Belfield students get high scores in reading, math

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• Richardton-Taylor school receives report

Those in the Belfield School District attribute high reading and math scores in the 2009-10 Comparative District Achievement Report released recently to the public to a good learning atmosphere and teachers that really care.

The District beat its state-set reading and math goals in all categories except students with disabilities.

The goal for students with disabilities was missed by nearly 19 percent in reading, and 3.1 percent in math.

The school-wide goal for reading is 76.4 percent the district’s achievement was 82.5 percent.

Results for subgroups were similar.

In math the district beat the goal of 65.6 percent by nearly 19 percent in all categories aside from students with disabilities.

“Test scores vary on a lot of different things, but a major factor in tests is how well the teacher is presenting the information,” Superintendent Darrel Remington said. “And I feel we have great teachers in Belfield.”

Junior Miranda Kadrmas agrees, adding that is not the only reason for higher test scores.

“My teachers have gone out of their way to help me and I think a lot of other students feel the same,” she said. “I can go in almost any time of day, even before or after school, to get help.”

She said the teachers in Belfield are there for the students.

“It’s not just about class work either,” Kadrmas said. “Our teachers come to our games, concerts and activities, too. They take a real interest in our lives and we can come to them with our problems, too.”

Remington agrees and said having parental and community support outside of class definitely transfers to academics.

“We try to have a positive and accepting atmosphere at our school and observe what is happening,” Remington said. “We are a small enough school that there is a lot of individualized attention and we can pick up on signs that a student may be struggling or need help and we try and act fast so they don’t get discouraged in their academic pursuits.”

Elementary principal and high school English teacher Marie Lorge said in high school there is an emphasis in reading out loud, comprehension and the message the writer is trying to convey.

She added elementary teachers concentrate on the fundamentals and build great foundations for the students to build upon.

The math scores can be attributed to individual attention, math teacher Mary Baer said.

“It’s not that we are doing anything different or special, its more about answering questions and working with students to help them solve problems,” Baer said.

Attendance and graduation rates are also high in Belfield.

“We strive to make sure every student is getting the best education we can give them,” Remington said. “It’s a proud moment for everyone when a student can say ‘I did it.’”

Tags: news, school, education, belfield