Lower Dauphin School District Fall 2016 Know Your Schools Important Information for the Residents of Lower Dauphin School District Superintendent Test scores are up, more Sherri L. Smith, Ed.D Message work needs done s we finish our first marking period, it’s always a good time to pause and reflect. I am pleased to report that the Lower Dauphin school officials say that the district’s scores on school year is off to an outstanding start and our students state standardized tests and the state performance measuring system A are good but have room for growth. continue to find new ways to shine. This newsletter highlights a few of the many reasons I consider it to be a great blessing to be “We know our students are stronger than these test scores are the superintendent of schools in Lower Dauphin. showing,” said Superintendent Sherri Smith. “We will continue I witness firsthand the hope, promise and potential of our to work to refine our curriculum and instruction to ensure that our next generation in the halls of our schools. I cannot be more students’ performance on the tests equals their abilities.” proud of our students and I hope you feel the same. In the 2014-15 school year, the Pennsylvania Core Standards There are lots of changes on the horizon in the educational were implemented which changed expectations for curriculum in field. New federal mandates mean changes at the state level schools across the state. That same year, the Pennsylvania System of which ultimately find their way to our local schools. In the School Assessment (PSSA) began testing on this new content. The article at right, we present information about the standardized number of Pennsylvania students scoring proficient or advanced on tests our students took last school year. You will see that our the PSSA in grades 3-8 fell by an average of 35.4 percentage points scores are lower than we are used to, but with a new test in math and 9.4 percent in English/language arts that year. and new state standards, that is to be expected. Even with The state recognized this issue and suspended the School the changes, our students’ Performance Profile reporting system for a year and also set the performance was fourth-highest 2014-15 as a new benchmark by which future PSSA scores should “I witness be measured. in the midstate and well above firsthand the the statewide average of their “Our students were scoring between 80 and 90 percent peers. We will continue to refine hope, promise and proficient on the PSSA before this change,” Dr. Smith said. “We our instruction and curriculum potential of our aren’t seeing these results on the Pennsylvania Core Standards test to ensure that our students’ next generation yet, but we are confident we’ll get there.” At the high school, students’ performance on the Keystone performance on these tests in the halls of our accurately reflects their abilities. Exams in algebra, biology and literature continue to be strong and It has also been a fall sports schools. ” were largely unaffected by the changes to the Pennsylvania Core season to remember with boys Standards. soccer capturing the school’s first Even though the district’s PSSA test scores are lower, Dr. Smith state title for a male sports team. Field hockey advanced to the did point out that they are still proportionally higher than the state state semifinals. Cross country had athletes compete and medal average. Lower Dauphin students’ performance on the PSSAs is in the state tournament. Our attendance at these sporting events (Continued on page 2) shows the pride our community has in our athletes and I know from speaking to coaches that it is appreciated on the playing fields. Our students personify the values contained in the high Inside This Issue school’s Alma Mater – “Ever striving toward our goals, eager brave and true; help us keep our standards high for the White Boys soccer wins state championship and Blue.” Those words are as true today as they were when page 3 they were penned 50-plus years ago. The future is bright here in Lower Dauphin! Working with these amazing young people is cause enough for optimism. HS seniors learn financial lessons Please join us at a concert, sporting event or other school page 5 function and see for yourself that the future is in great hands! With Falcon Pride, Welcome to our new staff pages 7-9 Scenes from graduation Sherri L. Smith, Ed.D. page 11 Superintendent Lower Dauphin website address: www.ldsd.org ower LDauphin Know Your Schools Test Scores: Time needed to make sure scores are where they should be (Continued from page 1) the fourth highest in the midstate overall and English/Language Arts PSSA Scores the high school’s performance on the Keystone 2014-15 2015-16 Exams is the highest ever. A full breakdown of the district’s scores can be found in the chart at right. LD PA LD PA The state also issued School Performance Conewago Elementary 81.9 60.7 78.2 60.4 Profiles in 2015-16 after the one-year hiatus. Those profiles can be found at www.ldsd.org/ East Hanover Elementary 68.4 60.7 72.6 60.4 spp, but since the profiles rely heavily on the new Londonderry Elementary 76.4 60.7 73.5 60.4 PSSA scores, the district does not believe they accurately represent the learning taking place in Nye Elementary 73.2 60.7 70.3 60.4 schools. South Hanover Elementary 86.1 60.7 85.2 60.4 “As improved resources and practices are instituted in our classrooms, student performance Lower Dauphin Middle School 73.0 60.0 75.7 60.5 on standardized assessments is anticipated to Math PSSA Scores grow and will have a positive impact on future School Performance Profile scores,” Dr. Smith 2014-15 2015-16 said. “However, at this time we will not use these LD PA LD PA profiles to measure our growth.” Further, she said that with changes at the Conewago Elementary 64.7 45.3 65.2 48.5 federal level, states will be revising methods of East Hanover Elementary 58.4 45.3 63.5 48.5 school assessment and the School Performance Profile may be undergoing changes in the years Londonderry Elementary 61.4 45.3 62.6 48.5 ahead. Nye Elementary 54.7 45.3 54.8 48.5 The district instead plans to concentrate on the achievement of students on the standardized South Hanover Elementary 73.8 45.3 75.9 48.5 tests. To do this, the district continues to align Lower Dauphin Middle School 50.0 39.6 47.8 36.5 curriculum and resources to ensure that the material being taught is what is measured by the Keystone Exams tests. “The way our scores rebound on the 2014-15 2015-16 Keystone Exams in high school indicates that Lower Dauphin High School LD PA LD PA students are being prepared for success, it’s just that the work we’re doing isn’t being captured Algebra 78.2 64.5 82.3 68.2 on the PSSA tests at this time,” Dr. Smith said. Biology 69.2 59.0 78.9 65.8 “I am confident with another year or two, we will be back where we should be on our state test Literature 80.2 72.8 86.2 76.8 performance.” Two named semifinalists in National Merit Scholar program Lower Dauphin High School seniors attend a four-year university and major in Sam Rothermel and Matt Foran were musical performance. recently named semifinalists in the Matt is the son of Donna and 62nd annual National Merit Scholarship Joseph Foran. He is four-year member of Program. This prestigious designation the marching band, concert band and jazz placed them in the top one percent of all band where he plays the trumpet. He is U.S. high school seniors and among the a four-year member of the Tri-M Music highest scoring entrants in Pennsylvania. Honor Society and the National Science Sam is the son of Nancy and Joseph Honor Society. He is a three-year Rothermel. He is a four-year member of member of the National Honor Society the orchestra and the spring musical’s pit and the Latin National Honor Society. orchestra, serving as concertmaster of each He also participated in the ping pong for the past three years. He is one of the Sam Rothermel Matt Foran and chess club for three years and played most decorated musicians in school history, lacrosse for two years. He plans to attend a performing at states the past two years and earning a spot at nationals four-year university and major in electrical engineering with a minor in last year. He is president and a four-year member of the Tri-M Music mechanical engineering. Honor Society and is president and a two-year member of the Math As semifinalists, Sam and Matt will continue in the competition Honor Society. He is also a three-year member of the National Science and try to advance to the elite finalist level of the program. Also Honor Society and the Latin Honor Society and a two-year member of earning recognition were LDHS seniors Nick Moosic and Rosie Levi the National Honor Society and National English Honor Society. He is a and homeschooler Cameron Messinger who joined 34,000 students member of the chorus and has participated in Dramapalooza. He plans to nationwide as Commended Students.