District updates 2021 goals

Image
Subhead

GED program to be offered for community

Body

Cumby ISD and Paris Junior College are partnering to offer GEDs to any community members starting January 2021, according to a video released by the district detailing December updates.

“This may one of things that some of us are the most excited about for this [upcoming] year,” high school principal Donna George said in the video. “We’re hoping to eventually offer some certification programs also.”

For those interested in the program George said to reach out to her or Anita Comer at the high school.

“This program will be in the evenings, and the times and days have not been determined yet,” George said.

In other updates, 4-H project will be incorporated districtwide starting in 2021 with the goal to instill students with needed skills for their careers.

“We’ll be focusing on research by conducting science and STEM-based research projects in grades three through five in the elementary and on into the secondary grade levels,” elementary principal Doug Wicks said.

George said these research projects will similar to science fair projects, and she added building research skills is important for college readiness.

“We hope that starting out young, it will become second nature,” George said. “We want this to be a fun experience that will get them interested in learning and thinking outside of the box.”

The video also stressed the importance of seniors graduating with an associates degree, even if they do not initially plan to attend a four-year university.

“We believe that every student, even if they choose not to attend a four-year university after high school, should be be prepared to enter the workforce day one,” George said. “If they choose later to pursue a four-year degree, they will be prepared and halfway there.”

Dual credit and certification partic-ipation among students has increased this year despite the chaos caused by COVID-19 quarantines, dean of student Megan Petty said. A total of seven students will receive an associates degree by the end of summer 2021.

“We still have a long way to go, but with the success with all students in mind, I feel like we are on the right track,” Petty said.