School board discusses school grades

By Alice Wadley Staff writer

The Emery County School District held their meeting on Oct. 5 at Castle Dale Elementary. Ryan Maughan, supervisor of student services gave a presentation for the working session of the meeting. He explained the Prepare Access Complete Economic Success program. It is the governor’s initiative program. The goals of this initiative are to be “On PACE 66 percent by 2020.” The initiative seeks to increase the state’s educational performance to reach the 66 percent benchmark. The key targets are to have 13 percent of the workforce with a board approved certificate, 14 percent of the workforce with an associates degree, 28 percent with a bachelor’s degree and 11 percent of the workforce will have graduate degrees.
Maughan explained the School Federal Accountability report. It encourages school accountability. The grades are based on a points system. Non-high schools can receive a maximum score of 600 points. There are two score categories, student proficiency and student growth with each category receiving a 300 maximum. Student growth measures the academic progress each student has made in a year. Growth level is completely independent of a previous year’s achievement level for individual students. For an individual student, growth is a measure of progress academic achievement.
The student growth data gives educators a baseline to improve. It shows a proficiency score, comparing the current year, the prior year and how the student performed compared to their academically similar peers. The data will show specific subjects to address needs. It gives educators enough information to ask questions.
High schools have a maximum of 900 points. The additional points are for the graduation rate and ACT scores over 18. Emery High has a graduation rate of 90 percent compared to the state average. The state average is 80 percent. To be counted in the scoring a student must be enrolled in the school for 150 days.
Principal JR Jones from Book Cliff Elementary was in attendance to inform the school board of the turnaround plan for Book Cliff Elementary. The school received a failing grade. Ralph Worthen, supervisor of elementary education met with Principal Jones at the school. Principal Jones is working very hard to improve the schools overall grade. Worthen said Book Cliff faces some unique factors in Green River.
Principal Jones and Worthen spoke to a representative from the state school board about the school turnaround program. She is tentatively scheduled to meet with Principal Jones on Oct. 18. The school will participate in school turnaround and leadership. They will meet quarterly with other turnaround schools. Principal Jones will schedule a meeting for parents to attend and will encourage all interested community members to attend as well.
Principal Jones said, we are looking forward to this and think it will be a good thing for the school. Board member Marie Johnson commented, we don’t want to look at this negatively by saying the school is failing. We want to look at it positively as a school that received a failing grade.
Jed Jensen, supervisor of secondary education has met with Principal Kacey Fluckey from Green River High School. They have started their block schedule and it is going well. The teachers have been instrumental in the success because they have had to change the way they teach their lessons.
At the regular session Superintendent Larry Davis submitted Tammy Duncan for approval as a route driver for the Canyon View activity route. It was approved.
The board discussed SAGE testing for the 11th grade. There is a committee in place that discussed the possibility of opting out of the SAGE testing. A great number of Emery High 11th graders already take the ACT test. The committee decided to not participate in the SAGE testing this year.
The board approved the digital teaching and learning grant application.
Principal Melinda Durrant gave the principals report. She said, This year we started a bucket filler. If a student displays good citizenship, kindness or other positive behavior they receive a warm fuzzy to put in the bucket. The kids really get into it and think it is fun to do kind things.
We have gotten our iPad labratory in the classrooms. Some of our teachers use Google classrooms. They can use existing lesson plans or create their own. We had teachers attend the Mastery Connect conference this summer. This is the second year we have been using Mastery Connect. Castle Dale Elementary will be starting a robotics club. There will be two levels, Kindergarten-3rd grade and 4-6th grade. We are in our first year of not including homework in student’s grades. We will assess the success of the homework at the end of the year. The 4-6th grade students from Castle Dale and Cottonwood elementary schools went to the state capitol building for a tour. The school participated in the national walk to school day.
The Parent Teacher Organization has set up an Amazon Smile account for the school. Amazon Smile will donate a portion of purchase to the charitable organization of your choice. The school is listed under Castle Dale Elementary PTO. We will have the better things to do than drugs workshops again this year. There will be a lock down drill with the sheriff’s office in November. We will sing songs at the Veteran’s Day program on Nov. 11. The school board thanked Principal Durrant for her report.
Jared Black, business administrator reported the audit went well. There will be another work session next month at 6 p.m. prior to the regular school board meeting.
Superintendent Larry Davis discussed the alternate pathway to teaching program. The state office has created a task force. The district will wait for the state guidelines before moving forward on the program. There will be a youth protection seminar on Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. at the Emery High School little theater. The seminar topics will be substance abuse, bullying, mental health, and internet safety.