A significant decline in the number of students labeled W2 — or students who have left school with the intent to drop out — has left administrators pleased with efforts to improve student success.
“I want to commend our principals and our guidance counselors in all that they are doing with students,” said Sandi Lee, assistant superintendent for curriculum. “We are very proud of this data.”
For all seven Davidson County high schools, the number of W2-coded students recorded in the fourth month dropped from 117 in the 2008-09 school year to 104 in the 2009-10 school year, moving from 1.93 percent of the student body to 1.72 percent.
West Davidson High School and South Davidson High School both have less than 10 dropouts.
“Looking internally as well as externally at who we are and who is providing exemplary performance is an important part of our initiative,” said DCS Superintendent Fred Mock.
High school guidance counselors have worked hard to tailor individual programs for struggling students, including implementing online classes, Lee said. And this school year, the county has decided to monitor W2 students on a monthly basis to be more responsive.
“We’re very proud of the success we see in these initiatives at this time,” Mock said.
Another improvement in student achievement manifests through End of Course tests. Overall, Davidson County High Schools increased from 72.3 percent proficiency in fall 2008 to 78.7 percent proficiency in fall 2009, or 86.3 percent, including retests.
This fall was the first year that retests were factored in, and not all retests have been taken, Lee said, meaning this year’s proficiency percentage could rise further. Central Davidson High School increased proficiency by 20.5 percent, and South Davidson High School increased by 26.1 percent.
“I told our high school principals we couldn’t be any more pleased,” Lee said. “And I think they’re proud of that.”
In other news:
• The calendar has been revised to accommodate for the snow days on Monday and Tuesday, with April 6 and 7 set as makeup days. The only other makeup day built into the school schedule is June 10. If more days are missed due to inclement weather, the Board might have to extend the school year.
• Sloan Denny will step in as interim principal of Ledford Middle School on March 1, when the current principal, Evan Myers, retires. Denny is currently Ledford’s assistant principal.
• The Board approved the use of a new substitute teacher feedback form to improve communication between teachers and their substitutes.
• The Board approved the Cash Management Plan’s use of a credit card in case of emergency.
Staff Writer Erin Wiltgen can be reached at 888-3576, or at newsdesk@tvilletimes.com.
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