Board hears BARR update on culture at schools

BY BROOKE WOHLRABE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Dr. Alison Gillespie recently provided a building assets reducing risks (BARR) update to the White Bear Lake Area Schools School Board.

Gillespie said BARR has been implemented in three of the elementary schools, both middle schools and the high school. It is the most researched intervention that helps with students and culture and climate in school. Gillespie said they’ve received several grants to keep the program going.

“It has 14 student impacts, from increasing math achievement, more credits earned, higher GPA (and) reducing chronic absenteeism,” Gillespie said.

She said that White Bear Lake Area Schools is the second district in the country to implement BARR districtwide, and it’s something everyone should be proud of.

Gillespie said that she and some other staff members recently attended the national conference, thanks to grant funding, and that the district was featured in a video.

Following the video, it was asked what data is looked at and how it’s known whether the program is successful.

“All of those outcomes we’re looking at. Student attendance, student grades, behavior data … along with qualitative data in terms of how students are engaging in class and how teachers are feeling about success in classrooms,” Gillespie said.

Several board members asked other questions about the program, and staff members who have implemented it in their classrooms were present to answer.

Board Member Kathleen Daniels said she thought it was nice to have an intervention that students don’t need to qualify for.

“As a former special ed teacher, there were kids who we knew needed help but somehow didn’t qualify for special education or a 504 plan or anything else … this is more than an intervention, but a future shift from what I’m listening to. It’s so exciting to hear and it’s great that it’s making a difference for students,” Daniels said.

In his report to the board, Superintendent Wayne Kazmierczak said that the district recently received its 2022 four-year graduation rate data from the Minnesota Department of Education and that the district’s rate tops the state’s graduation rate by almost 5.5%. In White Bear Lake Area Schools, 89.1% of 2022 district seniors received their diploma within four years.

The 2022 graduation rate at South Campus is 95.7%, and the Area Learning Center recorded the second-highest graduation rate — 63.9% — among ALCs in the surrounding area.

Kazmierczak said that the district has been awarded a grant of $122,000 through the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of traffic safety for the installation of stop arm cameras on all 36 school district buses.

“Data from the Minnesota Department of Public

Safety estimates that statewide, drivers disregard stop arms more than 100,000 times in a given school year,” Kazmierczak said.

In other news:

• A student recognition video was shown that honored students who represented the district in state and national competitions in archery, boys basketball and History Day.

A recognition took place for student liaisons to the board, Lauren Collier and Ariana Van Cook.

• There was first reading of six different policies. The board will consider a second reading at a later date.

• The board approved a low bid of $418,000 for the Bald Eagle Avenue road improvements.

• The board approved the Teachers on Call agreement, which has a goal of retaining substitute teachers.

• The board approved approved six new or updated school board policies.

• Board Chair Jessica Ellison noted that the consent agenda approved a number of generous donations for teacher appreciation week. She expressed gratitude for the generosity of the community.