Merritt gets ‘A’ grade for last year

Published 11:18 am Tuesday, September 26, 2006

By By ANDY HAMILTON / Niles Daily Star
NILES – Merritt Elementary School made history last year.
It was the first in the Brandywine Community Schools district to receive an 'A' grade on Michigan School Report Cards. Ruth Kittleson, the district's curriculum coordinator, said Monday night at the regular meeting of the board of education, the focus should be on improving the percentage score every year.
"This is what we really want to push you guys to work with is growth, "Kittleson told the board of education and superintendent Gary Rider.
Kittleson said Merritt may have earned an 'A' prior to last school year if the format for the state's Education YES program was different. Before 2005-2006, Merritt was considered a "feeder school" and assumes the Brandywine Elementary School grade for the year.
"[Merritt Elementary principal Karen Weimer] finally got a score. When she gets her own score, look at what she gets – an 'A'," Kittleson said.
The grading system is based on new and old MEAP test scores as well as how much the school improves each year, Kittleson said. Brandywine, as a whole, has remained around the 'B' level for the last three years.
In 2003-2004, Merritt and Brandywine elementary schools and the middle school all earned a 'B' grade, and the high school was given a 'C'. By the next year, the high school raised its grade to a 'B' to match the other buildings.
Aside from giving feeder schools grades, the Education YES program, which is a part of the national initiative No Child Left Behind, also made changes in how grades were measured and presented. Kittleson said the state never used to provide percentages, only letter grades.
She also said in 2003-2004, the state did not round up the percentages, which may have cost the district a higher grade. However, last year the state did issue higher grades based on rounded up percentages.
Kittleson said the more the Brandywine district improves, the harder it is to continually raise grades each year.
"When you get up around 87 percent … it gets harder and harder to continue to grow at the same rate," she said.
She added, "we are growing very nicely along."
The progress, Kittleson said, could be attributed to a few factors. The district has a stable administration staff, she said, referring to Weimer, Rider and other principals. She also said teachers and administrators are increasing their awareness of student progress.