Star Journal Staff

Graduation rate 97%

School District of Rhinelander Superintendent Kelli Jacobi announced at the board meeting Monday night that the district’s graduation rate for 2018-19 was the highest in years, at 97%. Jacobi credited Rhinelander High School Principal Shane Dornfeld , staff, teachers and the school board for the accomplishment.

“What I wanted to make sure you saw [was] a correlation to a program that you approved, to get additional supports in for high school students that maybe weren’t going to be graduating, to meet their learning needs and learning styles,” Jacobi said. Dornfeld estimated previous graduation rates as low as 88% three years ago.

State aid increase likely

Though Jacobi stressed the numbers are estimates at this time, she reported that state aid estimates show the district seeing a 32% increase, or almost $1.5 million more in 2019-20.

“It’s not like we’re going to get a whole bunch more money,” Jacobi said. “More will be coming from the state which means our tax payers aren’t going to have to provide as much.”

Numbers will be finalized in October, but Jacobi said she will have more information next month about the state aid.