NCS Sees Increase in Academic Achievement
Dear Members of the Naples School Community:
This past year, a good friend of mine gave me a copy of Atul Gawande’s Better. Gawande is a talented surgeon and writer, and in his book, he talks about improving performance when resources are limited and problems are complex. While Better is focused on medicine, it contains principles that can be applied to most areas of life. In the “Afterword” of his text, Gawande gives a number of suggestions to his readers. Among them is the recommendation to, “count something.”
Because we “count” a lot of information in schools, I wanted to take a minute to pass along some important news related to the recently released grades 3-8 Math and ELA test results. While NYS overall saw a +6.6% increase of students scoring at levels 3 and 4 on ELA exams (using a 1-4 rubric*), Naples saw an 8% bump. However, more impressively, while NYS had +1% progress in students scoring 3 and 4 on math exams, NCS had an increase of +12%.
I am well aware that if you put five people in a room and asked them about state tests, you would most likely get six different opinions! However, the growth in Naples did not happen by accident. Over the past year, our teachers have had a laser-like focus on curriculum alignment, common assessments, and continuing to provide dynamic learning experiences for kids. These promising results validate the efforts that our staff members, students, and parents put into our instructional program, and they are positive indicators that our students will be better prepared for challenging coursework in the future.
In addition to seeing academic growth in our early grades, we have also been “counting” how our High School students have been doing in their Advanced Placement (AP) courses as well as in the different Gemini classes we offer in partnership with Finger Lakes Community College (FLCC). This past year, we saw a +18% increase in the number of students enrolled in AP courses, and a +23% jump in total tests taken. Most impressively, however, is the fact that with the significantly increased enrollment in AP classes, our percentage of students earning scores of 3-5** stayed the same.
Along with more of our students challenging themselves by taking AP classes, an even greater number of High School students have taken credit-bearing Gemini courses offered right here in Naples. Since the fall of 2014, NCS students have earned +40% more college credits than they had in the past, and many of them will be graduating having netted 10, 20, 30, or even 40 college credits before leaving High School. While this means that more of our students will be able to save money on tuition bills and gain flexibility in college scheduling, it also means that the 80% of our graduates who go off to enroll in a two-year or a four-year college will be better prepared when they set foot on campus.
Naples has a proud tradition of preparing graduates for success down the road and around the world. However, it is important to recognize that this tradition has only been possible because of the adults who have made it their mission to keep getting “better” as they find new ways to improve outcomes for kids. As we prepare to begin a new school year, we ask that you continue to encourage your sons and daughters to take academics risks, and we hope you know how much we appreciate the trust and support you give our school each day.
Warmly,
Matt Frahm, Superintendent
* Level 4: Students excel in standards for their grade.
Level 3: Students are proficient in standards for their grade.
Level 2: Students are partially proficient in standards for their grade.
Level 1 Students are well below proficient in standards for their grade.
** AP Scores. AP exams are scored on a scale of 1 to 5. A score of 5, meaning the student is extremely well qualified to receive college credit for that course, is the highest score. A score of 4 means the student is well qualified and a score of 3 indicates that the student is qualified.
|
|
