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Page County Middle School reports full accreditation, improved science scores and a drop in chronic absenteeism
Summary
Page County Middle School told the school board it is now fully accredited, showed year-over-year gains in science and reported chronic absenteeism has fallen. Presenters described instructional strategies, attendance incentives and expanded extracurricular and career exposure activities.
Page County Middle School staff updated the Page County School Board on April 24, telling members the school is “now fully accredited” and reporting improvements in academic and attendance measures.
The update summarized assessment results for the 2023–24 school year and earlier years: staff reported reading proficiency at about 64 percent (75 percent including recovery/growth measures), math at 62 percent (75 percent with growth/recovery), science growth from 42 percent (2021–22) to 68 percent (2023–24), and history at roughly 69 percent. Presenters said half of the eighth-grade class had been tested in the fall, with a 69 percent pass rate among those tested and a 73 percent fall average for another cohort.
Attendance and interventions: School staff said chronic absenteeism was 22 percent during 2023–24, down from 30 percent the year before. The school set a goal to reduce absenteeism by 10 percentage points and reported that for the current school year the rate is at 10 percent so far; staff credited monthly rewards, perfect-attendance drawings, a visible attendance-recognition wall and regular parent-student meetings to identify and address barriers.
Programs and extracurriculars: Presenters described increased participation in cross country, an undefeated girls’ team, the introduction of volleyball (moved from club to sport), a PCTC (career/technical center) visit for seventh graders and a career fair that involved the Harrisonburg Fire Department, the sheriff's department, local businesses and PCTC programs. Staff also highlighted state-level competition results from FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America): 12 students competed at the state event and eight advanced toward nationals, including first-, second- and third-place finishes.
Alternative education and special supports: Board members and staff discussed the division’s alternative-education placements (referred to in the meeting as the region’s alt-ed program). Presenters described it as a multi-age program (grades 6–8) that uses point and privilege levels to transition students back into regular classes gradually, and said the division’s long-term goal is to consolidate alternative education programs under one roof over five years to improve program coherence and staffing.
Ending: Board members congratulated the school on accreditation and on progress in lowering absenteeism; staff said they would continue to use data-driven instruction, targeted interventions and community partnerships to sustain gains.
