The Taylorville School District is looking at how to improve state test scores, and multiple changes were discussed at the Taylorville School Board meeting Monday night. Changes include re-writing the job description for department chairs to include more communication aspects for the roles.

With the changes to department chairs in the district also came changes to department layouts. The most changes were at Taylorville High School, where 15 departments were combined into nine departments. Taylorville Superintendent Dr. Gregg Fuerstenau says the district wants department heads to take more responsibility for communication amongst teachers when it comes to student achievement.

At the high school, there were some departments that consisted of one or two teachers. Fuerstenau says departments were combined so there could be more people in each department and more communication amongst all teachers.

Fuerstenau and high school leaders also want to improve graduation rates and attendance numbers at THS. The research they’ve done has led them to the Freshman Success Program. He says the program is designed to help freshmen adjust to life in high school so they can succeed during their high school years.

The next school board meeting will be held August 14th at 7 p.m.