New remedial program debuts at SA (01/10/07)

BERNE - A new remediation program for students at South Adams High School kicks off next week, with the hiring of two new staff members Tuesday night.

Julie Baumer and Heather Isenhart were unanimously approved by the South Adams School Board as remediation facilitators at the high school. School officials said a major shuffling of class schedules will take place to assure that those students who need remediation help will get it.

Those changes will be based upon individual student performance on the fall ISTEP test administered by the state.

"We're excited for what this can mean for the students," superintendent Cathy Egolf said.

ISTEP test scores for elementary, middle school, and high school students were reviewed for the board Tuesday.

Though the results showed South Adams generally performing better than the state average, there was significant variance from grade to grade.

"Each grade is an individual group," elementary principal Jeff Rich told the board. "There are some exceptional students in each grade, and there are students who will be challenged to pass the ISTEP test."

Here's a breakdown of how South Adams students performed on the fall test:

• Third grade language arts 81 percent passing, state average 74 percent; math 82 percent passing, state average 72 percent.

• Fourth grade language arts 64 percent passing, state average 75 percent; math 58 percent passing, state average 75 percent.

• Fifth grade language arts 78 percent passing, state average 75 percent; math 86 percent passing, state average 76 percent.

• Sixth grade language arts 85 percent passing, state average 71 percent; math 93 percent passing, state average 80 percent.

• Seventh grade language arts 62 percent passing, state average 68 percent; math 73 percent passing, state average 77 percent.

•Eighth grade language arts 59 percent passing, state average 67 percent; math 77 percent passing, state average 71 percent.

•Ninth grade language arts 69 percent passing, state average 67 percent; math 80 percent passing, state average 67 percent.

• Tenth grade language arts 71 percent passing, state average 66 percent; math 68 percent passing, 65 percent state average.

"The trend is our students score better than the state average," said middle school principal Scott Litwiller. At the sixth grade level, he said, "We've never had a grade rank so high."

A number of factors come into play in test scores, Egolf noted, including the transition from one building to another. "You know," she added, "seventh and eighth grade kids have a tough time just living."

"We think our math scores have been good over the past few years," said Litwiller. "Our English language arts scores have been a little weaker, so that's why we've been focusing on that area."

On a split vote, with board member Arlene Amstutz dissenting, the board agreed to make the position of Title I director an administrative position on a 200-day contract at an annual salary of $62,000. Title I director Carol Cummings administers the $733,000 federal grant program for grades kindergarten through sixth.

"This position has been acting as an administrator for a long time," said Egolf.

In other business, the board:

•Approved hiring Susie Amstutz as a half-time teacher funded by Title I in the middle school for the rest of this school year.

•Approved hiring Clint Anderson as the varsity boys and girls track coach at SAHS.

•Approved Graber Insurance of Berne for the school corporation's property, liability, and workers' compensation insurance coverage. Graber had the low quote on coverage.

•Heard Egolf say that there appear to be no environmental problems with the land which is the site of the proposed new elementary and middle school structure.

•Convened as the board of finance, electing Tony Mellencamp president and Julie Mansfield secretary.[[In-content Ad]]