It’s official, final and done. LHHS is a Recognized school. That’s the latest word from LHHS’ Karen Clardy, Knower of All Things and executive assistant to Principal Walter Kelly. The Texas Education Agency has ruled in our favor after we appealed their initial assessment that we had two-too-few students listed as “unaccounted leavers.”
This was the first year to consider dropouts in our TEA rating, and it put a mighty big burden on LHHS staff. All students who enrolled in the Class of 2009 over the past four years either graduated at LHHS, were accounted for as graduates elsewhere, or dropped out – nothing in-between. Our neighborhood, particularly our apartment communities, tend to have no shortage of turnover, but in the first class to enroll Katrina victims, the Class of 2009 was over-burdened with students difficult to track. Assistant Principal Michelle King and her team of staff members located and documented 4 unaccounted leavers and found them as happy graduates or students elsewhere, but it wasn’t easy. Usually, LHHS closes the case on a student when his next school requests his transcripts, but if that never happens, it’s incumbent upon the original school to track down the student and document his further education.
The celebration was late in coming, but welcome nonetheless. Recognized status is a point of pride for students and administrators, and it’s a shot in the arm for our property values, too. Now, Ms. King, could you help me track down my long-lost uncle Edward?
