MCS HS Principal Gives Mid-Year Grades

By David Avitabile

MIDDLEBURGH - At the mid-point of the 2024-25 school year, the secondary Middleburgh principal sees student improvement though more work needs to be done.

Junior-senior high school Principal Matthew Sloane gave his mid-year report at the school board's February 12.

The junior-senior high school has diverse and robust programs, Mr. Sloane told school board members. The programs focus on standards that are "very clear" with "purposeful instruction.

"If students don't know why they are learning something, it won't help," Mr. Sloane said.

Mr. Sloane reviewed the results from seventh and eighth grade state and NWEA tests, as well Regents scores in the high school.

For seventh grade scores on the state English exams, more MCS students finished in Level Four (the top level) than in the local schools (MCS' BOCES region) and for the entire state. The number of MCS students in Level One (the lowest) is lower than the local and state level. For math, seventh graders, the percentage of students in both levels were lower than the local and state levels.

For eighth graders, MCS students finished in Level Four in a lower percentage than local schools, but higher than the state average. More MCS students finished in the lowest level than the local and state average. For math, MCS students, fewer finished in the top level and more finished in the lowest level for the 2023-24 school year. Mr. Sloane did note that eighth grade accelerated students take the Algebra Regents instead of the eighth grade assessments. He also said that the math scores for last year were down on the levels than the prior year.

High school Regents results were excellent, Mr. Sloane said. Of the 10 exams, only two, geometry and physics, had a passing rate of 65 or less. In four exams, 90 percent or more of the students passed. Of all 337 students who took Regents exams, 278 passed, 82.5 percent, and 89 or 26.4 percent achieved mastery.

Mr. Sloane also noted progress in report cards. The number of students who were failing one or more subjects decreased from the prior marking period.

* Seventh grade: 45 students; 11 or 24 percent failing one or more, down five percent from the prior marking period; six failing two or more classes, or 13 percent.

* Eighth grade: 41 students; 10 or 24 percent failing one or more class, down 17 percent from the prior marking period; nine failing two or more classes, or 22 percent.

* Ninth grade: 66 students; 17 or 26 percent failing one or more classes, down 15 percent from the prior marking district; eight or 12 percent failing two or more classes.

* 10th grade: 46 students; 11 or 24 percent failing one or more classes, down 13 percent from the prior marking period; five or 11 percent failing two or more.

* 11th grade: 58 students; six or 10 percent failing one or more classes, five percent higher than the prior marking period; two or three percent failing two or more classes.

* 12th grade: 46 students; two or four percent failing one or more, the same as the prior marking period; none failing two more more.

Test scores are back to pre-pandemic levels, Mr. Sloane said, though skills are lagging behind. The emphasis will be on writing, he noted.

Mr. Sloane added that 70 percent of the students body made the Merit Roll, Honor Roll, or High Honor Roll for the second marking period.

Student support has improved, he noted, including a Regional Food Pantry, through the help of community partners.

The new cell phone policy, despite a few infractions the week the report was given, has been a success and students have done a "fantastic job," Mr. Sloane said.

"We made the right call."

Though some changes may be made after the winter break, the students have done a "great job overall" and are "very respectful" of the policy.

There are many other schools with more cell phone problems, the principal said.

"Keep the ship going in the right direction," he added.