BHRSD tackles MCAS issues

GREAT BARRINGTON – For the Berkshire Hills Regional School District, some of the MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System) results are troubling.

This was evident at a presentation given to the BHRSD School Committee by Muddy Brook Elementary School Principal Thad Dingman, Monument Valley Regional Middle School Principal Benjamin Doren and Monument Mountain Regional High School Principal Marianne Young.

Superintendent Peter J. Dillon had the principals give the presentation to share not only the data, but what the plan is to resolve low scores and achievement gaps.

Principal Dingman was visibly shaken by the less-than-stellar results of his third and fourth graders.

“I am really disappointed in the numbers we have needing improvement and failing,” he said.

Of Muddy Brook’s third graders last year, 33 percent scored “needs improvement” in math, while 28 percent scored “warning/failing.” In English language arts, 49 percent scored needs improvement and 13 percent warning/failing.

“Everyone did worse,” Dr. Dillon said of Berkshire County’s third grade results. “We did more worse.”

For fourth graders, the numbers are better but still not ideal. In math, 48 percent scored needs improvement and 12 percent warning/failing. In ELA, 36 percent scored needs improvement and nine percent warning/failing.

“I don’t see these scores as reasons to celebrate anything,” School Committee Member Richard Coons said. “We’re obviously not doing something right.”

Principal Dingman’s plans for improvement include stronger assessments of the younger grades and using more research-based math intervention with struggling students.

“We need to understand deeply who each of these students are – it’s important for the ways they learn in class,” he said.

The principal has also started having weekly meetings with staff and team members to get regular updates and figure out what specifically needs improvement.

“I enjoy staying that connected,” he said.

Monument Valley results

At the middle school, there was a noted improvement, although there were still areas of concern.

“There are pockets of concern, points of celebration and some muddle…in all four grades,” Principal Doren said.

Of concern at Monument Valley are low math scores for grades five, seven and eight and staggering numbers for grade eight science and technology/engineering (44 percent needs improvement and 21 percent warning/failing).

“The way we rose in failing [numbers] is not okay,” Principal Doren said of the eighth grade STE numbers. “We need to look at sixth, seventh and eighth grade teaching and learning.”

A high point for Monument Valley is the ELA results, particularly in grades six and eight, where zero percent of students were listed as warning/failing, and the “proficient” and “advanced” numbers are significantly larger.

To make all the necessary improvements, Principal Doren has also started having weekly meetings with his teachers and staff.

Monument Mountain results

Comparatively, the Monument Mountain 10th grade MCAS results paint a brighter picture.

“The celebration is our 10th grade class,” Dr. Dillon said of the district’s MCAS results.

In math, 58 percent of last year’s 10th graders scored advanced, 29 percent proficient, 10 percent needs improvement and four percent warning/failing. In ELA, 47 percent were advanced, 48 percent proficient, three percent needs improvement and two percent warning/failing. In physics, 24 percent scored advanced, 65 percent proficient, 11 percent needs improvement and zero percent warning/failing.

“Our scores reflect a solid, steady improvement from our students and faculty,” Principal Young said.

School committee resignation

School Committee Member Alan Wilken (of Stockbridge) resigned from the school committee, citing increased attention to his professional and personal life.

“I’ve learned a great deal being on the committee,” Mr. Wilken said. “I’m glad to have been a part of this district; I think we’re in a great position.”

“Thanks for your service, Alan,” Mr. Coons said.

Other business

Public meetings on the proposed renovations to Monument Mountain will take place on Oct. 16, Nov. 20 and Dec. 18, all at the high school at 6 or 6:30 p.m.

A Spain field trip for seventh and eighth graders at Monument Valley was unanimously approved by the school committee.

Posted by Catherine M. Krummey on October 11, 2012. Filed under Education News,Featured,News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry