The Putnam County School System graduated 98 percent of its high school seniors last year, a long-term effort to broaden student offerings and track student progress.
Instructional Supervisor Bubba Winningham said the school system begins tracking student progress toward graduation early. Winningham said these tracking systems ensure each student receives attention from counseling services if they begin to struggle.
“That’s the ultimate goal, is that, you know, is that they graduate high school then they’re able to go out and, you know, join the workforce or go to college,” Winningham said. “And so those things, remaining hyper-focused on tracking that throughout, not waiting until they get to the end of their 12th grade year and thinking, ‘oh well sorry, you can’t, you’re not going to make it.'”
Winningham said when students arrive to high school, faculty places responsibility on the student to track his/her progress toward graduation.
Because not all students are headed to college, Winningham said the system identified work-based learning opportunities for students, as a way to encourage students to keep moving forward.
“We know not every kid is going to go to a four-year institution, and we know not every kid is going to go straight to the workforce,” Winningham said. “So it’s really about tailoring those options to those kids.”
Winningham said they offer Career and Technical Education classes and dual enrollment, as the system partners with TCAT and Volunteer State Community College. Winningham said these partnerships set students up for future success
“Those types of investments are huge for our kids,” Winningham said. “To go ahead and set that pipeline up, so when they are in high school, they’re getting those offerings already. And if they know hey I’m going to go to TCAT right after I graduate, then I’m set up for success already in high school to do that.”
Winningham said the county has a strong faculty, which is a large part of improving student outcomes.
“It’s just a proactive approach instead of a reactive,” Winningham said. “Which sometimes that happens, you know. We’re reactive instead of proactive, but when you have a great team like that, great leadership in the buildings, it just makes that process a lot easier. And it benefits kids, that’s the ultimate goal, you know, that’s what we’re trying to do.”
Winningham said county schools have alignment meetings, which contribute to the stability of the graduation rate. Winningham said alignment meetings ensure all data is on track for the school year to end successfully
