News
The Albany Ledger
The Stanberry R-II Board of Education received a good report from elementary school principal Bob Heddinger regarding Longitudinal Student Performance Data at the boards’ Sept. 19 meeting.
Heddinger said the report included data from the Missouri Assessment Program and Stanford testing, ACT testing and the district’s Annual Performance Report. Heddinger said some of the highlights of the report include:
• All spring Stanford Reading scores for grades K-2 were above the median grade equivalent;
• Grades 3-8 communication arts testing showed three of six classes above the state average of those scoring at the proficient or advanced level. Two classes were below the average by less than 2 percentage points;
• Grades 3-8 math testing showed five of six classes above the state average of those scoring at the proficient or advance level;
• When comparing Stanberry’s scores with the other nine schools in the Grand River Conference on MAP and required End of Course tests, Stanberry ranked in the top four in four of the seven grades in communication arts, ranked in the top four in five of the seven grades in math, and ranked 9th in the Biology I EOC and 10th in the Government EOC;
• Stanberry met 14 out of 14 on the state’s Annual Performance Report, once again giving the district the status of Performance with Distinction; and
• The district had a composite ACT score of 22.3, compared to the state score of 21.6.
The board also heard from Stanberry superintendent Bruce Johnson, who said that because the state of Missouri accepted a waiver from the No Child Left Behind requirements, a new evaluation system will be required in Missouri. The district has the choice to accept the state’s model, which is being reviewed at this time, or to develop its own district model. A group of teachers, administrators and board member Bob Birdsell will attend the state training in October. By next year the district will decide if it wants to use the state model or pursue its own model. The updated evaluation system must be in place by 2014-2015.
In other business, the board:
• Reviewed a report from Johnson detailing how state and federal program dollars are spent;
• Learned that K-12 enrollment for the district stands at 325 at this time. It was 321 last September;
• Heard from Johnson there will be an initiative on the November ballot to raise the tobacco tax in Missouri with the proceeds going to education;
• Received principals’ reports from Heddinger and high school principal Danny Johnson;
• Approved the 2012-2013 testing calendar;
• Approved a memorandum of understanding to enter into an agreement with 20 other schools to write a federal Race to the Top grant focusing on individual learning. This grant will be submitted in October and a decision will be made in December on the grant; and
• Reviewed and approved several board policies.
The next Stanberry R-II Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Oct. 17.
