Southside Schools just got a cooler

The Southside School District started the school year Aug. 30 with a cooling system for the first time in its 120-year history.

Last spring, classes were sometimes conducted outside or in the gym when the building temperatures climbed into the lower 80s, said Superintendent Paul Wieneke. The heating system was also remodeled.

"My challenge was getting it done in one summer," he said.

The district projects it will start the school year with 207 students in kindergarten through seventh grade. That would be an increase of 10 students from last school year.

The district starts the school year with a new math curriculum and is in the fourth year of its reading curriculum.

The Southside School Board in July passed a $4-million budget for the school year.

Wieneke said the district was faced with COVID and failing test scores when he arrived three years ago.

In a news release in April, Southside School District stated it is setting high marks in the post-pandemic classroom. According to Southside administrators, perseverance and partnerships have been the key to closing learning gaps in student achievement at Southside.

"Prior to the pandemic, annual student improvement scores were trending down for all Southside student groups," said Principal Robie Spaulding. "During and after the pandemic, academic scores actually reversed and are now trending upward for all our student groups."

The news release states the Southside administrators are referring to the state measurement called the Washington School Improvement Framework, or WSIF. WSIF identifies how schools can improve the education of all students. The guideline combines as many as nine indicators (such as graduation rates, attendance, and proficiency on state tests in math and English language arts) into a 1-10 score. The school's score then determines the state's programs to help the school improve.

"From 2015-2020 Southside's student scores were trending toward the threshold where the school would be identified as needing intensive state interventions," Spaulding said in the news release. "Since 2020, student scores have trended up, despite the educational challenges of the pandemic."

"I'm happy we took improvement funds and reversed the downward trend in student performance," Wieneke told the Journal.

Staff members want students to envision a positive future and inspire them to be committed to achieving their goals, the superintendent said. Among the district's goals this school year, "I want to make sure all students who pass our threshold have a welcoming adult," he said. adding that district staff members "believe all students are capable of success," he said.

District voters in November passed the district's replacement levy.

Winter break is Dec. 18 through Jan. 2, and spring break is April 1-5. The tentative last day of the school year is June 11.