Fulton middle, high schools work to improve

At first glance with the new MSIP 5 accreditation standards, Fulton Middle School and Fulton High School have a lot of work to do.

In analyzing student performance data, the administrators of both schools say their students are doing better than the new reporting system makes it appear. They also are confident that goals created during that preliminary analysis will help in improving the schools' future performance.

FMS

At Fulton Middle School, Principal Chris Crane's notes on performance data include:

•Classes have to be more engaging and focused with little or no "down time" due to the new schedule.

•Specific GLE's (Grade Level Expectations) must be reanalyzed and a plan developed to address them

•Implementing math intervention during Hornet Time has been successful.

•Math department is not fully collaborative.

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FHS

Fulton High School Principal Jason Whitt's notes on performance data include:

•Teachers have done a great job of adapting and helping students who are in need.

•We have successfully met our SMART goal the past two semesters with 97.3 percent and 95.8 percent of courses passed by our students. FHS has decreased the amount of students who receive three or more Fs per semester by 75 percent since the 2010-11 school year.

•In the area of strategic thinking, FHS will need to do a better job of teaching students how to think on a deeper level.

•There is a direct correlation between the relationships we develop with our students to the achievement in class.

•Seventy-six percent of Fulton students taking the ACT are testing ready for college-level course work in College English Composition.

Fulton High School's Action Plan includes:

To help the tornado-stricken people of Dumas and surroundings, donations can be made to the Delta Area Disaster Relief Fund, care of the Delta Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 894, Dumas, AR, 71639, or through the Arkansas Community Foundation, 700 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR, 72202.