Lincoln County High principal flags enrollment drop, low math scores and credit-recovery backlog

John Roy, principal of Lincoln County High School, told the Lincoln County Board of Education on Jan. 28 that enrollment at the county’s only high school has fallen to 744 and that academic recovery and attendance are major priorities.

Roy said the school employed 47 professional staff, 25 support staff and two certified Apple teachers. He said enrollment two or three weeks earlier had been 752 and “today, it is 744,” noting some students left for homeschooling or dropped out.

The reduction matters because it affects funding, Roy told the board. He said the school’s low socioeconomic percentage is about 68 percent, the special-education population about 27 percent, the homeless population about 25 percent, and students in foster care about 3 percent.

Roy said academic measures show persistent weakness in mathematics. He described PSAT scores taken in October as a benchmark: for the cohort discussed, 34 percent met or exceeded standards in English language arts but only 6 percent met or exceeded standards in math. Roy said every 11th-grade student receives a rotating SAT/ELA/math test-preparation course and that the school emphasizes “time on task” and student engagement.

The principal also warned of a large credit-recovery backlog: “Currently, we have 400 of our students, over 400 who have to have credit recovery for at least 1 credit,” Roy said, adding that figure is “over half” of the current enrollment. He described the situation as a key driver of potential dropouts and said the school must expand credit-recovery options and improve early interventions.

On climate and behavior, Roy said discipline referrals have fallen and that the school appears to be on pace to cut total referrals roughly in half compared with last year. He credited staff and administrators for addressing infractions and said out-of-school suspensions are “on pace to stay the same.” Roy noted most referrals come from ninth and tenth grades and emphasized that stable adult supervision is essential.

Roy described building-level concerns including vandalism and vaping in restrooms and recommended exploring restroom-layout changes or retrofits. He said the school already uses vape detectors and an anonymous reporting tool called Stop It to allow students to report worries without fear of retaliation.

Career and college pathways drew attention in the presentation. Roy said CTE instructors are aiming for 70 percent of their students to be career ready as measured by end-of-year NOCTI assessments (welding is excluded because it uses a different test). He said about 34 students currently participate in the Early College Academy with Southern (with another 35–36 slated to start this semester), giving roughly 60 students access to dual-credit college coursework.

Roy said the school has discussed “grow your own” teacher pathways and is in early conversations about giving students an opportunity to take education courses toward teaching degrees. He said he has been working “closely with our curriculum director and Mr. Sansom” on supports and scheduling.

Board members asked about next steps. Members encouraged earlier interventions — contacting families and tracking students who fail early in freshman or sophomore years — and said they expect the principal and district staff to propose concrete scheduling and credit-recovery options as they plan for next year.

Roy closed by noting certification gains: he said all teachers who now teach math at LCHS are fully certified this year, including two retired substitutes who hold certification, a change from the prior year.

The presentation preceded other items on the board’s agenda; Roy’s report prompted follow-up meetings with central office staff on curriculum and scheduling.