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CW school bus incidents reduced
(by Linda Dillman, staff writer - January 12, 2010)
What a difference a year makes.
For Indian Trail Elementary students Canal Winchester, changes in behavior are resulting in a reduction in school bus incidents following the inception of Project ACHIEVE, a school improvement program.
"In the fall of 2008, the staff realized we were getting a lot more interventions," said Principal Bev Downing during the Canal Winchester Board of Education's Jan. 11 meeting. "There were 66 bus write-ups last year at this time. We realized there had to be a better way. Project ACHIEVE is based on school-wide rules with a common language - we're teaching social skills in the classroom. Something's working - as of today, we've only had 22 bus write-ups."
ACHIEVE's director, Dr. Howard Knoff, said, through instruction and reinforcement, the project's ultimate goal is student self management by focusing on academic, social, emotional, and behavior development/progress.
"We want to motivate kids to use their skills, but hold them accountable," said Knoff. "The goal is not to punish behavior, but to change behavior. We've also begun to train bus drivers and they've been phenomenal - we're bringing them into the loop. We've done a lot of significant things already. We can't be doing random intervention. We have to do strategic intervention."
Superintendent Kim Miller-Smith said the staff at Indian Trail has done a great job implementing Project ACHIEVE.
"We've seen really, really good and strong results with this program this year," said Miller-Smith. "Our grant funding (for the program) was K-2 and we're using no general fund funding. We're looking at how this ties into the academic plan (for higher grades)."
Kindergarten
The district is petitioning the Ohio Department of Education for a waiver for all-day, every day kindergarten for the 2010-11 school year due to "financial concerns and lack of a suitable alternative."
Passage of House Bill 1 required districts to begin offering all-day, every day kindergarten in the next school year unless they were granted a waiver.
"We are being told in 2011-12 we have to offer all-day, every day kindergarten," stated Miller-Smith.
In addition to the waiver request, the district is required to present a plan detailing how it will implement the program next year.
"We want to be prepared, curriculum-wise, for all-day, every day, at the same time offering half-day," said Miller-Smith. "It will obviously impact first grade. We want to get the most impact we can possibly get. It's not as simple as hiring seven teachers. The department should find us worthy of approving a waiver."
If the state accepts Canal Winchester's waiver application, Treasurer Joyce Boyer said the district can delay hiring additional staff, thus saving the district more than $400,000 in salary and benefits.
Other CW school news
•According to Boyer, property values increased a little more than predicted in unanticipated areas, but the treasurer said she's never experienced a level amount of state funding in a growing district, which Boyer called an area of concern.
•The board approved $229,287 in roof repairs to the old intermediate building and education center building. Funding for the repairs is covered by investment earnings in a building fund, not general fund receipts, and is part of a state bid process.
•The board elected David Brobst as president and Debra Waites as vice president.
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