Jefferson Local Schools begin MAP testing
By Kevin Dye
Staff Writer
The Jefferson Local School Board was informed by their curriculum director on the assessment testing schedule for this school year during their meeting Monday night.
Joan Scofield told the board that testing has begun in the district’s schools and updated the board on what her department have been working on.
“MAP testing began today at Norwood Elementary and MAP testing begins on Tuesday at the middle school,” Scofield said. “OGT testing will start the week of Sept. 29 at the high school.”
Scofield said that after third-grade MAP (Measure of Academic Progress) testing is finished, parents will receive a letter informing them if their child is not meeting the standards.
“The district will send a letter home to parents to inform them that their child is below grade level,” Scofield said. “The letter is fashioned after the recommended letter style from the ODE (Ohio Department of Education).”
Scofield also said that this past summer the majority of Norwood Elementary teachers spent part of their summer improving their teaching skills. All but two Norwood teachers attended workshops this past summer, which shows the dedication for the teachers to help students improve.
The district has completed the Civil Rights data testing that is required by the federal government every five years. Superintendent William Mullett said that the federally mandated program takes a lot of the school’s resources to complete.
“This is an enormous amount of time and an enormous amount of data,” Mullett said. “It is a federal government program that is hard for a small district to devote resources to. This took a whole week of our curriculum director’s time to compile this data.”
All three principals informed the board that the school year got off to a very good start. Norwood principal Gary Bell said that the elementary school had 38 new students, but that the district lost 32 students. Principal Debbie Omen said that the middle school celebrated with a pep rally on Monday.
High school principal David Metz informed the board of the results of the fall athletic drug testing at the school.
“We tested 171 athletes and we had 171 negative results,” Metz said. “We feel the program is having a positive effect on our student athletes. Testing that many students and having no negative tests have a very positive effect.”
Board president David Harper praised the efforts of the high school and athletic director Shawn Buescher on completing the drug testing.
“That’s a very positive thing for us,” Harper said. “It is only a small number of individuals who are critical of our athletic programs.”
Metz also said that the Tolles College Fair will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18 and that this year juniors are welcome to join senior students for the event. The College and Financial Aid Parent Seminar will be held at the high school at 7 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 24. West Jefferson High School will also host the Madison County Band Festival at Kile Field at 7 p.m. on Tuesday September 18.
The district accepted several monetary donations for their schools. The Target Corporation donated $500 for the purchase of reading books and $300 for the Take Charge of Education program at Norwood Elementary.
Three area churches made donations to help students with supplies for the coming year. Zion Lutheran Church donated miscellaneous supplies and $115 to purchase other supplies for Norwood Elementary. St. Simon and Jude Catholic Church and West Jefferson United Methodist Church both donated supplies and book bags for students at Norwood Elementary.
A donation of $104 was made to West Jefferson High School from the Aetna Charitable Giving Campaign on behalf of former student Erin Johnson.
“I have personally thanked all of these individuals for these donations,” Norwood principal Bell said. “It’s always nice to have these materials for students who need school supplies.”
