STOUGHTON SCHOOLS REACH "ELITE" LEVEL!
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Marguerite Rizzi was ecstatic when she spoke with Snyder's Stoughton this morning. And, she had good reason! For instance, last year, the Gibbons School was rated a Level 3 school (Accountability Status is from 1 to 5--one being the best) in the MCAS scores. So, Stoughton Public Schools were tagged with a Level 3 (they give the district the rating of the lowest rated school).
The numbers were just released this morning by the Massachusetts Department of Education, and every resident of Stoughton should be smiling! The Gibbons moved up to Level 1! In addition, Stoughton High School went from Level 2 to Level 1. The Hansen School moved from Level 2 to Level 1, and the South School was Level 1 for the second straight year.
Meanwhile, The Dawe School, West School, and O'Donnell Middle School maintained their Level 2 status. So, Stoughton Public Schools have moved up to a Level 2 status. (Very few towns have ALL Level 1 schools, and are able to be a Level 1 district.)
In comparison, Sharon Public Schools also have four Level 1 schools.
The Superintendent, still recovering from bumps and bruises from a bike accident, was all smiles. She told me, "When I took this job I said it would take four or five years to turn it around. We did it!"
Rizzi said that "to have the majority of our schools in Level 1 puts us in a class of elite performers." She gave credit to a "number of school committees who have worked diligently to turn things around." She added, "We've had five year strategic plans, three year plans, and with each we budgeted for those plans. The Finance Committee and Town Meeting have had a great relationship with the schools, and delivered the funds we needed. We've had a stable administrative team, hard working teachers, and a wonderful staff. Patience and perserverence have paid off."
(Posted on September 19 @ 11:05 a.m.)
Mark Snyder Story (C) 2014 by PMPnetwork, Inc.
Photo by Jeffrey Pickette