FR performance index clears 100

FORT RECOVERY — The performance index score went up again.

Superintendent Larry Brown at Monday’s school board meeting presented details of the Fort Recovery Local Schools Ohio School Report Card, which shows the district with an overall grade of B and a performance index score of 100.6.

“Fort Recovery’s staff and students have had a four-year trend of improvement with the performance index score,” said Brown. “That’s a serious achievement that we’re proud of.”

Each of Fort Recovery’s three schools — elementary, middle and high — received grades of B. The high school earned A grades in the areas of progress, gap closing and graduation rate. Other A grades in the district went to the elementary school for gap closing and the middle school for progress.

The only grade below C in the district was a D for the elementary school for progress.

The Fort Recovery district’s performance index score, which is and overall assessment of student scores on state standardized tests, was up from 98.9 in 2018 as it cleared the 100 mark (out of 120) for the first time. It has shown a consistent upward trend from 81.8 in 2015 to climbing about 97 for each of the last three years.

The score of 100.6 ranks 79th across more than 850 schools in Ohio and third in Mercer County trailing Marion Local and St. Henry and ahead of Coldwater, Parkway and?Celina.

Former superintendent Justin Firks, who was at the helm for four years before departing this summer for Bethel Local Schools, was a proponent of performance index as the most accurate measure of a district’s progress. Brown said he agrees with that focus.

“It’s a way to evaluate us with other comparison districts,” Brown added. “That’s why it’s a (good) measure.”

Brown also shared data that shows Fort Recovery compares favorably to similar districts in terms of performance index results as compared to dollars spent per student.

In terms of areas for improvement, Brown focused on “improving at-risk K-3 readers” and “prepared for success.” Fort Recovery received C grades in each of those areas.

In other business, the board:

•Approved field trips for FFA students to the national convention Oct. 29 through Nov. 2 in Indianapolis and fifth graders May 7 and 8 to Chicago and the extracurricular pay scale.

•Clarified that substitute teachers who work 10 consecutive days will receive an additional $10 per day on top of the base rate, which is $90.

•Heard from principal Bill Overla that new tables have been ordered for the high school’s cafeteria. The current tables will be repurposed elsewhere in the building. Overla also reported that the school now has a principal’s advisory committee made up of students who regularly meet with him to discuss issues at the school.

•Hired Mikayla Post as a substitute teacher, Shelly Overman as a non-teaching employee on a two-year contract, Jerry Barga as a volunteer assistant boys basketball coach, Chris Guggenbiller as junior varsity girls basketball coach, Charlie Vasey as junior high boys basketball coach, Darien Sheffer as junior high boys basketball assistant coach and Tony Stahl as junior high girls assistant basketball coach.

•Accepted donations of more than $650, including $396.07 from Amerigas for capital improvements.

•Scheduled a work session to review the five-year financial forecast for 6 p.m. Nov. 18 ahead of the board’s regular meeting.