SMS receives top state ranking
SANDPOINT — The new statewide school rating system is giving local educators more reason to feel proud.
According to Sandpoint Middle School Principal Kim Keaton, the school finished sixth out of 101 Idaho middle schools for the highest score in the state, earning itself a four-star ranking. With only one other middle school of comparable size ranking above Sandpoint Middle School in scoring, the achievement was even more rewarding for local teachers.
“We really think this is the result of a strong collaboration among our teachers combined with an excellent curriculum that has worked out so well for us,” Keaton said.
The statewide rating system operates on a point-based structure by measuring results from the Idaho Standards Achievement Test on a multi-year basis.
Rather than awarding points based on high score averages, however, the scoring system rewards strong percentages of growth over the students’ scholastic careers.
While the system also factors good access to college prep courses and dual-enrollment programs for high schools, student growth is the main point of concern for K-8 schools.
In that sense, Keaton said the teamwork established with the district’s elementary schools is another primary reason for Sandpoint Middle School’s high performance.
“Our elementary schools are working hard to send us some great kids,” Keaton said.
The high ranking will spread its rewards to the Sandpoint Middle School staff under Idaho’s new education laws, Keaton added. Based on the strong performance, middle school teachers will likely be bumped into a better pay grade based on the reform’s pay-for-performance philosophy. While higher salaries are always nice, Keaton said the school’s main motivation remains providing local kids with a great education.
The Sandpoint Middle School staff agree with that assessment. School counselor Todd Riley attributes the good news with a strong shared work ethic among the staff.
“We have a great staff that is willing to go beyond the call of duty to help our students learn and be responsible for their learning and behavior,” he said.