Student growth was a focal point of information, along with the state’s recent release of district report cards, provided in a presentation to the Greenfield Exempted Village School District Board of Education at its September meeting held Monday at Rainsboro Elementary.
District curriculum director Alisa Barrett presented board members information on the district report card and the ways educators continue to strive to help students achieve.
Data provided by Barrett showed not only where the district has struggled to meet indicators over the last two years, but where growth is occurring. And recognizing that growth is really what is important, Barrett said, because there is progress.
“We are moving in the right direction,” she said. But, she said, it could be disappointing when looking at the report card, that digging deeper is needed to see the successes seemingly hidden by the grades.
For instance, Barrett said only one child last year did not pass the Third Grade Guarantee, and that educators are working with the child. But with the district’s student population numbers, that one student is enough to have a negative impact on the testing indicators.
Of the factors that influence the report card results, according to school board president Eric Zint, referencing a news article that broke down each of Ohio’s school district report cards, a clear influence on all aspects of the report card except Gap Closing was the level of poverty in a district.
Poverty is something that rural Highland County and the surrounding areas know well.
According to a report card comparison for 2016 and 2017, GEVS received a D both years for Achievement; for Gap Closing, an F both years; for K-3 Literacy, an F in 2016 and a C in 2017; for Progress, the district went from a C in 2016 to a B in 2017; for Graduation Rate, the district remained the same both years with a D; and for Prepared for Success, GEVS scored an F in 2017, down from a D the year before.
But in the latter category, it was noted that the scoring is based on how many students take college-ready examinations, like the ACT. When a student does not take the ACT, the district is “dinged,” according to Barrett and superintendent Joe Wills.
Barrett also provided a comparison of the GEVS grades in relation to the rest of the region: Achievement – five Cs and seven Ds; Gap Closing – one B, three Cs, one D, and seven Fs; K-3 Literacy – one A, five Bs, and six Cs; Progress – one A, nine Bs, and two Ds; Graduation Rate – three As, five Bs, three Cs, and one D; and Prepared for Success – one C, seven Ds, and four Fs.
Complete district report cards can be found at education.ohio.gov. Click on the button for the 2016-17 Ohio School Report Cards.
Rainsboro Principal Quincey Gray provided an update on her students and Rainsboro’s overall improvement in testing scores, particularly the American Institute of Research (AIR) assessment tests, which the students have taken the past two years. According to the information Gray provided, Rainsboro’s Performance Index went from a D in the 2015-16 school year to a C last school year, and the K-3 Literacy grade went from an F two years ago to a C last school year. The school received a B both years in Progress.
Gray said news from Rainsboro this year includes the preschool being rated five stars in the Step Up To Quality rating, a district book study on individualizing student instruction, a third-through-fifth-grade book study, small group math instruction across grade levels, students receiving reading and math intervention and enrichment within the classroom, continued intervention and enrichment that is “fluid” and occurring at times across grade levels, and students having recess before lunch, which Gray said has made for a much more calm student body during and after lunch.
As a way to connect families with the information to understand the state grading of the district, the GEVS website will have an achievement page, according to Barrett and Wills. Report card information and a resource link will be available on the page.
Also on the website is an employment page, Wills said, which is available now. The GEVS website is greenfield.k12.oh.us.
In other business, Wills reported that the McClain FFA recently held a fundraiser that raised more than $2,000 for Hurricane Harvey victims.
Items included on the consent agenda approved by the board were as follows:
• Accept the resignation of Marcus Coleman, eighth grade boys basketball coach;
• Accept a donation of $3,000 from New Sabina Industries;
• Approve the agenda for the McClain FFA to participate in a livestock judging contest in Kansas City, Mo. next month.
Recommendations for employment approved by the board were Kristen Wise, aide; Kaleb Shepherd, BASC aide; Cassandra Cassidy, bus driver; Mary Washburn, substitute; Matthew Peters, substitute; Mary Peters, substitute; Tonia McLanahan, substitute; Rodney Captain, substitute; April Howland, substitute; Luis Rivas, substitute; Chelsi Ertel, aide/monitor; Theresa Kossler, aide/monitor, cafeteria; Renae Harris, aide/monitor, cafeteria; Amanda Boles, aide/monitor, cafeteria, clerical, and custodian; Shannon Coleman, cafeteria; Tonia McLanahan, aide/monitor; Amy Duchess, cafeteria; Drew Hamilton, eighth grade girls basketball, girls golf assistant; Amy Hill, Lego League adviser; Jaclyn Raike, annual assistant and Lego League adviser; Travis Snyder, boys basketball assistant; Tyler Jackson, technology aide; Troy Seely, eighth grade boys basketball; and Nick Smith, football.
The Greenfield Exempted Village School District Board of Education meets again in regular session on Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. in the central office board room. The meetings are open to the public.
Angela Shepherd is a contributing writer for The Times-Gazette.
