The Lakeland Union High School has turned the corner on student absenteeism rate and physical altercation numbers, according to a report presented July 25th to the school board.
“The numbers are going in the right direction,” said Assistant Principal Justin Szews. “This is good stuff. There is reason to be happy as far as this particular trend is moving.”
The attendance rate is the best it has been for at least the past 10 or 12 years, he added. “Excellent job,” complimented board member Jon Berg. The 2015-16 school year attendance rate was just over 94 percent, according to Szews. Each of the four grade levels achieved at least a 93.4 percent rate, he added. That’s in stark contrast to 2010-11 when the overall attendance rate was just 77 percent. As defined by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, the absenteeism rate is based on the number of students who miss 16 percent or more of school days. The school’s absenteeism rate dropped sharply in 2011-12, made a small uptick the following year, and has been falling steadily since.
Szews reported that for the first time ever representatives from Vilas County and Lac du Flambeau Tribal Court attended the recent meeting of the Oneida County Truancy Task Force. “They’re interested in jumping on board with the truancy report center/intervention.” He said the center has been successful in keeping truancy cases in check. Mirroring the decreased absenteeism rate has been a steady drop in physical altercations or scuffles. Sixteen students were written up for 19 physical altercations this past school year. A few occurred on buses. Back in 2009-10, 65 students had referrals for 75 physical altercations, described as anything from fist fighting to pushing. Since then there’s been nearly a 75 percent drop in physical altercations along with a similar percentage drop in students involved over the last several years, Szews said. Just 2.2 percent of students accounted for all the physical altercation referrals last school year, he said. He noted that some teachers and staff may be reluctant to write a referral on a misbehaving student, but the quicker the Dean of Students, student support strategist and he can address a student’s problems, the fewer issues they have with that student going forward. “Oftentimes in just five minutes of heart-to-heart with a student in the office, we can get a pretty good connection with that student and figure out what’s going on and what’s wrong.”
A key to turning around student misbehavior is immediate connection with the student’s parents or guardians. “When that 4.5 percent (of misbehaving students) are taken care of immediately, the learning environment improves immensely,” said Administrator/Principal Jim Bouche. “That’s why we have 97 percent passing rate, and we have 97 percent graduation rate. “And our Native American students had a 86 percent graduation rate,” Bouche continued, “which is higher than what we have averaged the four previous four years at 84 percent graduation rate. Nine years ago . . . we had a 56 percent graduation rate of our Native American students.”
The top five discipline referrals last year were for alcohol or drug related – 23; inappropriate language to staff – 36; insubordination – 148; physical altercation – 19; and harassment – 21. Of the 106 students falling into that category, 13 had two or more, and 33 (or 4.5 percent of the student body) had three or more. Of that latter group, 15 were enrolled in regular education programming with 18 in special education programming. “That first discipline referral worked for those 60 students,” noted Szews in reinforcing the importance of referrals when a classroom teacher can’t change the mis behavior. The administration’s emphasis on the coming school year will be on reducing the number of referrals for insubordination. “I’m not recommending any major changes in the systems that we are using right now . . . given that things seem to be working out OK,” Szews told the board. He explained that some teachers are able to “connect” with students who otherwise are misbehaving in other classrooms, and they will be called upon to share their success stories. The report will be shared with teachers and other staff during future in-services.
In other business, the board ratified shared contracts with a couple of outside agencies. One was for a shared speech and language pathologist with the North Lakeland Elementary School. LUHS will pay 40 percent of the cost, or about $43,000, while the elementary school will pick up 60 percent, or about $65,000. The other contract was with the Town of Minocqua for a school resource officer (sometimes referred to as liaison officer). The district will pick up the officer’s actual daily cost, including prorated cost of vacation and holidays, during the 2016-17 school year. No cost figures were given, however. The board also accepted the resignations of the following: Geralyn Knautz, school nurse; Matthew Schoeneman, special education teacher; Alex Chiglo, math teacher; Ethan Sennett, boys soccer coach; Miquel Aguirre, JV boys soccer coach; Tom Oestreich, half-time boys tennis coach. The following were approved as new hires (with pay noted): Rebecca Jablonski, special education teacher, $61,000; Keegan Gabert and Joanne Kumpula, special education paraprofessionals, each $16/hr; Larry Kamin, assistant football coach, $2,938; Justin Nimsgern, assistant football coach, $1,204; Matt Krueger, assistant football coach, $2,408; Macie Khan, assistant volleyball coach, $1,963; Jeff Waite, assistant boys soccer coach, $1,963; and Ryan Heath, fall strength and conditioning supervisor, $713.
