By HOLLY GASKILL
Test scores at Southern Wells are lower than administrators would like, but they’re putting in the groundwork to combat slumps.
Jr./Sr. High School Principal Kim Conner and Elementary Principal Kristen Wall presented their annual school improvement plans during the school board’s meeting Tuesday evening. Either administrator provided a plan to turn downward-trending data around.
Conner, for example, showed scores from Advanced Placement Calculus, which, if scoring a three or higher on the AP test, can earn college credit. Among last year’s class of 11 students, however, every student scored a one. The year before, two-thirds of the class scored a one.
With this in mind, Conner said the teacher consulted the AP Calculus teacher at South Adams High School, who’s had a higher percentage of students passing the test. Conner said the school would also look into professional development opportunities for the AP teachers.
Additionally, Conner is implementing attendance incentives and disciplinary plans to cut down on repeat offenders.
Meanwhile, Wall explained she’s picking up the third year of a three-year plan of her predecessor, Cari Whicker. Wall showed ILEARN statistics for the last three years, which show a downward trend both at Southern Wells and statewide.
That said, Southern Wells previously scored higher than state averages but has dipped just below the state average in the last two years.
Assistant Principal Jessica Killingback said she’s begun implementing daily practice problems based on ILEARN questions among the third grade. She hopes this regular repetition helps the teacher identify items for review and students who need extra support, as well as makes the test format more familiar to the students.
Superintendent Trent Lehman commended the administrators, teachers, and students, noting that the state testing requirements are often a “moving target.”
Other items were:
• Lehman notified the board the technology fees for this year would be lower than previous years. A detailed list of these charges is available on the school’s website.
• A series of items provided by school maintenance were declared as “surplus,” allowing the district to sell them. The funds, Lehman said, will go into the general maintenance fund.
• The board accepted the resignation of instructional aide Gina Pence.
• The following employment recommendations were approved: Tonia Harris, custodian; Eric Pence, junior high football assistant coach; Kyle Penrod, junior varsity football assistant coach; Chris Duncan and Amanda Lane, softball assistant coaches; and Annette Loney, concession stand manager. The board also approved a stipend for Joel Roush to cover athletic director responsibilities and Principal Kim Conner to cover preschool director responsibilities.
• Martha Paxson was also approved as Sunshine sponsor, Taylor Benedict as prom sponsor, and Whitney Powell as freshman class sponsor.
• Donations were accepted from Chapel Grove Church for elementary student needs and Smith Garage & Trucking, Prible Ag Products, McNatt Friendship Circle, and McNatt Men for the senior trip.
• Approved field trip requests from the physics class to visit Cedar Point on May 6, 2024, and the cross country team to go to Terre Haute Nov. 11-12 for the Midwest Regional competition.
• Approved facility use requested from PIE for Moments with Mom on Oct. 11 in the elementary school cafeteria; a Cub Scout recruitment meeting on Sept. 27 in the elementary school cafeteria; Senior Sunrise Fellowship on the football field on Sept. 26; and the Youth for Christ banquet on Nov. 2 in the high school cafeteria.
• The board approved a series of fundraisers, including a list of fundraisers for the junior high student council; girls’ basketball to sell pork chop dinner tickets Oct. 23-Nov. 10, host elementary intramurals in September and October, calendar days, and youth camp May 13-16; football to participate in Wells County Rural Town Clean-Up Day on Sept. 30; FCCLA Dine to Donate Oct. 4 and Nov. 8; PIE selling LaBraid Oct. 11-27; fifth grade to sell DARE t-shirts; Sunshine Club to sell caramel brownies; athletics to sell laundry soap and Wick’s pies; and physics alumni game on Jan. 6.
holly@news-banner.com
