|
|
|
The dropout rate at Carthage fell significantly last school year compared to years past.
Only 3.7 percent of Carthage High School students dropped out of school in 2009-2010, down from 6.1 percent in 2008-2009.
The previous low dropout rate in the last five years was 4.4 percent in 2007-2008. Leigh Coleman, director of the Carthage R-9 You-Turn program, told the Carthage R-9 Board of Education on Monday a lot of hard work and some specialized help for at risk students has made a big difference in the district’s dropout rate, which was over 6 percent for two of the past five years.
“That is a huge, huge difference and I think we can be very proud of that,” Coleman said of the 3.7-percent rate. “It took a lot of hard work but with our team and the team we have at the high school, it’s just one of those things we do in Carthage.”
Coleman went on to talk about some of the programs the district uses to reach out to students who are not doing as well in school as they could.
She touted programs such as the Virtual Learning Center and the Missouri Options Program.
“Last year we reached 318 students (in the Virtual Learning Center) and served almost a quarter of the graduating class. I think those numbers speak for themselves,” Coleman said. “When we’re reaching 40 percent of those who are graduating I think we’re doing a fairly good job.
“Our Missouri Options program is an amazing program. I think we’re helping a lot of students in it and in fact, Coach Ed Arner has a 100 percent graduation rate in his program right now.”
In other business, Board Member Lee Elliff Pound reported that the R-9 Foundation had made the final payment on the loans that financed the construction of the field house at the Carthage Middle School ahead of their five-year schedule.
“The field house/classroom facility loan has been paid in full,” she reported to the board. “Due to the drop in interest rates and the fact that some of the major donors completed their pledge payments earlier than the five-year schedule, a total of $117,351 remained in the building fund.”
Pound said the Foundation board decided to transfer all that money to the district, with $70,000 going to repay the district for interest paid on the field house loan up front and $47,351 to go to repairs or improvements to the building when needed.
The dropout rate at Carthage fell significantly last school year compared to years past.
Only 3.7 percent of Carthage High School students dropped out of school in 2009-2010, down from 6.1 percent in 2008-2009.
The previous low dropout rate in the last five years was 4.4 percent in 2007-2008. Leigh Coleman, director of the Carthage R-9 You-Turn program, told the Carthage R-9 Board of Education on Monday a lot of hard work and some specialized help for at risk students has made a big difference in the district’s dropout rate, which was over 6 percent for two of the past five years.
“That is a huge, huge difference and I think we can be very proud of that,” Coleman said of the 3.7-percent rate. “It took a lot of hard work but with our team and the team we have at the high school, it’s just one of those things we do in Carthage.”
Coleman went on to talk about some of the programs the district uses to reach out to students who are not doing as well in school as they could.
She touted programs such as the Virtual Learning Center and the Missouri Options Program.
“Last year we reached 318 students (in the Virtual Learning Center) and served almost a quarter of the graduating class. I think those numbers speak for themselves,” Coleman said. “When we’re reaching 40 percent of those who are graduating I think we’re doing a fairly good job.
“Our Missouri Options program is an amazing program. I think we’re helping a lot of students in it and in fact, Coach Ed Arner has a 100 percent graduation rate in his program right now.”
In other business, Board Member Lee Elliff Pound reported that the R-9 Foundation had made the final payment on the loans that financed the construction of the field house at the Carthage Middle School ahead of their five-year schedule.
“The field house/classroom facility loan has been paid in full,” she reported to the board. “Due to the drop in interest rates and the fact that some of the major donors completed their pledge payments earlier than the five-year schedule, a total of $117,351 remained in the building fund.”
Pound said the Foundation board decided to transfer all that money to the district, with $70,000 going to repay the district for interest paid on the field house loan up front and $47,351 to go to repairs or improvements to the building when needed.
Pound said the Foundation will “sell” the building to the district for a ceremonial $1 sum at the March 14 Board of Education meeting.
The Board also approved the school calendar for the 2011-2012 school year. The first day of school will be Aug. 18, the tentative last day of classes will be May 18, Christmas break for students will last from Dec. 23-Jan. 3, 2012 and spring break will be March 19-23, 2012.
Snow makeup days include Jan. 2, 2012 for any days missed in December; Jan. 16, 2012 for any days missed prior to Jan. 16, 2012, and Feb. 20, 2012 for any days missed prior to then. All other snow days will be tacked on to the end of the year up to 10 days.
