Newton ACT scores stable

By Cristina Janney
Newton Kansan
Newton students are on par with students statewide based on their 2010 ACT scores.
Newton’s average composite score on the ACT was 22, which was the same as the state.
That number remained the same compared to 2009.
Across the board, the Newton students who took the ACT in 2010 had similar scores to the Newton students who took the test in 2009.
Newton student’s average English score was 20.9 compared to a state average of 21.4. ACT suggests students who score at least an 18 on the English composite of the test are college ready.
In 2010, about 74 percent of the Newton students met that standard.
The Newton students scored an average of 21.9 on the math section of the test, which is just above the state average of 21.7 and just below the 22 ACT suggests students need to be college ready. A little more than half of the Newton students where college ready in math, which was close to the 51 percent of students statewide who met that standard.
The same held true in social studies in which 60 percent of students statewide were college ready in social science compared to about 62 percent of Newton students. ACT suggests students receive a 21 or higher on the ACT reading section to be college ready. Newton students received an average score of 22.6 in 2010 compared to a statewide average of 22.3 in reading.
Thirty-four percent of students in Newton and statewide were college ready in biology, which means they scored a 24 or higher on the science portion of the test. Newton students’ average was 22.1 in 2010 compared to 21.9 statewide.
About 27 percent of students were college ready in all four subjects compared to 28 percent statewide.
Students who had taken advanced courses in math scored better than their peers, according to ACT data.
Newton students who completed algebra one and two, geometry, trigonometry and calculus scored an average of about 29 on the ACT compared to a statewide average of 25.
Newton students taking advanced science courses, including general science, biology, chemistry and physics scored about the same as students statewide at 23.1.

Athletics participation
The board received a revised report on the number of students out for sports to maintain funding for those sports.
Tennis was increased from four to six.
Baseball was decreased from 12 to 10, and softball was decreased from 12 to nine.
If a sport falls below those levels two consecutive years, that sport will be eliminated from the Newton High School offerings.

In other business, the board:
• Approved a $3,488 change order for the Newton High School addition. The change order includes replacement of old electrical cable that was found to be in poor condition.
• Approved a change order for $292 for work at the Education Technology Center for an access door to be put in at the center to allow maintenance staff access to a drain.
• Approved the sale of surplus equipment. Randy Zohn voted against the item because he opposed the sale of a Jeep the district owns.
• Approved the purchase of wireless network equipment from Alexander Open Systems for $43,996 for NHS.
This equipment will allow all of NHS to have wireless Internet access, said Gary Jantz, assistant superintendent for business.
• Approved a change order for $37,497 for the NHS academic addition. Work includes a steel headers for a gym window, additional landscaping, a projection screen for the media center lecture room, additional drywall, fire safety improvements, unexpected carpet removal, additional sidewalk, curbing and gutter work, and an additional fire alarm.
• Approved a $1,000 grant from the Theatre League to be used by the drama department and a $2,500 gift from Monsanto to be used by FFA.
• Accepted the resignation of Steve Luttrell, orchestra teacher.
• Approved the hiring of Steve Luttrell as a .17 full-time equivalent orchestra teacher.