April Healy was named head girls basketball coach for Worth County by the Worth County School Board at their regular meeting Wednesday. There had been a groundswell of support for her taking the job, and the girls lit up at the news when told about the board’s move. She will continue to serve as the junior high boys coach.
The board also named Selina O’Connor as concession stand manager.
The school rated federal programs as “Excellent.” There are 1.43 FTE reading teachers and one FTE math teacher. Staff for communication arts and math are provided. The district provides Title One services schoolwide, meaning all students are eligible to receive additional support in the area of communication arts and math. There is support to create reading success plans. Concerns include the fact that all funds are spent on personnel, so programs that were funded in the past must come from local funds.
Worth County Parents as Teachers was rated as “Above Average.” The Parent Educator is trained and is building relationships with families. Number of family visits increased by 15% last school year. It provides services to families that are eligible and responsive to services. Concerns include contacting and communication with eligible families.
The Special Education Program was rated as “Above Average.” There are CPI trained staff, a paraprofessional to help with speech Response to Intervention, two teachers trained in transition skills for junior high and high school students, and 2.8 special education teachers and a special education director. Teachers and paraprofessionals participate in autism training. ACES provides high quality therapists to help. Staff works to address the needs of special education students in the regular classroom. High school special education students work with Vocational Rehab and their classroom teacher to prepare for life after high school. The school has a speech language pathologist for the current school year. Concerns listed include a lack of a life skills room in the future, staffing to help with high needs students, the lack of a safe room in the high school, challenges with high needs students, no gifted program, and lack of knowledge and strategies to handle behaviors, autism, and Down Syndrome. Recommendations include monitoring teachers and support staff to make sure they are working with students in need, looking for professional development opportunities to help with handling behaviors, autism, and Down Syndrome, looking at options for a life skills room, and preparation for high needs students as they progress to junior high and high school.
The board voted to declare a 2005 Chevy van with 280,000 miles as surplus property.
Elementary Principal Chuck Borey reported that a new Coderz Club has formed at the school. It consists of third through fifth grade students and is all about math and science. They will compete against each other and complete coding missions each week. They meet every Thursday throughout the school year.
Grandparents Day was held at the school September 6th. Around 380 grandparents attended.
First Interstate Bank employees Rebecca Summers, Haley Ridge, Aubrey Huntsman, and Diane Dannar came to the school on September 11th for the company’s Volunteer Day. They bagged 252 bags for Friday Friends and bagged up several hygiene items for Mrs. Campbell.
Friday Friends, formerly known as Backpack Buddies, provides kids whose families qualify for free & reduced lunches or are facing hardships with a sack of food each Friday for the weekend at no cost to the families. This is a partnership between the school and Mission Possible. Funds are raised through donations from local churches, individuals, and grants.
The school is in the process of implementing Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support. It involves developing clear behavioral expectations, teaching these expectations, acknowledging appropriate behavior, and using behavioral data to systematically solve problems.
High School Principal Josh Smith reported on curriculum work at the school. Government students are investigating and reporting on countries’ governmental structure. Eighth grade social studies students are tracing the causes and consequences of Indigenous peoples’ arrival to the US and studying the Iroquois constitution. Seventh grade art students are learning how to make 3D art. Band students are working on how to create shapes that represent the music being performed, including a “WC” formation during the fight song.
The school will again will have an attendance challenge by grade level. The class with the highest attendance percentage for each time period will receive an incentive. The first winning class will be named in September.
Activities Director Cree Beverlin reported that new renovations at the softball field are complete for this year. There are new bleachers at the football field and new concrete landings. The gym floor has been completely redone. There is a new logo in the center and a brighter color scheme. There are 26 boys out for high school football, including four NEN students. There are 22 junior high boys out for football, including nine NEN students. There are 12 girls out for softball, with everybody back for next year. There are 15 junior high girls out for softball, including seven sixth graders. There are 12 girls out for golf. There are 48 students out for band, eight girls out for high school cheer, and seven out for junior high cheer.
Vocational Ag teacher Kyle Dignan reported on welding shop improvements. He reported that 38 students signed up for FFA.
Enrollment has increase by 27 students from last year, with 295 students.
The board voted to set professional development rates for activity done outside of school time. Teachers will be paid $50/hour for preparing and presenting professional development, $30/hour for professional development and/or tutoring, and $15/hour for paraprofessionals to do professional development and/or tutoring.
The board voted to set substitute pay for the current school year. Substitute teachers will see their pay raised from $91/day to $98/day. Bus drivers will see their pay go from $65/day to $70/day. Custodians will see their pay rise from $11/hour to $12.30/hour. Secretaries will see their pay go from $11.50/hour to $12.30.
No comments:
Post a Comment