By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Hays USD 489 has earned six Kansas Department of Education honors for the 2022-23 school year.
The honors were announced at the end of 2023, and full school report cards are now available on the KSDE website.
The district received the following honors:
• Copper award for students being academically prepared for post-secondary success
• Bronze award for graduation rate
• Silver award for postsecondary success
• Silver award for social-emotional growth
• Bronze award for kindergarten readiness
• Comissioner's award with honors.
Test scores
The academic preparation for post-secondary success award is based on state test scores.
The students at Hays High School performed about the same in 2023 as they did in spring 2022 in math and English and outpaced the state average. Science scores improved slightly in 2023 and also outpaced the state average.
Level one stipulates that a student possesses limited ability to understand and utilize the skills necessary for success after graduation. Level two represents a basic understanding, level three signifies an effective understanding, and level four indicates an excellent comprehension of the subject, according to the Kansas State Department of Education.
Graduation rate
For 2023, the district earned a graduation bronze star. The Hays High School 2023 graduation rate was 92.6 percent.
Hays High School's graduation rate was 2 percent lower in 2023 than in 2022. However, it outpaced the state average, which was 88.1 percent.
The four-year cohort only accounts for students who graduate with their peers in four years.
Post-secondary success
The state also measures post-secondary success.
A student must meet one of the following outcomes within two years of high school graduation.
- Student earned an approved certification while in high school
- Student earned a postsecondary certificate
- Student earned a postsecondary degree
- Student enrolled in postsecondary in both the first and second year following high school graduation
This measure does not count students who enter the military out of high school or who go straight into the workforce.
The district's effectiveness has remained fairly constant since 2017.
"Our goal as a district is to produce successful high school graduates," said Shanna Dinkel, USD 489 assistant superintendent for curriculum. "We worded it that way because graduation isn't the finish line anymore. We need them to be successful after graduation, and that is what that postsecondary measure is meant to measure."
Those students who are being tracked for spring 2023 graduated in 2021. She said that class was highly affected by the pandemic.
"I see that trending back in a positive way for sure," she said.
Dinkel said the district works to build that success from pre-K through graduation.
"If we haven't done everything to lay the foundation, then it's hard for them to catch up and get to that post-secondary success," she said. Whether it's attendance or student engagement or basic literacy, some of those basic skills are so important. Everyone has a piece of the puzzle that ultimately leads to that successful high school graduate."
Dinkel said she was puzzled why the students' test scores aren't higher, given that the district has a high graduation rate and a high rate of students succeeding post-graduation, both areas for which the state recognized the district for 2023.
Dinkel said, "We do every classroom every day."
"Our directive is what you do every day at the student desk level. If it's tied to standards, and we have some instructional best practices ... if those are aligned, then we should see some growth and improvement, and that one-time assessment will take care of itself," she said.
Social-emotional learning
Dinkel said three years ago, the district could not apply for the social-emotional honor because it didn't meet the standards.
"We have probably done the most work as a district system to put in place social and emotional growth," Dinkel said.
The district worked with Mult-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) on behavior.
The district established data points so administrators could measure the district's progress. These included attendance, behavior such as office referrals, course grades, social and emotional surveys from students, and observations from teachers.
The district uses Second Step as its social/emotional building curriculum at the elementary level, Conscious Discipline is used at the pre-K level, and Seven Mindsets is used at the middle and high school levels.
"It's some things that we didn't systemically have in place that we've developed and really worked on these last couple of years," Dinkel said.
For some children, social and emotional stability is where students have to start before any learning can occur, she said.
"If we're not engaged and regulated in a good spot to learn, the best learning is not going to take place," she said. "There is such a need in our families and with our students to not ignore that piece."
Teachers try to integrate social-emotional learning into academics as much as possible. Principals and teachers are pointing to that as a need among students, Dinkel said.
The high school and middle school have mental health liaisons that refer students with mental health issues to the High Plains Mental Health Center. Students can do counseling without leaving school if needed.
However, Dinkel said promoting social and emotional growth is a need for all students. This type of education encourages soft skills, including respect for others and perseverance through challenges.
Social learning helps students learn skills that employers are looking for in workers, such as responsibility, work ethic, ability to work in teams and customer service skills.
The curriculum also encourages good citizenship, such as voting, volunteerism and philanthropy.
"It's really thinking beyond yourself," she said.
Kindergarten readiness
Kindergarten readiness can be difficult to tackle because many students have no interaction with the school district until they enter kindergarten.
However, the district earned a bronze star for kindergarten readiness. The district has a school readiness committee.
In addition to preschool, the district works with many children who have special needs, ages birth through 5, through the special education co-op, Dinkel said.
She added the work of the Child Care Task Force of Ellis County and the many child care providers in Ellis County are helping prepare children to enter kindergarten by improving the quality of child care.