Student testing scores and the high school pool and fitness center were the main topics of discussion for the Wayland Board of Education Monday night, and it was a mixed bag.
Director of Instruction Teresa Fulk presented data on student testing and Fitness Center and Pool Director Jon Charon told the board all about how the fitness center is going through a “rebranding” process and showing promising results in growth.
Fulk used a Powerpoint to show the district’s instructional goals for the next academic year. Proficiency goals are 74 percent of students in reading, 46% in science, 56% in social science, 60% in math and 62% in writing.
“Math is an area in which we’re doing very well,” Fulk told board members. “We are above average in the state and our K-6 math scores are astrong.”
She noted that virtually all test scores plummeted after the M-Step program replaced the Michigan Education Assessment Program (MEAP), but over Wayland fared far better than most.
“We’re bucking the trend (of declining scores) in the state and in most of the county,” she said. “We’re doing better for all subjects than the state says we should be doing,” (given population and economic conditions such as free and reduced lunches).
Wayland was ranked third in its peer group statewide overall in grades 3-8, but was on the bottom for science and social science.
Charon said the Fitness Center is rebranding with public relations efforts such as T-shirts, promotional passes, logos, a pool calendar and and a new and improved presence on the school district’s web site. He said membership brings in an average of about $19,000 per month in revenue and pool attendance was 3,451 for the 2017-18 academic year.
He noted swimming lessons attendance is up 82 percent from 2014.
Board Trustee Pete Zondervan told Charon, “What you’ve done over the last couple of years is make sure we’re growing. We appreciate that.”
However, challenges for the 43-year-old pool and its maintenance costs remain, as well as growing and fierce competition in the fitness business from several private services.
In other business at Monday night’s meeting, the school board:
• Agreed to the annual May borrowing of $3,040,111 against state aid payments to handle cash flow shortfalls.
• Was told by Superintendent Norm Taylor that construction projects continue, but the state has not performed inspections at a clip desired by school officials.
• Agreed to restore the $30 stipend for board members per meeting. The board in 2009 agreed to lower its pay to $25 per meeting as a good faith gesture during an economic downtime.
“It’s less than the minimum wage, anyway,” quipped board member Cinnamon Mellema.