As Spencer school board members learned that 2007-08 marked a second year specific groups of students have either placed the district's buildings "in need of improvement" or on a "watch year" list Tuesday night, Assistant Superintendent Kathy Elliott outlined part of an answer in a new professional development focus and a new monitoring and accountability plan, both of which have taken shape in 2008-09.

Elliott reported that during the 2007-08 school year, the low socioeconomic subcategory (LSES) of third through fifth grade students missed its adequate yearly progress (AYP) goal in math and reading. In addition, the Spencer Middle School's special education group of students missed its AYP in math and reading, and its LSES subcategory of students missed its AYP goal in reading.

These results mean the district is on its second year of being named a "school in need of improvements" for the middle school building's special education students, as well as on a "watch year" for reading and math with the LSES and special education groups within the SMS.

"You can focus so hard on the data and beat yourself up for it -- or you can focus on what we can do to keep improving our kids," Superintendent Greg Ebeling said. "I choose to focus on the data -- and I know there are times it doesn't look wonderful. But we're doing everything we can to make it look good. But this is not just about making data look good. In fact, that's the least of my concerns. It's about what things we're really doing to help kids (achieve and making an impact on how we're instructing them)."

Ebeling then advised, "We won't become a sanctioned school until either our elementary or the whole district is sanctioned. And they're only sanctioned if you have the same thing, not meeting adequate yearly progress at all three levels -- elementary, middle school and high school -- to become a district in need of assistance. For our populations at the high school, because our numbers in those subgroups are smaller than 30 students, we'll end up never probably getting ourself (listed as) a district in need of assistance, unless the whole grade level doesn't make the improvement it's supposed to make."

It was also pointed out last night that all students, per No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 requirements, will be required to reach a 100-percent proficiency level by 2013.

"The bottom line is to keep working and trying to get more kids proficient," Elliott told board members. Spencer's assistant superintendent and curriculum coordinator also noted the district's goals this school year include trying to help all students grow in their proficiencies.

As Elliott outlined professional development plans for staff in 2008-09, she cited "literacy as the singular focus for inservices" and the "use of learning team collaboration time to support implementation of literacy." She also unveiled the Spencer school district's new literacy goal for this school year: "By spring 2009, at least 50 percent of students in grades 3 - 10 will meet or exceed the national average growth target for each grade as measured by a comparison of fall 2008 to spring 2009 scores on the reading comprehension portion of the Measures of Academic Performance" assessments.

The districtwide monitoring and accountability system outlined by Elliott next included administrators communicating the expectation that every principal and teacher will be responsible for developing individual SMART (Strategic and Specific; Measurable; Attainable; Results-oriented; and Time-bound) goals by Sept. 19. Teachers will then be required to submit written documentation of progress made on those goals to their building principal each quarter. At the same time, Elliott said principals will be monitoring their progress, providing feedback and support, and conducting evaluation conferences with teachers on their SMART goals. Principals will then be required to submit documentation of mid-year and annual summative evaluation conferences to Superintendent Greg Ebeling and Elliott by Feb. 15 and May 30.

In action taken Tuesday night, board members unanimously approved expelling a Spencer High School senior for the first semester of the 2008-09 school year. The student's parents, who waived their right to a hearing in front of the board, have stated he is currently living with relatives in a different district and attending school there.

"It's a second possession of marijuana on school facilities within one school year, last school year," Ebeling said of the condition which resulted in the student being expelled. "...Obviously, it's a major concern whenever you have students come to school and look like they're under the influence. So we go through a process and do the search. When we find evidence, this is what happens. The district just can't have tolerance for this. We have to take a hard line on possession on school grounds."

In a 4-1 vote, with Ed Ver Steeg casting the lone "no" vote, board members told Northwest Iowa Youth Soccer Association representatives Kirby Nielsen and Dave Shabino they'd allocate $15,000 for new bleachers on the soccer fields. While it was noted that the Tailtwisters have committed $5,000 toward the project, Ebeling informed Nielsen and Shabino that he'd talked with Harold Prior, the president of Iowa Lakes Community College, yesterday and encouraged them to "not be afraid to ask" ILCC for $15,000 also. He indicated the college plans to start a soccer program next fall, and this would serve as its home field.

While a more formalized agreement between the school district and the NIYSA is expected in September, the school district's $15,000 commitment will be taken from its Physical Plant and Equipment Levy fund. Nielsen and Shabino, meanwhile, suggested their association's plans are to install the bleachers this fall, for use in the spring of 2009.

* An article about board action taken regarding the Spencer Middle School auditorium will be in the Aug. 28 edition of the Daily Reporter.