Halifax County Schools (North Carolina)

Halifax County Schools is a PK–12 graded school district serving Halifax County, North Carolina. Its 10 schools serve 2,566 students as of the 2016–17 school year.

Halifax County Schools
Location
Halifax County, North Carolina
United States
District information
TypePublic
GradesPK–12
SuperintendentEric Cunningham
Schools10
Budget$ 49,936,000
NCES District ID3701950[1]
Students and staff
Students2,566
Teachers262.83 (on FTE basis)
Staff324.57 (on FTE basis)
Student–teacher ratio15.52:1
Other information
Websitewww.halifax.k12.nc.us

History

In 1969, the North Carolina General Assembly had authorized the town of Scotland Neck to form its own school district. The United States Justice Department filed a suit and the United States District Courts blocked the split later that year. The state and the new Scotland Neck school board appealed. Eventually the case was appealed to the United States Supreme Court in 1971.[2] The Supreme Court ruled against the split in June, 1972.[3]

A 2011 report by the University of North Carolina Center for Civil Rights found that segregation and inequality still exists in Halifax County because of the three separate city and county school systems. The Halifax County Schools system is run independently of the Roanoke Rapids Graded School District and Weldon City Schools. The county system had struggled for many years with funding and school performance issues. The report strongly suggested merging the systems.[4][5] School performance issues gained media attention in 2011 when North Carolina's ABCs of Education report showed that 6 of the 13 lowest performing schools in the state belonged to the county school district.[6]

Student demographics

For the 2010–11 school year, Halifax County Schools had a total population of 4,079 students and 191.89 teachers on a (FTE) basis. This produced a student-teacher ratio of 15.52:1.[1] That same year, out of the total student population, the gender ratio was 51% male to 49% female. The demographic group makeup was: Black, 87%; American Indian, 6%; White, 5%; Hispanic, 2%; and Asian/Pacific Islander, 0% (two or more races: 1%).[7] For the same school year, 90.09% of the students received free and reduced-cost lunches.[8]

As of 2013 it, along with Weldon City Schools, has a student body that is almost all of races other than non-Hispanic white, while the student body of Roanoke Rapids Graded School District is 70% white.[9]

Governance

The primary governing body of Halifax County Schools follows a council–manager government format with a seven-member Board of Education appointing a Superintendent to run the day-to-day operations of the system. The school system currently resides in the North Carolina State Board of Education's Third District.[10]

Board of education

The seven members of the Board of Education generally meet on the first Monday of each month. The current members of the board are: Carolyn Hawkins, Claude Cooper (Chair), Joyce Lashley (Vice-Chair), Charles Hedgepeth, Tyus Few, James Davis III, and Susie Lynch-Evans.[11]

Superintendent

The current Superintendent is Dr. Eric Cunningham. He was appointed in July 2016. He formally served at Nash County Schools as the Assistant Superintendent. The Superintendent of the system was Elease Frederick. She began in 2009 after Geraldine Middleton resigned. Frederick was born in Halifax County and attended school there. She later returned and worked for many years in the Halifax County Schools administration. Her most recent prior position was as associate superintendent for the system. Dr. Frederick retired in June 2016.[12]

Member schools

Halifax County Schools has 10 schools ranging from pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade. Those schools are separated into two high schools, two middle schools, and six elementary schools.[13]

High schools
  • Northwest Collegiate and Technical Academy (Littleton)
  • Southeast Collegiate Prep Academy (Halifax)

Middle schools

Elementary schools
  • Aurelian Springs Institute of Global Learning (Littleton)
  • Everetts Elementary STEM Academy (Roanoke Rapids)
  • Hollister Elementary Leadership Academy (Hollister)
  • Inborden Elementary STEAM Academy (Enfield)
  • Pittman Elementary Leadership Academy (Enfield)
  • Scotland Neck Elementary Leadership Academy (Scotland Neck)

Athletics

According to the North Carolina High School Athletic Association, for the 2018–2019 school year: Northwest Collegiate & Technical Academy and Southeast Collegiate Prep Academy are both 1A school in the Tar Roanoke Conference.[14]

See also

References
  1. "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Halifax County Schools". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  2. "Carolina School System Split Goes To U.S. Supreme Court". The Evening Independent. AP. October 12, 1971. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
  3. Micciche, S (June 23, 1972). "High court bars new school systems that impede integration". The Boston Globe. p. 5.
  4. Charbonneau, Mike (May 9, 2011). "UNC report focuses on schools in Halifax County". WRAL. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
  5. "The State of Education in Halifax County, NC". University of North Carolina School of Law. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
  6. Minnick, Beau (August 5, 2011). "Low-performing schools rile Halifax leaders, parents". WRAL. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
  7. "Percentage of Students in Each Demographic Group". North Carolina’s School Report Cards. NC Department of Public Instruction. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  8. "2010–2011". Free & Reduced Meals Application Data. NC Department of Public Instruction. Archived from the original (XLS) on April 23, 2012. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  9. Boser, Ulrich (August 2013). "Size Matters: A Look at School-District Consolidation" (PDF). Center for American Progress. p. 5 (PDF p. 11/26). Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  10. "Education Districts". NC State Board of Education. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  11. "Board of Education". Halifax County Schools. Archived from the original on April 21, 2013. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
  12. Batts, Della (December 8, 2009). "Frederick to lead Halifax schools". The Roanoke Rapids Daily Herald. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
  13. "Halifax County Schools Listing". Halifax County Schools. Archived from the original on October 20, 2012. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
  14. "NCHSAA CONFERENCES 2012–13". NCHSAA website. NCHSAA. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 16, 2012. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
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