Video Gallery

Moving Forward

Go to Video Gallery Added Apr 15, 2020 •

Copy this URL:
Embed code:	<iframe class="edlio-embed-player" type="text/html" width="640" height="360" src="//www.mccomb.k12.ms.us/apps/embed/?v=253937" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Change dimensions

Go HD

Dr. Ellis provides information on how the district will continue to support scholars after Governor Reeves's announcement that schools will remain closed for the remainder of this semester.

Show Transcript

Hello parents and guardians. I would like to talk with you again and as I always start on my messages to you, it is my hope that all of you are remaining safe during this crisis, during this unprecedented time. Wanted to make sure that we keep you updated on everything that is going on. As you know, on yesterday, Governor Reeves, he did announce that schools will be closed for the remainder of this semester. This was not an easy decision for Governor Reeves but I think that he thought that all of our children needed to, children needed to be safe during this time, so we so we support Governor Reeves's decision to make sure that all of our scholars and our children are safe. So far I want to update you on our grab-and-go meals. Last week with our grab-and-go meals we provided 1,444 meals. That is a little less than we've done in the past but as you know we have suspended our bus grab-and-go services and we will think about bringing those back at some point. We will continue to provide grab-and-go meals for the remainder of this semester so parents, please know that we will continue to provide feeding for your scholars. At last night's board, at last night's board meeting, the board did approve scholar handbook waivers and recommendations for grading, graduation, and promotion and I will share that with you right now. For grading, for the 4th grading period, what will happen is that the student's 3rd nine weeks grade will roll into that student's 4th nine weeks grade. So for instance, if a student had a 80 for the third nine weeks, that student will also get an 80 for the 4th nine weeks. If the students complete an academic packet an additional 10 points will be added. So using that same example, if a student had an 80 for the 3rd nine weeks, that student would have an 80 for the 4th nine weeks plus those additional 10 points, which would be 90. So that is one of the reasons that we are encouraging you to tell your scholar to complete those academic packets because those academic packets will be extra points for the scholar. If a scholar does not complete that academic packet, it will not be held against him. This is only a bonus for those scholars. So make sure that they complete these academic packets because we want those scholars to be on track when they return to school. Now for our scholars who are in grades 7 through 12. Scholars who are in grades 7 through 12, because they can begin to receive credit as early as 7th grade. For any scholar in grades 7 through 12 who needs more than 10 points, principals will contact those students, those scholars and their parents, and they can receive an additional 10 points. They will create classes in Edgenuity, Google Classroom or any other of our District approved online pieces so that those students can get an additional 10 points. So for any scholar in grades 7 thorugh 12, that scholar has an opportunity to get 20 points added added to their 4th nine weeks grade. Now this Edgenuity piece, is what we're doing for those scholars. It is going to be up to the scholar to complete that. We will do everything in our power to help that scholar; teachers will be available to help those scholars. All you have to do is reach out to the teacher via email, and we will use videos, we will use Zoom, we will use everything in our power so that we can help those scholars complete those academic packets if it is electronic through Edgenuity. So our scholars in high school, our scholars at the junior high school, they can receive a total, a maximum number of 20 points. Again, I want you to know parents, that if the students does not, if the scholars don't complete those academic packets, nothing would be held against them; these are bonus points for them. But I know you're like me, you want to make sure that your scholar is ready for the next school year and you're going to work with us on encouraging those scholars to complete those academic packets. For those students in grade 7 through 12, if those students if those students are assigned something in Edgenuity, the principal will contact you and we will provide Chromebooks for those students who don't have a learning device at home. This will be for those scholars in 7 to 12 because we are providing Edgenuity for those students. We want to make sure that those students have a device to work on so that please, stay by the phone; the principal will contact you so that there is a learning device those students can use to complete that assignment through Edgenuity or whatever platform that principal decides to use. Again, I want you to know the teachers are going to be available. Please email your teacher if you have a concern and also copy the principal on the email. Now I want to talk to you about promotion. For promotion, scholars in grades K through 4, kindergarten through 4th grade, these scholars must pass reading, English language arts, and mathematics in order to be promoted to the next grade level. For scholars in grades 5 and 6, they must pass reading, English language arts, mathematics, and science. For scholars in grades 7 through 8, they must pass English/language arts, mathematics, and science to be promoted. Any high school scholar, in order for them to be promoted to the next grade level, they have to get the proper credits that will send them to that next grade level. What I want you to know parents, that any scholar, any scholar that was in good standing as of March 6th, 2020, that student, that scholar, will progress to the next grade level. So once we got out of school during spring break, if your child was in good standing that child, your scholar, will be promoted to the next grade level. One of the big topics is graduation or commencement exercises. We want to make sure parents, that you know that we're going to do everything in our power to ensure that something happens with the class of 2020. This is a great milestone for those scholars; this is a great milestone for you as parents. Currently, our commencement exercises, they are scheduled for Thursday, May 21st, 2020. Unfortunately, what we have to do now is wait on guidance from Governor Reeves and the Mississippi Department of Education regarding graduation. We don't know what's going to happen; maybe some of those social distances pieces will be lifted after the 30th but we don't know so we have to wait and see. What I want to tell you parents, is that we're going to do everything in our power to make sure that our class of 2020 receives some form of graduation. Currently we are looking at some virtual pieces so that that may be an option to have a virtual graduation if the social distances piece, distancing pieces are still in place. But please know that we're not dropping the ball on this and we are very, very concerned about our graduates. We're concerned about the graduates because I have one; my son is a senior in the 2020 class, the graduating class, so we want to make sure that not my son, but all scholars, have this opportunity because they have earned this opportunity. Parents, please be patient with us; we're going to keep you informed of what's going to happen with graduation. I promise promise we will keep you informed. Let's talk about Val and Sal; the valedictorian and salutatorian. We're going to follow those guidelines in the handbook; the guidelines that, that are approved that are approved by the board in the handbook are the guidelines that we will use to determine who the valedictorian and saluditorian of the class, the graduating class of 2020. If there's a high school student, if you need your transcript, we know that school is out please email both counselors, Mrs. Steptoe and Ms. Butler, and also copy Mr. Lamkin, our high school principal, on that email because we want to make sure that if a high school student needs a transcript that that high school student will be able to receive that transcript in a timely fashion. Report cards, we're scheduled to mail all out report cards on Monday April 20th, no later than Monday, April 20th. So parents, please check your mailbox for those report cards and if you don't get it please email your principal if you don't receive that report card. Just want to update you on academic packets. Distance learning and those academic packets will continue to happen even though school has been closed for the remainder of the semester You will get some future academic packets. We will communicate with you on where those academic packets will be. Right now, if you go to our website and go to the schools, academic packets, there is a link to all of the academic packets that have been provided for scholars and we will continue to do they, do that. As we update those academic packets, as we give additional academic packets, you can always visit the website to download those academic packets. If you need any assistance parents and scholars, in completing those academic packets, please contact your teacher via email and also copy the principal on that, on that email. We want to make sure that learning continues and if you need help you get the help that you need. So parents, please work with us on encouraging scholars to complete those academic packets. Scholars and parents, keep the academic packets in a safe place. I know you have at least two academic packets now  and you'll be getting more, but keep those in a safe place because over the next couple of weeks we will provide you with where you need to turn that academic packet in at your school so that you can receive those 10 points that you rightfully deserve for completing the academic packet. There is also a Home Learning Resource link on our website as well. If you go to the school's website, the school web pages, you will see you will see a Home Learning Resource link. That link have optional, optional, it's not mandatory, but optional online learning resources, that your scholar can complete when they're at home to keep their mind and to keep them academically engaged. We know that during this pandemic, there is much that's going on and so if any scholars are struggling with coping doing this pandemic, please reach out to the counselors; email the counselors because we want to make sure that if there is anything we can do to help students cope during this time, to help our scholars cope during this time then we want to. Just want to remind you that all state assessments have been suspended for the school year; the Kindergarten Readiness assessment, the MKAS has been suspended; the math assessment that students take in grades 3 through 8, that has been suspended; and those high school state assessments have been suspended; so this school year, no students will take, no scholar will be held accountable for taking the state assessment. I want to let you know parents that we are working on Wi-Fi access to our communities. We're waiting and working with a vendor and we will get with you as soon as possible of those locations that will, that we will be providing Wi-Fi access to our scholars and our parents, so stay tuned for that; once we come up with those locations, once we identify those locations we will contact you. It will probably be placed on our website and our Facebook page but we will make sure that you know specifically where those locations are so that our scholars and their parents could have access to Wi-Fi. We're excited about this that we will be able to provide Wi-Fi to our scholars during this crisis. Also we received notification yesterday that C-Spire, the McComb C-Spire, they have extended their Wi-Fi coverage so if you attend, if you go by C-Spire in the parking lot, you can have access to their Internet. So if you need WiFi access, you can go to C-Spire, park in the parking lot and Wi-Fi will be available to students and their parents. Parents, I thank you for your patience during this time. As we always say, these are unprecedented times. We will do everything in our power to keep you informed. I will make sure that we give you weekly updates. If we need to update you more than weekly then we will do that. Please check our website; please check our Facebook page for additional updates that may be happening. Also, Also, we will be providing call-outs so parents, students, scholars, community - we are in this together; we will get through this together; this is an unprecendented time; this is a crisis but I know that we will emerge; we will emerge from this much stronger than we are. We are McComb. We are McComb strong, we're Tiger strong. So parents, scholars, please remain safe during this time. Don't stop doing what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends. recommends. Don't stop doing what the Mississippi State Department of Health recommends with the social distancing, social distancing. So thank you parents and scholars. Be safe and we will keep you updated.

The McComb School District completes all teaching experience/employment verifictions through Verifent.

Video Gallery

Moving Forward

Popular Videos