Schools
Honor society's back after revamp of selection criteria
* The axing of the program last year angered parents.
By PAMELA WILLIS
Published: Wednesday, September 24, 2008 9:08 AM EDT
National Honor Society was quietly reinstated in Worthington schools this week as board members approved advisers for one of the high schools.

Board members also heard a report on a recent community survey that revealed an overall good perception of the district.

The Worthington school board met Monday, Sept. 22.

Board members approved performance contracts of $450 each to Kristy Smith and Mary Lou Himmel to coordinate and advise National Honor Society at Worthington Kilbourne High School.

Last September, administrators terminated NHS chapters at both high schools due to complaints from parents and students about the selection process.

Parents who wanted the chapters reinstated at both high schools showed up to speak at several board meetings and some agreed to work with administrators over the summer on new selection criteria.

Superintendent Melissa Conrath told board members that high school administrators Kevin Johnson and George Joseph worked with students and parents and helped to make changes to the program.

"They explored other avenues of recognition for students, but felt coming up with new selection criteria will address some of the concerns over the program," Conrath said.

She said performance contracts for advisers of the Thomas Worthington High School NHS program will be on the agenda at the next board meeting.

"Letters and e-mails went out to all the high school parents explaining changes in the reinstated programs," she said.

Survey says

Bill Grindell, president of the Columbus branch of Communica, shared results of a community research survey conducted in the spring, comparing residents' answers with ones given in a 2006 survey.

Communica representatives called 400 residents -- 200 with children enrolled in the district and 200 without enrolled children -- for the surveys, which cost the district $12,500 in 2006 and the same amount this year.

"In 2006, we found issues relative to trust and financial issues," Grindell said. "This year's results are better, but still indicate room for improvement."

In the 2006 survey, 40 percent of those surveyed "strongly disagreed" that the Worthington school district uses its money wisely.

In this year's survey, only 24 percent "strongly disagreed" on the wise use of district finances.

Residents who "strongly agreed" the district uses money wisely numbered 36 percent in 2006 and 47.6 percent this year.

As far as trusting administrators, 26 percent didn't trust administrators in 2006, with only 13 percent not trusting this year. Respondents who "strongly agreed" they trusted administrators numbered 53 percent in 2006 and 63.4 percent this year.

Respondents who "strongly agreed" the district is well-managed were 63.5 percent this year, 47 percent in 2006.

When asked to give the district an overall grade, residents with children enrolled in the schools responded with an A-minus, while those without children currently enrolled gave the district a B-plus.

Financial management got a grade of C-plus from residents in 2006, which improved slightly to a B-minus this year.

For the question, "How do you think the school district's performance has changed in the past 12 months," 82 percent of respondents thought financial management was "about the same," while 11 percent thought it was "much better" and 7 percent thought it was "much worse."

As far as communication with the community, 71 percent responded it was "about the same," 20 percent said it was "much better" and 9 percent said it was "much worse."

"We found a significant difference in many cases between results from people with children enrolled in the schools and those without," Grindell said.

The survey also revealed 79 percent of residents without children in the schools receive most information about the district from local newspapers, while 56 percent and 33 percent of residents with enrolled children receive district news from e-mails and school communications sent home with children, respectively.

Only 2 percent of respondents said they receive district news from the school board meetings and 18 percent said they learn about the district from its Web site.

Grindell's suggestions for improvement included enhanced communication relative to finances and district plans and testing the idea of "tipping the (district) newsletter into the newspaper or exploring direct mail via sponsorship support."




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