Return to Headlines
Maplewood Middle in the American Press
By Lisa Addison
laddison@americanpress.com
Out of 11 middle schools in Calcasieu Parish,
Maplewood Middle School in Sulphur is the only one that achieved a letter grade
of A on the state Department of Education’s recently released annual report
card, increasing its score from 87.9 the previous year to 102 this year. “We
have a lot to celebrate,” said Principal Saberly O’Quain,
who is in her second year as principal of Maplewood Middle. “Our students and
teachers have all worked so hard. From the teachers to the students to the
administrators, everyone is so excited about this wonderful achievement.” O’Quain
said there are several reasons for the increase, but that community support has
been instrumental. “There have been so many changes the last couple of years,
including huge changes in curriculum,” she said. “But we are fortunate in that
our community stood by us and trusted us through those changes.” For middle
schools, 95 percent of the grade is based on student achievement on annual
assessments, and 5 percent is based on credits earned through the end of
students’ ninth-grade year. “This accomplishment is the culmination of hard
work from not only our faculty and staff, but also our students,”
Superintendent Karl Bruchhaus said
in a statement. “Our goal remains to provide a quality education for all
students, and we will continue to embrace opportunities for improvement in the
future.” The Calcasieu Parish performance score growth of 3.9 points raised the
overall school system from a C to a B in the accountability program. State
education officials said the latest performance scores for public schools and
public school districts show improvements in “nearly every measure of academic
progress.” But they also said the school performance grading system needs
improvement. Officials said, for instance, that the system still doesn’t
reflect gains by low-achieving students.
Stay Connected
- Maplewood Middle
- Homepage