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Shelton High highlights attendance gains and Freshman Seminar in school improvement plan
Summary
Shelton High School presented its school improvement plan to the Shelton School District board, citing increases in regular attendance and early credit attainment after implementing Freshman Seminar, PBIS structures, and academy-based programming including an 'Orca Tank' event and internships with community partners.
Shelton High School leaders briefed the Shelton School District board on their 2025'26 school improvement plan, saying renewed focus on attendance, freshman success and academy pathways has produced measurable early gains.
Principal Mr. Kipper told the board the high school enrolls just over 1,400 students and described the student population: about 36% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, just under 20% are English learners, a little over 10% are students with disabilities, and about 4% are identified for 'high cap' (gifted) services. Kipper said the school set ambitious goals for freshman success and attendance and is targeting strategies that staff can directly influence.
Kipper cited attendance improvements after the first trimester: the share of students attending at least 90% of the time rose from 25% last year to 45% this year, and he highlighted subgroup changes—seniors at 90%+ attendance rose from about 10% to 40%, and freshmen from 26% to 48% after the first trimester. "If a teacher knows that student, they can make a connection," Kipper said, framing teacher outreach and PBIS routines as central to the gains.
Teachers and students discussed Freshman Seminar as a key intervention. Katie Schrum, a seminar teacher, described the two-trimester course and its components: Freshman Orientation before school, goal-setting, time management, communication skills and career assessment using YouScience. "Freshman Seminar really gives our students those tools to help them be successful in high school," Schrum said.
Brandy Redinger, assistant principal and ninth-grade administrator, outlined the High Climber Academy model: weekly elective exploration sessions, industry partner booths, and the pathway-selection process that culminates with an academy declaration late in the second trimester. She also described an upcoming student showcase called Orca Tank (a district-branded event modeled on Shark Tank) and said academy experiences connect students with internships and local employers.
Sophomore student Lalo Hernandez Mendoza, who took Freshman Seminar, told the board the course helped with social transition, understanding credits, and creating connections to internships and community partners. He described four benefits: social, academic, opportunity and program growth, and said Orca Tank led to internship opportunities with local organizations.
Board members asked about barriers to attendance in the district; Kipper pointed to geographic size, local flooding and weather, and lingering post-pandemic disengagement as contributors. He emphasized teacher-led interventions, including early phone outreach after three unexcused absences and one-on-one "conferring" when students miss significant time. The school also uses posted electronics and makeup-work protocols and an electronic hall-pass system to standardize routines.
Kipper invited the board to attend Orca Tank in the third week of January and said the school would send a reminder. The board praised the school's focus on freshmen and early credit attainment and thanked staff, students and community partners for their work.
