Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Hancock Middle School leaders report higher attendance and teacher retention, outline targeted supports for lowest-performing students
Summary
At a April 2 Hancock County Board of Education meeting, school leaders said attendance rose to 93.69% and teacher retention increased from 77.78% to 91%. The school described targeted interventions for the district's "promising 25%" of students, including staff reallocations and Kids First boot camps.
Hancock Middle School administrators told the Hancock County Board of Education on April 2 that overall academic growth is improving, but the school's lowest-performing subgroup has not accelerated at expected rates and will receive targeted supports.
During brief remarks to trustees at the board's regular meeting at Hancock Middle School, Dr. Soer said, "while our overall proficiency and growth have improved, our promising 25% have not yet accelerated at the level that we expect," and described a set of changes meant to raise outcomes for that cohort.
The school has reallocated certified staff, increased in-class modeling and observation for teachers, and shifted small-group instruction to focus on specific skill deficits rather than grouping by level, Soer said. The school also partnered with an organization identified in the remarks as Kids First to provide targeted "boot camps" led by different instructors and timed to occur within days of state tests as a "final focused push" for student growth.
Administrators highlighted nonacademic signs of improvement as well. "Attendance has increased to over 93.69%," Soer said, and the board was told that teacher retention rose from 77.78% last year to 91% this year, with several teachers joining from other district schools. The presentation noted incentives for students with no unexcused absences and zero office referrals; nearly 500 of the district's roughly 900 students received a month'long incentive in February.
Students also greeted the board and presented a brief expression of thanks. Student Holly Lightner told trustees, "Because of you, we have great teachers, fun opportunities, and a school where we feel supported every day." Lightner and other student leaders escorted trustees for the scheduled tour after the meeting.
The school said it will continue to monitor data weekly and adjust supports in real time to maximize growth through the end of the year. The board did not take a formal vote on instructional programming at the meeting; the presentation was informational and followed by the school tour.
Next steps: school leaders said they will continue to implement the targeted interventions described and report on progress to the board in subsequent updates.
