Sean C. Morgan
While district officials report a smooth first week of school, they continue adapting to Common Core standards and preparing to switch over to the Smarter Balance test from the Oaks test for state assessments.
“It’s been great,” said first-year Foster School Principal Luke Augsburger. “I couldn’t ask for a better week, great kids, great staff.”
It’s been smooth, he said, and “I’ve been pleasantly surprised.”
“It’s been a fun day, very positive,” said Holley School Principal Larry Horton, retired superintendent. “I got to go out and play some PE with the kids. The kids have been very upbeat, very excited about school. The staff’s just walking around with smiles on their faces. I’m just living my dream. A retired superintendent couldn’t ask for any more. We’re really off to a pretty good start.”
The school has an enrollment of about 140 and possibly the largest classroom, a fourth- and fifth-grade blended class of 34 taught by Brett Bowers. Thirteen are in the fourth grade, and 21 are in the fifth grade.
“That is probably the biggest academic challenge right now,” Horton said. He has asked for extra aid, and Supt. Don Schrader confirmed the class will receive additional aid time.
“We’re busier,” said Hawthorne School Principal Terry Augustadt. “We’ve got a pretty big enrollment this year.”
The school has had to make changes to its schedule to help prepare students for the new Smarter Balance test, which is more keyboard intensive and less point-and-click compared to the Oaks test.
Augustadt said he has had to schedule keyboarding time for his students through the school’s computer lab, which is already tapped for computer classes.
As the students prepare academically for it and the district implements Common Core, the school will use best practices to make sure students are learning, Augustadt said. “We’re not going to chase our tails on whatever flavor of the month.”
He is excited by the gains students at Hawthorne have made in the past year. The school turned to ixl.com to help students improve, and he counted it successful. The number of students meeting the standard in last year’s testing cycle improved substantially.
He’s excited about the school’s prospects this year too. He has a veteran teaching staff. Last year, he had six brand new teachers. This year, he has only one brand new teacher and a brand new secretary.
“It’s been a great week,” said Sweet Home Junior High Principal Colleen Henry. “We have a huge seventh-grade class.”
At nearly 190, the seventh-grade outnumbers the eighth grade at around 160, she said, which could make this year’s Spirit Week interesting.
Officials were anticipating about 170 seventh-graders, she said.
The school has altered its bell schedule to provide a schoolwide language arts support class this year, Henry said. The school is ready for Smarter Balance testing after piloting it last year in the seventh grade math and language arts. The eighth grade took it in math.
The test is more rigorous, and “we really have to up our game,” Henry said.
“We had such a fantastic beginning to the year,” said Oak Heights School Principal Courtney Murphy. The Sweet Home Elks grilled at an open house barbecue before school started, a night where students could meet their teachers and drop off supplies.
“It was a really fun evening,” Murphy said. “The kids were happy to be back. Our teachers are doing an amazing job. Our first-graders are reading, writing, discussing and doing math.”
It’s the same upward through all the grades, she said.
The teachers are adapting to Common Core, with a new language arts textbook adoption, she said. “These teachers worked so hard, and they’re doing a fabulous job.”
Oak Heights piloted Smarter Balance testing with its third through fifth grade last year, Murphy said. Across the school, the students are taking keyboarding to help them through the testing.
Last year’s exposure to it should help reduce testing anxiety, she said.
“I think it went really smoothly,” Schrader said of the first week. “I’ve been in all the buildings. All the kids seem to enjoy being back.”
Cathy Hurowitz, director of student achievement, is working with district staff on the new Smarter Balance testing and Common Core curriculum, Schrader said.
“Smarter Balance is going to be so different,” he said. In the past, students have had multiple opportunities to test. They’re down to one, and it’s more comprehensive technically. The students have more typing and less pointing and clicking.
Some students didn’t finish it in five hours last year, Schrader said. “If you’re not used to the technology, it’s going to be tough on our kids.”
It’s also going to make comparing test scores more difficult.
The schools are using new textbooks in language arts to meet Common Core requirements.
Transportation Supervisor Dave Goetz said the district has probably had fewer problems in on the bus routes this year compared to last.
Some of the problems resulted from the translation of information from the Education Service District to the District 55’s transportation student information system, which it installed midway through last school year, Goetz said. Addresses for students must include street designations, such as “avenue” or “drive.”
Some student addresses were missing that information, he said. Overall, the new system is better than the system the department had been using, Microsoft Word documents.
“I think Tuesday was a little rough,” Goetz said Thursday. “Wednesday was better. Today was even better.”
It’s not characteristic of the typical week, he said, but “it’s crazy at the start of the school year.”
It comes down to communicating with parents, Goetz said. “Those are things we can continue to work on and improve.”
Friday, the department was shorthanded, and subs, a mechanic and a dispatcher were driving buses.
That day, three drivers were on trips, and the district has two openings posted.
Goetz noted that the bus drivers and office staff are professionals and “they do a great job caring for their kids.”
Schrader mentioned two special school-related events coming up.
At 9 a.m. on Sept. 18, he will host the public at Coffee with the Sup at the Jim Riggs Community Center. He will provide coffee and donuts and be available for questions.
From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sept. 29, the Sweet Home Elks Lodge will host a back to school celebration, providing free hot dogs and drinks. Children will play games to win prizes for their schools. The prizes are provided based on wish lists by district educators.