Board organizes, hears rates

January 20, 2011

Triton Superintendent Carl Hilling Photo by Angel Perkins

BOURBON — The Triton School Board held a reorganization meeting Jan. 10. The oath of office was extended to Jerilyn Anders and Debbie Shively, both returning to the board after being reelected, and Terri Barnhart, who joined the board for a first term.
Election of officers confirmed Dick Trowbridge, president; Amy Middaugh, vice-president; and Debbie Shively, secretary. Trowbridge was also named president of the Board of Finance and Shively will serve as Finance Board secretary.
Meeting times will continue to be on the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. in the central office.
During the regular meeting, Superintendent Carl Hilling reviewed the weather-related predications that could mean the closing of schools. Hilling said, “The words we listen for are reduced visibility, blowing and drifting.” Hilling presented the board with an overview of the graduation rates from 2007 through 2010 and noted that the “graduation rates have improved over the last four years by 10.4 percent.”
Rates for the years considered were as follows: 2007, 79.3 percent; 2008, 84.4 percent; 2009, 86.5 percent; and 2010, 89.7 percent. “We only missed the state’s goal of 90 percent by one student.” Hilling said.
In 2010, 133 Indiana public schools reached the 90 to 100-percent graduation level and 161 fell within the 89 to 89.9 percent range.