Kindergarten registrants, test scores increase

Nettle Creek Schools’ board celebrated high turnout for kindergarten roundup and growth in PSAT/SAT scores at its April 9 board meeting.

Enrollment

Hagerstown Elementary Principal Tiffani Hokey called it a positive day, as 71 kids signed up during that day’s kindergarten roundup. That total was the highest she could recall in several years.

Last year, 66 kids attended the roundup, and the current kindergarten class has 85.

Testing

Superintendent Emily Schaeffer said PSAT and SAT score increases show Hagerstown High School’s professional development and instructional efforts are paying off.

Principal Joshua Hallett said 57% of juniors met the SAT reading and writing benchmark. Math scores weren’t as high, but they indicate future improvements, he said.

Schaeffer said 53% of last year’s HHS sophomores met PSAT’s English/Language Arts benchmark, and that grew to 57% when taking the SAT.

Sixty-eight percent of current HHS sophomores met PSAT language benchmark, which is 7% above state, 5% above national and 4% above global numbers, Schaeffer said.

She’s pleased to see sophomores’ growth from 53% to 68% in a year as well as individuals’ growth between sophomore and junior years.

Summer school

Because of state reimbursement cuts, Nettle Creek will offer fewer summer school classes.

HJSHS will offer credit recovery and the ag program, which can be reimbursed.

While HJSHS won’t be reimbursed for summer band, the program will continue, funded from the school budget.

Seventh and eighth grade Jump Start won’t be offered because it previously didn’t have required participation (15 students with 90% attendance) for reimbursement.

Reading-focused Jump Start will be offered to second and third graders who didn’t pass IREAD 3, but no other grades.

Schaeffer said they’ve had lots of tough decisions and conversations about what’s best for kids and ways to fill gaps for additional grades during the school year. She said they feel confident about this plan that fits the budget.

Other business

• College credits: The board will continue allowing HJSHS students to take college courses through Indiana University East.
• Diplomas: HHS planned a parent meeting on April 14 for incoming eighth and ninth graders to explain upcoming changes in Indiana diploma requirements. Eighth graders can earn high school credits.
• Fundraiser: Ten more teams can register for the May 4 Tiger Golf Challenge at Hartley Hills. Hole sponsors and raffle donations are sought. Funds cover the end-of-year celebration for teachers and staff.
• Approved donations: $1,506.15 from Wayne County Foundation’s Nettle Creek Educational Endowment Fund for student learning; $2,883.35 from WCF’s Bartel & Rohe Fund for school supplies.
• Personnel: The board hired Melissa Burns, homebound teacher; Shawna Conley, HES instructional assistant; and Madison Davis, on-call substitute teacher
• Policies: The board approved several policies after a second reading on topics such as whistleblower protection, tobacco, wellness, distracted driving, communicable disease, organizations, entrance age requirements, test security provision for statewide assessment, drug prevention and testing, and district organization.

Policies advancing to second reading included attendance, anti-bullying, student and employee discipline, suspension and expulsion, use of physical intervention/seclusion/restraint with students, suicide prevention, student search and seizure, and personal background checks and mandatory reporting.

The next meeting is at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 7, at Hagerstown Elementary, 299 N. Sycamore St. The public may attend.