Grade three and six students across the district once again are being tested on their math, reading, and writing skills this week and next.
While last year’s results saw some local scores both above and below provincial averages, the Rainy River District School Board has made a diverse effort to see test scores improve.
“Our teachers have been preparing all year, using exemplars and sample tests in the classroom,” noted Superintendent of Education Terry Ellwood.
“And last month, we had a special briefing and a workshop to give teachers strategies to prepare the kids to do the test,” he added.
Teachers are not privy to the tests students will be writing before the testing period begins, Ellwood stressed.
“The ministry has put out sample units so the kids can practice with that type of testing to make sure students can sit down and do the test for five half-day periods,” he added.
“We’re trying to handle all the aspects of testing to see the best results.”
Ellwood noted the board’s focus has been on boosting students’ reading skills, with various literacy programs already implemented to encourage kids to read.
Examples include Huffman School’s “pizza book club”–a partnership between the school, Pizza Hut, and the Fort Frances Times.
“Literacy has been a big area but we’re not letting math go by the wayside. We’re trying to bring up all the results,” Ellwood said, noting a math co-ordinator had been added to the two existing literacy co-ordinators this year.
Most schools started the Education Quality and Accountability Office testing this week but some will be doing it next week, too. Schools with split classes have had to be re-grouped.
Ellwood noted the tests may not be the only educational success indicator used in schools but the results still are very important and must be taken into account.
“We value the test as an indicator in student achievement. It helps students improve,” he said. “The results of the testing will help drive school improvement plans, and provide the board with some direction in these areas.”
Results will be returned to the board in October or early November, after which they are distributed to each elementary school. Soon afterwards, the schools will make the results available to the public, and the board will release its report on the results.
Students with the Northwest Catholic District School Board also are doing testing right now.
That board couldn’t be contacted on the issue before press time but it previously had stated it was taking aim at improving skills in all areas.
Like the public board, most of the grade three and six testing results received by the local Catholic one last November were slightly below provincial averages.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
