Rowland Middle School was recognized during Tuesday's meeting of the Public Schools of Robeson County school board for being named by the state as both an Outstanding School of Distinction and a Title I Reward School for Academic Gains. Shanita Wooten, the school's principal, receives the award from Superintendent Johnny Hunt, left, and Mike Smith, school board chairman. | Bob Shiles | The Robesonian

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Hawhana Rising, principal of Orrum Middle School, accepts a certificate of recognition Tuesday from the Public Schools of Robeson County for her school being recognized as a Title I Reward School for Academic Gains. Johnny Hunt, the school district's superintendent, left, and Mike Smith, school board chairman, made the presentation. | Bob Shiles |The Robesonian

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Bob Shiles

Staff writer

LUMBERTON — Members of the Public Schools of Robeson school board were introduced Tuesday to a newly developed district online resource site that offers teachers, administrators and parents access to information pertaining to all areas of curriculum development.

The site, referred to as Public Schools of Robeson County Curriculum Depot, has been in the development stage since August. Information is regularly added after it is reviewed and validated by a committee, according to Linda Emanuel, a district assistant superintendent.

“Especially principals planning staff development will use this site,” Emanuel said.

After getting a brief demonstration on how to use the site, school officials said they believe it will serve as a valuable resource for local educators.

“This is a wonderful asset to improve teaching and learning. It will help improve test scores,” said Johnny Hunt, the district’s superintendent. “It puts a wealth of information at everyone’s fingertips. It’s like one-stop shopping in the classroom.”

Mike Smith, the board’s chairman, and Loistine DeFreece, the board’s vice chairman and a retired educator, also both had good words to say about the new site.

“I’m very impressed. There’s so much information,” Smith said. “It’s especially going to help beginning teachers.”

DeFreece, who had reviewed the system earlier, said that there an abundance of valuable information on the site and it is easy to navigate.

“There’s so much there,” she said. “I spent five hours looking at everything.”

In other business, the school board on Tuesday:

— Honored several schools for being recognized by the state for high academic achievement and academic gains.

Schools honored as Outstanding Schools of Distinction were Lumberton High School, Rowland Middle School and Tanglewood Elementary School. Schools recognized as Title I Reward Schools for academic gains were Rowland Middle, Union Chapel and Orrum Middle.

— Reviewed and approved school improvement plans. The state requires that school districts prepare school improvement plans and that the plans be approved by district school boards.

— Recognized Darryl “Matthew” Howington, a fifth-grade math and science teacher at L. Gilbert Carroll Middle School, as the district’s certified Employee of the Month. Howington was recently named Teacher of the Year for the Public Schools of Robeson County.

— Recognized Cassandra Oxendine, an Exceptional Children’s teacher assistant at Deep Branch Elementary School, as the district’s Classified Employee of the Month.

— Recognized Donna Campbell as the district’s Bus Driver of the Month. Campbell drives for students attending Long Branch Elementary School.