Editor's Note: This is the second in a four-part series on the formation and administration of the Dropout Prevention Committee. The committee includes a group of community and school officials from Tippecanoe Valley, Warsaw and Wawasee school corporations with the stated goal of reducing the dropout rates at those schools. The committee plans to put graduation coaches in high schools and mentoring programs in elementary and middle schools.*****
Sometimes students need more resources than what's available to them to keep them motivated to stay in school.
Troy Akers, Warsaw Community High School principal, said the bottom line of programs initiated by the Dropout Prevention Committee is to "get more kids across the stage with a diploma."
Dropout prevention is part of making that happen.
He said Warsaw hasn't had a problem with students dropping out of school because they don't earn enough credits - ISTEP scores are the problem. "When they see their scores are not that high, it's easier to give up hope. Now ISTEP has been replaced by end-of-course assessments," Akers said.
Students must pass English-10 and Algebra end-of-course assessments to graduate. Akers said WCHS is working diligently to help students be successful on those assessments.
By working with many people from throughout the county, Akers said they are blessed because it includes business and education professionals who want to work together and tackle the dropout problem.
"We think, through the graduation coach option, if we can assign an adult advocate to walk alongside the student as well as provide academic support and enrichment opportunities, it will help in the long run in preventing dropouts and improve graduation rates," said Akers.
"Unfortunately," he continued, "some students don't have the resources at home or the parental support that's needed so we think that's an area where the graduation coaches can help fill a void."
Akers said many students don't have parent support at home. Some students are even homeless or are living on their own right now, he said.
One area where Akers sees a need for improvement is helping students transition from the middle school to the high school. But with the grant money provided in the first year they want to target the seniors right away. From there, they can work down to the transition level.
"Because of grant availability, we have this opportunity in front of us. Again, you have to think positively that things will turn around," Akers said.
