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Graduation task force will form, meet in July and August
by diane vance/gate city staff writer
Keokuk's community rallied to brainstorm solutions Thursday evening about high school graduation rates and students dropping out before earning a diploma.
About 150 people stayed for 2 1/2 hours to hear school district statistics, causes for drop-outs, the programs Keokuk High School is using to support students and what else could be possible.
Superintendent Jane Babcock said a letter will be sent to every person who wrote an address on the sign-in sheets at the meeting. They will be invited to assist in serving on a graduation rate task force.
“We plan to utilize ‘Graduation for All: A Practical Guide to Decreasing School Drop-Out' by Lehr, Clapper and Thurlow as a planning tool,” said Babcock. “As in any long term plan, it would be reasonable to see this task force working from six to 12 months to develop a thorough and strategic plan for this most important issue.”
The first task force meeting is scheduled from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, July 12, and a second meeting from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 9, at a place to be announced.
Thursday, the audience viewed slides of juvenile delinquent offenses and school discipline actions to better understand some of the issues the staff face at school.
In the 2005-2006 school year, Keokuk High School had 120 in-school suspensions and 125 out-of-school suspensions. In this past year, 2006-2007, there were 48 in-school suspensions and 104 out-of-school suspensions.
School infractions in 2005-2006 included: 29 students - lack of cooperation; 41 students - detention violation; five students - assault; 17 students - fighting; three students - bullying; 100 students - disorderly conduct/behavior; 18 students - gross insubordination; seven students swearing at staff; two students - possession of drugs; and 25 students - miscellaneous.
An audience member asked if parents or guardians are notified and what kind of support KHS Principal Dave Keane gets once parents are involved.
“Yes, we notify parents for everything except the miscellaneous category,” said Keane. “As for support, it depends on which parents we're talking with.”
This year in all of Lee County, including middle school students and one elementary, the following students age 17 and younger, except those waived to adult court, were referred to juvenile authorities:
Alcohol - 40 students
Assault - 44 students
Arson - two students
Burglary - 11 students
Conspiracy - three students
Controlled substances - 16 students
Criminal mischief - 24 students
Trespassing - 25 students
Obstructing justice - five students
OWI - three students
Public disorder - 13 students
Sexual abuse - two students
Theft - 22 students
Weapons related - 10 students.
Some of theses students would have counted in more than one category. Keane also said KHS had 32 pregnancies this year.
Community involvement ideas from the district
Another slide showed possible community involvement ideas. Keokuk High School started a Character Education program this year. Other points on the slide not discussed include:
Marketing Keokuk - video productions and journalism.
Hire me first.
Silver Chord Program - recognition at graduation for community service hours; junior service group clubs established; and opportunities for vocational programs to help less advantaged projects - sidewalks, sheds.
Maximize the use of school for community training - vocational areas; computer areas; hobbies and crafts.
Community's ideas
At Thursday's meeting after small group discussions, persons were invited to share ideas from their tables.
Southeastern Community College English professor Tom Gardner suggested more rigorous enforcement of the dress code and more parental involvement.
Gardner said he gets kids in his college classes unprepared for college work.
“There needs to be student engagement, peer tutors, mentors and parental involvement” in schools before college, he said.
Gardner also said school districts are being pushed to succeed by the state and federal government. Maybe it is time for the community to decide what its students need to succeed, he added.
Keokuk resident Jim Brown said when comparing districts on the Department of Education Web site, Keokuk students are having trouble meeting requirements. He cited reading proficiency scores.
“Those (students) who do not find education relevant, I'm not sympathetic and not interested in dragging them back into the classroom,” said Brown, referring to drop-outs. “But something is occurring to diminish reading scores. Not being able to read is a major problem. Reading is a skill that used to be taught first by parents. I'm extremely disheartened by the reading methods in modern education.”
Sally Barett, Southeastern Community College GED instructor, said she has a good relationship with Keane and Dave Wendt, KHS student services director.
“The goal is to educate, I don't care who does it,” she said. “Parents are the most important teachers. The problem begins with some parents who don't know how. We have a Family Literacy Program. It meets three times a week after school. We work with parents and children in a family.”
Keokuk qualified for a grant for the Family Literacy Program because of its high poverty rate, high pregnancy rate and low employment rate, she said.
“We stress parenting skills and welcome volunteers to work with us,” she said. “We also want more families to participate.”
Next, more community suggestions.
About 150 people stayed for 2 1/2 hours to hear school district statistics, causes for drop-outs, the programs Keokuk High School is using to support students and what else could be possible.
Superintendent Jane Babcock said a letter will be sent to every person who wrote an address on the sign-in sheets at the meeting. They will be invited to assist in serving on a graduation rate task force.
“We plan to utilize ‘Graduation for All: A Practical Guide to Decreasing School Drop-Out' by Lehr, Clapper and Thurlow as a planning tool,” said Babcock. “As in any long term plan, it would be reasonable to see this task force working from six to 12 months to develop a thorough and strategic plan for this most important issue.”
The first task force meeting is scheduled from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, July 12, and a second meeting from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 9, at a place to be announced.
Thursday, the audience viewed slides of juvenile delinquent offenses and school discipline actions to better understand some of the issues the staff face at school.
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School infractions in 2005-2006 included: 29 students - lack of cooperation; 41 students - detention violation; five students - assault; 17 students - fighting; three students - bullying; 100 students - disorderly conduct/behavior; 18 students - gross insubordination; seven students swearing at staff; two students - possession of drugs; and 25 students - miscellaneous.
An audience member asked if parents or guardians are notified and what kind of support KHS Principal Dave Keane gets once parents are involved.
“Yes, we notify parents for everything except the miscellaneous category,” said Keane. “As for support, it depends on which parents we're talking with.”
This year in all of Lee County, including middle school students and one elementary, the following students age 17 and younger, except those waived to adult court, were referred to juvenile authorities:
Alcohol - 40 students
Assault - 44 students
Arson - two students
Burglary - 11 students
Conspiracy - three students
Controlled substances - 16 students
Criminal mischief - 24 students
Trespassing - 25 students
Obstructing justice - five students
OWI - three students
Public disorder - 13 students
Sexual abuse - two students
Theft - 22 students
Weapons related - 10 students.
Some of theses students would have counted in more than one category. Keane also said KHS had 32 pregnancies this year.
Community involvement ideas from the district
Another slide showed possible community involvement ideas. Keokuk High School started a Character Education program this year. Other points on the slide not discussed include:
Marketing Keokuk - video productions and journalism.
Hire me first.
Silver Chord Program - recognition at graduation for community service hours; junior service group clubs established; and opportunities for vocational programs to help less advantaged projects - sidewalks, sheds.
Maximize the use of school for community training - vocational areas; computer areas; hobbies and crafts.
Community's ideas
At Thursday's meeting after small group discussions, persons were invited to share ideas from their tables.
Southeastern Community College English professor Tom Gardner suggested more rigorous enforcement of the dress code and more parental involvement.
Gardner said he gets kids in his college classes unprepared for college work.
“There needs to be student engagement, peer tutors, mentors and parental involvement” in schools before college, he said.
Gardner also said school districts are being pushed to succeed by the state and federal government. Maybe it is time for the community to decide what its students need to succeed, he added.
Keokuk resident Jim Brown said when comparing districts on the Department of Education Web site, Keokuk students are having trouble meeting requirements. He cited reading proficiency scores.
“Those (students) who do not find education relevant, I'm not sympathetic and not interested in dragging them back into the classroom,” said Brown, referring to drop-outs. “But something is occurring to diminish reading scores. Not being able to read is a major problem. Reading is a skill that used to be taught first by parents. I'm extremely disheartened by the reading methods in modern education.”
Sally Barett, Southeastern Community College GED instructor, said she has a good relationship with Keane and Dave Wendt, KHS student services director.
“The goal is to educate, I don't care who does it,” she said. “Parents are the most important teachers. The problem begins with some parents who don't know how. We have a Family Literacy Program. It meets three times a week after school. We work with parents and children in a family.”
Keokuk qualified for a grant for the Family Literacy Program because of its high poverty rate, high pregnancy rate and low employment rate, she said.
“We stress parenting skills and welcome volunteers to work with us,” she said. “We also want more families to participate.”
Next, more community suggestions.
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