In compliance with Vermont Department of Education (DOE) requirements VUHS is providing you with the following Important Information:

The New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) is a series of custom designed tests developed in collaboration with Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine Departments of Education. These assessments measure student proficiency on reading, science, math, and writing grade level expectations. Reading and math are assessed at grade levels 3 through 8 and grade 11, science in grade 4, 8 and 11, and writing is assessed in grades 5,8 and 11.

The DOE establishes for each public school an Annual Measurable Objective (AMO) for reading and mathematics. These are NECAP related target scores that a school is expected to meet in order to be in compliance with Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) requirements established under the “No Child Left Behind” legislation. In School Year 2008-2009, and again in 2009 - 2010, VUHS achieved its assigned AMO in both reading and mathematics in the category of All Students.

Under the “Free/Reduced Lunch” sub-category of students, VUHS did not meet its target for growth.  We have been “Identified” for not meeting the assigned target in mathematics. We are in Year 2 of School Improvement as defined by the Vermont Department of Education and the US Department of Education.  Working together as teachers, administrators and students, we did improve our test scores in this sub-category in 2009 - 2010, but not enough to reach the target.

VUHS is required to engage in a variety of required activities designed to address this deficit area. These activities include increased professional development for teachers, improvements to the curriculum, development of "common" assessments, developing a process for teachers to work more closely with students' progress data, and modifications in our academic interventions for all students.  Some recent examples of student interventions that we have put into place are the expanded summer school program that served 60 students in grades 7 - 10 this summer and small group tutorials in reading and math provided for students both during the school day and after school last year.  We will be repeating both of these learning opportunities for our students again in 2010-2011.

We accept the challenge of assisting a greater number of struggling students to achieve academic standards in mathematics.  It is both legitimate and imperative. We will keep you informed as to our progress in responding to this challenge. If you would like more information, please contact the Principals. 

Peter Reynolds (PReynolds@anwsu.org/877-3332)  or  Ed Webbley (ewebbley@anwsu.org/877 2858)