PCE benefiting from Title I status
By Staff
Jason Cannon, Franklin County Times
PHIL CAMPBELL – The students at Phil Campbell Elementary are currently reaping the benefits of becoming a Title 1 school.
PCE Principal Jackie Ergle said being a Title 1 school allows Title 1 funding to be used school wide rather than a select group of students.
"We are able to offer our students so much more as a Title 1 school," Ergle said. "Our resources can now be shared with the entire school so all students benefit."
The school is required to hold two parent-teacher meetings per year, enabling parents to stay informed of the school's progress, and to help the parents understand their role in their child's classroom success.
PCE held their first meeting of the school year yesterday, and attendance for the workshop was phenomenal.
"We had about 20 parents here (Thursday) morning, and we could not be happier with the results," Ergle said.
Parents were also given the school's test grades from last year. PCE exceeded state standards in both math and reading, but Ergle said that it takes work between the parents, teachers and students to keep these test scores up. She said that communication between parent and teacher is imperative to the student's success.
Three sessions were offered to the parents as part of the Title 1 meeting. Presenters touched on achieving success with reading, interpreting test scores and working with gifted students as part of the sessions.
This is the school's second year as a Title 1 school.
Ergle said that Title 1 funding has made is possible for the school to purchase new software for the computer labs, which would not be possible if they were not a Title 1 school.
"All our teachers are Title 1 teachers, and our students are getting the benefits of it," Ergle said.
PCE has also become an AMSTI school this year, which has made a dramatic difference in the student's educational experience.
"I had one parent come up to me and say that their child did not want to miss school because of science in the classroom," Ergle said.