Students Making Strides During First Quarter
Wolf Point School District officials are working on different efforts with the assistance of a survey to improve students’ attitudes regarding learning.
Sarah Ruff, the district’s curriculum director, explains that the PASS survey, which will be conducted twice a school year, helps measure attitudes of students in grades 2-12.
“It helps to understand their feelings, their confidence in learning and their attitudes about attendance,” Ruff said. “We can look at the entire district, grade levels or at the different sexes.”
According to the survey, most students believe they have high learning capabilities and are prepared for learning. The students are confident and possess positive attitudes toward their teachers.
Negatives include students’ feelings about school and they don’t feel they have good work ethics.
“They like their teachers, but not necessarily school,” Ruff said.
Counselors and teachers will utilize the data to develop small groups with the goal of improving the students’ perceptions.
On another note, Ruff said turnout was very good for teachers/parents conferences on Monday, Nov. 7. Meals were offered at each of the schools.
Ruff said a program that is focusing on positive behavior is going well. “We’re seeing a lot of progress,” she said.
The new math curriculum is creating some challenges but is overall achieving success. Last spring, the school board approved the recommendation from a committee to adapt the Kendall Hunt problem- based math curriculum for grades K-11.
Ruff said some parents can be frustrated that they can’t help their children with the new math. The school district is creating information, including videos, to explain the benefits of the new curriculum.
“Overall, I do think it’s going well,” Ruff said. “Our students are learning with grade-level materials i quarter one. In the past, we used the first quarter to catch up.”
