The Illinois State Board of Education recently released school report cards. They show how Illinois, each school and each district in the state are doing based on a wide range of goals, like attendance, graduation rate and test scores.
Dieterich Unit 30, which has an enrollment of 630 students from preschool through high school, achieved exemplary designation for its elementary school for the sixth year in a row, a designation the district has received since the state began releasing the report cards.
Their seventh through twelfth grade received a commendable designation for the second time. Previously, they had been rated exemplary.
Superintendent Cary Jackson was the junior-senior high principal for five years before he became superintendent in 2012.
“Traditionally, we do very well in math, but recently, we’ve seen an uptick in English Language Arts, as well,” said Jackson. “We just have really good staff. We have hard-working students, and we have good families that expect a lot out of our children. And they expect a lot [out] of their school.”
Jackson highlighted their enrollment growth over the previous 12 years, which influenced them to add more classrooms, restrooms and a science lab.
“We wanted to do that to reduce class sizes, especially in the early elementary when they’re very impressionable, and those are formative years,” said Jackson. “Those pre-k, kindergarten, first, second [and] third grades are extremely important to build a very strong foundation, so we have reduced class sizes in K [kindergarten], 1 and 2. And we’re targeting third grade for next year.”
Scott Kocher, the junior-senior high principal, explained that the school is currently discussing ways to improve on the commendable designation. He believes their SAT scores could improve, but they’re currently switching from the SAT to the ACT, which is a completely different test.
“We’re right on the edge between exemplary and commendable,” said Kocher. “We’re always right there. Close.”
The junior-senior high has also expanded its STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and vocational classes. It’s also expanding their classes through the Effingham Regional Career Academy, which provides even more classes to students. The school is partnering with Lake Land College, which recently purchased the old Kluthe Center for Higher Education & Technology to turn it into the Lake Land College Effingham Technology Center.
“There’s a lot of different opportunities that our students have access to through that Career Academy, and it’s just now starting to boom,” said Jackson. “We’re developing courses to be implemented into that building, and we’ll occupy the building in probably late winter, so January, February [or] March of 2025.”