Charles City schools’ test scores up, superintendent says

Charles City superintendent of schools David Gaston delivered some positive news to school board members and hopes to continue the trend under his tenure.

Gaston announced at the Aug. 19 regular school board meeting that preliminary Standards of Learning (SOL) results indicate that Charles City Elementary and Charles City High School will be fully accredited schools. And while he added Charles City Middle School will be accredited with warning, Gaston pointed that a majority of scores improved, emphasizing a nearly 20 percent increase in mathematics. While official SOL scores won’t be tallied until Sept. 16, Gaston was pleased with the early feedback and numbers.

“These are the type of positive things you like to hear as a superintendent,” Gaston commented. “To have the elementary and high school accredited is outstanding, and I know the staff at the middle school will continue to work hard because we are trending in the right direction.”

Another positive for county schools is the meeting of federal annual measurable objectives (AMOs). Gaston said that all three schools have met AMOs for the new year, a rare feat considering that only 44 percent of schools in Virginia, or 800 out of a possible 1,850, did not meet them.

District 3 school board member Martha Harris, obviously pleased with the news, reflected on the previous superintendent’s tenure and contributions.

“[Former school superintendent] Dr. Janet Crawley worked hard through a strenuous year with her staff and teachers,” said Harris. “Her dedication to the schools and education helped yield these results.

“Even though she is not here, I want to thank her for all her service,” continued Harris. “The time and effort she put in resulted in our schools achieving accreditation.”

Despite the good news of the improving test scores and meeting federal standards, Gaston said the focus will be to continue to improve scores and providing teachers and administration with the best tools possible.

“We are going to continue to work hard and implement a plan and curriculum to improve the scores and our student achievement,” Gaston said after the meeting. “We know that there is more rigorous testing on the way and we will be ready for it.”

Gaston’s comment focused on the new history test, which is expected to receive a significant ramp up in difficulty for the year as the final phase of SOL emphasis. Last year, science and English were the primary focuses on the level increase, while two years ago mathematics was the subject matter that received the boost of difficulty. However, Gaston said everything is in place for students to pass the tests.

“We have the tools, the teachers, the students, and the support staff to be successful in all we do,” concluded Gaston.