Superintendent: Improvement in rate "no accident"

Superintendent of Cape Girardeau Public Schools Dr. Jim Welker said today that the improvement in the district's graduation rate "was not an accident," referring to the recently-released data from Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. "I am proud to announce that the four-year graduation rate increased over 13%," he said.

"This accomplishment is a result of the diligence of teachers, counselors, administrators, parent liaisons, and strong support of the Board of Education. It is the result of focused programs and interventions K through 12 that have helped students stay in school and be successful."

Dr. Welker went on to explain, "The freshmen success initiative, started over four years ago at CHS to keep students on track for graduation, is one example. The Alternative Education Center, the Juvenile Assessment Center and the Missouri Options Program are additional examples of programs focused on improving the graduation rate. Furthermore, this summer we began implementing Professional Learning Communities district wide. I believe this will have a major impact on student performance, including graduation rate," Dr. Welker concluded.

Dr. Welker commended not only the concerted efforts of district staff, but also United Way for the graduation rate improvement. "While we need to celebrate our graduation rate improvement, we must also realize that there is still much work to be done. Our goal is to have all students graduate and be college and career ready," he concluded.