The Southwest Open School board on Monday discussed attendance rates from last year’s data, ways to improve attendance and upcoming extracurricular activities. The school’s performance rating has improved for three consecutive years.
Because their monthly focus for September is Uniformed Improvement Plans, the board discussed SWOS’s UIP and their attendance rate, graduation rate and dropout rate.
They identified the root causes of these struggles to be student disengagement, student/family resource scarcity, chronic absenteeism and STEM staffing. Potential solutions include early targeted intervention, STEM retention and/or math curriculum, curriculum and content improvement and targeted talent development.
Last year, data provided by SWOS administration show that out of SWOS’ 159 students last year, 35 dropped out and 10 transferred.
Out of the 45, 5.4% were expelled, 19.6% left for work or other reasons, 21.4% transferred and 53.6% were dropped because of attendance.
Out of the total number of students, 25% of students had 90% attendance or better, 50% had an attendance rate of 70% to 90%, and 25% had a rate of less than 70% attendance. Out of these, 56% earned no credits.
Right now, SWOS has 123 students enrolled and the attendance rate overall is about 70%. The board shared that a lot of growth is happening in the school, and they are working hard to help get all students to grade level.
SWOS Director Casey Simpson shared that SWOS improved for the third consecutive year, with their school performance rating going up from 56.6 to 58.
The school noted that it is trying to help students by teaching them healthy eating habits.
Certain meal times and new school food options will help teach healthy eating, the board said.
SWOS’ first quarter started Sept. 3, and the school’s extracurricular activities will start this week. They are esports on Monday; driver’s ed, tutoring and cooking on Tuesday; Rec Center and mountain biking on Wednesday; board games on Thursday; and the quarterly sewing club on Friday.
The board also noted that the SWOS science department will have a lead-sampling station at the Fourth Street Bridge on the Dolores River.
