SA focused on plans

BERNE — Discussion at South Adams School Board on Tuesday was centered on analyzing both the past and the future of the school system.
Each principal presented plans to the board for the future of their school and also showed the assessment of how past plans came to fruition. The board also approved a new technical program to teach students fire and rescue training.
After showing improvement in scores from 2010 to ’12, passing scores in 2013 decreased for South Adams High School.
In English 10, only 69.3 percent passed, compared to 2012 when 84.2 passed. In Algebra 1, the percentage passing decreased to 78.4 percent from the previous year’s 91.1 percent.
Principal Trent Lehman attributed the lower scores to the increased number of at-risk students.
“We were really shocked by their scores,” said Lehman. “Any time you get results you don’t like, you take a closer look.”
Lehman plans to find ways to increase those percentages by looking at how the school is measuring its key objectives and if it’s being done effectively, focusing on reading comprehension and the ability to compare and contrast complex text.
“We feel we’re a top 25 percent school,” said Lehman. “How do we really know students have mastered these core objectives?”
For the future, the high school has goals of achieving an attendance rate of 97 percent or greater with the assistance of better parental communication, and having 90 percent or more students consistently pass Algebra 1 and English 10 course assessments by the end of their sophomore year.
Showing growth over four years, South Adams Middle School principal Jeff Rich plans to continue staying student-centered in his plan to stay moving forward.
Recently-released ISTEP data shows the school has improved in its percentage of students who have passed both math and English, increasing to 80.3 from 80 percent in 2012 and 76.7 percent in 2011.
“We hope to see growth,” said Rich. “For the four years, we have grown. Each of our grades have grown.”
For this school year, Rich and his improvement team plan to target reading comprehension and problem solving to have 90 percent of students by spring 2016 meet Indiana Academic Standard in English and math.
Rich plans to focus on quarterly data analysis and small group direct instruction during and after school to achieve his school’s goal.
“It’s about being student centered and helping our students find success,” said Rich.
Having passing percentages that have fluctuated in past years, South Adams Elementary School has seen growth in more than one area.
“We’re very proud of our students and our staff for these scores,” said first-year principal Shellie Miller.
While fifth grade showed a decrease in the number of students that have passed both English/language arts and math, the number that passed the math portion increased to 99 percent. Third grade shows an increase in the percentage of students who have passed both portions, but a slight decrease in each assessment separately.
The reason for the amount of improvements is the school’s ability to look at data for each individual student, said Miller.
By spring 2014, Miller would like 90 percent of her third through fifth grade students to meet Indiana Academic Standards in English ISTEP by targeting vocabulary this school year, which can be supported with the school’s new system of iPads and applications available to them during down time.
The board also approved moving forward with its Fire and Rescue Career and Technical Education pilot class after receiving money from Indiana Department of Education’s vocational funding and Area 18 board, which oversees the career and technical education cooperative in Adams County. The program would begin with the 2014-15 school year for students 17 or older, who would train for designations such as firefighter 1 or 2 at Geneva Fire Station.
The program will be a good addition to the schools technical classes, said Gary McMillan, automotive technician instructor.
“I think it will be a neat program,” said McMillan. “Everybody wants to be a fireman.”
South Adams will receive $1,050 for each student from the state vocational funding, which if the school gets its estimated 10 students, could bring in $15,750 in revenue, assuming the students weren’t going to already register for another vocational class.
The Area 18 board recently approved up to $20,000 in start-up costs for the pilot program.
For South Adams’ part, the main expense will be the salary of a new teacher, who would be contracted for 3/7 of a day, which will cost the school system $16,200. But if other schools, such as Jay County High School, participate in the program, the salary expense would be proportionally split among the school systems.
The class is being emphasized as a pilot program in case of lack of interest from students.
“There’s no guarantee that it will continue and go on,” said superintendent Scott Litwiller. “(I’m) excited about the possibility.”
Litwiller and Lehman will post the new teaching position as soon as possible to be able to make a hiring recommendation in before the new year.
In other business, the board:
•Adopted the 2014 budget, which shows a total of $15,220,275 in funds. Of that, $9,460,099 will be in the general fund, $400,000 in the rainy day fund and $1,990,176 will be put toward capital projects.
•Held a public hearing for the superintendent’s contract renewal. The contract shows an annual basic salary of $103,890 for Litwiller, after a pay increase of $1,190 for being evaluated as effective or highly effective. It will also renew his contract to be valid until June 30, 2017. There was no discussion, and the board will vote on the contract at its Nov. 12 regular meeting.
•Recognized examples of excellence in the student body, including Zach Parr, who finished in the top 5 percent in the National Merit Scholarship program; Ellerie Baer, Carlos Lagos, Laramie Schwartz, Hannah Taing and Synde Zuber, who were selected for the State Honors Choir that will perform Jan. 25 at Fort Wayne Embassy Theater; and Sydney Willis, who placed 48th out of 100 at the state golf tournament on Oct. 4 and 5.
•Heard an update on the contract with BND Commercial Real Estate to help sell the property that formerly housed South Adams Elementary School. An agreement was signed with the real estate company for 12 months beginning Oct.1, with the broker receiving 6 percent commission on the $653,000 listing price.
•Approved an application for a Migrant Education Service Center Grant with Indiana Department of Education, making South Adams the host of the northeast service center. The region it would host includes 13 counties and 114 students, with 50 percent of the migrant population already living in South Adams’ district. The grant would cover 27 months, with the funds going toward hiring a part-time director, part-time assistant director, clerk or administrative assistant, tutors and provide an office in the community to develop curriculum and programs.
“I will be surprised if the DOE denies our grant,” said Litwiller, after explaining the DOE pushed to have the program started.
Litwiller will post the new positions today before DOE approval.
•Approved the sale of surplus equipment such as DVD players, film projectors, slide projectors, televisions and used potter’s wheels.
•Approved two donations of $500 to the cross-country team, with one from Muncie Ironman Foundation and the other from an anonymous donor.[[In-content Ad]]