Description+of+School

__School Description__

Shelton Public Schools is a class III district incorporating parts of Buffalo, Hall, Adams and Kearney counties. The district is housed in one PK-12 building on the southwest edge of Shelton,Nebraska. This building is divided into a PK-6 elementary wing, and a 7-12 junior high and high school wing. The district is led by Superintendent Brian Gegg and governed by the board of education. The elementary principal is Jeff Kenton and the high school principal is Jeremy Wieseler. Shelton public school employs thirty-three certified faculty and twenty-eight non-certified staff. Shelton Public School consists of 288 students in Preschool through grade twelve. According to the Nebraska Department of Education The Nebraska Education Profile, the district is comparable to the State of Nebraska as a whole in percent of students who are in poverty, English language learners, and identified for special education (see appendix C.) The district is slightly above the state average in graduation rate (see appendix C) and slightly below the state average for percentage of students eligible for free or reduced lunch (see appendix D.) The racial and ethnic makeup of Shelton Public Schools is approximately three-fourths White/not Hispanic and approximately one-fourth Hispanic. Other races or ethnicities make up approximately two percent of the student population (see appendix E.) The district recently re-aligned curricula to correspond to the new state standards. This work has ensured that students are taught everything required in the revised Nebraska State Standards and are well prepared for the state NeSA assessments. __Unique School Culture__ The culture of Shelton Public Schools is a mix of old and new. The mascot is the Bulldog and the school has a tradition of celebrating homecoming each fall during football season. An additional celebration that the students take part in is prom. This is held each April and is open to all high school students. Student organizations such as National Honor Society and Student Council provide opportunities for students to serve the community. In addition there are student organizations that are outgrowths of classes that extend learning outside the school day. Some examples of this are Pep Band, Multicultural Club, FCCLA and a newly formed FFA Chapter. On the other side of this coin, the entire leadership team is brand new to the district and a large portion of the staff have been hired within the last seven years. Many teachers are in their early or mid-career and have put their own mark on the programs and class-offerings. There is a resurgence of school spirit and pride from students, parents and community as a result of successes inside the classroom and in extra-curricular activities. The leadership team and board of education have encouraged faculty to grow professionally and teachers have responded. There seems to be a growing culture of professionalism throughout the district. Many teachers have taken the opportunity to engage in professional development over the summers through workshops and college courses. Advanced educational technology is present in more and more classrooms and one can walk the halls and see some of the most innovative instructional practices being used. Many activities are also experiencing a renaissance as students are drawn to the new-found success of the organizations or the enthusiasm of the sponsors and coaches.