ISD 166 Superintendent Beth Schwarz believes technology holds great potential for enhancing education. On November 15, she brought to the school board some advice from a Minnesota Rural Education Association conference she had attended regarding the importance of preparing for new technology.
Administrators at the conference were admonished to make sure staff is prepared ahead of time whenever they have the opportunity to procure new technology tools. They were told that schools should have staff dedicated to troubleshooting with students and staff. Superintendent Schwarz said these measures are important in avoiding “Woopty-Doo Avoidance” in which staff doesn’t know how to use new tools and doesn’t care.
Schwarz said that in Little Falls, parents have to get training in how to use iPads before their kids can have use of them. That district is also phasing out the use of physical textbooks in favor of e-textbooks. Families are required to pay a technology fee, with exceptions for families qualifying for free or reduced lunch.
Schwarz said districts have been paying for new technology through grants, operating levies, and reallocation of funds, such as by reducing the use of paper and switching to e-textbooks.
The new iPads or similar devices can help students sound out difficult words and show them science illustrations in 3-D, and students can write notes into e-textbooks. Community member Pat Campanaro helped the school get a grant that will fund iPads for several elementary and middle school grades.
Teacher Betsy Jorgenson said iPads are proving to be extremely useful with special ed students. “I think it’s pretty revolutionary,” she said.
Schwarz complimented John Jacobsen on readying the district’s computer system for the coming broadband connection.
Review of testing scores
District Data Coordinator Erica Ternes went over standardized testing results throughout the district. Composite results over the last five years show that the scores of those taking the ACT – about 22-32 students a year – are close to the state average. Cook County’s composite student score of 22.3 was just under the state average of 22.7.
The college readiness benchmark score, which indicates a 50 percentchanceofobtainingaBor higher and a 75 percent chance of obtainingaCorhigherinacollege class, is 18 for English. Cook County averaged 21.7 in English over the last five years.
The college readiness score for math is 22. Cook County averaged 21.7 over the last five years.
The college readiness score for reading (which indicates chance of success in social science courses) is 21. Cook County averaged 22.9.
The college readiness score for science is 24. Cook County averaged 22.2.
Sawtooth Elementary MAP (“Measures of Academic Progress”) scores show that about half of the students were at or above the national norm at the beginning of the school year. Roughly 60 percent of Sawtooth students met or exceeded math standards and roughly 75 percent met or exceeded reading standards.
About 55 percent of Cook County Middle School students were at or above the national norm for math at the beginning of the school year, and about 60 percent were at the national norm for reading. Close to 75 percent of sixth graders met or exceeded math standards and over 80 percent met or exceeded reading standards. Only about 50 percent of seventh and eight graders met or exceeded math standards, however, while close to 60 percent met or exceeded reading standards.
About 70 percent of Cook County High School students were at or above the national norm for math at the beginning of the school year, and more than 70 percent were at or above the national norm for reading.
Ternes said middle school scores seem to fall behind but catch up in high school. Middle school math proficiency has not been good since the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment test was changed in 2011. The district needs to figure out what is missing its curriculum, she said.
Principal’s report
Principal Gwen Carman reported that consensus among parents at the November 12 Middle School Parent Advisory Committee meeting was that being on the honor roll should be based on grade point average (GPA) rather than on getting all A’s for the A honor roll and all A’s or B’s for the B honor roll. They didn’t all agree on what the GPA standards should be, however, Carman said.
Principal Carman said the November 14 visit from Native American Olympic 10,000-meter gold medalist Billy Mills was a highly positive event for the school. “That was just a truly amazing experience,” she said. She said Mills talked to the student body about how perceptions can lead to life choices.
Crowds of kids surrounded Mills afterwards, Carman said, and he stayed at least an hour after his presentation to talk to students individually. She thanked Tribal Councilman John Morrin and the Grand Portage Tribal Council for bringing him to the school.
Only eight middle schoolers signed up to be on the Middle School Advisory Council, so elections were not held and all eight of them were appointed. They will focus on problem solving and planning school activities, Principal Carman said.
Thirty-nine students (age 16 or over) and staff donated blood when the Bloodmobile visited the school on November 14. Financial audit
Superintendent Schwarz said school funding is always full of surprises, with unexpected additions and reductions. She said statewide changes in leadership after the recent elections may bring funding changes. “Projecting funding will be very, very difficult,” she said.
School auditor Carl Nordquist presented the latest fiscal audit. The school is waiting to receive $1,395,997 promised by the state. It has $1,006,188 in funds available for discretionary spending as long as funding is received as expected from various sources.
“We have nothing, but we have something,” board member Terry Collins said of the lack of cash but the promise of funding from the state.
“The district has to watch its expenditures very, very closely,” said Nordquist. He said the school gained $248,505 in its fund balance over the last year, but it does not have a lot of room to work with because expenditures are very close to revenue. Its revenue from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012 was $7,054,528, and its expenditures were $6,806,023.
“This can get ugly fast,” said Nordquist.
“Paralysis is not an option,” said Collins.
“It’s an opportunity for financial planning,” said Nordquist. “I wouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket.”
In the school’s general fund, revenues were $371,919 over the amount budgeted, and expenses were $49,862 under the amount budgeted.
Superintendent Schwarz said this fiscal year, the school is expecting $100,000 more in expenses than it had budgeted for. Some of these expenses are for vehicle purchases and hirings.
In other school news:
. The PTA needs 12 more members to remain a PTA in good standing. Membership costs $5.
. Mary Sanders said safety issues have been identified with cars parking on Fifth Street near the corners of the school driveway. Principal Carman said the school is looking into this.
. The district received two applications for the transportation and facilities manager position. Both of them are local residents. A committee will be conducting the interviews.
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