Education

School Superintendent: Test results reveal nothing

 

JULIE LANE PHOTO Classroom furniture and equipment moved out to the corridors so that floors can be scrubbed and rooms made ready to receive students who return to classes September 9.
JULIE LANE PHOTO
Classroom furniture and equipment moved out to the corridors so that floors can be scrubbed and rooms made ready to receive students who return to classes September 9.

Time spent preparing, testing, scoring and finally the results are tabulated. Next step — what do they show?

Nothing, Superintendent Leonard Skuggevik told the Board of Education Monday night about last spring’s state-mandated tests of elementary school students.

The tests are meant to show strengths and weaknesses in academics, allowing a district to better prepare students to succeed in college. But there are too many variables to compare progress year to year, Mr. Skuggevik said.

Based on the school’s own evaluation, there are real strengths in math and science, while English language arts are lagging, Mr. Skuggevik said. Work is already being done to improve performance in that area, he added, but pointed to at least two variables on the state tests that prohibit drawing solid conclusions:
• The number of students testing last spring was less than it had been the year before since a number of parents chose to have their children to opt out from taking the tests.
• The same score that might have shown a student performing well last year, could be reported as deficient this year because the scoring levels have changed.

Not only can’t Mr. Skuggevik draw any solid conclusions about a student’s future success, he can’t even compare a student’s 3rd grade performance with their fourth grade performance.

Nonetheless, at Monday’s meeting, he promised board members he would continue to look at the numbers and try to provide a more comprehensive report in September.

The superintendent noted that Shelter Island is among the top 20 schools on Long Island based on students who graduate with advanced Regent diplomas.

SUBSTITUTES
Members asked whether they should be considering two permanent substitute teachers instead of one. They have asked Mr. Skuggevik to take a look back at the past year and report on the number of days when there was more than one teacher absent from class that required not only using the permanent substitute, but calling in other substitutes from a list the district maintains.

The value of a permanent substitute, Board Vice President Linda Eklund said, is they know the teachers and students, making a smoother transition in the class room.

Those approved Monday night as substitutes for various positions are:
• Permanent substitute teacher Jasmine Frasco at $175 per day and five sick days.
• Per diem backup substitutes who earn $110 per day are Catherine Brigham, Heather Cusak, William Alan Garrison, Jennifer Maxson, Marian McEnroe, Cynthia Nieves and Phyllis Power.
• Kathleen Renault as substitute nurse at a salary of $110 per day.

Other appointments approved were Athletic Director Richard Osmer for Schedule C Athletics at a salary of $5,627, Jessica Bosak, elementary play director at a salary of $737, John Kaasik as producer and play director at a salary of $4,829 and Bryan Knipfing, ninth grade class advisor at a salary of $737.

POLICIES
Board members had the first reading on three policies:
• Prohibiting smoking and tobacco use on school grounds, including by those who park cars to watch athletic events on the back softball field or watch their children on the school playground. If adopted, appropriate signs will be posted alerting the public to the policy.
• Enhancing educational programs for English language learners, including professional development for all teachers, level III teaching assistants and administrators to address students’ needs.
• Restrictions on use of district credit cards, including cancellation of Home Depot and Exxon/Mobil cards.
In other actions:
• Susan Binder thanked Peter Needham for his years of service to the sailing program. The program is not listed for the year ahead because too few students expressed interest in it. But Board President Thomas Graffagnino said he hoped that would change and that the equipment will be retained, at least for now.
• To make last minute appointments, the Board of Education plans a special meeting on Wednesday, September 2, at 5 p.m. Classes begin September 9.