Samo raises API score by 19 points

Elizabeth MebaneStaff WriterPrincipal Laurel Fretz announced at the Homecoming Pep Rally on Oct. 12 that Samo's Academic Performance Index (API) score increased by 19 points this year, from a score of 804 to 823.Fretz, who said that the school received the scores on Oct. 11, compared Samo's 19 point increase to a four point decrease in score from rival Beverly Hills High School at the rally. According to Fretz, this was an effort to excite the student body before the Homecoming football game."I think that was a clever way to inform the students of the API score, and to also tie it in with the rivalry theme of the pep rally," junior Associated Student Body (ASB) member Kate Story said.Fretz said the increase was not only due to students' skill, but also the hard work of the teachers.“We have much to celebrate,” Fretz said. “[Teachers'] dedication to students and improvement, professionalism in collaboration and instructional skill is so appreciated.”According to Fretz, four percent more of Samo students received scores in the proficient and advanced range in English on the California Standardized Test (CST). Five percent increased their scores in math, nine percent increased their scores in the sciences and two percent increased in social studies.“I think we’ve been working for a long time on designing our class and our final exam to reflect the state standards more,” Biology teacher Ingo Gaida said. “We all have a common final now that we all focus on and try to get our kids prepared for.”Gaida said that teachers altered their curriculum schedule to best prepare students in time for CST testing.“We have rearranged some topics during the year to make sure we get to them before the actual state test,” Gaida said. “A lot of times we wouldn’t get to major topics and then the test would come. Being more organized helped increase CST scores."Senior Rachel Paris said that preparatory teaching techniques aided her comprehension and most likely boosted her score.“Focused Learning Targets were helpful for organizing what the teacher wanted us to know,” Paris said. "I also felt really good in [math] because we had a really good review packet."Gaida said he foresees a further API score increase this coming year.“I don’t think [an increase next year] will be as dramatic as it was this past year," Gaida said. "But I think we still will increase because we are still refining our technique, and we are getting better at it."emebane@thesamohi.com