Kinsley High School - Kihischo Yearbook (Kinsley, KS)

Page 17 text:

Board of Education President stresses teamwork One cannot do everything by himself. Julie Ackerman, president of our local board of education, says that teamwork is the key. She knows that even a school board must work as a team. Mrs. Ackerman has a great deal of confidence in the school's teachers because she sees that overall, the students are getting the preparation they need for higher education. Mrs. Ackerman’s biggest concern right now is curriculum, not only at the high school level, but also K-8. She wants to see the students as completely prepared for life” as possible. Mrs. Ackerman feels that the local curriculum has many strengths. “I feel we have a fine history department. I’ve had two kids go through high school here and have gone on to college and have had no problems. All activities in the school are part of the “pie, just as each student is a part of the school team. The members of the board cannot make satisfactory decisions for everyone, but they can hear what each person has to say. Mrs. Ackerman invites “anyone who wants to come to the BOE meetings. We welcome all of them. We need input from the community.” She continues, “I can’t even do it all by myself because after all, I'm only one person on the board. Upper left: Rod Haxton of the Kinsley Mercury observes one of the board meetings. Left: USD No. 347 school board: Back: Jennifer Fuller. Diane Zumwalt. Julie Ackerman-president, John Ploger vice president. Eula Westphal -clerk. Front: John Wire, Richard Wenstrom. Robert Shanks superintendent of schools. Larry Olsen. Bottom left. Mrs. Julie Ackerman and Mr. Shanks take note of a point during board meeting. Below: Mrs. Westphal concentrates on her work. Insert. Mr. Olsen pays close attention.

Page 16 text:

. . . and Its Programs SRA achievement scores compare local students' to national norms Academic standards need to be raised decided the K-0 Board of Education in 1979. and one way of measuring students progress in meeting academic objectives since then has been by administering and evaluating the SRA (Science Research Associates) achievement tests given each spring to students K 12. This testing procedure serves primarily two purposes. First, the district fulfills the legal statute: 72-8231. Minimum competency assessment: test scores, achievement. In each school year, the board of education . . . shall cause to have prepared a report concerning the academic achievement testing program conducted during the school term to assess the educational performance of pupils enrolled in the school district. The report shall be presented at a regular meeting of the board of education in a form and manner determined and specified by it. Identification Second, according to Nadine L. Stallard. high school counselor, the tests help teachers identify a student's learning problem(s). help teachers identify strong academic talent, help the staff of the school (including parents) assess the wor thiness of the various programs, and help the students by reporting where improvement or greater emphasis is needed. Table 1 comparatively gives the composite scores per grade level. All scores are referred to the 50 percentile level -considered the national normed average. Scores for the kindergarten students are not given as this test at this grade level, says Robert J. Shanks, superintendent of schools, is a readiness test rather than an achievement test. Note that all of the local grade levels scored above the national norm. The score of 88 percentile for the first grade says this: Only 12 percent of the students in the nation scored higher than the local first graders. In explaining these scores. Miss Stallard says one should consider at least two factors: First, the scores depicted are composite group scores, not com posite individual scores. “If we compared these group scores with the scores from other larger school districts throughout Kansas, our scores would compare favorably-as we have less diversity among our school population. The larger the school, likely the more varied the interests of the students are.” Miss Stallard continues: We are basically a middle-class society, white, rural-oriented. and have relatively the same values relating to the importance of receiving an education. This homogeneity wouldn’t exist in many larger Kansas com munities. Individual performance Second, the crucial value of the test deals with individual performance. not group performance. Furthermore, the test varies for the various grade levels. The tests vary.” explains Miss Stallard. “in the nature of the test items, the number of the test items, the time allowed, and the specific directions to the stu dents. For example, the kindergarten students take level A where there are 110 items dealing with reading. This includes 25 on visual discrimination. 25 on auditory discrimination. 25 on recognition of letter sounds, and 35 with listening comprehension. An ad ditional 30 items deal with mathematics. The test takes two hours. At level C. for the second grade student. 89 items deal with reading. 72 with mathematics. 69 with language arts requiring 190 minutes for taking. For the level given to students Test scores by grade level for the 1983-84 school year USD No. 347 percentile scores National percentile average 78 65 ™ 63 Scores of USD No. 347 Students on SRA Tests in Comparison to National Normed Percentile grades 10-12, 90 items deal with reading. 80 with mathematics. 70 with language arts. These students are also tested on such areas as reference materials, social studies, science, and two additional subdivisions entitled survey of applied skills and educational ability. Testing time takes 315 minutes. What’s more important than the composite score that a student gains on the SRA test. Miss Stallard says, “is the student’s at titude not only towards taking the test but also using the final results. The informed student and his her parents will use these results to help define the child’s educational goals-and then determine the best avenue to reach those goals. Parents and students are urged to visit with the counselor about individual test scores. A ratio score for each division of the test, the number right to the total possible, not only indicates the individual’s performance but also states his relation to all students taking the test nationally. “In general. says Miss Stallard. the group composite scores show that our district is doing a reasonably good job. The scores do indicate that we need to have a If ’»!•«! M CllVd s i »Jo lfr9Z.9H™UBM ‘ dl«u!N |ooip§ qXfH AaiNU!M auiqaoa ud| o j(] :o) H§ojppv 'auivu puas ttksn30 Jd?)d|SMdu oj l!«W ST1 uouduosqns (Buosjad jnoA jo j continued emphasis on reading -wide reading in all types of literature. And families can have a lot of positive impart in this area. And for the student who scores high in a particular area. Miss Stallard says this: Don’t rest on your laurels. Keep learning . . . and keep doing your best. BOE approves calendar Board-of-education calendar for the 1984-85 school year has classes beginning next Wednesday. August 29. for all students K 12. On this first day. buses will run their regular routes both before as well as after school with classes for the day beginning at 8:20 a.m. Lunch will be served with dismissal time at the high school set at 3:20 p.m. Teachers of the district will have in-service days next Monday and Tuesday. Time will be spent with the teachers discussing curriculum matters as well as preparing for the opening day of class. Other dates on the school calen dar include these: •September 3 - Labor Day; no class. •November 22-23 Thanksgiving vacation •December 24-January 1 Christmas-New Year’s Day vacation •April 3-7 - spring break •May 24 - Last day for students •May 2829 Work days for teachers •Make-up days for snow days: April 3 4; May 28 29. 12

Page 18 text:

ADMINISTRATION Larry Korf combines teaching with directing athletics Below: Mr. Korf explains the intricacies of Algebra II. W hat is a rat race? Larry Korf, KHS athletic director, says teaching classes all day, serving as vice principal, and serving as the athletic director is “very difficult. Sometimes you divide yourself so thin between sports and classes, people don’t realize what they ask of a coach or a teacher when they want them to go to all the games,” he adds. Does Mr. Korf relax? He laughs and replies, “I don't! Mr. Korf enjoyed sports in high school as well as college. I played football, basketball, and I went out for track and field in high school. I also played three years of college football. That’s why I enjoy going to the varsity games, especially football. I guess I'm an aggressive person. I always have been. Aggressiveness carries over into the classroom. It’s rewarding to teach students and have them go on to college and eventually become a doctor or lawyer and do really well.” Mr. Korf has been teaching for 17 years. “I think that's the reason most teachers stay in; there are other jobs with more money, but most of those jobs don't have the rewards of teaching. Education is the most important part for Mr. Korf. He remarks, “I try not to have anything pull me away from the classroom. My first teaching job was in 1967 at Sharon Springs,” Mr. Korf recalls. Mr. Korf has taught at five schools since he began. “I’ll keep on teaching until I retire. From teaching to attending to his athletic duties, Mr. Korf finds he spends much time at school. “I never get away from school. I live, eat, and I even sleep school. He also finds that some days seem long. “Most teachers get up around six and don't get home until midnight. We (teachers) appreciate Wednesday nights when nothing is going on,” says Mr. Korf. U