MEXICO — Regional School Unit 10 Assistant Superintendent Pam Doyen presented directors Monday evening with five years’ worth of student scores from standardized tests that showed they are the same or significantly lower than in school year 2010-11.
In Maine Educational Assessment reading, 65.41 percent of third-graders were at or above the standard benchmark in 2010-11, but by 2015-16, the same group fell to 37 percent.
In math, 52.17 percent of third-graders in 2010-11 were at or above the standard benchmark; by 2015-16, the group dropped to 20 percent.
“The one golden spot on this is that (in) Scholastic Aptitude Test reading (Grade 11) in 2010-11, we had 34 percent of our kids meeting the standards and this past year, we had 50,” Doyen said. “That was positive.”
Doyen said several actions may rectify the poor test scores. They include:
• Transitioning back to teaching, according to the Maine Learning Results standardized testing;
• Having educators learn the instructional teaching of the Marzano Approach, personalized competency-based education; and
• Professional development for teachers each Wednesday morning throughout the school year.
School board Chairman Bruce Ross said although he was concerned about the student test scores, RSU 10 has “brilliant students (and) this does not always represent what our students are doing.”
In other business, Mountain Valley High School Principal Matt Gilbert presented Freshman Academy program facilitator Marsha Burns, who talked about the benefits of the program. Students who need help establishing new habits, setting attainable goals and building healthy relationships are likely to be referred by their eighth-grade teachers for the program.
Two students who participated in the Mountain Valley High School program said it helped them in several ways.
Lindsey, a junior whose last name was not given, said the program helped her to be a better person, and she is more organized and had much better attendance.
Joe, a freshman whose last name was also not given, said the program taught him how to be “more proactive” and how to improve his study skills.
The program is set up so during one period a day, students receive half of an elective credit for the course for each trimester. The book “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens” is the primary guide used for the course.
“(The course teaches) the students how to advocate for themselves,” Burns said. High school student school board representative Travis Palmer said he has a sibling participating in the program and “she (now) enjoys doing her homework. It’s beneficial.”
The next school board meeting is at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 13 at Rumford Elementary School.
mhutchinson@sunmediagroup.net
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