Whitefish graduation rate steadily improving

Whitefish High School’s graduation rate last year was higher than the statewide average, but the school’s not stopping there when it comes to getting students to earn their diploma.

Whitefish’s graduation rate was 90.7 percent in 2013, while the statewide rate was 84.4 percent, according to data from the state Office of Public Instruction. Whitefish had 98 graduates in 2013.

WHS assistant principal Jackie Fuller said the graduation rate speaks to the smaller size of Whitefish High School.

“Our counselors, administrators and teachers have one-on-one relationships with students, showing that they care,” she said. “We have a vision to have every student be college and career ready, and the staff has done a phenomenal job of working with students to make that happen.”

OPI recently released its graduation and dropout report showing how all schools in the state performed last year. From 2009 to 2013, Montana’s graduation rate has increased from 80.7 percent to 84.4 percent. The dropout rate has decreased from 5 percent to 3.6 percent.

The graduation rate is based on the adjusted cohort graduation rate, which tracks ninth-graders through high school graduation over a four-year period. The rate is adjusted for students transferring in and out of school, and students who take more than four years to graduate and students who turn 19 before earning a diploma are not counted.

WHS has seen its adjusted cohort graduation rate increase over the last three years. In 2012, the graduation rate was 85.5 percent, and in 2011 it was 78.6 percent. In addition, the high school improved its dropout rate from 4 percent in 2008-09 to 2.5 percent in 2012-13.

When a student joins WHS as a freshman the goal is make sure they graduate, Fuller said.

“When they become one of ours, we want to make sure they walk across that stage,” she said. “We have a personal touch and the kids know that the teachers do care.”

Whitefish earned one of 36 grants from OPI to create a Graduation Matters program aimed at increasing the number of students who graduate from high school prepared for college and careers. The program has been implemented in dozens of schools across the state.

Fuller applied for the $3,500 and heads up the Graduation Matters Whitefish program. She says that while the high school’s graduation rate is good, it can always be better.

“We want to get every school involved — this is a K-12 project,” she said. “We want them to know even at Muldown that they’ll be a Bulldog and we want them to graduate as a Bulldog.”

Staff will attend training this summer and begin implementation in the fall.

At Muldown Elementary, the plan is to talk with kindergartners and their parents about the importance of graduation. Students will have their picture taken in a cap and gown with their graduation year.

Another plan is to create mentoring and tutoring programs between the high school and middle school. Older students will work with younger students. Tutoring is also planned for students who are struggling academically.

“We see graduation rates increase when students get involved in their school,” Fuller said. “This can have even more benefit for the high school students when they feel they are being a role model for the younger students.”

Fuller anticipates creating a spring fair at the high school with the goal of bringing in community members and former students to talk about the importance of graduating and what it has done for their lives.

Locally, only Bigfork had a higher graduation rate than Whitefish in 2013, according to OPI. Bigfork High School graduated about 93.7 percent and had 1.1 percent of dropouts. Columbia Falls graduated 80.35 percent and had a 3.9 percent dropout rate.

Glacier High School had 83.1 percent of students graduate in 2013 and had a dropout rate of 3.8 percent. Flathead High School had 81 percent of students graduate and a dropout rate of 4.1 percent in 2013.