By HOLLY GASKILL
Looking into a new school year, the Norwell Community School board is also looking back at the district’s previous successes and needs.
Tuesday, during a strategic planning session, each school principal shared data from the previous year.
In 2023, 184 students graduated from the district and another received a Certification of Completion. Norwell High School Principal Kam Meyer reported these graduates earned a total of 1,290 college credits, an estimated $350,000 cost savings, and 107 students passed an Advanced Placement exam, possibly earning additional college credit. There are now 40 dual-credit opportunities within the school, and Meyer stated the school hopes to add two more dual-credit courses.
However, two students did not graduate, with one dropping out due to lack of interest and another transferring districts and not re-enrolling. The class graduated 16 students from the alternative school, but Meyer emphasized that the administration is focused on identifying student needs early to provide support and graduation pathways.
For the middle school, Principal Andrew Enderle highlighted the school’s test scores, which exceed state averages, but not at a level Enderle would like to aim for. Statewide, 26.6 percent of seventh grade students are categorized as proficient in math and language arts on the ILEARN test. At NWS, 44 percent of seventh grade students are proficient.
“In my mind, it’s hard for me to grasp that a 30 percent passing rate is what our target should be,” Enderle said. “I want to push us in the direction of being a comparative … to look at some schools who are at the top of the passing rate because we have to get there. We have a 20 percent margin demand gap (to that level) — and that’s a huge margin, but somebody’s doing it the right way.”
Enderle said the school is implementing an intervention block in the school schedule and high school credit opportunities, as well as implementing data systems to identify school and student needs.
Lancaster Elementary Principal Ginger Butcher and Ossian Elementary Principal Theresa Casto also shared state testing data, which similarly showed passing rates above state averages. Across the grades and subjects, 44.8 percent of OES students and 44 percent of LES students meet or exceed proficiency standards.
In wanting to increase those percentages, either school plans to implement more regular meetings to discuss improving instruction, at-risk students, and goal-setting.
As a district, Assistant Superintendent Anna Murphy and Superintendent Mike Springer outlined a number of 2022-23 completed projects and goals for 2023-24. In the previous year, Murphy highlighted raises and professional development for teachers, additional dual-credit and career and technical opportunities, and school safety investments, among many other items.
The following future goals were outlined:
• Establish student achievement goals
• Finalize implementation of the data warehouse system
• Adopt elementary science curriculum
• Reviewing related arts curricular materials
• Implement NMS alternative school programming at the C.O. location
• Establish clear protocols and expectations for participation in district-wide decision-making processes
• Reimplement a new teacher mentor program for all teachers new to the district
• Establish and consistently implement the Norwell Next rebranding guide
At the next strategic planning meeting, Sept. 12, the district will host a budget workshop to review the previous year’s finances and prepare the upcoming budget.
holly@news-banner.com
