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Sterling Middle fully accredited
Sterling Middle School has been fully accredited by the Virginia Department of Education entering the 2009-2010 school year.
When staff members came to school Aug. 26, Principal Nereida Gonzalez-Sales treated them to a program and luncheon honoring this accomplishment.
Sterling Middle School had been "accredited with warning" since the 2007-2008 school year because students there had not scored at least 70 percent on state Standard of Learning tests.
With the help of the Loudoun County Public Schools central administration, other LCPS middle schools shared successful ideas and lesson plans with Sterling.
Gonzalez-Sales arranged schedules to allow teachers time to collaborate.
Sterling Middle School math teachers met every morning to plan and review student progress. The math resource teacher and math SALT (subject area lead teacher) led discussions and provided special lessons to keep students engaged and focused.
A teacher and dean from Mercer Middle School also met with staff once a week before school to review lessons and assessments. Sterling administrators observed classes frequently and provided feedback.
The results were dramatic: math SOL scores rose 13 points from their 2006 level to a passing grade of 75 points last year.
The gains were especially impressive among ethnic minority and special needs students.
Limited English proficiency students saw their math scores rise by 18 points; the scores of special needs students rose 19 points; and economically disadvantaged students added 23 points to their scores.
The achievement increases lapped over into other subject areas with history and civics rising two points to a score of 78; English rising two points (to 87); and science four points to 92.
-- Elizabeth Coe
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