All 33 local schools make accreditation

All 33 public schools in Waynesboro, Staunton and Augusta County met full Standards of Learning accreditation on 2007-08 testing, according to a release Thursday by the Virginia Department of Education.

The local public schools were part of 95 percent of Virginia public schools that met full accreditation, the highest number since the commonwealth began statewide testing 10 years ago.

Area educators attribute the success on SOL testing to the efforts of teachers and principals who they say have labored to improve instruction.

Waynesboro Schools Superintendent Robin Crowder said the testing increases in that school district can be attributed to teachers aligning curriculum and principals who have closely studied testing data in their schools. Crowder also pointed to the school district’s office of instruction, led by Laurie McCullough.

“She puts math, reading and teaching coaches in the schools,’’ said Crowder. “These folks work in the schools and classes.”

At Kate Collins Middle School, passing math scores increased by 12 percent and history by 14 percent.

Crowder recently wrote a letter to his staff in area schools to congratulate them on the SOL results. He noted in the letter that “student engagement seems very high, classrooms are inviting and the rewarding work of teaching and learning can be seen throughout the schools.”

Augusta County Schools Superintendent Gary McQuain said the scores in his 21 schools reflect the efforts not only of teachers, but of parents and students. McQuain said the school district also has adapted to the testing.

“We have gotten familiar with helping kids understand the testing process and making decisions,’’ he said. McQuain said practice testing is done frequently during the school year, and those students who fail are given remedial help.

The Staunton Schools pointed to significant increases at Shelburne Middle School, including a 12 percent improvement in history and improved math scores.

Staunton Testing Coordinator Mickey Fenn said when scores increase, “it bolsters confidence.” Fenn said the renewed emphasis now must be on the students who struggle.

“There is a multitude of reasons why we don’t have that last 15 percent,’’ he said. “The learning problems that now exist are so broad and varied that we’re going to be picking them one or two at a time.”

McQuain said with many of his schools having passing scores in percentages of 80s and 90s “we’re doing a pretty good job.” “But the whole point is we want everybody to be successful,’’ he said.

While Virginia’s outgoing Superintendent of Public Instruction Billy Cannaday hailed the statewide SOL results, Cannaday’s successor looked more closely at the improved middle school math results. Across Virginia, 87 percent of the state’s middle schools achieved full accreditation, as opposed to 69 percent a year ago.

Patricia Wright, who succeeds Cannaday Oct. 1, said the hard work in middle school math by teachers “is laying a foundation for student achievement in algebra, geometry and other rigorous courses in mathematics.” Wright said the work in Virginia middle schools “will result in more young men and women prepared for postsecondary education and 21st-century careers in mathematics, science and technical fields.”