Cosway detailed last year he was in Trinidad and Tobago turning a whole country's education system around, and from September to December was in Los Angeles working with turnaround schools there.

“…I'll be giving you a lot of attention,” Cosway said, “and I'm planning to actually live in Farmville.”

He said he is “really looking forward” to living within the community and devoting his time and what skills he has their school.

“It's clear looking (around) the school, very, very briefly, that that inconsistency we were seeing on the chart is very real,” Cosway commented. “That some classrooms are very successful-as you walk past them you get a sense, even without going into them…you could tell there's purposeful teaching and there's good learning going on in those classrooms. And then you pass other areas of the school where that simply isn't the case.”

He added, “A lot of work has clearly been done to improve behavior and to improve attitudes, but there simply is inconsistency and unevenness in the quality of learning and the quality of teaching in the school. And, so focusing on that, is going to be a real priority.”

Cosway suggested that in the time between now and the state tests they pick on two or three major things they can work on intensively with staff and with the students and, hopefully with the community as well “that will make a real difference and…kick start the improvement that we really want in this school.”

Cosway offered that they want to make sure when students go into class that they are interested, teachers are keeping their attention, and that students are active in their learning. They also need to be able to make sure-recognizing that progress has started-that teachers realize they're accountable for the progress that their students make.

“There's lots of good things in this school; there's lots of good teachers in this school, and I think…it's their skills that we need to build on and share more widely with other teachers,” Cosway said.

High School Report

In related news, High School Principal Craig Reed presented an update on the high school turnaround.

Among the highlights:

*Reed reported that they are continuing to monitor teaching in the building, go into the classrooms and observe teachers, and use walk-through data. Next month, they plan to take the walk-through instrument and show it to the teachers.

*He cited that they looked at benchmark data and what the students made for the six weeks.

*Seniors continue to use the daytime remediation program.

At the end of each six weeks, it was also reported, they look at students who did not pass benchmarks and place them in a daytime remediation program, pulling them out of an elective class once or twice a week giving them specialized instruction in the computer lab to provide remediation.

*Seniors and juniors have been placed on a graduation plan. They have a few not on track for graduation and Reed cited that they've placed them in the PLATO lab so they can regain those credits.

*There have been some increases in benchmark achievement. He reported that in Virginia/U. S. History they are at a 90 percent pass mark; and are at 75 percent in Algebra, which had been around 30 percent earlier in the year.

*About five of nine students have retaken the writing portion of the SOLs during retakes, Reed cited.

*Reed also reported that one student who was on track for a regular diploma is now on track for an advanced diploma. Some not on track for graduation at all are now on track for graduation. He cited the use of PLATO remediation and just meeting with the students and the graduation plans.

Reed reported that they are finding that they are becoming continuously dependent on their in school remediation program, but they want to try to get students to stay after school as well.

He also highlighted efforts to increase community involvement. It was noted that two students and a parent have been added to the school improvement team. Reed also cited that a student principal advisory effort would begin; he is expected to meet with students from each grade level every month and talk about ways to improve the school. He also said he is hopeful that they can give him some insight about things going on in the school that he might not see.

Reed highlighted planned goals for guidance counselors to meet with students to discuss schedules for the coming school year.