07/18/11 Despite the fact that the ISTEP (Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress) 2011 scores for the Union-North United School Corporation went up, administrators are not satisfied with the results. Corporation–wide, the scores from testing of grades 3-8 went from 70.8 percent passing to 72.4 percent in the combined English and Math data.

A long-range plan to raise student achievement that has been in the works for several weeks was presented to the school board as a first draft on July 14. Superintendent Dr. Terry Barker presented the draft that came out of a committee including representatives of administrators, teachers, community members and even students.

Barker used three words to describe the direction they are aspiring to –empower, inspire, and excel. The working mission statement reads as follows: “Empowering our students through academic achievement and inspiring them to excel in an atmosphere of success.”

A part of the vision for implementing the plan calls for personalizing education. All 570 or so students at the LaVille Jr.-Sr. High School will have MAC computers to use both at school and at home for 1:1 learning for the 2011-2012 school year.

Reading from the draft, Barker, “By 2014 at least 95 percent of LaVille students will graduate with a Core 40 diploma.” He emphasized that the requirements for a Core 40 diploma will be clearly communicated to all students, even beginning at the elementary level. He indicated that department meetings of staff will be a part of the plan beginning with the 2011-2012 school year.

Other inclusions in the draft call for all students to participate in at least one extra-curricular activity and adhere to attendance policies. Barker said, “We will review and develop an effective attendance policy with a clear expectation that excellent attendance from all students will be no less that 96 percent.”

Barker was very clear in his words to the board of his belief that all of those interacting with students would be unified. He said, “Administrative, teaching, support, and extra-curricular staff will be united in their expectation that no student will be afforded the option to fail.”

ISTEP scores by grade level are as follows: Grade 3, 72.6 percent overall; grade 4, 84.8 percent overall; grade 5, 78.7 percent overall, grade 6, 75.3 percent overall; grade 7, 67.8 percent overall, and grade 8, 60.7 percent overall.

Also presented as a discussion item on the school board agenda for the July 14 meeting was a possible name change from Union-North United School Corporation to LaVille Schools. Board members and Barker are encouraging patrons of the school district to offer comments or suggestions on the matter within the next 30-60 days by either by contacting school board members, Barker, or by email at suggestions@unorth.K12.in.us.

The next regularly scheduled school board meeting is July 24 to be held in the media center at LaVille Jr.-Sr. High School. The meeting is open to the public, but is not considered a public community meeting. There is a scheduled time for public participation as indicated by agenda items.

ISTEP scores for other area schools are as follows:

John Glenn

Scores for Urey Middle Schools increased from an overall passing score rate from 68.5. percent to 74.4 percent.

Overall the coraporation pass rate went from 75.1 percent to 76.6 percent in English/Language Arts and Math combined, from 84.4 percent to 83.7 percent in English/Language Arts and from 81.5 percent to 85.7 percent in Math.

Bremen

The Bremen Public Shcools also had an overall increase. The combined English/Language Arts pass rate went from 76.7 percent to 79.2 percent. English/Language Arts scores went up from 80.8 percent to 85.3 percent and down from 89.5 percent to 87.7 percent in Math.

Bremen Elementary / Middle School decreased in Math from 2010, but saw percentage gains in English/Language Arts.  Overall passing increased by 3 percent.

Culver

Overall scores for Culver Schools was 66.7 percent with English/Language Arts at 73.6 percent and Math at 80.0 percent.

Culver Elementary went from 70.0 percent to 69.9 percent passing.

Culver Middle School saw small gains of 2 percent in both English/ Language Arts and Math, but overall passing was slightly down from 67.1 percent to 66.0 percent.

Monterey Elementary scores decreased from 2010 to 2011 going from 60.3 percent to 57.1 percent passing.

Argos

Corporation–wide, Argos Schools showed a passing rate of 79.5 percent overall, 81.8 percent in English/Language Arts and 89.4 percent in Math.

Argos Elementary saw gains in Math from 2010 to 2011 and overall passing both subjects from 73.9 percent to 77.5 percent. Their English/Language Arts scores went down in 2011.

Argos Jr.-Sr. High School had significant gains in Math from 2010 to 2011, stayed the same in ELA.  Overall passing increased from 76.6 percent to 80.6 percnet.

Triton

Triton Elementary stayed basically the same from 2010 (70.4 percent) to 2011 (69.4 percent) with no significant change, increase or decrease.

Triton Jr.-Sr.  High School saw decreases in English/ Language Arts and Math, with an overall passing decreasing 5 percent from 66.9 percent to 61.9 percent.

Corporation passing rate was 66.6 percent overall, 62.7 percent in English/Language Arts and 80.7 percent in Math.

Plymouth

The Plymouth School Corporation showed an overall increase of 1.9 percent in English/Language A and Math scores combined going from a passing rate of 76.2 percent in 2010 to 78.1 percent in 2011.

Menominee Elementary went from 83.7 percent to 82.0 percent; Lincoln Junior High, 71.7 percent to 71.6 percent; Riverside Intermediate, 73.1 percent to 80.5 percent; Jefferson Elementary, 80.5 percent to 71.3 percent; Washington Elementary, 78.2 percent to 77.4 percent.; and Webster Elementary , 93.1 percent to 92.5 percent.