video design has been added to the curriculum. Also, a new extra curricular club will begin that will focus on broadcasting. There is a plan to produce a news show for the school. The updates were approved by the board.
A mental health plan was also presented by Piggot. Referencing the bill by the NC legislature stating all school systems should have a mental health plan in place by July 1, Piggot shared with the board that a new social worker has been hired and that LCS has memorandums of understanding with local mental health agencies. The plan was approved.
Other new covered at the meeting:
Beginning the week of June 14, all LCS schools will begin operating on their summer schedule. Schools will be open Monday through Thursday on an extended schedule. All schools will be closed on Fridays. They will return to the normal schedule the week of Aug. 9.
The summer feeding program will begin June 2 and run though July 29. The four stops will occur at the Club Apartments, Helen Caple Village, Pleasant Village and on Jamaica Drive. The drop off schedule can be found here.
