Keystone Principal Godfrey praised for high student scores

At the Jan. 14 regular meeting of the Keystone Academy Board of Directors, Keystone Principal Keturah Godfrey was praised by the board for the high scores her students made on the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP) tests last spring.
The statewide scores on this new test, given during the 2014-15 school year, were released to the public on Dec. 18 by the Michigan Department of Education. M-STEP took over the former Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) testing after 44 years.
For M-STEP, third through eighth graders sat down in front of computers to take tests in math and English language arts (ELA). In addition, fourth and seventh grade students were assessed in science and fifth and eighth graders took the M-STEP social studies test.
Also, Michigan 11th graders in the Class of 2016 took the Michigan Merit Exam during the spring testing period, Including the M-STEP math, ELA, science and social studies assessment, along with the ACT college entrance exam and WorkKeys.
Keystone Academy has classes from Young Five to eighth grade.
At the Jan. 14 school board meeting, Godfrey presented a chart put together by National Heritage Academies that shows Keystone’s average proficiency scores for grades 3-8 were 56%, and those scores were 29.3% higher than Van Buren Public Schools, 27.2% higher than Lincoln Consolidated School District, and 18.7% higher than state scores.
“I’m very proud of the students and staff,” said Principal Godfrey. She said after a lot of hard work, “… We were able to see some pretty terrific results.”
She said Keystone has a number of advanced learners and the school is “incredibly rigorous” in its curriculum.
It was noted that Keystone did not receive a letter from the state questioning its high scores, such as the letter Van Buren Public Schools received, that was reported by School Supt. Michael Van Tassel.
Godfrey also reported that she had received notice from National Heritage Academies that Keystone was “top in the company” in staff satisfaction, according to the fall survey. NHA has 80 schools in nine states.
The fall parent survey put Keystone in the top 30 in satisfaction and several within the top 20 and top 10. She said Keystone teachers are making an effort to better communicate to the parents how they teach virtues with their “moral focus.”
In other business at the Jan. 14 meeting, the board:
• Learned Godfrey was chosen to provide Professional Development to other NHA principals on developing deans
• Applauded the Keystone Boys Basketball advance to the semi-finals and soon the finals in its league;
• Learned the Science Fair will be open for public viewing from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Feb. 18 and the Regional Solo and Ensemble Band Festival will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Feb. 20 at South Arbor in Canton;
• Approved the list of board meetings for the 2016-17 school year. Feb. 4 is the date of the next meeting;
• Learned board member William Johnson does not wish to be reappointed when his term runs out May 30 because of other personal obligations. This means the board will be seeking a replacement for him on the board;
• Reappointed Susan Meland to the board of directors;
• Approved the recommendation to have Lia Gianatti appointed to serve on the Wayne RESA ISD Parent Advisory Committee. She has a Kindergarten student at Keystone and a younger son that will be coming to school soon;
• Reappointed Plante Moran for the 2015-16 audit; and
• Approved the appointment of CS3 Law as the law firm to represent the Keystone board for the rest of the fiscal year. LaRae Munk, Keystone’s longtime attorney, has joined the law firm and the firm will continue to represent the board.