SHS goals: Increased attendance, freshmen success

Shelton High School personnel want more students to show up, and for more freshmen to get off to a good start.

Those are the school's two major goals for this school year. Principal Bruce Kipper presented the school's plan Sept. 13 to the Shelton School Board. Principals at the Shelton School District's other seven schools will unveil their plans in the coming weeks.

The school wants to raise attendance by 10%, and increase by 10% the number of freshmen who earn six or more credits during freshman year.

The district received a lot of feedback from students last year when it was developing its strategic plan, Kipper said.

"We heard two things loud and clear," he said. "The first thing we heard is high school students, like probably all students, want to be treated with respect, regardless of who they are, what they do, how they act, they wanted to be treated with respect," he said. "The second thing we heard is they want to know what they're learning ... They often would go into a classroom and they weren't sure what it is they were supposed to be learning."

He added, "We said, 'OK, these are the two things we're going to work off of.' "

The goal to increase attendance by 10% includes focusing on raising attendance for Native American students from 73 to 83% and ninth-grade students from 80 to 90%.

"That's the No. 1 priority: kids are in class," Kipper said.

The easiest way to measure progress is "how long is the attendance report each morning?" he said. "Last year, it was 14 pages. This year it's five pages. That tells me more kids are going to class."

More than 300 freshmen showed up for a mandatory orientation.

"For the first six weeks, we get them where they need to be and the rest of the school year is a lot easier," Kipper said.

The plan offers the same five proposals to meet the two goals:

■ Teachers will authentically engage students by greeting them by name as they enter the class, teaching students the structures and routines of their class, and knowing each student's story, strengths and needs.

■ Teachers will engage students at the beginning of class with a "do now" activity.

■ Teachers will share a clear learning intention and success criteria each period.

■ Teachers will teach freshmen students the skill of goal-setting during first trimester.

■ The school will provide ninth-grade students with transition activities such as freshmen orientation at the start of the school year and throughout the first trimester.

Board members praised the plan, including new member Karla Knudson-Johnston, who was sworn in at the beginning of the meeting.

"I would like to say congratulations on building relationships with teachers and students," said Knudson-Johnston, who taught in all three of the district's elementary schools. "I think that is a key to getting kids engaged in learning. If they have a relationship with an adult on campus, they are more likely to be involved in their education. So well done."