“Our students are getting opportunities equal to districts twice our size,” he said. “For a small district, the board and the community have been very proactive in keeping the facilities for learning.”

The district was awarded a Perception, Action and Cognition Grant this year.

“We were awarded one of the 12 computer science elementary grants,” he said. “That project aligns with our student preparedness with a strong emphasis on science, technology, engineering and math. It helps kickstart things for the elementary students.”

This year is a training year for the program and the teaching team.

-Submitted photo
Pocahontas Area Elementary School students use one of the touch screen white boards installed in many of the classrooms. The district is investing heavily in technology to meet their students’ needs.

“Next year we hit the ground running hard with a focus on learning,” he said.

There are also some infrastructure improvements.

“We have additional updates with the athletic fields,” he said. “We have added bleacher and press boxes. The baseball and softball fields are already done. Coming later in the spring is the football field and press box.”

Kramer is exceptionally proud of the district’s staff.

We’ve got a very dedicated staff doing what the students need,” he said. “They’ve worked overtime to make sure the curriculum aligns with the teaching standard.

Those dedicated teachers and other staff are also working hard to make sure the students are doing well emotionally.

“They’ve expanded their knowledge base to work with students that have trauma in their backgrounds,” he said. “We had time with the Pocahontas hospital to come help us and as a resource to help.”

Kramer said he’s seen an increase in trauma among students.

“There is definitely an uptick,” he said. “They’re coming to us at earlier ages with trauma in their background. It impacts negatively on their education and life as a whole.”

There is much to do.

“The district is busy,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of change, but that’s a good thing. We’re fortunate we have a very supportive community.”

He said the district will continue to work hard on its goals, including the Perception, Action and Cognition curriculum, the bleacher project and will also continue to update and improve the current curriculum.

“It’s ongoing,” he said. “We will continue to work and support our staff and students.”

Other future projects the district is examining include improvements to existing buildings, the bus barn and deciding the future of the building in Pomeroy, which is not currently being used.