FARMINGTON – A tighter attendance policy put on the books two years ago has paid dividends, Mount Blue High School’s principal told the board Tuesday night in his school report card series presentation.
For the 2003-04 academic year, daily attendance at the high school is around 95.4 percent, nearly 2 percent higher than last year, Principal Greg Potter said.
Included in the policy is that a secretary calls home if a student is absent two days in a row.
In addition to high attendance, Potter said he was proud of the safe climate at the high school, which has over 900 students and nearly 100 teachers and support staff.
Last year, more than 85 percent of students said they agree or strongly agree with the statement “I feel safe at school.”
That figure is up from the 78 percent who agreed/strongly agreed in the 2001-02 year and the 66 percent in 1998-99.
The improvement is a result of the success of anti-bullying programs in lower grades through the district and the presence of a Farmington police officer at the school serving as a school resource officer.
Another source of pride is the student support at the school, which includes an extended school program after school lets out on Tuesdays and Thursdays and slated for six weeks this summer.
The principal also noted that 99 percent of students took the Maine Educational Assessments earlier in March and that he felt confident they would meet academic standards.
Despite success stories at the high school, Potter cited room for improvement, specifically in providing more support for students as requirements for them get tougher.
The question Mount Blue High School staff and administration are brainstorming about is: “How can we help to create more/better opportunities for cooperation within our school, given the large size of our staff and the pressure to change/increase accountability and student performance?”
Possible solutions Potter cited included adding supervised study halls and continuing to provide privileges, such as those given to seniors, that gives students incentives.
sdepoy@sunjournal.com
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