WHS tackles drop-out rates

Local News

August 29, 2008

Principal outlines plan to ensure students a diploma

Anonymous The Weatherford Democrat Fri Aug 29, 2008, 03:59 PM CDT

Carman Williams

cwilliams@weatherforddemocrat.com

The first week of school has come and gone. It’s time to plan for graduation.

If that seems a little premature, remember the Texas Education Agency begins measuring graduation rates four years in advance.

This shows the completion rate for every class based on the number of students who have come in and out of the high school.

The agency tracts the percentage of ninth graders who graduate in four years or return for a fifth year of high school.

The TEA places students in four categories: White, Hispanic, African-American and low-income.

Each category must reach a 75 percent graduation rate to be academically acceptable.

Although it earned a Recognized status in the 2007-08 school year, only 67.8 percent of low-income students graduated Weatherford High School in 2007.

Dr. David Belding, the principal of Weatherford High School, is committed to raising those numbers.

“Weatherford ISD is extremely focused on the completion rate,” Belding wrote in an e-mail. “Our mission is to ensure all our students finish high school and we are committed to this endeavor.”

Belding explained changes in the TEA calculations, such as counting students pursuing GEDs as drop outs, affected Weatherford High School’s completion rate in 2007.

The graduation rate for the entire student body was almost 90 percent, he added.

Belding also described how the school will encourage completion among its students.

“We are going to implement a TAKS remediation for students who have completed all coursework, but have yet to pass a section of the TAKS test,” Belding wrote. “In addition, we will continue to use the PASS program to assist students who have fallen behind on credits. This program has proven to be very successful moving students forward at an accelerated rate to recover credits.”

Belding added the district isn’t just relying on additional programs to prevent drop outs.

“We are going to be aggressive at recovering students who do not return from the summer to ensure each student has enrolled in a school to complete their education,” he wrote. “This may mean some investigative type work to locate all our kids, but we are committed to seeing this through. We have created a process to ensure no student “falls through the crack” and will work diligently to make sure our students are successful in graduating from Weatherford High School.”

Text Only

Local News

Wildlife volunteers needed
Like any other mother, Donna Robinson has pictures of her “babies” on her phone.
“Let me show you,” she said eagerly. “I’ve got lots of pictures of the kids.”
She scrolls through the photos — there’s one of a squirrel with milk on its mouth after a feeding. Oh, there’s a cute one of two tiny possums looking over her shoulder as she feeds another “baby.” Aww, there’s the group of four raccoons named after the Beatles: Ringo, Paul, George and John.
Ok. She’s not your “ordinary” mom.

February 6, 2012 2 Photos
Water woes on floodplain in Weatherford
When Wendy Walling purchased her home in the Briarwood subdivision off of Sante Fe Drive in the mid-1990s, her son could easily jump from one side of the small creek behind the home to the other.
“My son was in fourth grade (when we moved in) and he could actually jump across the creek,” Walling said.
By 2007, however, Walling said the width of the creek had begun to expand.
“(The creek) can hold water now and before it never could,” Walling said.

February 6, 2012 1 Photo
DPS: Motorcyclists didn't see slowing truck
February 6, 2012
Kidnapper gets 99 years
February 6, 2012
Judge tosses plea in horse deaths
February 6, 2012
Weatherford junior to perform with All-State choir
When she was a little girl, Cassandra Kirby used to climb up next to her grandmother’s big fireplace and sing songs during the holiday get-togethers.
While she has a reserved and polite personality, recalling these memories makes a big smile break out onto Kirby’s face.
Get her talking about songs and suddenly she’s effusive and happy.

February 5, 2012 1 Photo
Rock solid gymnasts
February 3, 2012 2 Photos
WCS gala slated for Feb. 11 at Clear Fork
February 3, 2012
CASA of Parker County seeking new volunteers
February 3, 2012
Millsap lends helping hand to one of its own
February 3, 2012
More Local News Headlines

The Komen Foundation recently cut ties (before announcing they would reinstate them) with Planned Parenthood and stopped funding breast cancer screenings — was that a good thing?

Local News

Search Results