Post by title1parent on Aug 19, 2008 6:12:43 GMT -5
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/1114129,2_1_AU19_WESTCOL_S1.article
This is just a portion of the entire article....
West athletes scoring high in classroom
August 19, 2008 BEACON
By Mike Chapin West Aurora School District Community Relations Director
Sports results are often measured in numbers, such as total points and finish times.
Here's a numerical result that 410 current and former West High School student-athletes should be proud of -- 3.075. That's the total grade-point average for athletes on West sports teams last spring.
It's the highest total GPA since the school started measuring team averages in the 1990s, and is an apparent by-product of the higher academic eligibility standards the school implemented for student-athletes last fall.
"It makes us feel really good," said West Athletic Director Andy Lutzenkirchen. "It shows that the changes we made the past school year had some effect and are working."
The Illinois High School Association requires that students have passing grades in at least two credits per week. The West Aurora district goes a step further and also looks at "D" grades. If there are three marks that are "D" or lower for four weeks in a row, students are ineligible unless they show proof that they are getting help outside of the classroom. That academic assistance must take place at least three times a week, Lutzenkirchen said.
The coaches and students responded to the new rules by forming more team study halls. Other students, such as members of the National Honor Society, also came in to help.
"All teams overall saw improvements," Lutzenkirchen said. "But we really noticed it in the spring."
The new standards were started because of "a shortcoming we saw," Lutzenkirchen said.
"As educators we weren't really doing our job, to prove to them education does come first. We'd talk about it, but were not really showing them that."
The message now is clearer for students.
"It's why you're here, to get an education," he said.
This is just a portion of the entire article....
West athletes scoring high in classroom
August 19, 2008 BEACON
By Mike Chapin West Aurora School District Community Relations Director
Sports results are often measured in numbers, such as total points and finish times.
Here's a numerical result that 410 current and former West High School student-athletes should be proud of -- 3.075. That's the total grade-point average for athletes on West sports teams last spring.
It's the highest total GPA since the school started measuring team averages in the 1990s, and is an apparent by-product of the higher academic eligibility standards the school implemented for student-athletes last fall.
"It makes us feel really good," said West Athletic Director Andy Lutzenkirchen. "It shows that the changes we made the past school year had some effect and are working."
The Illinois High School Association requires that students have passing grades in at least two credits per week. The West Aurora district goes a step further and also looks at "D" grades. If there are three marks that are "D" or lower for four weeks in a row, students are ineligible unless they show proof that they are getting help outside of the classroom. That academic assistance must take place at least three times a week, Lutzenkirchen said.
The coaches and students responded to the new rules by forming more team study halls. Other students, such as members of the National Honor Society, also came in to help.
"All teams overall saw improvements," Lutzenkirchen said. "But we really noticed it in the spring."
The new standards were started because of "a shortcoming we saw," Lutzenkirchen said.
"As educators we weren't really doing our job, to prove to them education does come first. We'd talk about it, but were not really showing them that."
The message now is clearer for students.
"It's why you're here, to get an education," he said.