Medical Lake school board hears about new assessments

Medical Lake’s School Board learned at its Oct. 25 meeting about a new assessment program now in place in the district.

Kim Headrick, the district’s director of teaching and learning, presented information on Aims Web, a program that will supplement state-mandated yearly testing conducted each spring.

“We want to know how our kids are doing more than simply once year,” Headrick said. “Now when testing is conducted at the state level the results are not available until August.”

Medical Lake is just one of many districts that offer assessments throughout the year. The district assessments occur three times a year in fall, winter and spring. The most recent was completed a couple of weeks into the school year with the next to take place following the holiday break in January.

The testing provides a picture of how students grow from fall to winter to spring. The testing is done on computers and is web based, keeping the need for new hardware at a minimum.

State testing, Headrick said in a follow up interview, shows Medical Lake students scoring above other students in most every category in the state.

Chad Moss, director of finance, reported that the district was on target with its ending fund balance at 9 percent, which he termed, ”Pretty good.” Also notable was the report on enrollment, which is up 20 students over projections.

Superintendent Tim Ames spoke to the still-evolving rules on school levies where new laws could mean some districts will lose funding while others can see increases. There are a number of unintended consequences with the new uniform property tax rates.

Ames also reminded the board that without an approved state capital budget, many construction projects require districts to borrow money from their respective counties. With no current building projects, Medical Lake is fortunate not to be caught in this position.

Ames also presented a proclamation noting October as School Principals Month and acknowledged a number of the district’s building bosses who were in the audience.

The superintendent also outlined a project that will renovate restrooms at Holliday Field. The expected cost is $36,000 with the city of Medical Lake partnering in the project. The work is expected to be complete by the fall of 2018, in time for football season.

In regular business the board, minus member Felicia Jensen who had an excused absence, approved the second readings on board policies concerning both homeless students and those in foster care. Also approved were both board and superintendent goals for 2018.

Paul Delaney can be reached at pdelaney@cheneyfreepress.com.