MARYSVILLE – The Marysville School District set some lofty goals for the school year at its board meeting Aug. 3, including increasing the graduation rate to the state average of 85 percent.
The Class of 2014 had a graduation rate of 74.5 percent. The district plans to focus on risk indicators to accomplish that goal.
The district plans to reduce suspensions and expulsions from 2.5 percent to 1.5 percent. It also will work on the disproportionality of discipline.
Another focus will be reducing the freshmen failure rate from 55 percent to 35 percent. Using targeted instruction should help, the goals say.
The district also wants to improve math and reading scores by 10 percent and first-grade reading scores by 20 percent, from 50 percent to 70 percent literacy. Those will be accomplished by teaching to Common Core standards.
Improving attendance also is a key goal. The unexcused absence rate is at 1.2 percent. The goal is to make it below the state average of .5 percent.
Director Chris Nation said it’s important to let parents know it hurts their child’s learning if they take a week out of school to go to Disneyland, for example.
At the meeting, the board also expedited passage of a new policy on discrimination to make sure it was available by the start of the school year.
It says in part:
“The district will provide equal educational opportunity and treatment for all students in all aspects of the academic and activities program without discrimination based on race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sex, sexual orientation (gender expression or identity), marital status, the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability, or the use of a trained guide or service animal by a person with a disability. District programs will be free from sexual harassment.
“Conduct against any student that is based on one of the categories listed above will not be tolerated. When a district employee knows, or reasonably should know, that such discriminatory harassment is occurring or has occurred, the district will take prompt and effective steps reasonably calculated to end the harassment, prevent its recurrence and remedy its effects.
“The district will annually publish notice to inform students, students’ parents/guardians and employees of the discrimination complaint procedure.
The superintendent will designate a compliance officer, who will be responsible for investigating discrimination complaints.”
Also, the board had its first reading of a nutrition and exercise policy. It says, in part:
“The board recognizes that childhood obesity has reached epidemic levels. Overweight children are at a higher risk for developing long-term health problems, and overweight children are affected by discrimination, psychological stress and low self-esteem.
“Research indicates that obesity and subsequent diseases are largely preventable through diet and exercise. Research also indicates that becoming physically active significantly reduces the risk of some cancers, diabetes and other chronic diseases.
“Children who eat well-balanced meals and are healthy are more likely to learn in the classroom.
“The board supports increased emphasis on nutrition as well as physical activity at all grade levels. Therefore, it is the policy of the board to provide students access to nutritious food and opportunities for physical activity.
“The superintendent or designee will:
• Develop and implement a comprehensive district-wide nutrition program.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive curriculum on health, fitness and nutrition.
• A variety of healthy food choices are available whenever food is sold.
• Schools will regulate the sale of foods high in fat, sodium or added sugars.”
In other school board news:
•The board agreed to sell a 2-acre parcel consisting of mostly blackberry bushes near 67th and Getchell to WK Investment for $275,000. It was appraised at $305,000.
•New administrative staff was introduced: Lori Knudson, secondary schools executive director; Josh Webb, counseling and student support director; Stephanie Zikopoulos, categorical programs director; Stephanie Clark, Cedarcrest Middle School principal; Cory Taylor, Quil Ceda Tulalip principal; and assistant principals Courtney Allison and Benny Juarez, both at Quil Ceda Tulalip; Rich Middaugh at Totem Middle School; Anne Neuman at Allen Creek and Sunnyside; and Jessica Conte at Cascade and Shoultes. “We’re getting a bad rap,” said Jason Thompson, Human Resources executive director. He said Superintendent Becky Berg has been told by other school chiefs to quit taking all of the best talent in Western Washington.
•Berg said the district is trying to get approval for all-day kindergarten at Marysville Co-op.
•Finance director Jim Baker said the district should find out this week about the size of the new cafeteria at Marysville-Pilchuck High School.
•Baker also said the summer meals program is up 31 percent with 14,000 meals served at the nine locations in the first five weeks. He said more parents are involved, paying $2 for the lunch.
•Berg and the board will be going on some trips this year for professional development. One will be to Bellevue at a cost of $3,682. Another will be to Boston for $5,000. That second trip could change however, as Nation said the entire board should go, not just the two that were scheduled. Baker said there should be enough in the budget to make that happen.
•Nation said the district needs to communicate to the public what Common Core is because there’s too much confusion about it.
•Director Bruce Larsen said he’s impressed with the amount of financial gifts coming in to the district even during the summer.
