Brand new school year
August 25, 2008
More than 24,000 students return to classes today as Springfield Public Schools begins the 2008-2009 school year. Students at 10 schools were welcomed back with air conditioning in their schools. Almost 75 percent of buildings will be air conditioned by the end of 2008 thanks to voter support of a $96.5 million bond in 2006.
Another improvement for the new school year is the AlertNow Notification System. For the first time, Springfield parents will receive important announcements about emergencies or school events via phone. Success of this system is dependent upon accurate contact information for each student so parents should be sure to complete the Student Information Sheet and return it to school.
Other highlights include Wonders of the Ozarks Learning Facility, Middle College, Boundary and Facility Usage Review and SP5.
School board sets operating levy for 2008
August 19, 2008
The Springfield school board set the district’s 2008 operating levy at $3.6192 per $100 of assessed valuation on Aug. 19. This is an increase of $.0005 over last year and will cost the owner of a $100,000 home about 10 cents more in annual property taxes.
At the board’s regular monthly meeting, Steve Chodes, district chief financial officer, said the district’s operating levy is the smallest among the state’s 16 largest public school districts
In other action:
Superintendent Norm Ridder reported that about 185 new teachers will enter district classrooms when school starts Monday, Aug. 25. He invited board members to join him and board president Kris Callen in visiting schools between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. that morning.
Scott Wendt, district capital construction director, gave the board an update on the status of bond construction projects. While work remains under way at several schools, all but two of 15 school air-conditioning projects are operational.
Dr. Ridder reminded the board that Kris Callen will speak on the state of the schools during the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce’s Good Morning, Springfield event on Thursday, Sept. 4.
SPS seniors perform at record level on ACT
August 14, 2008
ACT exam performance of Springfield Public Schools’ 2008 graduating class resulted in a composite score higher than any recorded in the past eight years. Springfield’s average composite score increased to 22.9, compared with a state average of 21.6 and a national average of 21.1.
The last time Springfield’s average ACT composite approached the 2008 level was when the graduating class of 2000 scored 22.8. It is the district’s objective for Springfield students to achieve an ACT average composite score of 24 by 2014.
Comparing 2007 results with 2008, Springfield earned an increase in the average composite and in all subject areas. Reading posted the largest one-year gain, moving from an average of 23.1 to 23.8.
“This is an amazing achievement when compared with state and national averages,” noted Denise Fredrick, director of quality improvement and accountability. Neither the state nor the nation posted gains in the average composite or in any subject area between 2007 and 2008. In fact, the national average composite declined by one-tenth of a point.
“These results demonstrate outstanding progress toward our goals of improving academic achievement,” said Dr. Norm Ridder, superintendent. “We reached our targets of a 2.5 percent annual increase in the percent of students taking the ACT and of increasing our student composite score by at least one-tenth of 1 percent.”
In 2007-2008, 64.2 percent of students took the ACT compared with 61 percent in 2006-2007.
Of the 1,512 graduates from Springfield Public Schools in 2008, 970 took the ACT exam during their high school years.
The ACT consists of curriculum-based tests in English, mathematics, reading and science designed to measure skills needed to succeed in first-year college coursework.
New BKD hires volunteer to clean up at Pleasant View School
August 13, 2008
New employees from BKD CPA’s and Advisors will gather at Pleasant View School on Friday, Aug. 15, to clean the building - inside and out - and fulfill their community service obligations to the company.
Its part of an annual week-long training session for new hires at BKD, and this year, Pleasant View, 2210 E. State Hwy AA, will reap the benefits. Cleanup is from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
About 30 volunteers will do detail work such as dusting blinds, cleaning windows and pulling weeds.
“Every school needs a final touch-up at this time of year, and we appreciate BKD stepping up to help us,” said Pleasant View Principal Dr. Julie Steiger. “It really makes a difference on how the place looks.”
BKD is one of the 10 largest CPA and advisory firms in the nation. Springfield offices are located in Hammons’ Tower.
For more information, call Donna Barton at BKD at 831-7283 or Dr. Julie Steiger at 523-2100.
PTA Clothing Bank, Kiwanis Shoe Bank reopen Aug. 13
August 12, 2008
The Springfield Council of PTAs will distribute free new and gently used closing during the next two Wednesdays, Aug. 13 and 20, to help families prepare for the new school year. Located behind Bailey Alternative School at 501 W. Central St., the PTA Clothing Bank provides clothing and new socks and underwear for Springfield Public Schools students who qualify for free and reduced lunches.
Students who qualify must first pick up a voucher from their school before visiting the clothing bank. The clothing bank is open every Wednesday (except for the first Wednesday of the month) from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Kiwanis International will also provide new shoes at this location to children who qualify for the district’s free and reduced lunch program. Students using the shoe bank must be accompanied by a parent. The shoe bank will be open the same days as the clothing bank but it will close at 11 a.m. and reopen at 1:30 p.m.
“We are pleased to begin our 76th year of providing students with school clothes,” said Donna Petiford, Springfield Council of PTAs President. “This is just one of the many projects our PTAs provide to help make every child’s potential a reality. We appreciate the support we receive from the community in donations and volunteer time. The children we serve are extremely grateful.”
For more information about the PTA Clothing Bank, call 823-9818 or 887-6821.
Reed Middle School offers free back-to-school haircuts
August 12, 2008
For the fourth consecutive year, Reed Middle School will provide free haircuts to its students and other school-aged children who need a trim before the first day of school. The event is from 1:30 - 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 17, at Reed, 2000 N. Lyon Ave.
School starts in the district on Monday, Aug. 25.
Free cuts will be provided by hairstyle professionals and hair specialists from the Cut Up, Curl Up and Dye Cosmetology School. Backpacks filled with school supplies will be provided to Reed students by Cornerstone Church. Please call to reserve a backpack at 861-4250 or 523-6300.
Broadway Baptist Church will provide meals for volunteers.
“With the cost of food and gas so high, this is a common-sense way to help families tackle one more back-to-school expense,” said Karen Webster, a Reed teacher and organizer of the event. “It also brings the community together to help kids.”
For more information, call Karen Webster at 861-4250.
Volunteers to clean and paint at two district schools
August. 7, 2008
In preparation for the new school year, a Springfield church and a group of recreational vehicle owners will lead separate paint activities at two Springfield public schools on Saturday, Aug. 9.
Volunteers from James River Assembly of God will scrape and paint in classrooms and outside at Westport Elementary School from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. About 200-300 volunteers are expected to help. Westport is located at 415 S. Golden Ave.
From 8 a.m. to noon, volunteers from “On the Lamb Sam,” a group of RV owners who perform service work, will paint classrooms at Bissett Elementary School, 3014 W. Calhoun St.
Cultural diversity office sponsors back-to-school info event
August 4, 2008
Springfield Public Schools’ Office of Cultural Diversity will sponsor a back to school parent information event from 6-7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 11 in the Central High School Commons.
The annual event provides important information to all parents on topics such as student handbooks (secondary); elementary school topics; parenting tips; honors classes, advanced placement, college preparation; ACT preparation and financial aid; and transportation, food services and health services.
“We’ve found this event to be very helpful to parents to help ensure the success of their student,” said Dr. Nate Quinn, cultural diversity coordinator.
For more information,call Dr. Nate Quinn at 523-0064.
SPS foundation, Panera Bread partner in school supply drive
August 4, 2008
The Foundation for Springfield Public Schools is teaming up with Panera Bread for a school supply drive August 1-10. School supplies are being collected at each Panera location in Springfield. Those who bring school supplies to the designated box in Panera’s Cozy Corner can enter their name into a drawing for a free Bread for a Year certificate. Supplies donated to the Panera Bread School Drive will be distributed to Springfield Public Schools in need.
List of School Supplies:
- Backpack or book bag
- Small plastic school box
- Cleansing tissue, large box
- Crayons, 16 colors
- Glue, Crayola™, no-clog tip
- Pencils, No. 2 lead
- Scissors, 4” blunt
- Eraser
- Primary tablet, ¾ ruled paper
- Primary tablet, ½ ruled
- Scissors, 5” sharp
- Paper, notebook 3/8” ruled
- Ruler, metric & inches
- Scissors, 5”-6” sharp
- Folder with brads & pockets
- Pen, ball point
- Pencils red lead
- Protractor
- Pens, blue & black
- Spiral notebooks
District announces Adequate Yearly Progress results
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education today released preliminary 2008 Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) results. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 requires all schools, districts and states to show that students are making AYP by meeting annual targets in communication arts, mathematics, attendance and graduation rate.
Overall, Springfield Public Schools students continued to perform well above the state average on Missouri’s mandated assessment tests in 2008. However, performance in identified subgroups prevented the district from meeting AYP this year. At the school level, 28 of 50 Springfield schools met AYP overall.
A notable achievement for the district was meeting AYP in the additional indicators of attendance and graduation rate. Springfield Public Schools increased its graduation rate to 81.2 percent. Additionally, four of five high schools met AYP in the area of graduation rate. On the attendance indicator, 44 out of 45 elementary and middle schools met AYP.
Other highlights of Springfield AYP results include:
- 15 schools increased the percent of students who scored proficient and advanced in communication arts between 2007 and 2008.
- 23 schools increased the percent of students who scored proficient and advanced in mathematics between 2007 and 2008.
- 30 of 35 elementary schools met AYP in mathematics.
- The percent of Limited English Proficiency (LEP) students scoring proficient and advanced in communication arts increased from 2007 to 2008.
- The percent of Hispanic and LEP students scoring proficient and advanced in mathematics increased from 2007 to 2008.
A key objective of NCLB is that 100 percent of students be proficient in communication arts and math by 2014. Meantime, annual AYP targets have been established to track schools’ progress. For 2008, schools must have 51 percent of students performing at proficient or above in communications arts and 45 percent must be proficient or better in math. In 2009, those requirements will increase to 59.2 percent and 54.1 percent, respectively.
This year, for the first time, Missouri schools benefited from the AYP Growth Model, which takes into account individual student growth over time. The Growth Model allows for students who may not currently be proficient but who are “on track” to achieve proficiency in four years to be counted toward AYP.
The Growth Model allowed Springfield Public Schools to count an additional 957 students in the area of communication arts and an additional 752 students in the area of mathematics because their performance increased enough to be considered on track to proficiency for AYP.
Another change this year is the uniform subgroup cell size of 30. Previously if a school had fewer than 50 students with Individual Education Plans or Limited English Proficiency, they were not identified as reportable subgroups.
Any school failing to meet AYP two years in a row is identified for school improvement. According to the preliminary data, eight Springfield schools were identified for school improvement this year:
Title I Schools in School Improvement Level 1
Westport Elementary School
Williams Elementary School
York Elementary School
Pipkin Middle School
Study Middle School
Title I Schools in School Improvement Level 2
Bissett Elementary School
McGregor Elementary School
Title I Schools in School Improvement Level 3, Corrective Action Year 1
Reed Middle School
As a district, Springfield Public Schools did not meet AYP in math or communication arts but did meet AYP in the indicators of attendance and graduation rate.
“Adequate yearly progress is only one measure we use to evaluate our students’ academic achievement,” explained Dr. Norm Ridder, superintendent of schools. “Failing to make Adequate Yearly Progress in no way indicates that a school or our district is not improving. We have numerous indicators that our students are not only performing well but are performing better than most students in Missouri.”
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