Published: June 29, 2008 12:30 am         

New principal settling in

Grostefon hopes to bring up test scores

Superintendent Julie Lauck says she will miss the leadership of former Columbia Middle School principal Kay Scott, but she’s confident in Greg Grostefon’s abilities as the new principal.

“It’s always hard when you have that many years of experience,” Lauck said.

Grostefon was named as Scott’s successor earlier this month by the Logansport Community School Board.

Prior to her retirement earlier this year, Scott had been Columbia Middle School principal for 15 years. She had 21 years’ experience as a teacher.

In November 2006, Scott was honored by the Indiana Association of School Principals as the middle school principal of the year from District 4, which included Benton, Carroll, Cass, Clinton, Fountain, Montgomery, Tippecanoe, Warren and White counties.

Lauck said she was glad Grostefon had gotten a chance to work under Scott’s direction as assistant principal.

Grostefon says one of his goals as principal will be to improve test scores.

The school has come up short of adequate yearly progress for the past three years. In 2007, the school did not meet math and English standards for its free lunch and special education students, and it failed to meet the English standard overall.

In the coming year, the school will work with the Indiana Student Achievement Institute to assess the school’s needs. According to its Web site, InSai is a nonprofit organization focused on improving educational achievement and closing achievement gaps between rural, minority and low-income students and their more advantaged peers.

Parents, staff and students at Columbia Middle School will take surveys online to assess the school’s needs.

Grostefon said the staff would work to bring up statewide test scores on language arts and math.

Grostefon said he didn’t know whether the position of assistant principal would be filled. He said it was possible there wouldn’t be a position, but he declined to elaborate.

“We will be making an announcement before school starts,” he said.

He said his plans for the school are aimed at improvement.

Scott could not be reached for comment for this story. Grostefon had nothing but praise for his predecessor.

“I believe CMS is in very good shape now due to Kay Scott and the staff,” he said. “I think we have fantastic faculty over there, and we’re looking forward to doing great things.”

Melissa Soria may be reached at (574) 732-5143 or via e-mail at melissa.soria@pharostribune.com