North Carolina Middle School Removes Mirrors From Restrooms
A North Carolina middle school has taken the unusual step of removing mirrors from restrooms to keep TikTok-addicted students from skipping class.
Southern Alamance Middle School recently removed its mirrors because students were constantly filming TikTok videos in the restrooms. School officials say some students were cutting class to record videos for the social media platform, with some visiting the restroom as many as nine times a day.
In addition to removing the mirrors, the school also implemented a digital hall pass system. School district spokesman Les Atkins says the unorthodox strategy is working. “Not as many visits to the bathroom, not staying as long and students are held accountable and then when there’s accountability you see a great difference,” Atkins told WFMY-TV.
Southern Alamance Middle School is in Graham, North Carolina, just a few miles south of Burlington.
8 North Carolina Schools Earned The Distinction of National Blue Ribbon Schools
Yesterday 8 North Carolina schools were named National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education. According to the Department of Education, “the recognition is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student groups on assessments. These schools demonstrate what is possible to make an enduring, positive difference in students’ lives.” A total of 353 schools nationwide received this distinction, this included 313 public schools and 40 private schools. Each of the 8 North Carolina schools recognized was a public school.
The award-winning schools will be formally recognized at an awards ceremony on November 16 and 17, 2023 in Washington, DC. This is the 40th year the Department of Education has selected the National Blue Ribbon Schools. According to the department the criteria for public schools are as follows:
Performance Award Criteria for Public Schools: In order to be eligible for nomination, a school must meet several criteria based on the performance of its students on state assessments in reading (or English language arts) and mathematics or a composite of performance on these assessments with other measures of student performance (e.g., student growth on state assessments, performance on state assessments in other subjects, graduation rates, or other indicators in the state’s accountability system).
You can read more about the eligibility requirements here. Congratulations to each of these eight North Carolina Schools that received the National Blue Ribbon Schools recognition. They represent elementary, middle, and high schools across the state. In fact, there are 7 different school districts represented with the remaining school being a charter school. Keep reading to see and learn a little more about each of these schools. Congratulations and thank you to the teachers and staff of these schools for giving your best to the children of North Carolina!