After experiencing a more rigorous testing system this year, South Pike school officials say that, overall, they’re fairly satisfied with scores throughout the district. But they acknowledge there’s much to be done to help lower-performing students.
There were numerous bright spots in the Mississippi Curriculum and Subject Area tests, whose scores were released last week. Among them: High school students taking the Algebra I test scored nearly 12 percentage points above the state average; and some 77 percent of Osyka Elementary School fourth-graders scored in the top two skill levels in language arts.
But there are trouble spots, too: Only 51.5 percent of the high school students passed the English II subject area test; nearly 33 percent of Magnolia Elementary sixth-graders and 30.4 percent of fifth-graders scored at the basic, or lowest, skill level in math. And at the junior high school, 70 percent of eighth-graders scored in the two lowest skill categories in language arts.
Because the MCT2 exams were upgraded this year, scores can’t be correctly compared to past years. The tests rank students in four categories: Minimal, where students don’t have enough skill level to advance to the next grade level; basic, partial mastery of skills required for the next grade; proficient, solid academic performance and mastery of skills required for the next grade; and advanced, performance beyond what is required to be successful in the next grade.
“There’s really no comparison this year, except to the state average,” said superintendent Dr. Bill Gunnell. “Teachers, parents, staff members, everybody worked very hard to take an assessment, despite being unaware of how (the test) was going to be presented.”
South Pike officials noted that even on the day of testing, the state was still giving instructions to schools about changes in testing procedure.
They agree that at times, it can seem like teachers in all districts feel like they’re walking on shifting sand.
But the testing learning curve aside, the district’s top personnel know they must do more to bring up scores.
Here’s a glance at each of the schools in the district and some of their recommendations for improvement:
Eva Gordon Elementary
New principal Connie McNabb is excited about the possibilities at her school, which has students in grades K-3. She said teachers have a collective positive outlook. She also credits the work done by former principal Terri White, who retired.
Teachers, she said, waited patiently for test result numbers, and they were proud of the results.
“They worked hard under Mrs. White’s leadership,” McNabb said.
All but 12.5 percent of third-graders tested were above the basic level in math. That figure rose a bit to nearly 15 percent in the lowest skill level in language arts. Still, the number of students at the minimal level hovered around 43 percent in language arts and math, so there’s plenty of room for improvement.
McNabb said math programs will be toughened up, with new programs added in labs.
Dr. Lynda Taylor, the district’s chief academics officer, said, “I’m proud of the math scores at Eva Gordon. They were only about two points away from the state average.”
McNabb said there are treats in store for 10 students who scored advanced in both language and math.
The school also has a new arts program, and McNabb said it’s served to enrich students and give some a new excitement about school.
“A student may not be doing well in math, but they’re doing great in art,” she said. “That means they’ll be more excited about coming to school.”
Magnolia Elementary
Second-year principal Blake Brewer realizes that his school — for grades 4 to 6 — is a transitional place, with children coming to him from lower grades and getting ready for the junior high level.
“In looking at our test scores in the fifth and sixth grades, it’s math that I have the greatest concern for,” Brewer said. “It’s our number one priority. But we can’t teach math all day. Students are tested in other subjects.”
The trick, he said, is to infuse math into every other subject area possible.
“We’ll be emphasizing it as much as we can,” Brewer said. “It will be an extra shot in the arm.”
Brewer cited a Kids College computer-based program that has a video game component. It improves crucial thinking skills required for answering questions. The program is user-friendly and allows students to practice at home,he said.
Brewer praised his staff for their efforts.
“I can’t say enough about my teachers. They are the hardest-working staff. I can’t get them out of the building,” he said. … “It constantly amazes me how unselfish they are.”
Brewer continues to work on raising the level of parental involvement. “When that happens, you’ll see a difference in these scores.”
The school, he stressed, is part of the community. One can’t exist without the other.
Osyka Elementary School
Principal Dalton Williams, is proud to say that his students scored well in almost every area in grades 3 to 6.
But scores nosedived in sixth-grade math, where only 30 percent of students were ranked proficient and none were in the advanced category.
“Last year, we needed to work on language and reading,” he said of the K-6 school. “This year, we were at the state level or above. We were equal to or above the state in every subject except sixth-grade. We fell below the state average in language arts and math.
Osyka has put a continuous progress monitoring program in place, tracking grades for students.
“We don’t need to work harder; we need to work smarter,” Williams said.
He also noted the need for a better concentration on vocabulary, which is the building block for every other subject.
Williams said Osyka’s parental involvement makes all the difference. “Our teachers contact parents almost daily — and not only for the bad stuff,” Williams said.
He said the district tries hard to praise students when they do well, and school leaders have found that it goes a long way.
“It’s more than just discipline,” Williams said.
South Pike Junior High
Principal Joe Leavy said there will be a concentrated effort to bring language arts scores up at the school for seventh- and eighth-graders.
Last year, he said the school placed an added emphasis on math last year, and more students this year moved into the minimal and proficient levels, and some 6 percent of eighth-graders were in the advanced math category.
“We’ll put the focus (on language) so that subject will stand out,” he said.
The junior high students, he said, come straight from their buses into reading. The school now uses the Reading 180 instructional program, which is designed to ratchet up reading and comprehension.
“We sit in between success and failure,” Leavy said. “Structure takes care of discipline problems, and we don’t let (students) have a lot of idle time.”
Teachers at the school are sharing what ideas motivate students to work and those ideas that don’t work, he said.
“I see improvement at the junior high,” Taylor said. “They did close the gap when compared to the stage average.”
South Pike High School
Students and teachers have a lot of work to do to improve the passing rate for English II in the Subject Area Tests.
Although the state rate left much to be desired, at 69.7 percent, South Pike’s rate was just over 51 percent.
The school was within a few points difference with the state in U.S. history, at 91.7 percent to 94.3 percent, respectively. The Biology I score gap between South Pike’s scores and the state number was significantly bigger, with 76 percent passing the test, compared to 87.9 percent statewide.
School principal Warren Banks said his staff will continue “going over and beyond the work day to help our children. (Teachers) come in early, and work uncompensated tutorials with them.”
Banks said the school also is using the Read 180 program, which, at the high school level, uses technology, print and professional development to help struggling readers and stresses individual needs.
And instructional strategist Susan McGehee works with teachers to strengthen classroom teaching.
Parental involvement, Banks said, has improved “significantly,” and the school interacts with families through the Active Parent system, which allows parents to monitor their children’s grades from home.
And Banks reaches out to the ministers in the district to spread the word to their congregations about the importance of total family involvement in the educational process.
lary, which is the building block for every other subject.
Williams said Osyka’s parental involvement makes all the difference. “Our teachers contact parents almost daily — and not only for the bad stuff,” Williams said.
He said the district tries hard to praise students when they do well, and school leaders have found that it goes a long way.
“It’s more than just discipline,” Williams said.
South Pike Junior High
Principal Joe Leavy said there will be a concentrated effort to bring language arts scores up at the school for seventh- and eighth-graders.
Last year, he said the school placed an added emphasis on math last year, and more students this year moved into the minimal and proficient levels, and some 6 percent of eighth-graders were in the advanced math category.
“We’ll put the focus (on language) so that subject will stand out,” he said.
The junior high students, he said, come straight from their buses into reading. The school now uses the Reading 180 instructional program, which is designed to ratchet up reading and comprehension.
“We sit in between success and failure,” Leavy said. “Structure takes care of discipline problems, and we don’t let (students) have a lot of idle time.”
Teachers at the school are sharing what ideas motivate students to work and those ideas that don’t work, he said.
“I see improvement at the junior high,” Taylor said. “They did close the gap when compared to the stage average.”
South Pike High School
Students and teachers have a lot of work to do to improve the passing rate for English II in the Subject Area Tests.
Although the state rate left much to be desired, at 69.7 percent, South Pike’s rate was just over 51 percent.
The school was within a few points difference with the state in U.S. history, at 91.7 percent to 94.3 percent, respectively. The Biology I score gap betwen South Pike’s scores and the state number was significantly bigger, with 76 percent passing the test, compared to 87.9 percent statewide.
School principal Warren Banks said his staff will continue “going over and beyond the work day to help our children. (Teachers) come in early, and work uncompensated tutorials with them.”
Banks said the school also is using the Read 180 program, which, at the high school level, uses technology, print and professional development to help struggling readers and stresses individual needs.
And instructional strategist Susan McGehee works with teachers to strengthen classroom teaching.
Parental involvement, Banks said, has improved “significantly,” and the school interacts with families through the Active Parent system, which allows parents to monitor their children’s grades from home.
And Banks reaches out to the ministers in the district to spread the word to their congregations about the importance of total family involvement in the educational process.
