The latest academic achievement report for USD 253 Emporia showed some areas of need but was widely positive in terms of student success.
According to the report, presented to the USD 253 Board of Education Tuesday night, some district buildings have expressed issues with the implementation of the district’s new math source, however, those issues have not led to any dips in student performance according to Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Judy Stanley.
Additionally, the report noted 84 percent of elementary students showed improvement in reading while 85 percent saw growth in mathematics. For secondary students, 65 percent of students saw improvement in reading while 67 percent saw an improvement in math. Stanley says the results are all the more impressive when you consider the August report showed that student improvement was “level.”
The report also showed students are seeing improvement in phonemic awareness – the ability to identify and manipulate individual sounds in spoken words – and schools are seeing positive impacts through their school improvement action steps. Although it was predominantly positive, the report did note some areas of concern, specifically in the areas of automaticity and fluency.
Stanley says the first step to approaching those issues is the implementation of a new English Language Arts resource which the district approved during Tuesday’s meeting.
Separately Tuesday, following a trio of executive sessions, the board approved a retirement agreement between the district and former Assistant Superintendent of Business Operations Rob Scheib. Scheib was placed on paid administrative leave back in early February.
The board moved quickly to replace Scheib, approving an agreement with ESSDACK in the same week for a finance and operations consultant that also appointed Dr. David McGehee to fill Scheib’s role on an interim basis. The board then approved Pam Stranathan to the role of interim Assistant Superintendent of Business Operations effective Jul. 1.
The district has declined to comment on the recent developments citing privacy of all involved as the key reason.
In other business Tuesday the board:
*Approved a partial roof replacement at Emporia High School.
*Received the latest construction update from McCownGordon for the Building for the Future Bond Initiative.
*Approved a quote of just over $16,000 for a new kiln for the EHS glass-blowing program.
*Reviewed a school improvement update at Emporia High
*Received a program highlight from staff and students at Riverside Elementary.
The USD 253 Board of Education will reconvene on Wednesday, Apr. 12 at 6:30 pm inside of the Mary Herbert Education Center.
