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Updated: September 24, 2021 @ 2:40 pm
Clinton, Iowa
Director of Student Services Rhea Wright talks about grants during the Vision of the District luncheon at Rastrelli’s Tuscany Center on Thursday. Winona Whitaker/Clinton Herald
Director of Learning Wes Golden talks about Portrait of a Graduate during the Clinton School District’s Vision of the District luncheon Thursday. Winona Whitaker/Clinton Herald
Senior Staff Writer
Director of Student Services Rhea Wright talks about grants during the Vision of the District luncheon at Rastrelli’s Tuscany Center on Thursday. Winona Whitaker/Clinton Herald
Director of Learning Wes Golden talks about Portrait of a Graduate during the Clinton School District’s Vision of the District luncheon Thursday. Winona Whitaker/Clinton Herald
CLINTON — Officials gave community leaders a look at the Clinton School District’s projects and goals during the annual Vision of the District luncheon Thursday at Rastrelli’s Tuscany Special Events Center.
Each year the District lets businesses and government officials know what the District has been doing and asks for input about how the school district can prepare students for positions in real-life roles.
Director of Learning Wes Golden told the audience about Portrait of a Graduate, a list of things a student will know and be able to do at the time of graduation.
Schools need to rethink how they teach children, Golden said. Skills that students needed for jobs in the last decade won’t meet the needs of future vocations, he said.
The District needs the help of the community to create the portrait, Golden said. “We want to know what you need our students to be able to do,” he said.
District officials will meet with community representatives during the remainder of the school year and hope to have a Portrait of a Graduate for the school board to approve in May.
Director of Student Services Rhea Wright talked about the grants the District received for at-risk students and the programs the grants will pay for.
Having therapists from Life Connections in each school building helped the district win the grants, said Wright. The therapists had full schedules by the end of last year. The District could use more therapists, she said.
One grant is for a therapeutic classroom, which is expected to address intensive behavioral needs through student and adult support curriculum, staff and parent training and student integration plans.
The McKinney-Vento Sub-Grant money will be used to help homeless students with enrollment, intervention, the purchase of school supplies, clothing, equipment for extra-curricular activities, food, health care and academic testing.
Homeless students are not only those who are living out of cars, outdoors or in abandoned buildings but also those who are living with other families because they have no home of their own, said Wright.
The GEER II grant pays for mental health support, said Wright. Clinton’s school district plans to increase its Conditions for Learning scores annually through 2023, decrease chronic abstenteeism to the pre-COVID rate of 18.8% or better and will increase its graduation rate to 86% or higher.
Whittier Elementary School received a $50,000 Computer Science is Elementary grant, Principal Brian Kenney said Thursday. Only 12 schools in the state received the grants, he said.
“We are looking for community partnership,” said Kenney. “We’re trying to get our kids ready to work for you,” he said.
“We are thinking of computer science as a tool,” Kenney said. It’s not a single class, but it’s concepts are taught as part of every class.
Computer science creates an understanding of how and why technology works and creates technology-based solutions.
When Synergy instructor Matt Tobin couldn’t make it to Thursday’s presentation, Clinton High School senior Hillary Burken spoke in his place.
“She already exhibits the characteristics we want our kids to have,” said CHS Principal JR Kuch, who said he didn’t know enough details to discuss the Synergy program himself. “I know she’s prepared for this.”
Burken is in her first year in Synergy. She had to rearrange her schedule to work it in, but the change was worth it, she said.
In Synergy, high school students are given real-life problems by organizations and companies and find real solutions for them. Last year’s Synergy class researched murals on brick buildings in other communities and set up a program to do the same in Clinton, Burken said.
They will have at least one building completed by the end of the school year. Synergy has appreciated the guidance of local abstract artist Gabriella Torres and will visit her studio next month.
A donation of $1,000 from Nestle-Purina will help with the project.
Synergy has met with Erin Cole and Andy Sokolovich of the Clinton Regional Development Corp. to discuss industrial needs, with State Sen. Chris Cournoyer to discuss science, technology, engineering and math, and with Julie Lonergan, who pitched the idea of a school store for students in need.
Synergy will have an open house Thursday, Oct. 7, said Burken. “If you have a need, we want to help you guys,” she told community officials.
District Superintendent Gary DeLacy wrapped up the Vision of the District with a report about the new high school. The foundation is being set for the new three-story academic wing. DeLacy said the space is less like a school and more like a business to give students more creative and collaborative opportunity.
The District plans to move into the new addition in December 2022, DeLacy said.
Senior Staff Writer
A native of Centerville, Winona joined the Clinton Herald in November 2018 after writing for the Ottumwa Courier for two years.
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Lorraine Yvonne Dobson, 70, of Preston, died August 24, 2021 at MercyOne Hospital, in Dubuque, IA. Cremation rites have been accorded. A memorial visitation will be held from 12:00-2:00pm, Sunday, September 26, 2021 at Law-Jones Funeral Home, Preston.
Winston Rock, 73, Low Moor, died September 5, 2021. Visitation will be from 12:00 noon until the service at 3:00 Saturday (Today) at Elvira Zion Lutheran Church. A complete obituary may be viewed at www.schultzfuneralhomes.com.
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