In his visit to Western North Carolina on Monday evening, N.C. Superintendent of Public Instruction Maurice 鈥淢o鈥� Green called on state lawmakers to fund summer school for public school students who missed class time because of Hurricane Helene.
鈥淲hen you think about the loss of instructional time that students experience because of Hurricane Helene, it's gonna be important that we find ways to get that instructional time back, and the most effective opportunity for us to do that is actually gonna be during this coming summer,鈥� he said
NC House lawmakers tabled a Senate budget proposal to provide $4.5 million for funding for summer classes in school districts where students missed an extended period like Yancey County.
Green, who was sworn in on Jan. 1, made Tuscola High School in Waynesville the first of eight stops on his statewide listening session tour.
Green addressed about 50 people gathered in the school auditorium, asking them to share their thoughts on what programs should continue and what challenges exist in the state鈥檚 public schools. He said the insight he gains during the sessions will help his department and the State Board of Education to draft a comprehensive strategic plan scheduled to be released in June.
Sheila Dale, a school board member of Henderson County Public Schools, said 鈥妕he county had graduation and attendance issues. She said a mentorship program, called the McNair students mentor program, helped address those issues, and she would like to see it expand.
鈥溾�奧e're actually planning on expanding that in Henderson County into every middle school and high school,鈥� Dale said. 鈥淭his is our first year, but I can tell you that the comments and the positive responses from the children have been phenomenal.鈥�
Green thanked Dale for sharing about the program.
鈥溾�奍'm aware of the McNair scholarships, but I'm not aware of the mentoring piece of it, so I appreciate you lifting that up,鈥� Green, former Guilford County Schools Superintendent, said.
He praised educators and staff in Western North Carolina for their efforts in the aftermath of the storm.
鈥淚 can't tell you how many times I heard that the educators rose to the occasion and went out and made sure that their neighbors and their communities were taken care of,鈥� Green said. 鈥淸They] tried to find each and every one of their children, did things that were not in your job description.鈥�
Green described a visit earlier in the day at Hot Springs Elementary School where he spoke with cafeteria workers 鈥渨ho worked seven days a week to be sure that folks were fed.鈥�
While Green was visiting Haywood County, the General Assembly continued to debate the latest round of Helene recovery funding.
Helene caused about $85 million in damages to public school buildings and infrastructure in Western North Carolina, according to 瓜神app.
