TOP STORY >> Top students are recognized

AP Scholars with Honor, front row from left, are Layne Burchfield, Lexi Robertson and Sharidan Mitchell. Back row from left are Kyle Ashcraft, Colin Thompson, Benjamin Cameron and Michael Fredricks.

By SHELBY STYRON
Special to The Leader

The Cabot School Board on Sept. 20 approved the 2016-2017 budget of $92.8 million. This is a $1.5 million increase from last year’s budget of $91.3 million.

According to Superintendent Tony Thurman, the highest increases in the budget over last year were in the certified and classified salary fund, debt service fund, and food service fund.

Enrollment is 10,330 students for this 2016-17 school year, which is an increase of 240 students from the 10,090 students enrolled in 2015-16.

“There isn’t any real way to gauge the large increase this year, but there has been an increase in the number of starter family homes available recently. There are good options for affordable housing and when you combine that with a school district that is well known across the state, that could be a strong reason behind the increase,” Thurman said.

Thurman also said that there has been a large number of transfer requests from the Jacksonville area, but the district could not accept those students for this school year.

The board meeting was standing room only as the district honored National Merit Semifinalists and AP Scholars.

For the 2016 AP exams, Cabot had a total of 83 AP Scholars, some of whom have already graduated.

To be considered an AP Scholar, students must score a three or higher on at least three AP exams.

An AP Scholar with Honor is awarded to students with an average score of 3.25 on all AP exams, in addition to scoring three or higher on at least four AP exams. 

To achieve the highest honor, AP Scholar with Distinction, students must average a 3.5 on all AP exams and score at least a three on five or more AP exams. 

AP Scholar with Distinction Joseph Sepulveda

The board also accepted a $5,000 check from the Cabot Country Cruisers to benefit the district and the “PE4life” program.

After the AP Scholars and their families left, the board heard updates and presentations from Cabot High School, ACE, Southside Elementary, Ward Central Elementary, Westside Elementary, Central Elementary and Stagecoach Elementary.

Administrators and teachers shared their school’s vision with school board members and answer questions.