Staff, Volunteers Aim To Improve School District
Wolf Point school staff and volunteers took part in a district improvement committee meeting held on Wednesday, Sept. 25.
Superintendent Dr. David Perkins discussed that the school district is making progress through Comprehensive School Support Rigorous Action, which is a support program from the Office of Public Instruction. Wolf Point High School qualified for the program due to factors including graduate rates, attendance rates and ACT scores. The school district has deemed academic goals and attendance goals for grade levels to be the focus.
Requirements to be addressed through Rigorous Action include: implementation of math curriculum, English curriculum and science; monitoring students and working with students for MAP testing; conducting pre-ACT tests through the method learning platforms as a baseline for juniors on the ACT; professional development; administration meeting with OPI for site visits; and the leadership team has been doing classroom walk-throughs.
Perkins said when he attended the meeting in Helena for Rigorous Action schools, only one of the schools involved was non-tribal. “That just tells me that the Native schools have issues,” Perkins said at Wednesday’s meeting. “We’re not using that as an excuse. We want to get out of it, we’re going to get out of it.”
He is very optimistic about the school district having a positive future.
“There’s no way that this district won’t rise,” Perkins said. “I truly believe that. It just matters how quickly we can do that.”
ACT scores have slowly but steadily improved during the last four years in every category.
“Those are good things,” Perkins said. “Some of those things are because of what’s going on at the high school.”
Perkins mentioned that the school district is being considered for a Catalyze Challenge Grant. Funding could be as much as $1 million and aims to educate students so they earn a certification for a trade such as electrical or plumbing. Perkins is receiving input and support from the tribes and the Wolf Point Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture for the project.
A goal of the district improvement committee is developing a district improvement plan. The strategic plan goals include infrastructure, community engagement, student achievement and outcomes and quality teachers and staff.
