VALDOSTA — Two area high school principals have made improved graduation rates a top priority, and it’s paying off.

When the Georgia Department of Education sent out its list of every high schools’ graduation rates, Valdosta High School and Lowndes High School saw an increase in its 2017-18 school year rates.

In fact, it was the highest rates either school recorded in the last several years, according to available state school board data from 2010-17.

VHS has seen improvements in its graduation rate since the 2010-11 school year, when it was 54.7 percent.

It reached its peak during the 2015-16 school year at 81.4 percent, only to drop the next school year at 75.7 percent. Janice Richardson, VHS principal, knew the school had a problem to fix.

“I just did not have the person I needed, which I expressed that to the superintendent,” Richardson said. “I needed someone to help me track our seniors who were at risk of not graduating.”

She received the go-ahead to hire a graduation coach for the first time last year. Now, the graduation rate for VHS is up to 87.8 percent, which Richardson said is a result of the additional help.

It is the graduation coach’s job to not only illustrate the importance of graduation to enrolled students but encourage drop-out students to come back to school and earn a diploma.

“Seniors get senioritis, so some of them stopped coming to school,” Richardson said. “We went to their homes and talked to them about the importance of having a degree.”

They were also able to offer night classes to help students catch up on credits or alternative schooling at the Horne Learning Center.

For students still enrolled, Richardson made adjustments to keep them there.

Adding courses such as cosmetology and culinary arts from Wiregrass Georgia Technical College piqued the interest of students.

She also got rid of the ninth-grade academy when the school moved into its new building this year. Instead, ninth graders are more integrated into the school, and they each have an advisement teacher they meet with every Wednesday for all four years of high school.

“When you’re with that teacher, the goal is that there is trust and a relationship built,” Richardson said. “That person will follow that child and know exactly what is on that transcript.”

This is also similar to what Lowndes High School did two years ago, said LeAnne McCall, LHS principal.

With a 92 percent graduation rate, LHS joins a club of only 74 other high schools with a 90 percent or higher.

The school has worked its way up from 66.5 percent in the 2010-11 school year. It only saw a slight decrease during the 2015-16 school year when it fell to 86.1 percent compared to 86.9 percent the previous year.

“It’s certainly the dedication and hard work of the teachers here, but a graduation rate is more than just what happens in the high school,” McCall said. “It’s not just an accomplishment of Lowndes High School, but of all schools in the district.”

Not only are incoming ninth graders more prepared for high school, McCall said, but the high school has expanded resources to help students stay ahead of the curve at all points of their education.

That has largely included increased involvement from her staff. Several teachers have taken part in focus teams that put an emphasis on the importance of a high school diploma and after-graduation life discussions.

One of the focus teams birthed VIP — Vikings Improving Performance — which is Lowndes’ version of VHS’s 30-minute advisement.

“It goes back to having kids connected to a teacher in the building,” McCall said. “They stay with their VIP teacher all four years, so the role of that teacher is to then become an advocate for their students. Building that relationship and having that connection makes a difference.”

LHS had the second highest graduation rate in its Coastal Plains Regional Education Service Agency, which is made up of Lowndes, Echols, Irwin, Cook, Brooks, Tift, Turner, Ben Hill, Colquitt, Lanier and Berrien counties and Valdosta.

Echols had the highest at 95.4 percent. However, McCall said size should also be considered when comparing schools.

Echols had 41 out of 43 graduates, while Lowndes had 636 out of 691.

“Part of the function of a graduation rate is the size of your school as well,” McCall said. “I know that Echols County typically has a high graduation rate, but they will also on average have 50 graduates. It’s just as important to them that those 50 graduates walk across that stage as well.”

Both schools are proud of their success but there is always room for improvement.

VHS has a goal of getting 90 percent or higher, while Lowndes wants to attain 100 percent.

Both principals realize just how important improved graduation rates are for students and for the South Georgia community.

“It’s a huge benefit in our community for our students to have that option,” McCall said. “At the end of the day, it is important that both school systems work together to find a path so that our students can receive a diploma.”

Katelyn Umholtz is a reporter with the Valdosta Daily Times. She can be contacted at (229)244-3400 ext. 1256.