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TRANSCRIPT
James Bell
The first quarter for USD 489 has been completed. Wilson elementary principal Anita Schieve stops by to talk about that and more on this episode of the Post Podcast.
Anita Schieve
One thing that we always look at at the end of each quarter is student attendance. And so I mentioned to you like, I have some sticks if you want them about student attendance, because it is correlated to student success, or lack of success later in school. Yeah, as early as kindergarten.
James Bell
Wow, interesting. So is it you don't let's get into the the facts and figures here. But is it? You know, the parents really, I feel like at that age of students are kind of the drivers of being there. And it's kind of on them. Right, right. Well,
Anita Schieve
And I think there's kind of this attitude that it doesn't matter so much when they're young. And the problem is, you're laying a pattern for habits, but it's also just that students end up with learning gaps, that kind of snowball, when they're missing days. And what's considered to be chronically absent is even missing just 10% of school days, which in a school year is less than two days per month. Wow. And that could be I mean, you know, obviously, there's some times there are really good reasons kids miss because they are sick and COVID has complicated that for
James Bell
Sure, I was gonna say, because the last thing you want to do right now is send them to school, if they are, you know, exhibiting any sort of illness
Anita Schieve
Exactly. But it can also be, well, we took the day off, because we're going out of town or, or, you know, we're kind of sick, but we're feeling a little anxious about school, and we just decided to stay home, or we took a week of family vacation to and and it wasn't during spring break, like, and unfortunately, those things add up over time and really do make a difference. And what's concerning is a student that's chronically absent in kindergarten, is significantly significantly at risk for not being on grade level in third grade for reading. And a student who's not reading at grade level in third grade and reading is significantly more at risk of not completing high school. So and because people study that, but it is it is concerning, especially on the proficient in reading by third grade, and there are some states who've taken pretty drastic measures to address that, like not allowing students to move on until they are proficient in third grade. Kansas, thankfully hasn't gone that far. But we are at USC 49 We are putting into place. It's called multi tiered systems of support a system of interventions to try to provide more instruction to students who aren't on grade level. So they will be on grade level by third grade in reading, especially what's concerned, that works as long as students are in school.
James Bell
Yeah, absolutely. You know, I like that initiative. It's kind of a clunky name, though. It is. Right. So, so really well, you know, you just need the kiddos need to be there is really the kind of overall message I'm hearing.
Anita Schieve
Right. Right. Well, and, and like I said, when they're in school, it improves their chances of being on grade level academically, and which increases their their prospects of graduating.
James Bell
Okay. Interesting stuff. Yeah, cuz you mean, you're right, I wouldn't even thought of it for those little kiddos because, like, really think about it, you know, kindergarten first aid gauge child, like, really? What are they going to learn this day? You know, it's you might in your head, because you're you're you're so far past it don't really remember how that builds up.
Anita Schieve
Right? Well, it's a little frightening, like if you look at the data, and actually 8 million students in the US are considered chronically absent each year, meaning they miss more than 10% of school days. Wow. So and attendance is reported to waste for us, like we report how many students are in school every day, which is always for us, at or above 95%. Typically, COVID has changed that again, a little bit. But then if you start digging in and looking at, well, how many students are missing more than 10% of their days in the school year, we do have a large amount, you know, we'll have 20 to 40 students a year, who, who we are concerned about because they're regularly missing days. And obviously, then we dig in and look at why that is, you know, if a student's had to have surgery, or has something major going on, that's very different than a student who every year, misses 10% or more of days.
James Bell
I'm curious, you know, with everything in the last couple years and the shift to online education, is there any information? I don't know if you'd have this readily available, but how does that kind of shake into that,
Anita Schieve
right? I don't know. Studies yet to look at that. But
James Bell
these things take forever to really pin them down.
The nice part about virtual learning is it does change. You know, learning becomes the constant and time becomes the variable. We're in school. Time is the con Instant and learning is the variable. So that's kind of flipped that. But But the nice part about virtual learning then is it does kind of work around some of those situations that might make a student chronically absent in traditional school. Okay.
James Bell
Well, shifting gears a little bit, there was another thing we want to hit on. And that's, you know, it's a big topic of conversation right now we've we've talked about it here on the go morning, show a few times with different representatives in the community. But there's a bond issue again, kind of popping up in in in the community. And I don't know if you want to maybe share with some of the stories or some of the needs there at Wilson. Because I've been in Wilson, I know there are some pretty pressing concerns
Anita Schieve
well, and the issue is the age of the the original part of the building we are adding on we are excited, we have safe and secure entrance being added. We're we're in the same boat, as many people who've tried construction during COVID. Were waiting on on backordered construction items like windows and doors. But commercial builders has done an awesome job trying to keep us apprised and keep the project moving forward. So we're hopeful to be in that by by the end of this semester, hopefully. And that will give us a safe and secure entrance. That's a double entry.
James Bell
Yeah, cuz if I remember right in your building, you really the way it used to be, you could get into the school and you'd be right in classrooms before anybody even noticed you were there,
Anita Schieve
Right? Because the office had somewhat of a line of sight. But once you walk in, you have access to all hallways, correct. We but the original part of the building that that safe and secure entrance is the fifth addition to the building since 1959. But the original part of the building was built in 1959. And we still have the original boiler from 1959, which gives us trouble about every year and you have to order parts and weighed on and it's hard to find part I was gonna say
James Bell
That's, you know, when I when when I hear about to the H vac systems in the schools here and in analysts because they're doing the same thing right now. It's that's what the message is, it's not that these systems are not working necessarily. It's just literally something breaks, you're out of luck. It's just broken.
Anita Schieve
Well, and and I feel like we've been good stewards of what we've had. And we've done a good job maintaining it for as long as we can. But it's at the point where maintenance is no longer an option and replacements where we're at. So that's a big thing at Wilson, our other big issue space, we are 19,000 square feet smaller than Roosevelt with almost identical enrollment. We have 388 students right now. And I think roll Roosevelt has about 395.
James Bell
And it's not like Roosevelt is got a plethora of space either.
Anita Schieve
Exactly, exactly. We got right, it's we also we both share a cafeteria and gym, their gym is just bigger than ours, that that would be another huge need for us because the the lack of space completely drives our entire schedule for the day. So space is an issue. Our classroom space is also very limited. Our average, the average square footage for that original space, the original area that was built in 1959 Our classrooms are about 650 to 700 square feet, which is not enough space when you have 23 to 25 students in classes. Yeah, they're really and just not not enough space to do what we would like to do instructionally with the curriculum that we have in the standards that we have right now we asked we want to pull kids into small groups give them space to go back and work and really we're we're limited because with desks that takes up all of this space. Oh absolutely space space. H back windows I think are on on slated to be replaced this summer. They're taking bids using some COVID money, which has been helpful those extra funds, but but we still have some some significant needs at Wilson that will need to be addressed in some way in the near future.
James Bell
You know, you mentioned the space issue and one of the things that I remember when I was in it was why wasn't in Wilson, I believe it was in Laughlin elementary here but I imagine you probably had the same concerns. You know, when you're trying to move all those children around and especially during like lunchtime, so let me ask you this when is when is your first lunch period
Anita Schieve
Right lunch begins in our building at 1112 and we end at 1245 we we have a rolling schedule and we're rotating in and out classes all the time like every a new grade level comes in every 12 to 14 minutes. yeah other than we try to let kindergarten eat on their own because they're a little overwhelmed with that many people in the lunchroom. It's the first time and really it's it's an unusual there's nowhere else where you would that you would go that you would have 130 people in one large room eating I mean that's it's kind of a it's a unique setting and it's tough, but our cooks are troopers they do a great job working students through quickly and and students get 20 minutes to go through the line sit and eat and dump their trays and line up to go it's it's it's efficient. but it's a little bit crazy.
James Bell
So yeah, and that's what I mean, like I've seen like the the the ordered chaos that just has to happen right. But you know a little bit after 11 isn't too bad I've heard of, I believe schools here in Hays, maybe not currently. But in the last few years middle
Anita Schieve
School starts, I used to be the first class and we ate it, it was either 1059 or 1101. And that was when the enrollment was about 600. And now they're at 750. In the same space, so I know that middle school, I think is, is very intense.
James Bell
Yeah, yeah. And that's it. It's written, it's just, it's literally a function of the space. It's not like you can do anything else there to speed that along at 20 minutes. I feel like that's probably the bare minimum to give those kids time to eat. Well, hopefully that, you know, works out for you. Is there any other major concerns there at Wilson that we should talk about? In terms of facilities?
Anita Schieve
The those are the big three? Yeah, this space, our H back system? Definitely. And having adequate space for cafeteria and gymnasium. We, I mean, obviously, because it's 1959. The plumbing is all also a big issue. We've had lots of broken pipes lately. And those are things again, like in your home, you just at some point you go beyond maintenance and have to go into replacement. So and that's where we're at lights, we need LED lighting or lights or the original from 1959. And I mentioned Windows need replace but yeah, those are the big things playground, our playground, asphalt is cracking our parking asphalt is is in disrepair. So those will be big, big issues coming.