Video: McGill Speaks to Rotary about State of Columbus Schools

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COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Officials for Columbus Schools are speaking out about the future of the district. Interim Superintendent Edna McGill spoke before the Columbus Rotary today.

“We would love to have the the district functioning at an “A” level and we think that’s very attainable in the near future,” says McGill.

Edna McGill is currently serving as the Interim Superintendent for the Columbus Municipal School District. She spoke to the Columbus Rotary about the state of the district and plans to make it better.

“We’re looking ahead at the possibility of infusing STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Particularly at the high school, to prepare our students to be ready for jobs in the manufacturing area, in engineering and in the higher level, skilled jobs,” says McGill.

McGill says the district is applying for a $7 million grant from the Department of Labor to create a STEM program. In addition, the grant would help build a robotics and engineering lab at the high school. She also wants to ensure that students meet the state’s Common Core standards.

“Contrary to a lot of rumors, the state standards are not a national curriculum. They are standards that are designed to help our students be prepared for college or career,” says McGill.

Columbus Teachers have also undergone extensive professional development and are preparing for state assessment tests this spring.

The Columbus School District is also applying for a $1 million grant to build a STEM program for middle school students.