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Keokuk principals, teachers set academic student goals
By Diane Vance /Gate City Staff Writer
Keokuk School Board members got a look at the academic goals set by each school building in the district at the Oct. 13 board meeting.
Each of the elementary, middle school and high school goals align with the superintendent's goals.
The first goal is for all students without an Individual Education Plan to be proficient in reading comprehension.
The goal will be measured using the Iowa Test of Basic Skills for grades 2-8, Iowa Test of Educational Development for high school students, STAR Early Literacy for grades 1-3, and STAR Reading for grades 1-11.
George Washington Elementary School then set its goal to improve reading proficiency by 10 percent in its low social economic status students without IEPs.
Hawthorne Elementary School set a goal to improve reading proficiency in its low SES third grade students by 4 percent.
At Torrence Elementary School, 90 percent of second grade “probable” readers will score at least 800 as measured by the STAR Early Literacy test.
Wells-Carey Elementary School set a goal to improve white female low SES students' proficiency in reading by 10 percent.
At the middle school, the goal is to improve the percent of reading proficiency for all students without an IEP to 74.8 percent.
Keokuk High School's goal is to have 75 percent of all students without an IEP show a grade level growth in reading.
The alternative learning school also has a goal to improve reading levels by one grade level for seventh and eighth grade students without an IEP. High school students without an IEP are to reach a goal of 10 percent more students reading proficiently.
Each superintendent goal has a corresponding school building goal.
“We outlined the superintendent's goals in August with targets in 2011,” said Interim Superintendent Dr. Lora Wolff. “On Oct. 1, we worked on building goals. Each school pinpointed areas needing help.
“The building goals are teacher-created with the principals' input.”
Are goals realistic?
Board member Tyler McGhghy asked if all the principals are comfortable with the goals.
“This is what I will hold up for accountability,” he said, holding the list of goals.
Wells-Carey Principal Russ Derr said to measure growth, each class needs to be measured against itself.
For No Child Left Behind reporting, school districts report certain grades' test scores each year.
To measure growth within the classes as outlined by building goals, this year's fourth grade test scores need to be measured against last year's third grade scores and next year's fifth grade scores, comparing the students to their own work at each level.
“We set these as goals to meet or strive for,” said George Washington Principal Kim Hartweg.
Tim Patterson, principal of the alternative school, grades 7-12, said his building's goal is to have 100 percent of students graduate.
“Is that realistic? Probably not,” he said. “But I need to act and think that way.”
Board member Brent Gatton expressed concern about setting goals so high that teachers feel like failures if the goals are not met.
“Don't you think elementary teachers spend 75 percent of their time with things like runny noses?” he said. “I don't want to beat up teachers when I know they are working their tails off.”
Patterson acknowledged that teachers can have a class do very well one year and the next year the students don't do as well.
“Teachers do feel badly when that happens,” said Patterson.
Hawthorne Principal Sharon Kokemuller said the issue happens year after year. Teachers know to expect the cycles.
“I hope you all feel we're working together as a team,” said board President Dr. Bill Davis. “We're not about beating up anyone.
“There are schools out there at a 90 percent poverty rate with 90 percent minority populations and they are scoring at 90 percent proficiency.
“The question isn't can we have high goals. We have dedicated staff and administrative team members. It's about getting the job done for all of the students in the district. We're about raising expectations. We can't have a high performing district if we don't set high goals and have continuity.”
Wolff said the administrative team will next bring the buildings' action plans to the board.
Each of the elementary, middle school and high school goals align with the superintendent's goals.
The first goal is for all students without an Individual Education Plan to be proficient in reading comprehension.
The goal will be measured using the Iowa Test of Basic Skills for grades 2-8, Iowa Test of Educational Development for high school students, STAR Early Literacy for grades 1-3, and STAR Reading for grades 1-11.
George Washington Elementary School then set its goal to improve reading proficiency by 10 percent in its low social economic status students without IEPs.
Hawthorne Elementary School set a goal to improve reading proficiency in its low SES third grade students by 4 percent.
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Wells-Carey Elementary School set a goal to improve white female low SES students' proficiency in reading by 10 percent.
At the middle school, the goal is to improve the percent of reading proficiency for all students without an IEP to 74.8 percent.
Keokuk High School's goal is to have 75 percent of all students without an IEP show a grade level growth in reading.
The alternative learning school also has a goal to improve reading levels by one grade level for seventh and eighth grade students without an IEP. High school students without an IEP are to reach a goal of 10 percent more students reading proficiently.
Each superintendent goal has a corresponding school building goal.
“We outlined the superintendent's goals in August with targets in 2011,” said Interim Superintendent Dr. Lora Wolff. “On Oct. 1, we worked on building goals. Each school pinpointed areas needing help.
“The building goals are teacher-created with the principals' input.”
Are goals realistic?
Board member Tyler McGhghy asked if all the principals are comfortable with the goals.
“This is what I will hold up for accountability,” he said, holding the list of goals.
Wells-Carey Principal Russ Derr said to measure growth, each class needs to be measured against itself.
For No Child Left Behind reporting, school districts report certain grades' test scores each year.
To measure growth within the classes as outlined by building goals, this year's fourth grade test scores need to be measured against last year's third grade scores and next year's fifth grade scores, comparing the students to their own work at each level.
“We set these as goals to meet or strive for,” said George Washington Principal Kim Hartweg.
Tim Patterson, principal of the alternative school, grades 7-12, said his building's goal is to have 100 percent of students graduate.
“Is that realistic? Probably not,” he said. “But I need to act and think that way.”
Board member Brent Gatton expressed concern about setting goals so high that teachers feel like failures if the goals are not met.
“Don't you think elementary teachers spend 75 percent of their time with things like runny noses?” he said. “I don't want to beat up teachers when I know they are working their tails off.”
Patterson acknowledged that teachers can have a class do very well one year and the next year the students don't do as well.
“Teachers do feel badly when that happens,” said Patterson.
Hawthorne Principal Sharon Kokemuller said the issue happens year after year. Teachers know to expect the cycles.
“I hope you all feel we're working together as a team,” said board President Dr. Bill Davis. “We're not about beating up anyone.
“There are schools out there at a 90 percent poverty rate with 90 percent minority populations and they are scoring at 90 percent proficiency.
“The question isn't can we have high goals. We have dedicated staff and administrative team members. It's about getting the job done for all of the students in the district. We're about raising expectations. We can't have a high performing district if we don't set high goals and have continuity.”
Wolff said the administrative team will next bring the buildings' action plans to the board.
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