WCHS ACT scores exceed state average
Hunt: ‘Challenge is if we can keep improving and stay ahead of the state average’By CARRIE OLSON Daily Freeman-Journal Staff Writer
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Webster City students who have taken the ACT improved their composite score and have exceeded state averages, according to school officials.
At Monday's school board meeting, high school principal Larry Hunt presented ACT test results for the 2008-2009 school year. "Every student in our graduating class who has taken the ACT, we get feedback on," he said.
He presented data on past year's scores. Those students ranked just below the state average.
"For the 2008-2009 school year, our English and reading scores are right with the state average now," he said. "Is it long term? No. But we can at least see where we are at."
"In math and science, we had a pretty good jump and are now above the state average," Hunt added. "We did implement new curriculum in a lot of these areas too. But we are not sure if that has played into the test scores. We don't have enough data yet."
The most impressive data presented was Webster City's 2008-2009 composite score. "It is the first time in Webster City's history, I believe, that we have been above the state average," Hunt said. "The challenge is if we can keep improving and staying ahead of the state average. We have always been just above the national average typically."
Superintendent Mike Sherwood added, "Our scores might be comparable with the top in the nation."
Members of the High School Paw Print staff presented samples of their new and improved newspaper issues to the council. The staff recently changed their format to a monthly newsmagazine, inserted in the Daily Freeman-Journal.
The staff discussed the requirements and job duties of belonging to the school publication.
"We were required to take the course Intro to Mass Media to learn the basic fundamentals of writing articles and photojournalism," said copy editor Amanda Wagner. "We recruit new staff members, plan editions, create ads, write articles and get each edition ready for distribution."
Michelle Anderegg, advisor of the Paw Print also talked about the change to the school paper. "I think that it has been nice to be able to do it like this," she said.
"In the past we have had a page in the Freeman-Journal once a week, with 33 editions a year. The community would receive it, but often times the student body wouldn't know that we even had a paper."
"We have had a positive response from students," she added. "My mass media class has already expressed interest in next year. They can hold on to each issue and actually have a product. It's much more applicable to the real world."
Hunt also reacted positively to the new format. "Our students take broadcast fundamentals to get into WCTV as well. For a long time, WCTV has been run as close to a real news program as possible," he said. "And the Paw Print never really had that outlet before to be able to do that. Now, with this joint project between the Freeman-Journal and the school newspaper, I think the experience that our kids are getting is much better than what it was before."
Board member Craig Loffredo asked what the downside could be with having a good paper and people reading it.
"We have had a couple problems with the last edition about time and miscommunication," said managing editor Erin Trampel. "But it turned out to actually be a good edition."
"There are things that we are dealing with at present. When you put yourself out there, you are out there," Anderegg said. "You are held accountable for everything you are doing. When we make real world mistakes, we have to make real world corrections and make improvements each month."
The Board also accepted the resignation of the school's technology director John Kidney.
"I think the work that he has done with technology in our district really speaks for itself," Sherwood said. Kidney's last day will be May 27.
Contact Carrie Olson at lifestyles@freemanjournal.net or call 832-4350.
