VERNON, Connecticut – The Vernon Public Schools have ranked No. 1 among Alliance Districts in Connecticut in the latest results of the Connecticut Department of Education’s Next Generation Accountability System.
For the 2021-2022 school year, Vernon earned 73.5 points. The state average was 69.6. In addition to ranking No. 1 among the 33 Alliance Districts, Vernon ranked No. 1 in its reference group.
“This is an amazing achievement for our students, teachers, families, staff and administration,” Vernon Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph P. Macary said. “To attain this level of achievement in spite of the last three years of disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and school shutdowns is truly remarkable and indicative of how hard everyone has worked. I could not be prouder.”
The Next Generation Accountability System evaluates student learning with a broad set of indicators that help detail how a school and the entire school system prepares students for success in college, careers and life. The system moves beyond test scores and graduation rates and provides a more comprehensive analysis of how a district is educating students.
“This analysis of the Vernon Public School is not just a snap shot of student achievement, but a holistic analysis of how we are progressing on 23 key indicators on which the state judges a district’s overall performance,” Assistant Superintendent of Schools Robert Testa said. “It includes everything from year-to-year academic growth, school attendance, college and career readiness, physical fitness and arts access to whether students are on track for graduation. On 19 of those 23 indicators, Vernon students exceeded the state average. That is the best we have ever done and is evidence of how hard students, parents, teachers, administrators and staff are working.”
Board of Education Chair Anne Fischer said the results show that the “whole child approach” to educating Vernon children and the board’s fundamental belief that all children can achieve are moving Vernon forward.
"The Board of Education joins Dr. Macary in congratulating our students, staff, and parents on this outstanding achievement,” Fischer said. “Our available resources were utilized to the fullest to maximize our students' growth. This success is the result of the dedication and determination of Vernon's teachers and administrators working hand in hand with our students and their parents."
Schools that showed significant growth and achievement are deemed “Schools of Distinction,” and three Vernon schools have repeatedly reached that designation.
Skinner Road School is a School of Distinction for its high performance in English/Language Arts and Math. Skinner Road School has achieved the distinction for the four past ranking years.
Northeast School has earned the School of Distinction designation for the past three ranking years for all students for high performance and high growth in Math, and for high growth among high needs students in Math and English/Language Arts. (High needs students are those who are economically disadvantaged, English learners and/or who have disabilities.)
For the past two ranking years, Lake Street School has been designated a School of Distinction for high growth in Math among high needs students.
Schools recognized for “high performance” are among the top 10 percent in the state.
Vernon students also exceeded the state average in a variety of categories related directly to academic achievement, including:
English/Language Arts performance for all students.
English/Language Arts performance for high needs students.
Math performance for all students.
Math performance for high needs students.
Science performance index for all students.
Science performance index for high needs students.
English/Language Arts academic growth for all students.
English/Language Arts academic growth for high needs students.
Math academic growth for all students.
Math academic growth for high needs students.
Progress toward English proficiency – literacy.
Progress toward English proficiency – oral.
“Again, I could not be more proud of the hard work put in by our students, parents, teachers, staff and administrators in achieving these kinds of results,” Dr. Macary said. “We know every student, if given the opportunity and necessary support, can achieve at a high level. Our partnership with families and the community is essential to making that happen.”