School system asks for community help

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) - After filling a $15 million deficit, Norfolk Public School leaders say they need more community support to educate Norfolk's Children.

Wednesday, Norfolk's Interim Superintendent Mike Spencer put forth a call to action. The announcement was made at P. B. Young Elementary School, where some community leaders got to act as principal and assistant principal for the day.

P. B. Young's Elementary School Principal Alana Balthazar says the school has already seen a 20 percent increase in reading scores from community involvement.

Norfolk School leaders want more people to participate so they can recreate those numbers elsewhere.

By day, Janet McCaskey owns an insurance business, but Wednesday she was reading with elementary school students. McCaskey, who has a college aged son, decided to get involved with Norfolk Public Schools as a way to reconnect to children in her community.

"If they can't read they are not going to be able to succeed so encouraging them to read those books is just awesome," said McCaskey.

"We're thankful and merciful for what they can provide," said Balthazar.

Balthazar says not only are reading scores up, but discipline referrals are down. Which is why Interim Superintendent Mike Spencer called on other community leaders and business owners like McCaskey to step up. He says more involvement will help bolster Norfolk public schools graduation rates, increase the number of accredited schools and decrease school violence.

"It's just a piece of it still the core mission of the schools is the core instruction the academics, the efforts that we're talking about here today augment supplement what goes on in the classroom so it's not intended to take the place of it but add a layer of richness to it," said Spencer.

As part of the new initiative, Norfolk Public Schools r olled out a new website today where people can get more information on how to help the schools. It can be found at www.supportnps.org.

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