In a report to the Board of Trustees during the Churchill County School Board meeting last week, High School Principal Tim Spenser discussed the plans to support students who are currently credit deficient heading into the close of the school year.
Out of a class of 224 seniors, 56 of those students are in jeopardy of not graduating and 21 of those seniors have 10 credits or less.
“This whole thing about credit deficits is not really the concern, with our students it's more about complying, to turn in work to get a grade,” said Spenser. “We’re trying to build something where the students are engaged in learning, and they learn the content. When they leave the course, for example, Algebra I, they’re prepared to move into Geometry or Algebra II, that’s really the big concern we’ve had with kids here, not getting the concepts or understanding the depth we want them to go.”
In the junior class, where 18 credits are considered “on track,” 62 out of 239 students are not on track. The sophomores need 12 credits to be on track and of 266 students there are 114 falling short. The freshman class of 269 students has 122 students falling short of the seven credits needed to be considered on track. Churchill County requires 23 credits for graduation with a standard diploma and 24 for a College and Career Ready Diploma.
Spenser also reported that there are currently 44 students enrolled in Alternative Education. “We are utilizing several strategies to ensure our students are successful and reach their goal of graduation and beyond. Flexible schedules and individualized plans are in place. We are exploring options for credit pathways for students in the future,” reads his written report to the board.
Spenser said that plans for next year include daily interventions for students who need help in classes and the addition of another class. He said the schedule next year will go from seven classes to eight and will shift to 80-minute blocks with built-in interventions.
“We think with the schedule and the things we’re doing we’ll see some really positive growth for our kids,” said Spenser. “That alone is going to play a really big role.”
Kathryn Whitaker was the only board member to comment on the report, saying that she recently attended a conference where a speaker talked about students who are credit deficient, “and how it doesn’t make sense to put a student who failed math, who isn’t engaged or interested in the subject, to put them in two hours of it instead of just one, when they don’t like it to begin with and how much sense does that really make for the student in being successful. I immediately thought of the class being offered here and it’s that very thing.”
She said she is, “looking forward to students meeting the standards through Learner-Centered Framework and different options rather than just sticking them into two English classes or two math classes.”
Amy Word, principal at Churchill County Middle School also gave a report about the support for her students, saying at the beginning of the year 57 eighth grade students were being monitored for credit deficiencies. At this point in the year, there are now only seven students who have not made progress that allows moving to the high school, and there are ten on a “watch list.”
Students will have the ability to attend Summer School during two three-week sessions and will access the online Edgenuity program for their credit recovery. According to Derild Parsons, Middle School students will have the opportunity to enroll in a skills camp as well as credit recovery.
Superintendent Summer Stephens said the HS has been and continues to develop and strengthen alternative education options. “Mr. Spencer and his team are fully dedicated to working with each learner and taking them from wherever they are to where they want to go on their path. There are a number of factors that lead to a student not being on track to graduate. The past two years and some disruptions due to COVID closures and quarantines have not helped, but the high school has been developing plans and interventions that will work to change these situations.”
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