County officials get an inside look at area schools

By Jenna Wilson

Buchanan County Commissioners and school board leaders took a close look into how local schools are performing Wednesday morning.

Western District Commissioner Ron Hook and Buchanan County Circuit Clerk Ashley Thrasher were among the group of county officials and school board members who took a tour of Coleman Elementary and Bode Middle School.

The tours were hosted by Principal Heather Gladhart of Coleman and Principal Mark Korrell of Bode, with a goal of showing officials how the St. Joseph education system functions, along with building ideas on how it can continue to improve.

Gladhart spoke highly of St. Joseph students’ performance level and said despite a long break away from the classroom due to holiday breaks and weather conditions, many adjusted back to their normal routine well.

“It was good to see our kids come in the doors this morning,” Gladhart said. “Our students came in prepared and ready to learn. You never know what to expect on any given morning, but especially after not being at school for several days, it was a good feeling to see them awake and ready to get an education.”

The language barrier among students continues to remain relevant, but it’s also something school leaders were proud to show off. Despite 35% of students at Coleman speaking a language other than English, teachers are working hard to adapt to this and give each student a proper education.

“Last year we were fortunate and graduated 25 students out of the ELD program,” Gladhart said. “So, they have really progressed and acquired that language to the point where they’re able to be successful without those additional services and support and we’re really proud of that work.”

Thrasher said touring the schools was a good opportunity for officials to not only get an inside look at the education but also see what developments need to take place in the future.

“This opportunity is not only important for a parent who has their child going through and trying to get the best education possible but also as a community member,” she said. “It’s a good way to figure out how we can retain our community that’s already living here and how we can get new community members to come to St. Joseph.”

Isaura Garcia, a school board member, said she is confident in the direction education is going for St. Joseph students.

“Today I was able to talk to a student in Spanish and her eyes kind of lit up when she heard that I knew how to speak Spanish,” Garcia said. “I have two kids in the district myself and if this is what they’re going through every single day, then we have a lot to look forward to.”