Province gives Golden Hills good marks

Posted on: J A McRae

Shannon LeClair
Times Reporter
 
Golden Hills School Division, GHSD, had their own report card come in and the results are looking good. Achievements tests are done in June of each year. Test marks are compiled throughout the year for each school division and then tallied up to see how the year has progressed. 
“The province gives us an analysis of how the students did on each of the test items so the teachers know what they need to focus on the next year to see where the weaknesses are,” said Ed Holt, Associate Superintendent for GHSD. 
Over the past few years GHSD has improved the percentage of students making the acceptable standard in six of ten achievement tests given to Grades 3, 6 and 9. 
Math for Grades 3 and 6 and Social Studies for Grade 6 and 9 saw the highest increased improvement, which is an important change, considering in previous years the provincial results at the acceptable level had been declining. 
“The results are a testament to the teachers and administrators who are central in helping every student achieve success in school,” said Dianne McBeth, Superintendent of Schools in a press release.  
The diploma exam results didn’t quite match the levels of improvement that the lower grades did. However, the percentage of students who achieved the acceptable standard in GHSD matched the provincial average. In six of nine examinations, GHSD achieved the provincial benchmark for the Standard of Excellence. Other indicators include dropout rates, high school completion, post secondary transition rates and a variety of stakeholder satisfaction measures. “The Board is pleased with the overall direction and improvement,” said Ron Kenworthy, Chair, in a press release.  “We have a good understanding of the unique circumstances at every school – the challenges and the successes.  We consider that some schools have fewer than 8 students writing (and so the results cannot be published) and that in small classes, a single student’s results will have a large percentage impact.” 
The report with the results came in, in September and Holt said it is then presented to the staff that gets to work on making improvements where possible.