One part of the big ideas outlined as part of the Watonga Public Schools mission is to make decisions based on results.
When it met in regular session Monday evening, those results were on display. Early numbers from statewide testing showed third grade testing results language arts score up 36% and math up 12%; Fourth grade testing results language arts score up 35% and math up to 41% passage compared to state average of 35%; Fifth grade testing results language arts score up 32% and math scores up 11%; Sixth grade testing results language arts score up 5% and math up 10%; Seventh grade test results language arts score up 23% and math scores up 43%; and eighth grade test results language arts score up 25%, math scores up 31% and science scores up 19%.
Not everything was perfect, with high school scores still improved, but not as significantly as those in the elementary and middle schools.
Superintendent Kyle Hilterbran included those numbers in his list of things to celebrate in the district, but also added the list of school stipends of $1,000, $1,500 and $500 last year. Another $5,000 in stipends is built into next year’s budget. So is the $100 or so the teachers get to use on their classroom supplies.
Board member Aaron Clewell had another idea, though.
“I know the teachers spend their own money on their classrooms all the time,” he said. He pointed out that if the decisions were based on results, the test results might push the decision to give more cash for classroom supply use.
“We could double that ($100) pretty easily. We could do more of that,” he added.
Hilterbran agreed that it was in the realm of possibilities without busting the budget.
“That’s a valid point and we could work on that, look at it for next semester,” Hilterbran said.
Each of the campus principals told the board the starting numbers at their buildings. At the elementary school there are 371 students this year. Principal Ashley Riley said the new drop off and pickup loop added to the north side of the school is working like a charm, in addition to being ‘pretty and safe,” although board member Dwight McGee noted that there may need to be traffic assistance to work with students who walk to and from school. Riley said some of those walkers tend to return to the school after they have been escorted through traffic and across the street toward home.
There are 154 students at the middle school and principal Ty Hussey said everyone had received a Chromebook on the first day of class. Last year it was a drawn-out procedure to get the laptop computers in the hands of the students, but the bugs have been worked out of the system.
Meanwhile there are 211 students at the high school and athletics have officially begun. The first football scrimmage is slated for 6 p.m. August 23 against Hennessey.
The construction projects are moving along, with completion of the gym expected by November and the end zone facility by December.
Those facilities will be outfitted with AEDs – automated external defibrillators, a portable device that can be used to treat a person whose heart has suddenly stopped.
State law mandates schools have at least one in each building and staff be trained in their use.
The new construction will feature AEDs in multiple locations and the coaching staff has been trained and certified in their use and in CPR – cardiopulmonary resuscitation – as well.
The units cost approximately $1500 each. Clewell suggested one be added to the press box in the event of a need in the football stands, and McGee suggested it become standard practice that if the need for an AED arises, two runners be sent for separate units in the event that one is non functional so that precious minutes aren’t wasted waiting for a second unit to arrive.