RC superintendent stresses district?s ?AYP? passing grade

Rogers City Area Schools superintendent Paul Mancine used a portion of Monday?s board of education meeting to clarify recent reports on Rogers City’s ?Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)? which portrays the district in a negative way. During a computer-projected presentation, Mancine said the district received a letter grade of a ?B? on the latest AYP, and ?overall the scores were good,? but because some scores in English Language Arts at the middle school level were low, the high school was listed by the state as not reaching AYP. The federal ?No Child Left Behind? program mandates that each state develop and implement a statewide system to measure local educational agencies to ensure they reach adequate yearly progress. A middle school ?sub-group? as Mancine called it, went from 66.8 percent last year on scores to 58 percent in 2006.

?I WAS SURPRISED, as many of us were?that Rogers City Area Schools was on the state list of schools that did not make annual yearly progress,? said Mancine. ?Upon closer inspection, we find that, although the media doesn?t stress it necessarily, the school district did make annual yearly requirements.? Mancine said it is an area of concern, and one that needs to be looked at, but principal Deb Jones has talked with the staff about the importance of improving the scores. Board president Mike Marx, who said the district is striving for an ?A?, said there are some students that come through the system that are not strong in one particular subject and that has the potential to create lower scores. School officials also emphasized the challenges of continuing to meet AYP on a year-to-year basis, when scores are already high. Board member Scott McLennan added, ?This is just one section. This is one area that has slipped from a relatively high number to a lower number, which kicked us out. I just think we need to have a very good plan in place. Principal Jones has assured us that the plan is in place.?

IN OTHER business:

? After seeking input and different opinions, the facilities and site committee recommended the outside of the high school building be painted a shade of brown after considering the school colors of orange and black. Committee members and staff looked at the high school courtyard that was painted orange and black two weeks before school started. Committee chairman Scott McLennan said the orange ?would have been a bit too much for the outside of the building.? ?If you remember, when the blue went on the building the community said ?wow,? what is this,? said McLennan. ?People have a vested interest. Members of the community and the taxpayers own it. They want a building that looks nice.?

? A motion to establish the October and November district calendar was approved, as contract talks continue with teachers. School will be in regular session throughout October. November 9, students will be dismissed at 12:05 p.m. for parent/teacher conferences. There is no school on November 10 and November 15, the deer season opener, which officially is being called ?safety day.? The Thanksgiving weekend begins November 22 with dismissal of the students at 12:05 p.m.

? The board approved a motion to accept the resignations of teacher Ariane Romel and teacher aide Nancy Snow. The board wished Romel success in her new teaching assignment in Alpena and expressed appreciation to Snow for 26 years of service to the district.

? Early enrollment figures have been placed at 607 students, which is close to projections. The num

ber was at 604 until Jones told Mancine Monday that three new students were enrolled Monday morning after walking in at the beginning of the day. She told the superintendent that there were no drops.

The state count will be conducted at the end of the month. ? The Focus on Fitness sign will be presented to Rogers City Elementary School nurse Kathy Winemiller Monday at 1 p.m. ? Athletic director Pat Lamb announced that the junior high school girls basketball program has been cancelled. Only two eighth graders and three seventh graders showed up for practices, precipitating the move by the sport?s department.

? The Ad-Hoc group which is looking at a possible building expansion project is still seeking members to help gather information. Anyone interested in serving on the fact-finding committee is encouraged to contact the central office at the Grambau Center.

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