The Storm Lake Community School District Board of Education Meeting was held last night. A big topic that was discussed was the ASCEND Program, which focuses on competency learning. Storm Lake HS Principal Matt Doebel gave a background of how the system works.
Doebel explained that the workload looks a little different compared to the traditional classroom setting, where projects are most passion-based and allow the student to demonstrate proficiency in whatever area they choose. Doebel says that this gives the students the ability to inject some of their own personality into their work. Superintendent Stacey Cole talked about the difference between the competency-based level grading system compared to a traditional setting.
Both the President of the Board, David Skibsted and Board Member Steven Mills questioned whether the rigorousness of the program would be stable. Mills elaborated saying that in a traditional classroom that a student could pass with a certain letter grade, which could be helped with giving them extra credit. Doebel highlighted the difference with the specifics of what the student would need to do in order to pass in the competency-based level class.
The ASCEND Program is open to all high school students. Contact Storm Lake High School for more information.
