Local schools get high marks
Erie Middle and Superior Elementary School make Colorado Department of Education high performing list
By Lindsey Larson
Colorado Hometown Newspapers
The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) recently released its list of high performing schools for the 2008-2009 school year.
Among those honored were Superior Elementary and Erie Middle School. In order to achieve a high performance status, students must show a 60 percent improvement in CSAP scores (math, reading, writing and science) for three consecutive years. This performance scale is based upon the Colorado Growth Model, a system that measures student progress from one year to the next in in comparison to academic peers from other schools.
Superior was one of eight schools recognized by the CDE from the Boulder Valley School District. In the category of reading, Superior saw a growth rate of 66 percent in 2007, 64 percent in 2008 and 61 percent in 2009. For writing, Superior witnessed student growth at 72 percent in 2007, 70 percent in 2008 and 66 percent in 2009.
Principal Mary Hausermann said the high performance honor is not just a bright spot on the school’s list of accomplishments, but also a barometer that helps administration and faculty understand the level of student achievement within the school.
“We’ve been a school of excellence, but this is completely new,” Hausermann said. “We’re excited about (the achievement), we’ve always wondered what our growth rate is per year. We don’t have an accurate way to measure that.”
Hausermann said one of the most significant groups in Superior’s growth rate was special education students. Students on an Individualized Education Plan at Superior Elementary improved scores in writing 66 percent in 2009, IEP students in the rest of BVSD improved 56 percent.
But, Hausermann added, the students and faculty at Superior are certainly not content rest on their laurels.
“We don’t rest, ever,” Hausermann said. “We celebrate our accomplishments, but then we dig deeper into the data.”
And, by digging deeper Hausermann means breaking down students into specific categories to determine which groups achieve the most growth in different content areas within subjects such as math or reading. Hausermann said this will help the school reach the goals that have been set for this year, which include helping special education students make ever more significant growth.
Also, Hausermann said she would like to see reading scores go up another 15 percent for fourth- and fifth-graders.
“We’re happy, but we feel we can do more,” Hausermann said.
For Erie Middle School’s new principal Todd Bissell, taking the reins of a school considered high performing almost leaves him at a loss for words — almost.
“I’m honored to be here working with such an incredible group of students and teachers,” Bissell said. “And, I’m very proud of the school community for having such a great commitment to education.”
In the area of reading, EMS improved 60 percent in 2007, 69 percent in 2008 and 64 percent in 2009. But, where the school has really excelled is in math scores, which improved 84 percent in 2007, 72 percent in 2008 and 72 percent again in 2009.
“It’s a fantastic feeling to know you have such high performing students,” Bissell said. “The teachers have high expectations, and the students have a lot of parental support.”
For more information on the Colorado Student Growth Model, visit the Colorado Department of Education Web site at www.cde.state.co.us. |
