Results are in from initial testing of students in Columbia Primary School’s new pre-K program, and officials are encouraged.
The 4-year-olds are already close to what the state expects them to know at the end of the year, Columbia Primary School Principal Heather Singley reported to the school board Tuesday night.
The end of year pre-K cut score on the test is 498. In the fall, students entering the program were at 410. In the second test, the average had jumped to 483.
“With half the year to go, we’re about 15 points from what the state says that we should have at the end of May,” Singley said.
She credited the hard work of the teachers, including inclusion classes, which surpassed the growth statistics.
“This should definitely set us up for success when these students go on to kindergarten next year. The scores should come in much higher,” she said.
Board President Marie Shepard said the board was pleased with the results, and Singley urged board members to visit the program.
“When we were approved to have pre-K, we kind of went into it blind and really weren’t sure how things would work with the 4-year-olds,” Singley said. “We had the approval and then we had to order the curriculum and the teachers have just been in training and learning the new curriculum. They have really exceeded the expectations for the first year.”
The board also heard from first-year Jefferson Middle School Principal Levi Robinson about the school’s SOARS (school improvement) plan. The school in recent years has had difficulty in testing and last year was ranked as a “D” school.
“We’re working to keep moving forward,” Robinson said. “We’re bringing in some things that we hadn’t been doing. The school has not met the proficiency standards for the past two or three years. Our goal is to go from 7 percent to 29 percent. We’re looking at how we are engaging students and what we are doing to make them better.”
In other action, the board:
l Approved the employment of Caitlyn I. Dobson as a third-grade teacher, Elizabeth D. Raines as an art teacher at Columbia Elementary School, Julia Porter Foxworth as a special education teacher at Columbia High School, and Joshua Andrew Daugherty as a 21st Century CCLC Power Hour/homework tutor aide.
l Approved the resignations of Delma C. Hendricks, special education teacher at Jefferson Middle School, who is retiring, and Tameka Mallard, sixth-grade language arts teacher.
l Accepted an All State Foundation Grant of $500 for the Columbia High School SAVE Club.
l Approved several fundraisers at schools.
l Approved discarding equipment that is beyond repair.
l Approved the formation of a Jefferson Middle School Spanish Club.
l Approved the formation of a soccer booster club.
l Approved rescinding several board policies that are outdated and no longer relevant.
