Pennington named NES principal
By Staff, 04/30/19 9:09 AMROSSTON – Tonda Pennington was hired to be the new principal for Nevada Elementary School during the Nevada School Board’s April meeting Monday night.
Pennington has 21-years classroom experience and will take over as the NES principal and federal program coordinator for the district.
The board also recognized students of the month for March and April. The NES student of the month for March was Payton Smith, who, it was said, goes above and beyond in and out of school, is on the A/B honor roll and enthusiastically helped decorate the hallways for special events. The high school student for March was Brianna Lowe, who is a model student, the top of her class, a good citizen and friend to her peers.
Gabby Evans was named April NES student of the month. Her recommendation included her having excellent behavior, leadership qualities and being dependable and polite. Tabriunna Bartee was the high school student for April. It’s said she’s concerned with her grades, is respectful, an example to others and has a 4.0 GPA.
Nevada Principal Jason Arrington said the district scored a C on the “Every Student Can Succeed Act” tests, showing no change from last year’s score. However, he told the board Nevada is in good shape compared to other nearby schools and schools of similar size across the state. He said the district is looking to see where it can improve and work on those areas.
He told the board of attending the Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce Banquet last Thursday, with Milton Lowe being names Nevada’s Teacher of the Year and Carolyn Dixon earning Student of the Year honors for the district. He added board member Todd Brown was recognized as being the Farm Family of the Year.
ACT Aspire testing, he said, is done, and now the district is waiting for the test results.
Arrington told the board of important dates coming up, including AP testing on May 6, the Academic Awards ceremony and sports banquet on May 7 and graduation on May 9 at 7 p.m. Semester tests will be the week of May 20 and the district plans on having a “summer sendoff” on May 17 for the students.
Superintendent Rick McAfee said the legislative session has ended with 76 new laws the district will have to change its policies to be in agreement with.
He said the district has been working with the City of Rosston on a street program and will get School Street paved, saving the district more than $200,000. When the district installed its playground equipment 25 years ago, it was with the understanding the area could be used as a city park after school hours and during the summer. He added when new equipment was added last year, the city worked to help with paving on School St.
The board accepted the resignation of Melissa Qualls, a middle school math teacher, who accepted a position in Jessieville. The board gave McAfee permission to advertise for the positions of middle school math teacher, high school special education instructor and high school math teacher, along with any other openings that may occur.
