In Spring 2011, Liberty Bell students in grades 7, 8, and 10 took the state assessment. In every single subject area and grade level, districts scores outpaced state averages. For a complete breakdown of test scores, see the state’s assessment page.
Below is an article that outline’s success on the state assessment in Spring 2011.
Liberty Bell 10th graders excel on state test
Tenth graders at Liberty Bell High School outperformed their state counterparts this spring on the High School Proficiency Exam in reading, writing and science.
According to results recently released by the state superintendent’s office, 95 percent of Liberty Bell sophomores met or exceeded standard in reading, while 90 percent met or exceeded standard in writing and 64 percent in science.
That compares to 81 percent in reading, 84 percent in writing and 50 percent in science among students across the state.
2011 High School Proficiency Exam
| Reading | Writing | Science | |
| Washington State | 81* | 84 | 50 |
| Methow Valley | 88 | 87 | 64 |
* percentage of 10th grade students meeting or exceeding standard
“When staff heard the news, they were thrilled,” said principal Deborah DeKalb. “While state tests are just one measure of our success, it’s certainly gratifying to see the hard work of both students and teachers translate to such a strong performance.”
Reading and writing permeate the curriculum at Liberty Bell, according to English teacher Jane Orme. Students join literature circles to read selected books in English class starting in junior high and continuing through high school. Writing projects include an autobiographical report in seventh grade, a memoir in eighth grade and literary analyses in high school.
The high school also started an English honors program in ninth and 10th grades, which provides even more opportunities for critical reading and writing.
“We’ve worked hard to help students use evidence from the text to support their arguments,” said Orme. “It’s a key component of critical thinking and a major part of the state test.”
In science, teacher teamwork made a difference, according to teacher Tyler Slostad. The science team meets to review each other’s lesson plans, analyze student work, and create assessments together.
“Our goal is to give students choice as they learn to make science applicable and interesting. We want it to be useful to them,” said Slostad.
Liberty Bell’s science scores rank high among high schools in the state, according to superintendent Mark Wenzel.
“Connections with community scientists help grow the program,” he said. “This spring, our teachers organized a science symposium during which students presented their experiments to local experts and received detailed feedback. It’s a great way to create a real-world audience for students. It’s definitely a direction we want to go across the curriculum.”
