All four building principals attended the Dec. 16 curriculum committee meeting held at Salisbury High School to present the first of many discussions on the district testing results.

Presentations will continue at future curriculum meetings as principals continue to analyze the data and put plans in place to ensure students' success.

SHS Principal Heather Morningstar said there are four opportunities to retest with the Keystone assessments and the best performance is logged in. Beginning in 2017, all students must pass the Keystone tests in literature, algebra and biology in order to graduate. If they do not pass, they have the opportunity to do a project which Director of Special Education Nora Perron-Jones said "is every bit as difficult" as the tests.

Strengths at the high school included 89.5 percent of the students showing proficiency in literature, meeting the PA standard of growth in algebra I, exceeding PA standard of growth in literature and biology and improved performance of first time biology testers by 16.6 percent.

Challenges at the high school include the performance of special education students on the math Keystone tests. Morningstar said this is a significant area of concern. Morningstar also said the high school is not on pace to close the achievement gap for all students (including historically underperforming students) in biology.

Next steps at the high school include working to refine the remediation plan, plan and refine implementation of the project-based assessments, continued investment of remedial math program appropriate for special education students and continued utilization of benchmark results to target instruction to those students who need help.

Salisbury Middle School Principal Bob Cassidy said sixth and seventh grade students exceeded growth standard, eighth grade students exceeded growth standard in reading and writing and the school is making adequate growth in science with proficiency above state average.

Regarding challenges, Cassidy said the math advanced groups are not demonstrating adequate growth, the sixth grade reading proficient group did not demonstrate adequate growth and in science the school is not currently on pace to close the achievement gap for all students (historically underperforming students).

Next steps at the middle school include recreating math probes to represent the new PSSA structure. Cassidy pointed out the teachers were teaching the new PA Core curriculum; however, the students were tested on the PA Academic standards as per the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Other steps include ensuring all teachers understand the Pennsyvlania System of School Assessment genre and encouraging math teachers to creatively embed regular content into advanced classes.

Strengths at Harry S Truman include the Leader in Me program, community partnerships with St. Luke's University Health Network and an increase in proficiency in math and math literacy. Principal Barbara Samide said challenges include behavioral as the school supports all students with changing demographics. Other challenges include a decrease in science PSSA scores, decrease in reading PSSA scores and addressing the Pennsylvania Value Added Assessment System growth.

Next steps for Samide include collaboration with the elementary psychologist, refining child study team processing and leveraging the Leader in Me processes to meet the students' needs.

Principal Grace Hartman said strengths at Western Salisbury Elementary school include the Leader in Me program, professional development, improved monitoring and analyzing of data and an increase in writing scores of 19 percent.

Challenges include behavior, support of non-identified students in emotional crisis and learning how to meet new, diverse needs of students. Academically, reading, math and science scores are down slightly. Hartman wants to regain those numbers as well as move students from proficient to advanced and continue to support students in the English as a second language classes and those with other challenges.

Hartman said ESL students are doing well when assessed properly.

Next steps for Hartman include developing and implementing a student assistance program.

After a question and answer period from board members, Board President Russell Giordano said, "The entire measurement of a school is the result of a test taken once a year by a particular group. The whole system is rotten at its core with a test we've never seen," Giordano said. [PDE does not allow educators to see the Keystone tests.]

In other business, the committee saw a presentation on the German American Partnership Program when German students arrived Oct. 16 for a two week visit. Salisbury students will travel to Germany in June to stay with German students. Both parents and students attended the meeting to answer questions from the board as to the success of the program.