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Beatrice High School to add Wednesday after‑school support and formalize Friday 'Freedom' levels
Summary
Beatrice High School principal presented two programs — a weekly Wednesday after‑school academic support (WASP) and a restructured Friday 'Freedom' program with three levels tied to GPA and behavior — that the board discussed, with members raising concerns about equity for students with lower grades.
Beatrice High School Principal Mister Ford, in his first board meeting as principal, outlined systematic changes intended to improve student outcomes: a Wednesday after‑school program called WASP for students with one or more failing grades, and a restructured Friday program (referred to as Freedom Friday) with three levels of privileges tied to academic performance and attendance.
"We have two that will align with the strategic goals," Ford said. He described WASP (Wednesday After School Program) as a weekly opportunity for academic intervention, enrichment and support for students who have one or more failing grades, running from 3:17 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Wednesdays (except early‑out days). Parents will be able to opt out for logistical reasons, Ford said, and the district will notify families by the school messaging system.
Ford said Freedom Friday would be run as a consistent weekly ninth period from 2:38 p.m. to 3:17 p.m., with a three‑level structure. He described the top level as allowing juniors and seniors above a 3.0 GPA and with no tardies to leave campus; a second level is a student lounge with engaging activities for students in the 2.0–3.0 GPA range; and a third level provides structured intervention time for students needing academic support.
Board member Doris raised concerns about using a 3.0 GPA cut‑off for the top Freedom level and whether the system could inadvertently penalize students who take more rigorous classes or students with learning differences. "I'm not understanding why we're gonna punish a child that has a C," she said during the discussion. Doris asked whether the program could discourage students from taking higher‑level courses for fear of falling below the cut‑score.
Ford responded that the plan was informed by data and building leadership discussions and that comparable systems in other districts had produced positive results. "We've used our data to help us inform our decision and where we did our cut scores," he said. He said students in the second level would have access to engaging activities and practice opportunities; students in the third level would work with teachers in individualized settings during the Friday ninth period, and teachers would also offer practice opportunities throughout the week.
The board asked clarifying questions about schedules, the relationship between the programs and extracurricular practices, and how the district will schedule individual teacher meetings during the program time. Ford offered to provide a more detailed description and meet with board members concerned about the cut scores and equity issues.
Ford said the first Freedom Friday will take place Aug. 22 and the first WASP session will be Sept. 3. Parents and students will receive detailed notices in August and grade‑level assemblies will explain expectations.
The board did not take a formal vote on program design at the meeting; administration said it will return with additional details as implementation plans are finalized.
