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By Lynn Hotaling
It's official. According to results released Sept. 10, local students
turned in their best performance ever on state-mandated accountability
tests.
Countywide, reading and math scores for students in grades three
through eight increased 5 percent over last year's marks, said
Superintendent Mack McCary, and four of Jackson County's seven
schools met high growth standards.
Teachers at those four schools - Cullowhee Valley, Fairview, Scotts
Creek and Smokey Mountain Elementary - will receive $1,500 bonuses
from the state in recognition for their students' achievement.
Non-certified personnel will receive bonuses of $500.
Staff members at Blue Ridge and School of Alternatives will also
receive bonuses because their schools met expected levels of growth.
Teachers will receive $750 and non-certified personnel will receive
$350.
Smoky Mountain High, the only one of Jackson County's seven schools
that did not record high enough achievement to earn bonuses for
its teachers, missed the mark by only one-half of 1 percent, McCary
said.
SMHS received no recognition, which means the school did not achieve
expected levels of growth but have at least 60 percent of students
performing at or above grade level.
Cullowhee Valley, Fairview and Scotts Creek were named Schools
of Distinction, which means that more than 80 percent of students
demonstrated proficiency (tested at or above grade level).
McCary credited a number of factors for this year's high ABC showing.
School system modifications like improvement planning, literacy
council, guided reading, freshman transition, lead teacher concept,
Title I, ESL and after-school programs enhanced the schools' total
effort, he said.
Steve Jones, director of school improvement for Jackson County
schools, said he is also pleased with this year's outstanding
results.
"I think the teachers have done a great job. I think we're
focused on curriculum issues and providing individual support
for those students who need it," Jones said Wednesday.
Last week's statewide release of ABC results confirmed information
reported here July 24.
School-by-school ABC results follow:
Blue Ridge - Expected growth; School of Progress.
Cullowhee Valley - High growth; School of Distinction.
Fairview - High Growth; School of Distinction.
School of Alternatives - Expected growth.
Scotts Creek - High growth; School of Distinction.
Smokey Mountain Elementary - High growth; School of Progress.
Smoky Mountain High - Not rated.
Despite the high marks Jackson County earned on its North Carolina
report card, six of seven local schools are failing under new
federal standards contained in 2001 legislation titled "No
Child Left Behind."
Smokey Mountain Elementary was the only county school to achieve
a new standard the law terms "adequate yearly progress."
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