Wausau School District – Wausau School District – Wausau Freshstart Wausau Freshstart

PartnershipPartnership3/2/10 – Graduation 3/2/10 – Graduation

Summit Summit

Wausau School District enhanced the relationship between an at-risk Wausau School District enhanced the relationship between an at-risk student population and Operation Freshstart by offering a high school student population and Operation Freshstart by offering a high school

diplomadiplomafor students successfully completing an HSED through a school-sponsored for students successfully completing an HSED through a school-sponsored

program.program.

Benefits:Benefits:– Provides unique incentive Provides unique incentive – Coupled with monies and GI Bill like education stipend, this diploma Coupled with monies and GI Bill like education stipend, this diploma

provides access to future options that may otherwise be impossible like provides access to future options that may otherwise be impossible like certain branches of the military, certain employment opportunities, and certain branches of the military, certain employment opportunities, and future educational pursuits including four year degreesfuture educational pursuits including four year degrees

– Provides accurate data for DPI concerning high school completions– Since April 2004 policy change, 38 out of 39 district students have

graduated from Wausau Freshstart, 23 were minority students and 7 were students with disabilities. [Side note: The one that didn’t graduate I insured completed a GED while incarcerated. He returned after his stint in jail and we still talk occasionally at the work site or new graduation ceremonies.]

– Sense of accomplishment/achievement of a recognized school-Sense of accomplishment/achievement of a recognized school-sponsored program. sponsored program.

This is key! These students, while pursuing an educational path or making This is key! These students, while pursuing an educational path or making past bad choices we may not agree with personally, have achieved a lot and past bad choices we may not agree with personally, have achieved a lot and often have overcome great odds to earn and do what the school district has often have overcome great odds to earn and do what the school district has approved for them to be doing.approved for them to be doing.

OPERATION FRESHSTART GRADUATESOPERATION FRESHSTART GRADUATESApril 2004-PresentApril 2004-Present

38 of the 39 students enrolled have 38 of the 39 students enrolled have graduated [97.4%]graduated [97.4%]

23 of the 39 students graduated since 23 of the 39 students graduated since 2004 have been minority students [59%]2004 have been minority students [59%]

7 of the 39 students enrolled have had a 7 of the 39 students enrolled have had a disability [18%]disability [18%]

DROP OUT RATEDROP OUT RATE Wausau West Students Compared to Prior YearsWausau West Students Compared to Prior Years

YearYear Total Total EnrollmenEnrollmen

tt

Total Total Expected Expected

to to Complete Complete

School School TermTerm

Students Students Who Who

Completed Completed School School TermTerm

DropDrop

OutsOutsDrop Out Drop Out

RateRate

2001-2001-0202

16711671 NANA NANA 2525 1.496%1.496%

2006-2006-0707

17091709 16991699 16921692 77 0.412%0.412%

2007-2007-0808

16961696 17091709 17041704 55 0.293%0.293%

DROP OUT RATEDROP OUT RATE Wausau Students Compared to Prior YearsWausau Students Compared to Prior Years

YearYear Total Total EnrollmenEnrollmen

tt

Total Total Expected Expected

to to Complete Complete

School School TermTerm

Students Students Who Who

CompleteCompleted School d School

TermTerm

DropDrop

OutsOutsDrop Drop Out Out RateRate

2001-022001-02 43374337 NANA NANA 4949 1.130%1.130%

2006-072006-07 43274327 43394339 43244324 1515 0.346%0.346%

2007-082007-08 42054205 42204220 42064206 1414 0.332%0.332%

2007-08 DROP OUT RATE2007-08 DROP OUT RATE Wausau Students Compared to State SummaryWausau Students Compared to State Summary

Total Total EnrollmenEnrollmen

tt

Total Total Expected Expected

to to Complete Complete

School School TermTerm

Students Students Who Who

Completed Completed School School TermTerm

DropDrop

OutsOutsDrop Out Drop Out

RateRate

DistricDistrictt

42054205 42204220 42064206 1414 0.332%0.332%

StateState 414650414650 416498416498 409497409497 70017001 1.681%1.681%

HIGH SCHOOL COMPLETION RATESHIGH SCHOOL COMPLETION RATESREGULAR DIPLOMAREGULAR DIPLOMA

Wausau West Students Compared to Prior YearsWausau West Students Compared to Prior Years

YearYear Total Total GradeGrade

1212

Total Total Expected Expected

to to

CompleteComplete

CohortCohort

DropoutDropoutss

RegularRegular

DiplomasDiplomas

2001-022001-02 384384 353353 6.2%6.2% 93.8%93.8%

2006-072006-07 407407 411411 2.4%2.4% 97.6%97.6%

2007-082007-08 447447 432432 0.9%0.9% 99.1%99.1%

HIGH SCHOOL COMPLETION RATESHIGH SCHOOL COMPLETION RATESREGULAR DIPLOMAREGULAR DIPLOMA

All Wausau Students Compared to Prior YearsAll Wausau Students Compared to Prior Years

YearYear Total Total

GradeGrade

1212

Total Total Expected Expected

to to

CompleteComplete

CohortCohort

DropoutsDropoutsRegularRegular

DiplomasDiplomas

2001-022001-02 700700 629629 6.8%6.8% 93.2%93.2%

2006-072006-07 760760 758758 2.4%2.4% 97.6%97.6%

2007-082007-08 780780 759759 1.8%1.8% 98.2%98.2%

2007-08 HIGH SCHOOL COMPLETION RATES2007-08 HIGH SCHOOL COMPLETION RATESREGULAR DIPLOMAREGULAR DIPLOMA

Wausau West Students Compared to Wausau West Students Compared to District/State High SchoolsDistrict/State High Schools

2007-082007-08 Total Total

GradeGrade

1212

Total Total Expected Expected

ToTo

CompleteComplete

CohortCohort

DropoutsDropoutsRegularRegular

DiplomasDiplomas

WestWest 447447 432432 0.9%0.9% 99.1%99.1%

DistrictDistrict 780780 759759 1.8%1.8% 98.2%98.2%

StateState 71,10471,104 71,81571,815 8.4%8.4% 90.0%90.0%

Wausau Freshstart - ConclusionWausau Freshstart - Conclusion

As good as Wausau Freshstart is (and they are As good as Wausau Freshstart is (and they are great!) this type of continued success is only great!) this type of continued success is only possible through the shared responsibility possible through the shared responsibility between multiple Wausau School District between multiple Wausau School District programs, the students/families, and school programs, the students/families, and school personnel like myself. [How bad do you want it? personnel like myself. [How bad do you want it? How much are you willing to do house-to-house if How much are you willing to do house-to-house if necessary to keep connections and relationships necessary to keep connections and relationships that could possibly be the difference between that could possibly be the difference between students being high school drop outs or not?] students being high school drop outs or not?]

Wausau Freshstart - ConclusionWausau Freshstart - Conclusion

With a 30 trial period at the out-set of a student’s With a 30 trial period at the out-set of a student’s 900 hour commitment to Wausau Freshstart, it is 900 hour commitment to Wausau Freshstart, it is critical that someone [at Wausau West it’s me; at critical that someone [at Wausau West it’s me; at Wausau East it would be Associate Principal Jeff Wausau East it would be Associate Principal Jeff Lindell] be responsible for every single student Lindell] be responsible for every single student who does and does not make it in this and all at-who does and does not make it in this and all at-risk programs.risk programs.– Our goal is zero dropouts! We haven’t achieved that in Our goal is zero dropouts! We haven’t achieved that in

my almost seven years in the Wausau School District but my almost seven years in the Wausau School District but going door-to-door when necessary and providing a going door-to-door when necessary and providing a myriad of educational choices – maybe Freshstart, myriad of educational choices – maybe Freshstart, maybe a straight HSED, maybe some work-related maybe a straight HSED, maybe some work-related program but EVERY student at-risk of being a drop out program but EVERY student at-risk of being a drop out must be accounted for, talked to, built relationships with must be accounted for, talked to, built relationships with ….….

Wausau School District-Wausau Freshstart Wausau School District-Wausau Freshstart Partnership [Final Comments]Partnership [Final Comments]

Every student at-risk according to the state Every student at-risk according to the state definition is accounted for through a relationship-definition is accounted for through a relationship-building developed over time by Freshstart staff, building developed over time by Freshstart staff, the family, and or school personnel like myself.the family, and or school personnel like myself.– This is key to understanding that the This is key to understanding that the majority of our at-majority of our at-

risk students don’t graduate through Wausau Freshstart risk students don’t graduate through Wausau Freshstart but a mix of other programs geared specifically for at-risk but a mix of other programs geared specifically for at-risk studentsstudents. Not all students are going to succeed in a work . Not all students are going to succeed in a work environment where you build a house all year and get environment where you build a house all year and get paid to do so but also focus on your school work on a daily paid to do so but also focus on your school work on a daily basis. Those that can work in this environment find much basis. Those that can work in this environment find much success as the numbers indicate at Wausau Freshstart. success as the numbers indicate at Wausau Freshstart.

– Superintendent Murley and the School Board should be Superintendent Murley and the School Board should be congratulated for their continued financial support of congratulated for their continued financial support of Wausau Freshstart and the number of other programs Wausau Freshstart and the number of other programs available for those students specifically at-risk of being available for those students specifically at-risk of being high school drop outs. high school drop outs.

Contact InformationContact Information

David MuñozDavid Muñoz

Associate Principal of Pupil ServicesAssociate Principal of Pupil Services

Wausau West High School Wausau West High School dmunoz@wausau.k12.wi.us

Phone 715–261-0862Phone 715–261-0862