MARYSVILLE – Liberty Elementary Principal Gloria Henderson talked about improved behavior at her school at the Marysville School Board meeting Tuesday night.
Referrals, for example, have been reduced from 350 last year to 150 this year.
She also said 25 percent of her students are English Language Learners, but even though they start at a deficit, sometimes grades behind their classmates, that their improvement is better than the average student in both language arts and math. The same goes for special education students there.
As a result, the school has reduced its achievement gap. Another thing the school is working on is its PTA. “It did not reflect our students of color,” Henderson said. “There’s equity in everything we do at Liberty.”
Principal Sharon Anderson said behavior also is much better at Grove Elementary. She said last year at this time there had been 30 suspensions, this year only eight. She said students have been taught expectations through their program called ROAR, for respect, ownership, attitude and responsibility.
She also said math and language arts scores are up, as is attendance, from 93 percent last year to 97 percent this year. She said tardies remain a problem, blaming it basically on poor traffic flow. They are focusing on families that have repeat offenders.
Board members Chris Nation and Bruce Larsen talked briefly about their trip to Washington, D.C., for a National Association of School Board event. “A big push was special education funding,” Nation said.
They also brought up funding for vocational programs, which are getting more expensive due to technology advancements.
Preston Dewoskin, an advocate for the school district, went to Olympia as he does every year, and talked to lawmakers about local needs in education. His message, “Fully fund education.” He encouraged those in the audience, and the public in general, to call their state legislators to voice their support. He also said the House and Senate versions of the budget are night and day when it comes to funding schools. Dewoskin said he heard just this week that lawmakers are so divided that the session could last until June 30.
“It’s going to take awhile,” said Pete Lundberg, school board president. “Thanks for going to Olympia and getting our voices heard.”
The school board also looked at a revised policy on rights and responsibilities of homeless students, identified as those without regular, adequate nighttime residence. It says, in part, that homeless students have equal access to education, and the district will mitigate barriers to academic success, offering various special programs, from Head Start to the Gifted and Talented. A district liaison will connect the homeless to social service and housing agencies. District workers also are taught how to identify and serve homeless youth.
Students from some of the district’s secondary schools also gave reports:
•Arts and Tech: Will be putting on the play, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” in May. Computer repair class sent eight computers to Tanzania and 17 to Haiti. Two DECA students qualified for state.
•Mountain View: 38 students won attendance awards for going to school 98 percent of the time. Students also are sending Girl Scout cookies to Africa and Turkey, and having a Pennies for Patients drive.
•Marysville Getchell: Has 20 clubs, including DECA, which qualified some members for state. It also hosted an anti-bullying event.
•Marysville-Pilchuck: The bowling team placed second at state, and the DECA team qualified 15 for state. Students also helped 76 kids at Christmas and are raising money for charities with their Macho Volleyball and Hoops for Hope competitions.
•10th Street: Seven band members made the state’s honor band. The Mock Trial team also did well, earning many nominations and winning honors for best attorneys. •Marysville Middle: 55 students received honors for perfect attendance. One student made the all-state choir. And they are doing a pet food drive to support NOAH, the no-kill shelter north of Arlington.
