http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/nation/16880048.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

It's a bit embarassing when an outsider beats you to a backyard story. But that's no reason to ignore a good story in the Herald Leader.

Highland Elementary School has turned things around in a major way.  Its CATS score leaped 20 index points in a single year, a feat accomplished by only 4 Kentucky schools. Suspensions went down to single digits. 

The Leader article describes Highland's formula for success so I won't go into t here. But here are some logical questions that it raises?

Is there anything here that other struggling elementary schools can or SHOULD learn from?

What about middle and high schools?

More importantly, can Highland keep this progress going when it merges with Morningside in Aug and become Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary?

 

 

 

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By Joe Parrino, NEW ERA STAFF WRITER

Objections over the narrowness of the new superintendent evaluation stopped approval of the document during the Christian County Board of Education’s meeting on Thursday.

The board elected to table the evaluation until it could devise a fairer test, one which emphasized student achievement but retained such criteria such as personnel management, legal navigation and financial decision-making.

The measure passed 4 to 1 on first reading in February. The majority of board members seemed to share the opinion that a stripped down evaluation more accurately reflected the district’s priorities than the older version. All six other sections were removed.

But during a special session before Thursday’s regular meeting, Superintendent Dr. Bob Lovingood asked the board to more clearly define the student achievement criteria.

“These (criteria) have a lot of ambiguity,” Lovingood said.

One required the superintendent to prepare long- and short-term achievement goals. A committee working on a comprehensive district improvement plan (CDIP) is currently setting such goals. Board member Dr. Karen Dougherty informed the board that the full CDIP report would was due next fall but thus far, the goals were “more ambitious than they’ve ever been.”

Lovingood wanted to know whether the evaluation mandated that he to play a more active role the CDIP committee’s goal setting. Lovingood wanted to insure the goals and the time frame were realistic.

Dougherty acknowledged Lovingood’s concerns.

“There’s a fine line between setting high expectations and goals that cannot reasonably be achieved, especially in a particular time frame,” Dougherty said.

Board member Mary DeBow, who cast the only dissenting vote at the first reading, renewed her opposition to the tapered evaluation. Student achievement could simply not make gains fast enough to give Lovingood a fighting chance.

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District focuses on local crop to find teachers

By Joe Parrino, NEW ERA STAFF WRITER

Teacher recruitment efforts will concentrate on homegrown candidates and better classroom managers, public schools sources say.

It is hoped this change in tactics will improve the district’s chances of keeping the teachers it hires.

Don Ahart, personnel director for Christian County Public Schools, told the Board of Education last Thursday that annual turnover among teachers is about 12 percent.

Ahart also said the minority numbers on the teaching force, about 10 percent, were too low.

“We recognize that minority representation needs to be more,” Ahart said. “Has it improved? Yes, but not enough.” As of December 2006, minorities made up about 41 percent of the student population. Black students account for 34 percent, Hispanics 3 percent, Asians 0.8 percent and others 3 percent.

The recruitment plan was built around the idea that teachers with Christian County roots were more likely to be committed to the district.

“The reality is that we have to do a better job on identifying potential teachers in our area,” said district recruiter Ruth Lynch.

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By Joe Parrino, NEW ERA STAFF WRITER
Ability to boost student achievement ranks high among criteria for the next principal of Hopkinsville High School, the hiring committee said Monday.
Other criteria include demonstrated ability in staff development, time management, conflict resolution and cultural diversity.
The committee, composed of members of the HHS school-based decision-making council, said the high school’s test scores last year factored significantly into criteria choices this year.
“We along with Dr. Lovingood (Christian County Public Schools Superintendent) take responsibility for where we are,” said committee member Lynne Cohn. “We’re trying to step up to the challenge.”
On its Commonwealth Accountability Testing System (CATS), HHS students dropped in every academic category. On the ACT, the school’s performance flat-lined.
A perceived lack of progress during the fall 2006 semester, prompted Lovingood to transfer first-year principal Jay Buckley to the Day Treatment Center. Jada Mason has served as interim principal ever since.
The new principal search began last month. Committee members solicited public input through a survey and received back more than 300 surveys.
After digesting the huge stack last week, the committee came up with five categories of criteria including vision, leadership, discipline, community relations and diversity.
Many criteria are repeated, but there is more emphasis on student achievement, Cohn said.
Cohn is scheduled to share the criteria with Lovingood on Wednesday. Cohn will also ask the superintendent to release the applications to the committee. At last count, the superintendent had 15 applications.

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