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Junior high and high school outline interventions as district test scores show mixed results
Summary
Junior high and high school leaders described interventions — daily advisory, small-group intervention time and new electives — while the superintendent reported mixed assessment results, enrollment declines and a rise to 74% economically disadvantaged; the board discussed possible program and incentive ideas to raise achievement.
At the Pocahontas School District regular meeting, school leaders presented building-by-building academic updates and interventions aimed at improving student outcomes while the superintendent reviewed district-level assessment and enrollment data.
Junior high principal Miss Miller told the board the building currently serves 456 students and is focusing on Atlas and I‑Ready data to identify gaps. She described a dedicated intervention block called "red skin time" (25–30 minutes, currently three days a week, moving toward four) that requires level‑1 and level‑2 students to attend small-group instruction and I‑Ready lessons tailored to individual needs. "We have 456 students in our building," Miss Miller said, and added the school is bolstering collaborative teacher teams and advisory groups (about 13–15 students each) designed to check grades, attendance and social-emotional needs.
Christian, presenting for the high school, reported 399 students and highlighted the district’s ACT and AP outcomes: "Our ACT average was 18; the state average is 18.5," he said, and he noted 57 students scored 3 or higher on at least one AP exam last year. Christian described targeted grouping for 10th graders based on diagnostics and a planned mix of daily interventions and incentives tied to interim diagnostics.
Superintendent Dr. Arbuckle presented the district report: October 1 enrollment fell to 1,814 (down about 97 students year-over-year); economically disadvantaged eligibility rose to 74%, prompting consideration of the USDA 'C' provision to provide free lunch to all students if economically feasible; and assessment results were mixed. The superintendent noted fourth grade and biology showed gains while math proficiency — particularly eighth-grade geometry — remains an area of concern. He said the district will continue collaborative PLC work, curriculum alignment and targeted interventions focusing on early grades to produce longer-term gains.
Board members raised ideas for improving testing engagement and performance, including incentives for growth (not just raw scores), peer support models, and field-trip or reward options. The administration said it would return with more detail on incentive costs and the financial implication of adopting the 'C' provision for free meals.
What happens next: building leaders will continue implementing PLCs, intervention blocks and curriculum supports; administration will cost out any universal free-lunch option and return with recommendations.
