NORTH STAFFORD, Va. — Hundreds of educators packed the gym at North Stafford High School on Tuesday morning to celebrate their return to the classroom.
A county-wide celebration was held for the second year in a row and spearheaded by Stafford Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Randy Bridges who is now in his second year on the job.
It was a way to celebrate recent accomplishments and rally for new successes in the coming year. Bridges outlined “smart goals” which will be measured throughout the school year. He also presented a plan that includes reading improvement for students not already reading at a third grade level, more focus on math while getting more middle school students to grasp algebra, and improving overall test scores.
“For those of you who have looked at the plan on our website, some may say it’s too aggressive, some may say it’s not aggressive enough, but I assure you the things that are in this plan… as educators will be working very hard to accomplish it,” said Bridges.
Each year Virginia’s public schools’ academic progress is measured under a rubric outlined by 2001’s No Child Left Behind Act. An annual Adequate Yearly Progress report is issued each year, and Stafford County schools in 2011 did not make the cut.
Just 10 of the county’s 30 public schools improved their AYP test scores over the previous year, but it’s wasn’t enough for the entire school system to pass. Stafford schools achieved AYP status last time in 2009.
