Mountain Valley Middle School principal reports strong state-test growth, says new school opens next year

Carrie Luce, principal of Mountain Valley Middle School, told the RSU 10 board that the school is “finishing this school year strong” after reviewing state test results showing districtwide gains.

Luce reported that 65 percent of eighth graders met or exceeded their growth goals in both math and reading between last spring’s testing and the most recent testing, with growth reported in percentiles and point gains; she said the average year’s growth measured about seven points. She said growth ranged widely and that “the growth made by 65% of the eighth grade ranged from 8 points to 65 points across all instructional programs,” including general education, special education, gifted and talented and life-skills programs.

At the grade level, Luce said 46 percent of seventh graders met grade-level achievement goals and highlighted a 71 percent gain in seventh-grade geometry and a 76 percent gain in sixth-grade vocabulary; the schoolwide focus on interventions yielded 68 percent of targeted students making growth in statistics and probability and 75 percent improving in vocabulary. Luce credited a schoolwide intervention effort and named Title I teachers Jessica Saroy and Jen Clark for their work putting "meaningful data in [teachers'] hands."

Luce also told the board the community can look forward to the opening of the new Mountain Valley Community School next year and listed upcoming end-of-year events for students. She framed the gains as the product of staff collaboration and a schoolwide focus on student growth and requested continued community support.

Board members thanked Luce for the report and for the staff’s work; the update was provided as part of the meeting’s opening remarks and informational reports.