Reports cards, student letters on Triad agenda

Pictured above as some of the letters created by Triad elementary student sent to sailors aboard the USS John S. McCain in memory of Petty Officer Jacob Drake who graduated from Triad High School in 2013. Drake was one of 10 sailors killed when the McCain collided with an oil tanker off the coast of Singapore in August.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Corinne Bix)
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Editor’s note: This will be the last story from Corinne Bix to appear in the Journal-Tribune as she has resigned her position. The newspaper is currently looking for an individual to cover future Triad school board and North Lewisburg Village Council meetings.
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It’s a report with two truths when you look closely at Triad’s state report card: while the district’s overall achievement scores were ranked low, the district’s value-added scores were in the top eight percent in the state.
Superintendent Chris Piper reported to the board on the district report card as compared to 42 school districts in Champaign and surrounding counties.
“It’s our goal to be ranked in the top 10 for achievement scores and to have at least one year’s growth (value added)” Piper reported, “The state set the benchmark of 80 percent (up from 75 percent last year) that have to be proficient in each tested subject to hit the indicator, very few schools in our area and the state hit those indicators.”
Triad only hit three achievement indicators and overall ranks were in the middle when compared to neighboring school districts. However, on the value-added side the district did very well.
“Our value-added scores were fantastic and this year our overall value-added scores were the 47th highest in the state out of 608 districts,” Piper said, “Each growth indicator says we are doing a great job.”
Value – added measures how much the student grew academically over the course of the school year.
“Our report card looks like a lot of other districts with the exception our value- added is better and our achievement is worse,” he said, “We have to take a moment to celebrate what we have accomplished and then tackle the other side.”
Board members requested a prioritized list of those areas of top concern.
Piper along with Deb Hayslip, curriculum director, will work with teachers and staff to review the test data.
“The data will help us pinpoint those gaps standard by standard, so we can be more rigorous,” Hayslip said, “We clearly grow kids and we just need to bridge the gap with achievement.”
Lee Claypool, elementary principal, said students from the elementary sent letters and pictures to sailors aboard the USS John S. McCain in memory of Petty Officer Jacob Drake who graduated from Triad High School in 2013. Drake was one of ten sailors killed when the McCain collided with an oil tanker off the coast of Singapore in August. The letters were postmarked with what would have been Drake’s 22nd birthday, Sept. 21.
September is National Suicide Prevention Month and district guidance counselors have written a letter to all parents detailing the protocol if a student has threatened self-harm.
“This letter informs parents that if we cannot get in contact with them, we will keep the student at school and will contact a mental health professional to evaluate the child,” Piper explained in his board report, “The mental health professional will then contact the parent and review the safety plan needed to keep the child safe.”
The letter provides a list of references for mental health professionals and services in the area. District sixth graders will also participate in a “Signs of Suicide” program that will educate them about depression and suicide and how to respond to those signs. This is the second year for this program
The dates for the October and November board meetings have been changed due to scheduling conflicts. The new board meeting dates are Oct. 12 at 7 p.m. in the middle school library and Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. in the high school library.
In other news, the board:
-Approved the supplemental certified employment of Shari Dixon as softball head coach and Jason Malone as basketball head coach
-Heard a presentation from the elementary including a video showing a compilation of teachers using the newly purchased smart board technology in the classroom.
-Approved the supplemental classified employment of Jeff Merklin as basketball girls head coach and Angel Legge as high school cheerleading coach for basketball
-Approved the substitute classified employment for the following: Richard Dale Stokes – custodian and cafeteria; Tina Rabe – cafeteria and secretary; Rebecca Mears – cafeteria and secretary; Tamara Cox – secretary; Deb Orecchio – secretary
-Approved the certified employment of Missy Masters as after-school tutor for the 2017-18 school year.
-Approved an overnight trip for Spanish Club students to travel to Costa Rica as presented by Martha Lehman, Spanish teacher from June 6-14, 2018. Cost of the trip will be paid through fund raising and through Spanish Club funds. There will be no cost to the district and no district transportation will be used.
-Approved an overnight trip for FFA students to travel to the FFA National Convention in Indianapolis, IN as presented by Jon Smith, Ag. Ed. instructor, from Oct. 25-27. Cost of the trip will be split between students and the FFA chapter. There will be no cost to the district and no district transportation will be used.
-Approved the service agreement with Great Lakes Biomedical to conduct the drug screens for student athletes during the 2017-18 school year as presented by the superintendent.
-Reviewed the career advisement policy 2413 as presented by the superintendent.
-Approved a resolution for permanent appropriations and estimated resources
-Approved the amended certificate of appropriations in fund 551 for $332.52
-Approved fund-to fund transfer in the amounts of $155,688 from the general fund to the bond fund for BB&T building dept. and $56,589 from the general fund to the bond fund for energy conservation debt
-Accepted with gratitude the following donations: $120 from Jan and Gary Jordan for the Class of 1926 composite frame: $120 from Virginia Clemons for the Class of 1948 composite frame; gift subscription to the Smithsonian from Lou Driever for the high school library