Wrangell Sentinel -

The Wrangell Public School District Board of Directors held their second to last regular meeting of the year on Nov. 19 at Stikine Elementary School – and held a public hearing where the results of the district report cards were discussed.

The report cards, which are issued annually for each of the three public schools in the district and the Alaska Virtual Academy, showed an 88.5 percent graduation rate with a 92.7 percent average attendance for the 2011-12 school year. The State of Alaska requires 85 percent return as a target for each of those measurements.

Wrangell High School, as an individual subgroup of the district, fell below the required state levels in both graduation rates for female students and in mathematics.

Superintendent Rich Rhodes said the shortcomings in math returns are being dealt with and that, in terms of graduation rates, it’s also a game of numbers.

“These results mean I have to meet with the Alaska State Department of Education and tell them we are making adjustments to the two areas we are deficient in, math and the female graduation rate,” Rhodes said. “The math department and principal at the high school have been working hard with supplemental classes and in terms of the graduation rate, we’re looking at identifying students at risk and offering support to meet that goal. One or two students not graduating can make the difference between 88 percent and 100 percent rates.”

The report card for the high school shows an 18.5 percent enrollment change during the 2011-12 school year, with a 0.9 percent dropout rate.

In his report to the board, Rhodes was upbeat about the economic outlook for the district – but watching Washington D.C. closely as the end-of-year financial uncertainty approaches.

“I am happy to report the budget review was just completed with an increase in revenues over expenditures,” Rhodes stated. “We are watching the fiscal cliff closely as we are unsure of how federal dollars may be affected. We continue to focus on secure school revenues with a one year extension last year and a revenue generation of $1.5 million for Wrangell schools.”

The status of the district food service program was also mostly positive and spoke to the improvements seen since Wrangell resident Dixie Booker has taken the lead in the kitchen.

“Booker has worked diligently to set up a kitchen and a process to provide our students with quality meals twice a day,” the departmental report states. “She has done an outstanding job of learning state and federal regulations so that the district continues to be in compliance. At the same time she has increased meal sales by staff as well as student satisfaction by serving foods served at appropriate temperatures, creating plates of food that show variety, and providing healthy and tasty meals.”

Getting a vehicle for use by the food service operation was also mentioned in the report.

“At this time Mrs. Booker must use her husband's vehicle to transport,” the report states. “Since it is a pick-up without a lift she must first lift two empty food containers into the truck. Then she takes the food out of the warming container, one serving pan at a time into the empty food containers. Then reverse the process once she is at the elementary. This process adds substantial time to transportation as well as compromises the temperature of the foods being transported.”

In new business, the board addressed a set of six new long-term goals for the district under the motto, “Excel to your potential.”

The first goal recognized by the board seeks to, “ensure success in Standards Based Assessments, the High School Graduating Qualifying Exam and employability/life skills.”

Rhodes explained what he is seeking in an explanation of the goals to the board.

“The Wrangell Public Schools have begun the awareness phase of the new Alaska State Standards that spreads across all curriculum areas with a key focus on math and language arts,” Rhodes explained. “The new state assessment will either be in 2015 or 2016. Some districts are already piloting the new test questions. We will need to begin the transition to the new standards. This will change our curriculum focus. It is my recommendation that we begin with a curriculum audit.”

A move toward technology is also addressed in the second goal, which states that the district should work to, “ensure successful application of technology that is competitive, appropriate, and of the highest standards.”

According to Rhodes, upgrading the Mac and PC operating systems used in schools will begin next year.

“The Wrangell School District is preparing for an operating system upgrade in the summer of 2013,” he stated. “The many software changes (have) required us to upgrade and become more current in our operating system. The Technology Committee has moved forward with a 5-year replacement plan on hardware.”

The board also accepted a grant in the amount of $1,000 from Alaskan Dream Cruises and reviewed applications for grants from the Alaska Career and Technical Education Plan, Alaska Marine Safety Education Association, and the SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium.

The SEARHC grant application asks for $24,667 to assist in food services for the district and to look at, “trying to help students and staff recognize and participate in healthy eating choices. With this target we ultimately want the community to make smart choices for a healthier lifestyle through, several collaborative Community Health Initiative projects. We also are trying to increase Alaskan foods that can be used in the food program.”

If implemented, the grant would pay for a 40-quart mixer, two Cuisinart food processors, a commercial electric range, two range hoods and a cargo van to deliver meals.

Results of an executive session by the board were not available by press time.