Superintendents talk new year

School is officially back in session for all Phillips County Schools and 672 students have enrolled between Dodson, Malta, Saco, and Whitewater Public Schools.

The Superintendents of all four districts were contacted last week to learn of Summer improvements, enrollment numbers, and the state of the districts during their first days of school.

DODSON

Dodson Public Schools Superintendent Gary Weitz reported that Dodson had increased its enrollment by 14 this year, putting the school in the 90 student range for the first time in a long time.

“These numbers will fluctuate slightly over the next three to four weeks but we expect the current total to be at or around 90 moving forward into the new school year,” Supt. Weitz said.

Dodson’s Kindergarten has three, First grade has seven, Second grade has six, third grade has 10, Fourth grade has three, Fifth grade has seven, Sixth grade has 10, Seventh grade has six, Eighth grade has nine, Ninth grade has 11, Tenth grade has eight, Eleventh grade has eight, and Twelfth grade has five.

As far as building improvements go, Supt. Weitz said that the cafeteria and gym areas have undergone a facelift.

“Our ‘in house’ summer maintenance staff continues to provide paint to major portions of the school that bring out our Coyote Pride,” Supt. Weitz said. “Those entering our cafeteria this fall will not recognize the old version. The green and gold covered walls with Coyote paws add to the overall beautification of the building.”

Supt. Weitz then went on to mention other areas receiving slight renovations.

“Also receiving fresh coats of paint and remodeling that greatly enhance the visible appearance of the areas include our Junior and Senior high wing, and home basketball locker rooms,” he said. “Our local staff also completed refinishing the gym and classroom floors. Very Sharp!”

Supt. Weitz also reported that the school maintained the same number of staff members which included a new Paraprofessional.

MALTA

Malta Public Schools Superintendent Kris Kuehn shared what the first day of school was like at Malta’s schools.

“It was awesome and there was pure excitement,” Supt. Kuehn said. “There is a lot of change but change is good and I think that people are just ready to get back at it.”

As far as building improvements go, Supt. Kuehn explained that the improvements made were focused on outdoor issues.

“We improved some drainage away from the building,” “There were four areas that were improved.”

He went on to say that the most noticeable drainage improvement was on the east side of the MHS Auditorium.

“There was also a sidewalk that over time just sunk and we got that back up to grade,” Supt. Kuehn said.

Supt. Kuehn went on to praise the school's custodial staff for their maintenance and upkeep of the schools during the summer months.

“Our custodial staff District-wide did a great job getting this place spruced up and ready for another school year,” Supt. Kuehn said. “Those people work a lot of lonely hours and the whole district is in great shape.”

Supt. Kuehn said the district is in it’s third year of a three-year heating and ventilation project.

Malta schools have a total of 491 students at the start of the year, though that number will likely fluctuate throughout the year.

“We have held steady,” Supt. Kuehn said of the school’s enrollment numbers. “The largest class in the district is the kindergarten class.”

The kindergarten class has 47 students.

“We knew it was going to be large, so in June we hired a third kindergarten teacher with the thought there would be 40 or 41 students and we ended up with 47,” he said. “So once in my life, it looks like my projections worked out for the better. We made the right decision.”

First grade has 30 students, second grade has 39, third grade has 44, fourth grade has 37, and the fifth grade has 35. As for Malta Middle School, sixth grade has 40, the seventh grade has 44, and eighth grade has 30. Malta High School has 143 students, three of whom are foreign exchange students. There are 38 freshmen, 40 sophomores, 30 juniors, and 35 seniors. Loring School has two students.

Malta Public Schools has a total of 44 certified teachers. The school failed to fill one spot in Consumer Sciences, but considering the teacher shortage in the state, Supt. Kuehn knows that the school is fortunate to have only one open spot.

“I am just anxious to see everyone back and excited for a good school year,” Supt. Kuehn said. “It’s a great day to be a Mustang or M-ette.”

SACO

Saco Schools reported 48 students from Kindergarten to twelfth grade.

“Two of the biggest challenges are enrollment numbers for all of our smaller schools in the state,” Saco Schools Superintendent Tanya Funk said. “And then the teacher shortage. We are headed for a train wreck in the state if we don’t do something about the lack of teachers in the state.”

Supt. Funk, who is in her first year as Superintendent at Saco Schools and 28th as an educator at the school, appreciates the consistency she has experienced.

“We have quality people in every position in our building and some schools are struggling to fill positions,” Supt. Funk said. “I feel fortunate about that.”

Supt. Funk believes that the lack of enrollment in smaller schools is an unfixable problem.

“We can probably have two to three times the amount of kids that we have in our building right now and we could accommodate them seamlessly, they just aren’t here,” she said.

In addition to Supt. Funk as the new superintendent, Saco Public School welcomed Shyla (Gairett) Sunford, a 2014 Graduate back as a Junior High Teacher. She taught fifth and sixth grade at Hinsdale Public School last year.

The school welcomed six kindergarten students, which makes up the largest class at the school.

“It is kind of exciting because it is a bigger class than we have had in the last few years,” Supt. Funk said.

In all Saco reported a total of 48 students from Kindergarten to Twelfth grade. There are 25 students from kindergarten to sixth grade. There are ten seventh and eighth graders and a total of 13 high schoolers. Kindergarten has six students, First grade has two, Second has four, Third has four, Fourth has four, Fifth has four, Sixth has two, Seventh has five, Eighth has five, Ninth has one, Tenth has four, Eleventh has five and Twelfth has three.

WHITEWATER

Whitewater Public Schools Superintendent Darin Cummings gave his opinion on how the school year has started in Whitewater.

“Everything is going good and it is like we never took a break,” Supt. Cummings said.

He reported that the school had a total of 43 students enrolled.

There are five preschoolers and seven kindergarten students.

“We have one of our largest kindergarten classes that we have had,” Supt. Cummings said. “Seven for us is a big class.”

First grade has five students, second grade has four, third grade has three, fourth grade has three, fifth grade has two, sixth grade has four, seventh grade has three, eighth grade has three, ninth grade has three, tenth grade has two, eleventh grade has three, and twelfth has one.

Supt. Cummings reported that there were no buildings improvements and no new teachers and that the staff was the same as last year minus the addition of one custodian.

“That is a part of why we have had success in certain areas,” Supt. Cummings said. “It’s because we haven’t had a rotating door of teachers. Everything from the school board down to the teachers is pretty much the way that it has been for a while. When we don’t have a mass exit it is easier on the kids.”