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Magee Middle School dropped in rankings from a C to a D. I am sure you are like me…that doesn’t sound to good! But, Dr. Rasheda Bell, principal of the Magee Middle School, shared an over-all picture of the grade change.
*(Grade drop was listed in Sunday, October 23, 2016 Clarion Ledger under Merit pay. According to Dr. Bell, “we actually grew from a low D to a high D…closer to a C.”)
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MAGEE MIDDLE SCHOOL
#GREATbyChoice
The 2015-16 scores are out!
We would like to take the opportunity to communicate to our parents and community the progress that is being made at our school. Magee Middle School has been rated a “D” under the new State Accountability Model. Although this rating has not changed from the previous year, it is important to understand the way these School Grade Levels are calculated. Below is a table that outlines 5 major differences between the two Accountability models.
| Old Accountability Model (2014-15) | New Accountability Model (2015-16) |
| 1. Has 4 areas of Proficiency
(Minimal, Basic, Proficient & Advanced) |
1. Has 5 areas of Proficiency
(Minimal, Basic, Passing, Proficient & Advanced) |
| 2. Focuses on Proficiency Levels | 2. Focuses on Growth Levels |
| 3. More points awarded for MMS Student X:
MMS Student X starts school year at a “proficient” level and remains at a “proficient” level after testing |
3. More points awarded for MMS Student Y:
MMS Student Y starts school at a “minimal” (lowest level) but moves up two levels to “passing” (still below proficient) |
| 4. PARCC Assessment | 4. Questar Assessment |
| 5. Schools Waivers were granted | 5. No Schools Waivers were granted |
GREAT News!
The good news is that Magee Middle School was one of two schools in the district that made school-wide growth! This means that, on average, every child at MMS grew on their state assessment. That is awesome! We are so proud of our students! The rules and circumstances may change, but our Magee Middle Family continues to persevere. Although a “D” rating is not where we aspire to be, we currently stand 21 points shy of our goal, and we are setting our sights even higher! Remember, state assessments come once a year for us. While we only get one shot at getting proficiency points, growth is something that happens all year long!
We Love Our MMS Parents!
We would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank you” to all of our parents that have continued to support and work with us for your children’s best interest. Some of you are new to our family, while others have been with us through three different state assessments. Parents, we need your help! Please stay engaged by checking Active Parent regularly. Get involved with our teachers and communicate any questions that you may have about your child’s progress. Become active in the PTO. Help us monitor your child’s progress by discussing your child’s goals with him/her at home. Make sure students are in school to receive instruction. You are essential to making GREAT things happen at MMS!
Hard Work Pays Off!
Congratulations to our teachers who will be receiving an incentive stipend for making growth with their students! This was our last year participating in Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) Grant funded by the Mississippi Department of Education. This grant did so many positive things for our students and school educators. MMS would like to especially thank Dr. Albert Carter (MDE Grant Director), the IMPACT consulting group, Sharonda Jones (TIF Master Teacher/MMS Grant Manager), and all of those persons who worked along with us to make that process work successfully! The TIF Grant awarded Magee Middle School $53,475.00 in payouts to teachers for making school-wide growth! That is an outstanding accomplishment and a well deserved reward for our teachers. I have often said that teachers are the heartbeat of our school. What our teachers do every day cannot be measured, but we hope that this token will bring about some additional motivation to continue to change lives and grow our students every day that they are in our care. Teachers, we appreciate all that you do!
A look ahead…
At MMS, we will continue to work hard to grow our students. We all need to work together to reach our goals. You can be proud to send your child to MMS knowing that decisions are made for the betterment of our children and our school family. As the Head of Family, I could not be more humble to be a part of this journey. Our Leadership Team and Support Staff are the best in the business! Everyone in this family brings GREAT value and we could not make this happen without you. As we move forward, I encourage you with these words: Greatness does not happen by chance, it will only happen by choice!
Rasheda Bell, Ph.D.
Magee Middle School Principal
