THOMASVILLE — City school system principals are putting plans in motion for improving test scores. 

School leaders addressed improvement plans for College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) testing to the Thomasville City School board Tuesday. 

Scott Elementary

Scott Elementary Principal Brian Beaty said despite the school’s slight decrease in scoring, improvements were made in all four content mastery categories. 

English/language arts and math also increased from 69 to 75 percent in 2017. 

“We spent a lot of energy trying to increase math last year,” Beaty said. 

Scoring for proficient and distinguished testers also increased, Beaty pointed out, from 21.2 percent to 23.9 percent. 

Scott’s plans for improvement include implementing “number talks,” Beaty said, which is a 10-minute daily exercise. 

“It conceptualizes math,” Beaty said.  

The city elementary school has repositioned math teacher Pam Gardner as an Early Intervention Program teacher and math coach, Beaty noted. 

MacIntyre Park Middle School, Scholars Academy, Academic Recovery Center

Improvement in scoring at the middle school level is being addressed at MacIntyre Park Middle School, Scholars Academy, and the Academic Recovery Center (ARC). 

“This time we really looked at it as a team,” said Tina McBride, MacIntyre Park Middle School principal.   

Reading strategies are set to be included in exploratory teachers’ classrooms. 

Low-performing students also are being identified, McBride said. 

“We’re going to start with those students beginning in January,” she added. 

“Lunch and learn,” a studying area set up in the cafeteria, is being implemented at the Scholars Academy, said Director Dr. Dale Graham. Placing students in groups, called “bubbles,” is being implemented to move more students into proficient and distinguished scoring, Graham added. 

Angie Ellis, ARC director, said staff has to get “a little creative,” due to a remediation portion already built into ARC’s curriculum. Ellis also noted the ARC saw the “most significant growth” in math scores. A mathematics pre-test and incentive program for completion, Ellis said, also are being implemented. 

Graham noted students with deficits entering the sixth grade typically take two-to-three years to catch up. 

Chairman Chris Rodd asked if the ARC should be implemented in elementary grades. 

“Oh, that would be wonderful,” Graham replied. 

Ellis suggested, if implemented, to start with one grade at a time, such as fifth grade. 

Jerger Elementary

Jerger Elementary Principal Lawana Rayburn said staff reviewed 2017 testing data and looked at how to move forward. 

Lexiles, a reading measurement tool, is targeted through the school’s Accelerated Reader (AR) program, Rayburn said. Ninety-five percent of books read through AR are fiction. Rayburn said Jerger will begin pushing more non-fiction reading to increase Lexile points. 

“So the Lexiles will be a very big deal for us,” Rayburn said. 

The attendance policy change for CCRPI testing also will be another area for possible improvement, Rayburn said. 

Currently, students can’t be absent for more than six days in order to earn points in testing. The standard is set to change to no more than 10 percent of school. 

A total of 427 students missed more than six days and 27 students missed 10 percent of school, the principal noted. 

“So that will be a plug for us,” Rayburn said. 

Rayburn also expressed concern with testing target indicators set to increase. 

Thomasville High School  

Thomasville High School Principal Chip Clatto said scoring improved in content mastery after end-of-course testing and Career, Technical, and Agriculture Education testing.  

Clatto noted the graduation rate category decreased, along with the high school’s African-American population underperforming when compared to the state average.  

“So that is a heavy focus on our improvement this year,” Clatto said.  

Thomasville High is making “every effort as humanly possible,” Clatto said, for student improvement. 

The city high school will bring back Saturday school. and Dean of Students Stacy Reese is meeting with all seniors to go over post-secondary plans. Clatto added there also is an increased focus on positive academic behavior. 

Thomasville High also is using a GPA and behavior-centered incentive program, along with displaying honor roll names and “Bulldog Stars” in the cafeteria. 

Harper Elementary  

Harper Elementary Instructional Coach Leslie Elkins updated the school board on the school’s three-year curriculum math plan. 

Melvin Hugans, Harper principal, addressed the city elementary’s school’s literacy improvement plan, which includes phonics instruction. 

“The right way to teach students to read is through phonics,” Hugans said. 

The elementary school also is identifying the lowest performing students in each grade. The students, Hugans said, will take part in specialized instruction. Students will receive individualized and small group support, along with being placed in a grouping schedule to address individual needs. 

For more information on CCRPI scoring, go to www.gadoe.org/CCRPI. 

Reporter Jordan Barela can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1826.