Fort Smith schools works to get students ‘on track’

FORT SMITH — The School District reported some degree of success in helping high school students struggling academically during the covid-19 pandemic.

Ginni McDonald, director of secondary education for the district, provided the School Board an update on the district’s #OnTrack initiative during its Monday meeting.

Incoming Superintendent Terry Morawski said the district discovered during the fall some of its students were struggling or disengaged with school as a result of the pandemic and the challenges coming with it.

“… But our team, in realizing this, did not want to just let it ride,” Morawski said. “We wanted to take action and work hard to develop a plan to get our students back on track.”

McDonald showcased statistics comparing how many students had an “F” in one or more classes during the first quarter of the 2019 school year compared to the first quarter of the 2020 school year. This included both online and on-site students.

“We also took apples to apples, so when you see first quarter of 2019 for the senior class, that is where they were as juniors,” McDonald said.

McDonald said 187 seniors, or 18% of them, had an “F” in one or more classes in the first quarter of 2019 compared to the 530, or 52%, in the same situation in the first quarter of 2020. Similarly, 191 juniors, 18%, and 135 sophomores, 12%, were affected by this in 2019, whereas in 2020, this was the case for 634 juniors, 60%, and 599 sophomores, 55%.

All told, a total of 513 students, or 16%, had an “F” in one or more classes during the first quarter of 2019 while 1,763 students, 56%, had such during the first quarter of 2020.

However, with measures being taken by the district, the latter figure was lowered to 1,691 by Nov. 16, 1,545 by Dec. 7 and 1,235 by Monday.

“We’re not done,” McDonald said. “This is just where we’re at today.”

McDonald also demonstrated how many students had a grade of zero in one or more classes in the first quarter of 2019 in contrast to the first quarter of 2020. This amounted to a total of 15 sophomores, juniors and seniors in 2019 and 461 sophomores, juniors and seniors in 2020. However, the last number dropped to 451 by Nov. 16, 282 by Dec. 7 and 231 by Monday.

Since Nov. 1, McDonald said the district has had 13 meetings for data and planning with high school counselors, teachers and leaders, as well as different district leaders. It has also had four meetings on the high school campuses.

“Each campus created its own task force team, and they have met both individually and jointly,” McDonald said. “In addition to that, we’ve had one meeting [Dec. 2] and we’re getting ready to have another meeting Wednesday where we have a district team that meets with the high school campus leaders to look at some of the actions and results that they are receiving and then how can we support them in their efforts.”

McDonald provided details on the #OnTrack action plan, which included some of the steps taken to help students. One step took place Dec. 3, when principals paired teachers to make phone calls to students. From this, the district’s two high schools made more than 600 calls to parents and students, which McDonald said was “well-received.”

Other steps taken this month so far include mailing progress reports to the homes of every student, contacting faith community leaders and asking them to call for students to engage among their congregations, having the high schools host an #OnTrack Day to provide failing students an “academic improvement plan,” and establishing dedicated phone numbers for students, parents or guardians to call or text to connect with a teacher at their high school campus.

The School District and Mayor George McGill hosted a news conference regarding the # OnTrack initiative at the Fort Smith Convention Center on Tuesday. McGill, Morawski and McDonald were the featured speakers, in addition to Ana Martinez and Sarah Williams, who are guidance counselors at Northside and Southside high schools, respectively.

McGill called on residents of the district to “get involved and encourage our students that education is critical.”

“The River Valley has made major, major investments in education, and you can see the evidence building all over the city,” McGill said. “Now we’re calling on our students to take advantage of all the things that are being presented to them. Keep in mind your education is going to be key to your success. Please do that.”