MEADOW HEIGHTS HAS TRIED TO KEEP KIDS IN SCHOOL (RATING OURS CHOOLS, ELEVENTH IN A 13-PART SERIES)

PATTON -- Meadow Heights Superintendent Duane Schindler hopes his school district will continue the progress demonstrated in its most recent district report card.

The report card, an annual self-examination released two weeks ago, shows the school district made modest improvements in financial and educational data during the 1998-99 school year.

Dropout rates decreased to 1.7 percent last year, a fact Schindler attributes to a strong effort by the high school staff.

"We've made some great strides in trying to keep kids in school," he said. "The staff works very hard and goes the extra mile trying to do all they can to keep those kids in school and on pace towards graduation."

Schindler said enrollment in his district is growing by 12 to 20 students each year. Much of the growth is due to the economic climate in Patton, he said.

Some families are electing to live in Patton, but work in Jackson or Perryville.

"We're catching the Jackson growth," said Schindler, referring to the school enrollment and general population being experienced in neighboring Jackson.

"Ground can be bought at a more reasonable price, so some people are just continuing to drive until they get here," he said.

Schindler said there was some room for improvement on last year's district profile. Class sizes are getting smaller, but with 19 students for every classroom teacher, the district is just meeting the state average.

The Board of Education also has pledged to improve its ability to attract and maintain quality teachers. The average Meadow Heights teacher last year had only 11 years of experience, four years below the state average.

Schindler said the district is attracting "a good crop" of younger teachers each year.

"We normally are able to find a pretty good crop of new or inexperienced teachers. It's just that we are not able in the long term to be able to keep them," he said. "What we're looking at is trying to continue to increase teacher's salaries to try and bring those salaries up in order to attract and keep good teachers."

THURSDAY: Woodland