By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Good news was the theme for Tuesday's USD 428 Board of Education Luncheon at Eisenhower Elementary School. Principal JoAnn Blevins provided the board with many statistical indicators and goals that suggest kids are doing well coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Blevins said three years ago, 83 percent of students pre-k through sixth grade were at grade level for math. That number has increased to 84 percent. Sixty-six percent of those students are in the college and career-ready top tier. In reading, the increase is even bigger from 76 percent in 2019 to 85 percent now.
"We're pretty excited to see those numbers go in the right direction, especially this reading number, thinking about all the challenges we've had the last year and a half or so," Blevins said.
There are currently 277 students enrolled at Eisenhower, and 47 kids enrolled in the Little Panthers Preschool. Not only are those three and four-year-olds learning manners and motor skills, but they are also getting a leg up before kindergarten.
"We can really see in our data in our three-year-olds that moved up with us to our four-year-olds, all of them are falling into tier 1," Blevins said. "Every single one. Early learning matters, and it's a huge, huge benefit to not just us as a school system, but to us as a community."
Blevins said family is a big theme at the school and told the board about the monthly "family reunions" held in the gymnasium. The goal is to celebrate students and teachers, various accomplishments, and perfect attendance. Each class also comes up with a cheer, and a spirit stick is awarded to the top class. That class will then vote on the next month's winner. The students are also introduced to the character trait word for the month. "Self-direction" was the word for October, and November transitions to "teamwork."
Veterans Day is Friday, Nov. 11. In honor, each K-6 Eisenhower student has been allowed to invite a veteran to a free lunch at the school.