Lead Levels Not Significant in Dayton School Buildings

DAYTON—Dayton School Superintendent Doug Johnson said he is delighted to share the results of recent water samplings in the school buildings. All samples taken in September returned with scores below the unsafe threshold for lead, he said.

Seven of the samples were from prior water sources, which had initially scored high. The district will conduct additional sampling in the spring of 2017, until all water sources have been shown to be safe, he said.

In other business during last week’s school board meeting, Johnson said that a meeting has been scheduled in January to gather input from parents, students and citizens that will help the district develop a strategic plan on how best to serve the needs of students over the course of the next three to seven years.

The meeting is on Jan. 25 at 5:30 p.m. in the multipurpose room and soup will be served,.

The district will seek financial support for adding STEM classes to the list of academic courses for middle school students, and a final decision on what will be offered will be made later in the spring.

Research will be conducted by the administration, the board, and staff into the impact of poverty on education, which aligns with the district goal of student engagement, Johnson said.

In his report to the board, MS/HS Principal Paul Shaber said the Outdoor Adventure Club has several trips planned, including a fall hike on the Middle Fork, ski trips, and a climbing wall adventure.

The club is supported by the district and by students who wish to attend, Shaber said.

Included in Principal Shaber’s report was a short discussion on plans to hire a school counselor for the 2017-2018 school year, and the importance of assisting students in dealing with social and emotional issues which can have a negative impact on learning.

Elementary school principal Pam Lindsley said that students who have had difficulty reaching ELA standards have benefitted from the purchase of intervention materials.

She said that progress monitoring scores on STARS assessment has shown growth.

Lindsley credits the hard work of her staff, who are spending time away from the classroom to train in the appropriate use of the materials.

Ninety-five percent of parents were able to attend recent parent teacher conferences, Lindsley said.

Elementary teachers are researching math curricula, and many vendors are in the process of aligning with Common Core standards, which has made the search challenging, she said.

School enrollment continues to increase, Superintendent Johnson said. Preliminary reports indicate an enrollment number approaching 430, and the full time equivalent is near 412, he said.