Elementary MEAP scores impress

School officials in Onaway are delighted with the recent results of the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP), which indicate Onaway Area Community Schools are headed in the right direction, said superintendent Bob Szymoniak.

The scores at the elementary level were ?phenomenal? Szymoniak said. The third through fifth grade scores from the fall MEAP exams exceeded the state average in every category but writing, and were ahead of most northeast Michigan schools. In the wake of the results, Szymoniak commended the elementary teaching staff, principal Nancy Miiller, as well as the students.

?It is clear that the instructional and curricular changes that have occurred in the elementary are sustained and on target,? stated Szymoniak in a memo to staff dated April 17.

?Four years ago, Onaway Elementary School received a D- on the AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) report card grade,? he said. The poor grade was partly because of low MEAP scores.

?Our test scores were so low we were considered a failing school four years ago,? said Szymoniak. ?Now we have scores better than the state average.?

MATH SCORES in the seventh and eighth grades also exceeded the state average. Szymoniak said, ?The hard work the middle school math department has put into increased academic achievement is paying off.?

The eighth grade scores in science exceeded the state average, as well. Areas needing improvement includ

e sixth grade reading and writing, along with writing at the seventh and eighth grade levels.

?I’m in the process of meeting with those teachers to talk about the data and to develop plans for curricular modifications to improve those scores,? said Szymoniak. ?I feel that the elementary scores are a testament to all the hard work our teachers have put into the Reading First program and to the everyday mathematics program. Clearly, those programs are showing a benefit to the kids by these scores.

?I think we will see continued good scores as the kids go through the system,? said Szymoniak.

Middle school students went through the traditional program, before modifications were made. ?It would make sense that we wouldn’t be achieving at the state level yet.? He added that recent work in writing in grades K-12 is ?timely and we should see positive results over the next two years.?