Hayfield Elementary celebrates math progress

Last year, Hayfield Elementary made changes to its math curriculum and began using a new program to chart student progress.
The new program, called iReady, is being used to collect data on the students’ math skills and see their growth in specific areas.
The students are tested three times a year, said teacher Derrick Thompson, once at the beginning of the year, once after the first semester, and again at the end of the year.
The school recently held a celebration to recognize the accomplishments of the fourth and fifth graders.
“We wanted to honor the growth from the first to second testing,” he said.
The results of the test tell the teachers, students and parents where the students are in areas of Number and Operation, Algebra and Algebraic Thinking, Measurement and Data, and Geometry. The results of the computerized program also show student progress.
Each student has goals that they want to reach. Students who reached 50% growth on their diagnostic goals for the year are at the green level. Students at the red level have met their goals. The blue level indicates they have already met their Stretch Growth Goal.
During the celebration, students received certificates indicating their level of achievement. Students who got a blue certificate also received a medal. Some of the students, teacher Rachel Heyer said, have already made one-and-a-half year’s growth since September.
The tests, Schroeder said, are not administered the same way as statewide tests. They are done on the computer, she said, and the program can determine where the student is in their skill level and adjust the levels to a higher or lower level.
Progress reports are sent home to the parents.
The test, Schroeder said, is not timed and is broken down into 20 minute segments each day. A student can take a whole week to complete the test if necessary, she said.
Also, the test is not designed to measure whether the student is working at grade level. It tracks the progress the student is making from where they started.
Certificates presented at the celebration were for progress, not how a student stood related to state testing.
Sometimes, the teachers said, it is hard to motivate the kids, and it is hoped a new program and the celebrations will help do that.
“I think what is the biggest thing is focusing on growth with our kiddos,” said Hayfield Elementary Principal Kayla Stanton. She added that as the principal she wanted to give a “shameless plug” for the teachers and how hard they have worked on the program.