Results from the Oklahoma School Report Cards released recently took up a bulk of the conversation during an hour-long meeting Monday of the Kingfisher Board of Education.

Supt. Jason Sternberger ran through the results with board members and two school principals – Todd Overstreet from the high school and Shane Hood from Heritage – also addressed the board.

Heritage, which is comprised of third and fourth grades, and Kingfisher Middle School (fi fth-eighth grades) earned an overall grade of “B” and were above the state average, according to the results.

The high school earned a “C” and was at the state average.

Grades are based on four indicators: Academic achievement, academic growth, ELP progress and chronic absenteeism.

(Note: Gilmour Elementary didn’t receive an overall grade because students at those grade levels have yet to take some of the assessments necessary in determining the overall grade.)

Among the lowest grades for the district was a “D” in academic achievement at the high school.

That grade is based solely on how last year’s junior class scored on a required ACT in April.

According to data provided by Overstreet, college-bound students had a composite score of 21.6 on the exam while non-college-bound students’ average was 14.34.

Sternberger said it’s evident that a fraction of students don’t put full effort into the exam since it doesn’t affect their graduation like the now-defunct End of Instruction exam that used to be required.

“There’s no ‘care’ hanging over their head,” Sternberger noted.

However,Sternberger said the results won’t be swept under the rug.

“We’re not forgetting about it,” he said. “We’re going to be putting a plan in place to make these numbers better.”

All three administrators noted the biggest factor in scoring well on the ACT is reading comprehension and fluency - no matter the subject matter.

Part of the plan they’re working on, they said, is improving those areas beginning at the younger grades.

“The big question is: How do we remediate these students?” Hood said.

Hiring at least one reading specialist to work with elementary age students was discussed with the board.

Hood was asked if hiring a specialist now would be benefi cial.

“I think in the summer would be better,” Hood said. “That would allow us to build a plan and have it in place.”

On Sternberger’s recommendation, the board took no action on approving a 2020-21 school calendar.

This was the first year the district took off five days for Thanksgiving.

“The feedback from that has been good, but I want to have more, complete feedback before we opt to do it again,” Sternberger said.

The item will likely be on the January 2020 meeting agenda.

The board did approve a measure to continue calculating the school year by hours. It also approved a necessary statutory waiver/exemption request for parent-teacher conferences next school year.

In his report to the board – in addition to discussing the School Report Cards – Sternberger reviewed the special education district data profile and updated the status of the girls athletic complex.

Sternberger said the district should receive a certificate of occupancy for the building “in a couple of weeks.”

Prior to adjourning, the board approved hiring Tammy Castleberry as a cashier and teacher’s aide at Gilmour.