The News From MGWS

By David Ramsay

news@seacoastonline.com

October 23, 2009 2:00 AM

SOUTH BERWICK, Maine — Based on last year’s national math tests and recent state test results, Marshwood Great Works fourth-graders are arguably among the best and brightest in the nation, say school officials.

On the National Assessment of Educational Progress Mathematics test taken last school year, Maine fourth-graders scored 244 (the national average was 239), with only four states scoring higher than Maine. Only eight states scored higher than Maine eighth-graders.

On the Maine Educational Assessment math test last year, Marshwood fourth-graders compared very favorably to the state average on that test, meeting or exceeding the state average by 14 points — 81 percent for Marshwood fourth-graders, while the state average was 67 percent.

At Wednesday evening’s School Administrative District 35 meeting, school board members were thrilled to learn these results.

“What’s really impressive is that SAD 35, we’re way above the state average, so the state is number four nationally and we outperform the state of Maine by a huge margin for the fourth grade,” said Superintendent Jeffrey Bearden. “That’s a real telling statistic because it demonstrates that our students can compete with any student in the nation in the area of mathematics.”

Bearden added, “We have very few students in the ‘do not meet the standards’ category.” For example, in the fourth-graders’ math tests, there were only 3 percent of students whose scores fell into the ‘do not meet’ category and only 2 percent in reading.”

Assistant Superintendant Gail Sullivan also reported that in reading, Marshwood fourth-graders exceeded the state average by 12 percent, with 83 percent meeting or exceeding the state average of 71 percent for the state average in those categories.

School officials were also pleased that math scores are rising and have attributed this trend in part to the use of the enriched Everyday Math program developed by the University of Chicago that was adopted several years ago.

While one might expect the halls to go quiet after dismissal time, at MGWS that is NOT the case!  Once classes end for the day then the after school activities begin.  

This afternoon nearly 150 students stayed after school to participate in a wide variety of activities:

~Play Practice (4th and 5th graders are preparing to perform Treasure Island)

~Team Handball (exercise – what a great way to end the day!)

~Hawk Challenge (here “tribes” are assigned the task of building a paper airplane)

~Math Club (a chance to work on math skills with Mrs. Conte)

~Newspaper (here students and teachers are making plans for the third edition)

~Learning Lab (an opportunity to get a head start on the night’s homework)

~World Ambassadors (seen here building schema for the book they are reading, Three Cups of Tea – a book about a man building peace in Pakistan through education)

MGWS is hopping with energy and opportunities!

Two fun intramurals are well underway here at MGWS – the school newspaper, and arts ‘n crafts.

The newspaper group is currently working on the second edition of the Marshwood Gazette.

The Arts ‘n Crafts group was making potpourri sachets and star ornaments today.

There are so many great opportunities for after-school fun.  Have YOU tried intramurals yet?

Working on the school newspaper is yet another wonderful intramural opportunity for students here at MGWS. The newspaper group meets weekly throughout the year. You don’t have to know anything about newswriting in order to join.   Miss Kyle, the teacher in charge, will get you started!