Everyone
invited to local
seminar on domestic violence
[JULY
19, 2000] On
Thursday, July 20, the Lincoln Police Department, in conjunction with
the Healthy Communities Partnership, is sponsoring a free seminar,
"Domestic Violence in Our Community." The seminar will begin
at 7 p.m. in the Johnston Center for Performing Arts on the Lincoln
College campus. |
Speakers
will include Tina Merchant, a survivor of domestic violence. She will
relate her story of domestic violence and how it began and ended, in
particular the evening of Feb. 14, 1999, when she was attacked and
severely beaten by her ex-boyfriend. Officer Tim Butterfield will tell
about the police response the night of the beating.
Paramedic
John Short will explain paramedic response to domestic violence calls.
Sgt. Tom Rowland will speak about laws related to domestic violence
and about Lincoln Police Department policy in such cases. Assistant
Attorney General Rita McPheron will speak about the role of the state’s
attorney’s office in domestic violence.
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Allison
Gazda will speak about the effects of domestic violence on families,
friends, victims, batterers and the community in general.
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Prayer
will be offered by the Rev. Glenn Shelton, a Lincoln alderman, and
Mayor Joan Ritter will say a few words if time permits.
Everyone
is welcome to attend this free seminar.
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Looking
for Lincoln project forges ahead
Meeting
tonight
[JULY
19, 2000] County
officials and interested citizens will meet at 7 p.m., Wednesday, July
19, in the Union Planters Bank conference room to continue making plans
to implement the Looking for Lincoln project. The purpose of the
project is to draw tourists to Lincoln and Logan County by creating a
historic destination package based on Abraham Lincoln. |
At
the last meeting, research historian Bryon Andreasen said that to
ensure that Looking for Lincoln is a success, it will require a
coordinated effort of the county’s residents. And, Wendy Bell, who
serves in an ex-officio role to help community members steer the
process, agrees, and adds: "We need to think big. There are a lot
of possibilities."
The
project’s structure for Lincoln includes a Looking for Lincoln
Master Plan Committee from which several additional committees will
form: the Postville Cluster Committee, Downtown Cluster Committee,
Lincoln College Cluster Committee, Finance Committee, and Publicity
Committee.
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The
committees have begun to take shape, with Paul Beaver serving as the
chairman for the Master Plan Committee. Other members of the Master
Plan Committee include Paul Gleason, historian; Beth Davis, county
representative; Jan Schumacher, Main Street representative; Gillette
Ransom, Logan County communities representative; and Charles Ott,
tourism representative.
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Following
is a list of members for the cluster committees:
Postville
Cluster: Linda Churchill
Downtown
Cluster: Larry Crisafulli, chairman; Larry Steffens, business
representative; and Bernie DePuy, Bill Post, Perry Johnson, Marion
Smith, committee members
Lincoln
College: Dr. Jack Nutt, chairman; Bob Neal, liaison
Publicity:
Penny Zimmerman-Wills
Finance:
Ivan Ray and Shirley Bartelmay
Many
more spaces are yet to be filled for the committees. Input, ideas,
questions and volunteers are welcome at Wednesday’s meeting. For
more information, call Main Street Lincoln, at 732-2929.
[Katherine
Heller]
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Part
2
LCHS board members express
concerns about dropout rate
[JULY
19, 2000] Even
though the graduation rate at Lincoln Community High School is on the
rise again, it has been an ongoing matter of concern for school board
members. The rate for 1999, as computed by the State Board of
Education, was 74 percent, while the rate for 2000 will be up to 82
percent. |
"I understand the
graduation rate is not where everyone would like to see it," said
Robert Meinershagen, board president and a board member for 12 years.
"When the state figures graduation rates, they look at students
who come in as freshmen. If those students don’t graduate in four
years, they don’t count. If the student drops out, comes back,
graduates – but not in four years – that student doesn’t count.
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"I think the
truancy social worker at Lincoln High is making a difference. I also
feel that parents need to become involved in their child’s
education. Some students are self-motivated, but others need a lot of
support. I think we’ve got a good administrative team and good
programs to help students at Lincoln High School," he said.
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Board Vice-President
Judy Lumpp, who has been on the board since 1991, said, "I think
it’s a community problem. I don’t think it’s just LCHS’
problem. Parents call at the end of the senior year and say, ‘My kid’s
not graduating.’ They should have thought about their child’s
educational goals at the beginning of the freshman year."
Lumpp believes the
students themselves should take their education more seriously.
"Too many kids who don’t need to work are working to support a
car. They don’t want to study. Their concerns are their car, their
job and the girl or boyfriend. They’re worried about their jobs
today instead of thinking about their employment goals for tomorrow.
"If a student is
interested in graduating there are programs at the high school that
will help," she said. "I’m really proud of the staff. They
do a good job."
Board member Melissa
Frioli also thinks low graduation rates are "a society problem
that we are not going to solve easily. Government can’t solve all
our problems, and schools can’t solve all our problems. It’s an
issue of responsibility and it starts well before the kids get to high
school," she said.
"The attitude
today is that we are always looking to blame somebody. We have to stop
shifting the blame all over the place and take responsibility for our
own lives and our own actions.
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"We offer every
kind of help you can possibly think of. We have summer classes and
night classes. National Honor Society students offer free tutoring.
Teachers give extra help. All the kids have to do is ask. But the
school and administration can only do so much. Ultimately the parents
have to take responsibility for getting the kids to school and the
kids have to take responsibility for doing their schoolwork."
Board member Chuck
Bennett, who has served almost 12 years on the board, wishes the
community would become more involved with the school system.
"Parents should at least be attending school board meetings and
coming to activities at the school. Parents and the community should
know the people who are responsible for their children’s education.
"Students need
motivation and encouragement from their parents. Many times kids are
disappointed to find they lack a credit and can’t graduate. The
school has a responsibility to help them, and their parents or
guardians – even some of their peers – need to encourage these
students to finish," he said.
He believes the school
is having more success with these students now. "Miss Hubbard and
the staff, with their attitude of reaching out to the students to
encourage them to get into the after-school and summer programs, are
helping."
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Bennett believes an
important factor at LCHS is the ability of the board and
administration to work together. "There is a tremendous amount of
open communication between the school board and the administration and
between the board and the teachers.
"About two years
ago we put in place a program in which department heads come to board
meetings to make presentations. They talk about their concerns and
their successes. Better lines of communication help us work
together," he said.
"In spite of our
problems, there are far more positive things taking place at LCHS than
negative things," he concluded.
Larry Gleason, who has
served on elementary school boards as well as the high school board,
said he believes programs to help youngsters stay in school need to
start much earlier.
"If kids are not
getting support at home there is very little we can do at ages 14, 15
and 16 years. They have been lost before they get to the high school
level. We’re shutting the barn door after the horse has already
gotten out.
"I’ve been on
school boards for a long time, implemented different programs, hired
people, written grants. Our graduation rate isn’t any better than it
was five or six years ago. If we are spending all this money and still
just treading water, maybe we need to start spending earlier. I
believe we would get more bang for the buck if we started working with
troubled kids in the lower grades.
"I’ve seen a
solid effort from our administration," he continued. "I’ve
seen our staff, both administrators and teachers, bend over backwards
to help these kids. If I could think of better things to do, I would
do them. If other people think of things to do, I wish they would come
forward."
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Bridget Schneider, who
was appointed to the board two years ago, says she still has much to
learn, but she believes the programs in place are good ones.
"I have wondered
why the dropout rate began to go up. The school saw the decline before
I came on.
"Perhaps we are
seeing the effects of what has happened economically in our community,
with several big employers leaving. I do believe that has an impact on
families. Also the changing family unit over the long haul to
single-parent families may give the student less support at home and
more financial need."
She believes the
truancy program helps a lot. "It adds another level of support.
It is keeping in touch with the kids, keeping them motivated and
keeping their eye on the goal," she said.
"Also I am very
pleased with the administration and staff we have now. I have seen no
negativity or bickering. We are very fortunate to have a team that
works so well together."
Superintendent Plesé
said he would like to see the graduation rate higher, because that
would indicate "we have fewer students who have problems."
But, he says, education is a very complex process.
"Education has to
do with the development of the human mind. What motivates one child
will not interest another," he said.
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"Regardless of their differences, I
want to see all of our students get those diplomas. I am not ashamed
of a school that helps them to do it in six years if that is what they
need."
[Joan
Crabb]
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Part 1
LCHS graduation rate on the rise again
[JULY
18, 2000] After
a two-year dip, the graduation rate at Lincoln Community High School
is on the rise again. Computed by a complex state system, the LCHS
numbers show a definite improvement in the year 2000 over the figures
of the two previous years. |
Although
some board members and administrators describe the statistics used by
the State Board of Education to compute graduation rates as
"skewed toward the low side" and "inappropriate,"
they do agree that a rise in the graduation rate means more students
are succeeding in getting their diplomas in a four-year period.
In 1999
the state board’s "School Report Card" showed that only 74
percent of LCHS seniors graduated. However, the figures for the year
2000, which have not yet been officially announced by the state, will
be 82 percent, an eight percent increase, according to LCHS Principal
Joyce Hubbard. In 1998 the graduation rate was at 79.3 percent, down
from a high in 1996 of 85.5 percent. In both 1998 and 1999, LCHS fell
below the state averages of 81.8 percent and 81.9 percent.
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However,
in the previous three years (1995, 1996 and 1997) the LCHS graduation
rate was as much as five percent above the state average, running 82.7
percent in 1995, 85.5 percent in 1996 and 85.3 percent in 1997. In the
same years, the state average was 80.7 percent, 80.5 percent and 81.6
percent.
Hubbard
says she believes this year’s LCHS rate will be just about at the
state average. "When our rate is 82 percent, I’m guessing the
state rate will be right around that figure as well."
LCHS
Superintendent Frederick Plesé said the graduation rate as computed
by the State Board of Education is based only on students who start at
LCHS and graduate in four years. "It’s not an appropriate
figure because it’s not telling the full story," he explained.
"Students who take night courses or correspondence courses and
finish don’t get counted in the graduation statistic. It does not
take into consideration students who drop out and return to school
later or students who for some reason need more than four years to
graduate," he said.
This
year, for example, 33 students did not graduate with their class.
According to Hubbard, 11 of those 33 will finish their requirements
and graduate within the coming year, but they will not be counted in
the graduation statistics.
"Every
year, some come back and graduate as fifth-year students," she
explained. "We typically have three, four or five who will get
that diploma after summer school. Maybe they failed something
required, like American history or civics. There are a variety of
reasons – we can’t pigeonhole what they
need." Others will get diplomas after first or even second
semester next year.
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Hubbard
estimates that another 11 of those 33 students will eventually realize
they need a diploma and take the GED. They will not be counted in the
graduation rate, either.
But even
though they are not satisfied with the state’s method of computing
graduation rates, when administrators and board members saw the figure
starting to go down, they determined to do something about it.
"We saw a trend and started putting programs in place to reverse
it," Hubbard said.
"With
some students, there is an attendance problem. Two years ago we got a
state grant to employ a truancy social worker, Janet Hudleson. She
works closely with the dean of students. She is also working with the
families to encourage them to get their children back in school,"
Hubbard said.
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Hudleson
works with Dean of Students Lorie Lundin in part because that office
handles all attendance records. "We decided that we had to get to
kids fast when they are not coming to school," Lundin said.
"At the first unexcused absence, we call parents and let them
know the child has left school. At the second, we call in the truancy
officer. At the fifth unexcused absence, we set up a meeting with the
parents."
Another
step the school took was to ask for more help from Logan-Mason Mental
Health. That organization has provided counseling services for LCHS
students for the past 10 years, but during the 1999-2000 year a
counselor was available at the school four days a week. "This
counselor can help the students who are having personal problems that
are getting in the way of their education," Hubbard said.
"This gives us one more helping hand."
Last
year LCHS also started an after-school program for students who needed
to make up classes. An evening program and summer remedial programs
were already in place, but the new program gave students one more
option.
"If
they fail a class the first semester, they can make it up in an
after-school program during the second semester. Then they don’t get
so far behind and get discouraged," Plesé said.
Most
students who fall behind do so in the first two years, he said, and
tend to drop out at age16. "They look at their record and see
that they haven’t passed very many classes. We are trying to help
them stay on track. They are less likely to give up on themselves if
they see we don’t give up on them."
LCHS
also has a tutor who works three days a week. The tutor’s emphasis
is working with freshman and sophomore students to keep them on that
graduation track, Hubbard said. She also noted that teachers are more
than willing to come in early and stay late to work with students.
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Hubbard
has inaugurated still another program to help new students feel
comfortable at LCHS. Before the school year begins, she will visit all
incoming freshmen who have indicated they would like to have a home
visit. "We are trying to bridge the gap from junior high school
to high school," she explained.
Yet
another option for students who don’t function well in the ordinary
academic environment is Salt Creek Academy, an alternative education
program housed in a former elementary school in the Athens school
district. This school has a small setting, a self-paced program, less
stimulus and more focus, Hubbard said, and serves students in the
counties of Logan, Mason and Menard. Students can stay from one to
four years in Salt Creek Academy and can elect to come back to the
home school whenever they are ready. Lincoln area Salt Creek students
do get diplomas from LCHS and are counted in the graduation rate
statistics.
"We
do have some students with real hardships, drug problems, family
problems, financial problems," Superintendent Plesé said.
"We are dealing with the full spectrum of problems facing young
people today. Attendance rate is as low as it’s been in 10 years.
Six to seven percent of kids just drop out of school.
"We
are trying to help our community’s children obtain their high school
diplomas. It may not be the best way to raise the graduation rate
statistics as the state computes them, but we don’t regulate what we’re
doing based on state statistics."
[Joan
Crabb]
[Note:
The second installment of this article includes reactions from
LCHS board members.] |
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[JULY 17, 2000]
At
its July 12 meeting, the Eagles Auxiliary #2708 of Lincoln presented
a $500 check to Richard Sumrall of the Lincoln Public Library for
the purchase of large-print books. The donation represents the Eagle
Auxiliary’s continued commitment to providing funds for books to
aid vision-impaired readers. Since 1991 the Eagles Auxiliary #2708
has contributed over $4,500 to the library’s large-print program.
For more information on the library’s large-print books, call
732-8878 or visit the library at 725 Pekin St.
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