Written by Jane Scupham, principal
Did you see the recent article in the newspaper about the State’s ratings of schools? They mainly discuss the scores of public schools and how they compare to each other, but State– accredited private schools such as ours were also rated. I’m happy to say that Saint Paul, once again, has earned the highest ranking the State issues—Exemplary. What does that mean you might ask? It means that we scored extremely well on the State’s standardized tests, I-STEPs, in the spring of 2010-with 97% of our students achieving Pass or Pass+. We certainly are Exemplary!
But we are so much more than a State rating or a percentile. Our students excel in so many ways that are not assessed on standardized tests. Recently, I marveled when I observed all that was being taught to the students in each classroom. The kindergartners were trying to grasp the concepts of “yesterday, today, and tomorrow”, and then they moved on to counting by tens and ones, followed by weather prediction—and all within a 10 minute span. Our first graders spent some time learning in phonics about how long vowels are made with the special silent “e,” and then they were directed to contemplate and write in their journals how they were going to let their “light shine” during the season of Advent. Theology was on tap as well in the second grade as the classes prepped for First Reconciliation. One student made the profound statement that, “Reconciliation strengthens our friendship with God and brings us closer to Him.” The seventh graders were wrestling with the concept of rational and natural numbers, and eighth graders were debating the value of the right to freedom of speech.
Are these all concepts and standards that will be tested on a State prescribed test? Most certainly not, but the attainment of many of these lessons will definitely make it possible for our students to be exemplary people, exemplary citizens, and hopefully, exemplary Christians.