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Published: November 02, 2009 06:47 am
Attendance figures finally improve at OISD after rough start
Tommy Mann, Jr.
The Orange Leader
ORANGEFIELD —
Attendance figures have finally stabilized after several weeks of above average student absences at OISD.
According to Philip Welch, superintendent of Orangefield Independent School District, daily attendance figures have returned to the 96 percentile range recently after weeks of below normal attendance figures.
“Our attendance average for the first six-weeks grading period this year was at 95.41 percent,” Welch said. “Last year, during the same period, the attendance average was 96.9 percent, so that is quite a difference.”
Welch said a larger than expected number of students, in all grade levels, missed school during the first six-weeks grading period.
“Flu illnesses really hit us early this year,” Welch explained. “We typically don’t have large numbers of absent students like this until January or February, which is the traditional flu season.”
Many schools dealt with higher than expected absences already this school year. One superintendent recently said he believed 95 percent of the students absent from school probably had Swine Flu.
An official from Orange County Health Department recently stated in another story 99 percent of people experiencing flu-like symptoms most likely have the Swine Flu.
Welch said he believes the peak of student illness may have already passed as attendance figures appear to be steadily improving.
“We’re averaging 96 percent now, so, if we can keep improving, we should be OK,” he said.
In other news, during Monday’s school board meeting, Welch said the Board of Trustees approved a new evaluation instrument for the position of athletic trainer.
According to Welch, in previous years, the athletic trainer was evaluated as a teacher, since the trainer was also required to teach a class.
“Previously, a trainer was evaluated, but it was under a teacher’s responsibilities,” Welch explained. “So, we have developed a more thorough evaluation method which has been specifically made for person in the position of athletic trainer.”
Tommy Mann Jr. is a reporter for The Orange Leader. He can be reached at 409-883-3571, Ext. 2619 or tmann@orangeleader.com
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