PRAIRIE GROVE -- "Yay" is the response from Brenda Marshell, co-principal with Prairie Grove Elementary School.
The school improved its letter grade from a C to a B on the annual report cards recently issued by the Arkansas Department of Education.
"We've had a C for at least the past two years and we've been trying to get it up to a B," Marshell said, adding, "We had a C and we didn't like it."
The school district's annual report card was given out last week as part of the Oct. 15 School Board meeting. All three school buildings in Prairie Grove School District received B's on their report cards.
The letter grades are based on a school's "ESSA Index Score," a numerical score of 1 to 100 that is calculated using numerous factors, such as results from the spring 2019 ACT Aspire tests, student improvement on the tests over time, graduation rates, reading at grade level and attendance rates. ESSA stands for Every Student Exceeds Act.
The rating scale shows an ESSA score of 75.59 and above is an A. A score of 69.94-75.58 is a B.
The elementary school received an overall index score of 74.28. The middle school scored 72.66, and the high school scored 70.23.
Reba Holmes, superintendent of schools, said the district was proud of its grades and will continue to "push students and teachers to move up to A's."
The state's new ESSA accountability system has many components to it, and Holmes said the district is still learning what all of it means and how those components affect scores.
Pete Joenks, assistant superintendent, said schools in the past were rated only on test scores. In 2015, the state changed its accountability system because it realized schools should be judged on more than just test scores, Joenks said.
While test scores still play the largest role on ratings, there are many different variables that now come into play, he added. Some of these are intangibles that represent school quality and student success, he said.
Joenks said the elementary school is not a "C" school and he was glad that the grading system verified that this year.
Marshell said the elementary school started an intervention program for reading last year and she believes that helped students on the ACT Aspire tests. All students were tested and then students were placed in groups for intervention time everyday.
Teachers also changed what they did during their meetings as professional learning communities. Marshell said the teachers spent a lot of time reviewing how students were doing in reading and what they could do to help those students.
From that, the school's paraprofessionals worked with students who needed extra help, she said.
"It was very, very strategic," Marshell said.
Marshell said she knows the intervention program is helping students because fewer students are needing the intervention time.
Leaders from the district's booster clubs for athletics, baseball and band gave School Board members an update on their organizations and how they help students.
Holmes said she believes it's important to recognize the hard work put in by volunteers with the district's various booster clubs.
"They do a lot of great things," Holmes said.
Ginger Beasley and Tracy Laird spoke on behalf of the Athletic Booster Club. Band Director Gerry Nichols and booster president Martin Loerts gave the band booster report. Baseball coach Mitch Cameron and Mandy Allen talked about the Dugout Club.
In other news, Craig Laird was honored as the Outstanding Teacher for the month by Sam's Furniture and Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce.
The board approved a $2,000 stipend for the Alternative Learning Education director position. Middle School Principal Shayne Taylor serves in the position.
It also approved a memorandum of an understanding with West Fork School District to establish a shelter site on the Prairie Grove campus in case students and staff from West Fork need to evacuate for a crisis or emergency.
The salary for substitute teachers will increase to $85 a day beginning in January 2020, and bus drivers for extra transportation trips will have a wage increase to $11 per hour starting in January 2020.
Personnel actions approved by the board included five hires for classified staff.
General News on 10/23/2019