By Nathan Prewett, For the Tribune
LEEDS – A new principal was hired for Leeds Primary School at a Leeds Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 13.
A native of Tuscaloosa, Steven Porter went to the University of Alabama and was hired at Leeds High School in 2013 as a freshman history teacher and soccer coach. He was involved in the soccer programs and continued teaching history before going on in 2019 to Ashville Middle School for two years.
He returned to Leeds in 2021 to take a position at Leeds Middle School as assistant principal.
“I’ve been gifted by God to be on this pathway,” Porter said. “And I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to serve both the faculty and the students and the community of Leeds, something I’ll always aspire to do. My plan is to support the teachers, to love the kids, and to continue what they’ve already started in making LPS the happiest place on earth.”
Jason Baker, Director of Secondary Education and Testing, presented highlights of the Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program (ACAP) scores, where student progress is tested for math, science, and English Language Arts (ELA).
Schools were rated based on four levels, with level four being the best and level one indicating a need for improvement. Students are considered proficient if they score a level of three or four. Two and one are non-proficient.
In the third grade, more than half of the students tested for ELA were proficient. Math in grades four and five, however, were rated lower. In middle school, students tested proficiently in ELA in grades six and eight. Baker pointed out that seventh-grade students struggled in math, which is a cause for concern. Math in sixth and eighth grades fared slightly better, he said.
Superintendent John Moore expressed hopes that the problems that middle school students have with math may be eased with the recent hiring of a full-time interventionist, as well as a nationally certified sixth-grade math teacher.
A page on ACAP results can be seen on the Alabama State Education Department’s website.
Chief Financial Officer Ryan Miller gave his report for the month of July, which was the 10th month of the fiscal year. The district received 86.92% of the general fund revenue. In addition, 103.51% of the local revenue was received, up 8.39% from this time in 2021.
Expenditures and other fund use in the General Fund were 79.67%, under a target of 83%. Accounts payable were $453,597, and gross payroll expenditures were $781,884. The month ended with an excess of revenues over expenditures in the General Fund of $1,994,005. The unreserved fund balance was $5,133,277.
The next meeting is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 13. The Leeds Board of Education Meetings take place at 1517 Hurst Avenue Northeast.
Nathan Prewett can be reached at nthomasp6@gmail.com.