After another lengthy debate on whether offering pool passes is an effective incentive for students to work hard in the classroom, Iola City Council members agreed, in part, to a request to do just that.
Council members voted, 6-0, Monday to offer pool passes to all USD 257 students in grades 6-12 who make the honor roll.
The honor roll level will determine how many passes each qualifying student receives. Those who get all A’s will receive three passes; those on the principal’s honor roll (3.5 GPA or above) will get two; those on the regular honor roll will receive one.
In addition, all USD 257 students in kindergarten through fifth grade — which do not have the aforementioned “A-B-C” grading system, and thus do not have honor rolls — will receive a one-day pool pass.
The decision was sparked by a request from Humanity House to offer up pool passes for each A a student receives on her final report card.
Monday’s decision was described by both Council members and Georgia Masterson as a compromise, although Councilman Jon Wells encouraged the city to look further into the issue before similar agreements are reached in future years.
Wells suggested tying pool passes for elementary school students into rewards for such programs as Accelerated Reader. The more books a student reads, the more passes he’ll receive.
Wells pointed to studies that suggest students who read more at younger ages do better in the classroom, anyway.
“We don’t have time to implement it this year, but maybe next year,” Wells said.
AFTER realizing each elementary school student would receive a pass, the discussion turned into a debate on whether the pool pass program was geared more to recognizing achievement or increasing access to the pool.
Masterson noted the Humanity House request centered on a way to recognize achievement.
Councilman Aaron Franklin agreed. “We’re already (too far) down the path of participation trophies. We should reward achievement and excellence. We should set the bar high.”
That said, Franklin also agreed Monday’s honor roll pass vote as a good compromise.
The city also encouraged Humanity House to reach out to each school’s Parent Teacher Organization to see if they’d be willing to sponsor a pool party.
Approval was unanimous, minus the absent Beverly Franklin. Another seat remains vacant after the resignation of Councilman Austin Sigg earlier this month.
CITY Administrator Sid Fleming said he was uncertain how many pool passes would be needed to cover the honor roll incentives.
He estimated about 600 students are in grades K-5.
