Teachers gathered in the seminar room for a faculty meeting Jan. 30. This was not a typical faculty meeting. Administrators shared with staff the results of the Scholastic Audit, which was held Nov. 12-16.

“We went above and beyond expectations,” said principal Dr. Danny Brackett at the outset of the meeting.

Review of the results began before the faculty meeting. The administration team, along with other district officials, met with a member of the Arkansas Department of Education to review the results before meeting with the lead teachers.

The results showed affirmation of excellence areas of strength and also revealed changes that needed to be made.

“You are going from good to great,” said assistant principal Nicole Davis. “If you reach one or two kids per day, you’ll be great.”

The audit results are based on a one to four scale, one being little or no development and implementation, and four being an exemplary level of development and implementation. The majority of the school’s results were in the two to three range. There were only two scores of “one” listed in the audit’s findings.

According to assistant principal Shannon Tisher, associate superintendent for curriculum and instruction Dr. Marsha Jones described the audit results as, “unprecedented in the district.”

The section of the audit where the school received the highest marks were in Standard One, which covers curriculum. The school received a three in all of the indicators except for one.

In Standard One, the indicators that auditors were looking for were associated with whether or not the curriculum follows the state standards and requirements. The school also received a good score in Standard One because the curriculum promotes further education and allows for discussion between other schools in the district.

“We should look at this report and say ‘Wow,’” said Mrs. Tisher. “When you go home and have time to reflect, you should celebrate our victories. What we’re doing here shows in this report.”

Although the majority of the scores were in the two or three range, one indicator in Standards Eight and Nine were labeled as a one. These standards fall under the efficiency category. The indicator in Standard Eight is based on money management, and the indicator in Standard Nine discusses the evaluation of the achievement of goals in student learning set by the school improvement plan.

“Change is coming,” said Mrs. Tisher. “We’re going to do it, and we’re going to do it together.”

In the faculty meeting, administration discussed the next steps that faculty and staff would be taking to improve in these areas. One focus of improvement is in the learning of the Targeted Achievement Gap group. Teachers and administration are ready to take on the challenge.

“We are a school full of passion, passionate people who do what you do every day,” said assistant principal Dr. Michael Shepherd.