The superintendent of Springfield Public Schools presented the State of the Schools Thursday at an event hosted by the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce.
Dr. Grenita Lathan touted some of the district’s accomplishments, including a graduation rate of 94.4% for the fifth consecutive year.
"As a chamber member, that means that we are developing the workforce that you need in order to ensure that your business is successful," she said.
Ten students received their certified nurse assistant certifications through the Alliance for Health Care Education in its pilot year last year, so they’re ready to move into the workforce as they begin their senior year, Lathan said.
Six students received their pilot’s license through FLY SPS last year, a month before graduating high school.
"We are changing also the workforce, not only in health care," she said, "but also in aviation in our community."
She said the Read to Succeed program, meant to raise literacy scores on end-of-year assessments has made an impact since it was launched last year. Literacy scores at the end of last school year had increased by 2.2%, she said, higher than the 2% goal that had been set.
She talked about projects that are underway and have been accomplished through the voter-approved Proposition S, including six new storm shelters for local schools: Mann, Pittman, Holland, Wilder, Watkins and Cowden Elementaries.
She said she recently had the chance to tour the construction site of the new Reed Academy, which will is expected to open next year.
"We are excited, and progress is being made," she said. Stay tuned for the beautiful building that it will eventually become."
She told the crowd to watch the Pipkin construction site as a new school goes up and reminded them of the planned new Pershing Middle School.
Bingham elementary will get a new campus by 2027, she said, and improvements to Glendale High School where the event was held are planned for Phase Three.
And Lathan said 1,100 more students are eligible for transportation after the board last October voted to change the criteria for transportation eligibility for kids in K-8.
Target areas for the upcoming school year are opportunity expansion, parent and family engagement, targeted professional learning, school showcase visits, school safety and security, organizational effectiveness, data driven success and student and staff voice.
