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Evans Junior High officials report improved attendance, fewer referrals and new student-led activities
Summary
School officials told the Ottumwa Community School District board that attendance has risen this year, disciplinary referrals have declined and student leaders are increasing school engagement; administrators credited a new phone policy, hall sweeps and staff support.
Brad Davis, an Evans Junior High staff member, told the Ottumwa Community School District Board of Education that the school’s attendance and discipline data have improved this year and described several new school initiatives.
Davis said the school’s attendance trend is up compared with prior years and noted the school has not dropped below 92 percent so far this school year. “I just brought some wonderful people with me tonight and I promise I didn't tell them what to say,” Davis said as he introduced students and teachers.
The presentation included academic and discipline metrics. ISASP results shown in the presentation listed 37 students “not yet proficient,” 59 proficient and 4 advanced in the grade-level measure discussed. Davis and staff said the numbers remain a primary challenge and that coaches and teachers are focused on moving more students into the proficient category. Teacher Avery Woods described instructional support she has received: “My admin has been very supportive in giving me all the help that I need,” Woods said, adding that a long-term substitute had been hired when the eighth-grade ELA team lost a member midyear.
Student council president Camden Cartwright described student activities and fundraising: “Our main goal of the student council is to help build and encourage school spirit and, community engagement,” Cartwright said. He listed recent and planned events, including dances, pep assemblies, conference support and an April fundraiser for autism awareness.
Teachers described operational changes they say contributed to fewer classroom disruptions. Mrs. Robinson, an Evans Junior High ELA teacher, credited the school’s phone policy for a drop in referrals: “I really love our phone policy. We've had a lot less referrals this year,” she said. Davis described hall sweeps he implemented to reduce tardiness, explaining the practice expanded from two days a week to five days a week and that staff now report students are in class on time and teachers are able to use the full instructional period.
Davis also showed recognition slides: a “top 10%” list of students with 95 percent attendance and a 3.85 GPA threshold, teacher-of-the-semester acknowledgments and staff appreciation awards for cafeteria and support staff. He thanked central office staff for support tools the school uses, including an electronic pass system and device management software.
Board members asked about changes in aggressive disciplinary incidents; one board member said the building “has a whole different feel to it than it used to.” Both students and staff said the removal of phones from regular use has reduced video-sharing and other behavior that previously escalated incidents. The board expressed appreciation for the improvement and for the staff and student leaders who presented.
The report covered progress toward school improvement plan goals, including growth in PLCs and collaborative teams; Davis said roughly 98 percent of teams had shown growth on those measures.
No formal board action was taken during the Evans update; the presentation was listed as an informational update on the agenda.
