Falling Dropout Rote Reflects Effort To
Keep Kids In School
BY SUSAN UStIKK
During the 1991-92 school year Bruns
wick County's drop-out rate for grades sev
en through 12 dropped to an all-time low of
1.82 percent, reflecting efforts systemwide
to keep youngsters in school.
Wendy Milligan, student assistance coor
dinator for the Brunswick County Schools,
said that 79 students dropped out during the
year, down from 97 in 1990-91.
Both the number of dropouts and the
dropout rate have steadily decreased since
1988, when the N.C. Department of Public
Instruction began requiring an actual count,
not an estimate as in previous years.
Dropout prevention is a priority of the state
department and of the Basic Education
Program (BEP) reform effort begun in 1985
and state funds pay for most of the county
school system's programs aimed at dropout
prevention.
The typical Brunswick County dropout is a
white male, 16, who leaves school in the
ninth or 10th grade. The most likely reason is
either poor attendance or choosing work over
school. Of the 69 studcnLs who left school
last year, 69 were white and 41 were males.
West Brunswick High, the county's
largest high school, had the largest number
of dropouts. 34; followed by North Bruns
wick High with 24 and South Brunswick
High with 11.
At the middle school level, all 10 students
who dropped out were white. Seven of those
came from Shallottc Middle, the county's
largest elementary school, followed by two
from Lcland Middle and 1 from South
Brunswick Middle. Waccamaw Elementary
reported no dropouts in grades seven and
eight
Poor attendance is the most frequent rea
son given for leaving school, said Milligan.
"Attendance is a big problem
Skipping crosses socioeconomic borders.
A boy and his girlfriend may skip and "play
house" for a day.
When given the opportunity to make up
missed classcs and work by going to school
for several hours on Saturday, students may
never show up.
"They don't want to go to Saturday
school," she said. "They may leave home,
telling their parents that is where they're go
ing and then never show up."
"They feel like they don't belong at
school; they're loners. There is no one at
home motivating them. "Their parents may
not value education and may tell their child
they don't need an education to do what
they do (for a living). They have low expec
tations."
Other factors influencing a decision to
drop out of school include pregnancy, a
need to work or other family problems, or
The typical Brunswick
County dropout is a
white male, 16, who
leaves school in the
ninth or 10th grade.
choosing to work instead of going to school.
"They want something?a car?and the
only way is to work," she said. The student
may drop out of day school and enroll in ex
tended day. But then the student is tired
when he comes to class and in the end may
let classcs "fall by the wayside".
Helping bring Brunswick County's
dropout rate down steadily arc a battery of
programs aimed at helping keep students in
school. These range from behavior modifi
cation to school/work preparation courscs.
More and more effort is being focuscd on
early intervention?reaching the students
most likely to have problems in school at the
earliest possible age.
Efforts to foster early succcss for students
include preschool programs, kindergarten
summer school, Reading Recovery and
Chapter I reading programs, one-on-one tu
toring as in the ATTAC (Adult Tutors
Teaching At-Risk Children) at Union
Elementary and peer tutoring. Other nurtur
ing programs focus more on building self
esteem, leadership and communication
skills. These include the Dolphin Buddy
Program at Union Elementary and the Quest
advisor/advisee approach used in county
middle schools.
At Shallottc Middle School, one staff
member, Elaine Wright, is using Tough
Talk, a behavior modification program that
involves law enforcement officers.
At the high school level, the Job Training
Partnership Act and the county's counseling
program arc frequently used, along with a
new program this year. Choices. It focuses
on teaching students to accept responsibility
for the choices they make, and the conse
qucnccs of those decisions.
Special education programs have been ex
panded to better reach students with learning
problems or handicaps. New efforts include
encouraging area businesses (through the lo
cal chambers of commerce) to "adopt" a
school, said Milligan.
Remediation programs are available at all
12 county schools to help students with their
school work.
With the 1991-92 school year. North
Carolina began using a new method of cal
culating the annual dropout rate, a method
required by the federal government and
which results in slightly higher figures.
Among other differences, the federal system
requires that a student be countcd as a
dropout each year he or she leaves school.
In contrast, the state method counts all
students who drop out of school in grades
seven through 12. But it docs not count stu
dents as drop outs if they leave school, re
turn to school and arc in school on the 20th
day of the following school year. That
means a student can be counted as a dropout
only once in his or her school career. This
state dropout figure is the one that is used in
the North Carolina Report Card issued this
month.
By the state dropout count, Brunswick
County's dropout rate is 1.82 percent, while
using the federal method it is 1.94 percent,
which includes five students who were re
peat dropouts.
The federal dropout calculations will be
used in the U.S. Department of Education's
release of state-by-state dropout data sched
uled in November.
Using the state calculations, Brunswick
County has the lowest dropout rate of coun
ty systems in the area and also ranks below
the state average of 2.77 percent Neigh
boring systems and their scores arc as fol
lows: New Hanover, 3.54; Columbus,3.23;
Whitcvillc City,.48; Bladen, 2.60, Pender,
3.58; and Onslow, 2.58.
OIB Man Nabbed After Second
Pro Shop Break-In
A man who allegedly stole S3.500
from the pro shop at Bricklanding
Plantation Golf Course last October
was arrested early Saturday morning
after trying to break into the building
a second time, police said Monday.
Charles Alfred Abshcr, 22, of
Ocean Isle Beach has been charged
with two counts of felonious break
ing and entering and one count of
felonious larceny, Brunswick
County Sheriffs Detective Tom
Hunter said.
According to a crime report filed
by Deputy Keithan Home, he was
called to investigate a burglar alarm
at the pro shop late Friday night. As
he drove down Goose Creek Road,
he said he saw a man walking by the
side of the road.
"As I passed him, it appeared in
my mirror that he was running," the
report said. "I turned back and
stopped the subject at the entrance to
Long Acres subdivision."
Home's report said the man's
CRIME REPORT
hands were covcrcd with blood and
his clothes were bloody and dirty.
He said the man appeared "very in
toxicated."
After calling Hunter to ihc sccnc
Home said he drove to the pro shop.
There he found a broken window,
footprints inside the building and
blood on the window frame.
"It was good work on the
deputy's part," Hunter said. "Instead
of driving by (Absher), he stopped
and questioned him, which allowed
us to make the arrest."
In other crime reports on file at
the sheriffs department Monday:
?An estimated SI7,960 worth of
furniture and other items were re
ported stolen from a residence next
to the Mariner's Wacche condomin
iums at Bricklanding sometime in
the past 10 weeks. The break-in was
reported Friday by the owner, a re
tirce from Danville, III. Investigating
Deputy Robert Long II found an es
timated S6(X) damage to the home.
Among the items discovered miss
ing were two couches, four end ta
bles, two coffee tables, five stuffed
chairs, 10 lamps eight sets of ster
ling silverware, a microwave oven, a
sewing machine and a chest of
drawers.
?A Honda dirt bike and helmet val
ued at more than S2.100 were re
ported stolen from a shed behind a
home on White Sancls Drive, Sup
ply, last week. The owner told De
puty Malcolm Long that he discov
ered the bike missing Friday after
noon.
?Deputy Robert Long investigated a
report that a utility trailer had been
stolen from Shallotte District Park
sometime in the past two weeks. He
estimated the value at about SI,500.
?A grass trimmer and an auger were
reported stolen from a shed behind a
house on Tar Landing Road, Shal
lotte, last week. Deputy Richard
Long estimated the value of stolen
items at S355.
?Someone apparently fired a shot
gun or pellet gun at two boats at
Southport Marine Mart on N.C. 133
sometime last week, shattering two
windshields. Deputy Cathy Hamilton
estimated the damage at about S200.
?Deputy Randy Robinson reported
the recovery of a red and black
Kawasaki street motorcycle from an
abandoned house on Ginny's
brancn way, on naie swamp Koau
between Shallottc and Ocean Isle
Beach Thursday afternoon. The re
covered property report said the bike
was found under some old blankets
in good condition with the ignition
broken off and the chain removed.
He estimated its value at S5.00G.
is coming to Hair Etc.
Z,Lt>e ,l1 February 2
Pi>? f)You will receive...
Hairstyle
?jUlr Professional Make-Over
One 8x10 Portrait of Your choice
ONLY $25
Glamour Portraits will be back in time for Valentine's.
Limited Appointments
Available. CALL TDOAY!
754-8335
4806 Main St.
Hwy. 17 S., Shallotte
'We Thank You For Selecting Our Salon"
SENIOR FROM WEST AMONG CHOSEN
Nine Students Selected For All-District Bands
Dcrrick Weaver, a senior clarinet
player from
West Brunswick
High School, is
one of nine
Brunswick
County high
school students
selected to par
ticipate in the
All-South
eastern District
High School weaver
Band Clinic Jan. 29-31 at Triton
High School in Harnett County.
Band Director Craig Morris said
Weaver is the first WBHS student in
at leas' six years to make the cut.
"We've had two others try out be
fore and one made alternate."
Weaver expccts to major in music
at Pembroke State University, he
said.
Six students from South Bruns
wick High and two from North
Brunswick High also were chosen
during the auditions held Jan. 9 in
Fayctteville, said Steve Skillman,
cultural arts coordinator for the
Brunswick County Schools.
The auditions arc sponsored by
the North Carolina Bandmasters As
sociation, with the Southeastern Dis
trict one of six across the state. Stu
dents arc choscn for one of two
bands: ninth and 10th grade or 11th
and 12th grade.
After two days of rehearsal at the
band clinic, students present a public
concert on the third day.
"It's a big honor," said Skillman.
"The best players in grades 11 and
12 at district audition in March for
honors band."
From South Brunswick the stu
dents are Kelly Harc'x, trombone.
ninth grade; Kcilh Fullwood, luba,
12ih grade; Navccn Malik, bass clar
inct, ninth grade; Libby Porterficld,
French horn, ninth grade; Cybilc
Wisniewski, flute, 12th grade; and
Yoshimi Nishida, trumpet, 12th
grade.
Representing North Brunswick
will be Maggie Dees, a senior who
plays bass clarinet, and Rhonda
Clemmons, a sophomore oboist who
won first chair in the grades 9-10
band.
Schools7 Nurses Mark Their Day
School nurses serve as "more than
a Band-Aid and screening person"
these days, says Beatrice Flythc, one
of four nurses who serve students in
Brunswick County's 12 public
schools.
That's the message she wants to
gel across as nurses observe Nat
ional School Nurse Day Wednesday,
Jan. 27.
"School nursing is in a state of
change," she said. "We get involved
wiili the total wellbeing of the stu
dent through counseling, observing
them and reporting problems.
Sometimes we help jusl by being a
neutral person for the student to ven
lilatc his problems can make a dif
ference in a student's behavior."
Flythe is one of four public
school nurses in the county system
who serve three schools cach. Her
coworkers arc Susan Co/zolino,
Barbara Vaught and Kate Wil
liamson.
Their roles include health educa
tion, counseling, screening for vi
sion and dental problems and for the
presence ol lice, and making appro
priate referrals.
"Every child needs a school
nurse," said Flythe. "Go by on Jan.
27 and wish your school nurse a
good day."
No time to waste...
sATLANTip
Gee g Geo ^
jp/CHEVROLET
.X
w_
S
'>Vr
UNDER $12,888 UNDER $8,788
Development, Inc.
Sewage Disposal & Water ? Site Preparation & Paving
?Consulting/Permit Application* 'Clearing* -Chipping*
?Designs/Plans/Installation' .pj|| ?Grading*
?Conventional Septic Tanks/ | .Sock Tl|e |nstanation.
LPP Systems*
?Drainage Plans/Fill Dirt Plans*
?Maintenance Agreements* 'Home Driveways
Paving (Commercial/Residential)*
?Home Drivev\
Water Line Installations* 'Parking Lots*
mobth Carolina Ricky Parker - Owner North Carolina
- 842-4003 Monday-Friday 9-5 G?n?ral Gontractor
ISaT Saturday by appointment only License #30470
? Hwv. 130, Holden Beach Rd. HIGHWAY ? PUBLIC UTILITIES
- 4% miles from Shallotte \ (Water/Sewer)
WAS IS WAS IS
*?A jno 90 Formula Firebird $11,488 $8,788
?7w 92 Chev. Corsica $12,688 $10,488 Grcai Car For Moncy
auu>. Air & More ? 92 Prizm Automatic $10,460 $8,788
Too Much To Mention
mb?91 Caprice Classic $14,988 $12,488 LCfflei&SMo? $10'600 S8'788
N"*N,"N,CC w 92 Cavalier RS $10,600 $8,788
Auto, Air, Etc.
.747? 92 Lumina Eurosport $14,488 $12,688 92 Cavalier RS $10,600 $8,788
All The Extras r Automatic, Air
?7sr 92 Geo Prizm $10,988 $8,788
Air, Automatic & Lots More
91MustangLX $12,688 $9,888 92 Geo Metro $9,680
5.(1 Auto. A?rU? Miles A Much More Auk,malic. Ai, S More
n?r 92 Geo Metro $9,680 $7,888
? 92 Cavalier Conv. $14,988 $12,888 ?,0?*
super nicc car ' ' ...?92 Geo Slorm $9,680 $7,888
Automatic, Air & More
UNDER $6,988
WAS IS WAS IS
89 Cutlass Cierra $8,688 $6,988 87 Cutlass Calais $5,260 $3,488
V-6, ioaiieu, 25,000 miles Nice Car For Money
89 Celebrity CL $9,488 $6,488 85 Celebrity $3,988 $2,688
Very Low Miles Auto, Air & More WAS IS
MtXIA 89 Cutlass Cierra V-6, loaded, 25,000 miles $8,688 $6,988
SAVE BIG TIME ON THIS ONE!
'92 APV Factory Purchase Was $16,988 Is $13,888
FAIR PRICES BY FAIR PEOPLE
?Pkm & t?o? with approved &?<*
WE NOW HAVE A FULL SERVICE MUFFLER SHOP
AND PARTS: MON.-FRI. 7:30 AM-5:30 PM
~)uSERVICE
1-800-843-7190 ? (803)249-9067 ? (803)399-4400
Located on Hwy. 9 (Across from BayTree) N. Myrtle Beach, SC ? HOURS: SALES-MON-FRI8 AM-7 PM ? SAT. 9 AM-6 PM