Both elementary schools in Todd County received three out of a possible five stars in the new state accountability program utilizing assessment data and other criteria from the last school year, while the middle and high school each received two stars.
South Todd Elementary School was the district’s top-performing school with a score of 67.1, North Todd had a score of 60.3, Todd Central High’s score was 57.9 and Todd County Middle had a score of 54.3.
All Todd County schools met criteria to remove the district from the ‘Targeted Support Improvement’ designation.
North Todd Principal Bruce Voth is quoted in a news release as saying, “Our improvement plans this past year focused on building successful strategies in reading and math and applying those strategies to science, social studies and writing. As we analyze the scores, we are pleased to see significant growth in every area of the assessment. We also placed intentional focus on economically disadvantaged students and how to address the learning gap across all content areas.”
He says there will also be an increased focus on building stronger relationships between the school and the students’ families and the community.
South Todd Principal Tammy Mason says, “Accountability scores continue to improve due to the hard work and dedication of all staff members, students, and parents who work collaboratively to ensure high achievement. While we are proud of the improvements, we know we have additional work we must do to continue to improve student achievement in our building at a higher level.”
She also notes that school safety will continue to be a point of emphasis at their building.
David Carmichael is the principal at the middle school and celebrated losing the targeted designation saying, “Our number one priority at this school is to help our students grow – from the student struggling with content to the student who is gifted and is two years ahead of their peers. For us to have evidence that this is happening is, indeed, a reason for celebration.”
At Todd Central, Principal Deatrik Kinney also noted the removal of the targeted title there, saying “We have made great gains from the previous year in Transition Readiness. We have been working diligently with all students to build upon the academic successes and continue to provide the building blocks to gain the necessary components to propel our students into the next level.”
Superintendent Ed Oyler notes there is still work to be done, saying “We recognize there is a long road ahead and we must improve student outcomes, and increase opportunities. Our staff is committed to that end, and ready for the challenge to help all our students reach proficiency as we prepare them for academic excellence in all areas and their future careers. The groundwork is in place and we are implementing that work at all levels.”