Nevada students rank above the national average in Stanford scores

By Steve Moyer

Nevada Daily Mail

The Nevada R-5 Board of Education reviewed the results of the Stanford Achievement Test for first and second grade students which showed Nevada students significantly more advanced than the national average.

"For the past several years the district has targeted reading and math at the primary levels as the best and most expedient path by which to make significant educational gains," Superintendent Ted Davis said. "It is working. Our students are making significant gains in reading and math due to the use of guided reading and Saxon math coupled with excellent teaching."

75 percent of the districts first grade students performed above the national average in reading and 65 percent performed above the national average in math. 70 percent of second grade students performed above the national average in reading and 80 percent performed better in math.

"This is an excellent example of why the district has a levy issue on the Aug. 3 ballot. During the past five years the district has budgeted over $100,000 to implement the Reading Recovery program and the guided reading program," Davis said. "These two successful approaches require lower teacher-pupil ratios than does the large-group approach we previously utilized."

Davis told the board that if the programs weren't making a difference then it wouldn't matter but with results like the Accredited with Distinction award four years in a row and the Stanford Achievement Test results it was obvious that the extra money and effort was paying off.

"I can't help but to say it -- we can't do this with a 30 to 1 ratio. It's essential that we keep our class sizes small," Davis said. "If it weren't making a difference it wouldn't matter what the class sizes were. But we are making a difference and these scores underline that. That's why this levy increase is so important."

Assistant Superintendent Christi Peterson reported to the board that the summer school program was off to a good start and that participation was high. Participation varies day by day during the summer because of all the family activities, but Peterson said that 1,230 students attended one day. The school is transporting 400 students on seven busses and an average of 700 students are eating lunch.

Peterson told the board that Principal Debbie Spaur had initiated an extended day program at Bryan School that was funded by Title One. Activities included visits to a bank, a restaurant, and a farm among others. The students are encourage to participate and to have fun.

"With the remedial program we try to have a fun thing to do for everyone," Peterson said. "We want to encourage the students by having fun and even the fun activities provide a learning experience."

Davis told the board the Student Activity/Athletic Handbook had been revised and that it needed the board's approval.

"We really haven't made any substantive changes in the handbook, it's still the same, but we did make some changes in the language to make it clearer," Davis said. "Participation in extra-curricular activities is a privilege and a responsibility and we wanted to make clear our position."

The new 14-page handbook sets out the consequences of certain activities and the guidelines used to determine the degree of punishment. It also sets out what evidence will be considered to determine whether a student has committed an violation, hearsay and anonymous sources won't be used to substantiate infractions.

The board accepted a Nova Race Car from the family of the late Don E. Pollock to fund the Don E. Pollock Memorial Scholarship, for the benefit of students who have completed programs at the Nevada Regional Technical Center.

In other business the board:

* Approved the prices for the breakfast and lunches. The only change was a 5-cent increase in the cost of adult lunches.

* Approved a fund transfer from the incidental budget to the capital improvements fund.