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HeadlinesThis week's Pigskin Pickin' results Kirk Denning keeps encouraging student improvement New lakefront may be in store at Princeton quarry Princeton Board debates parking, paving issues Junior Leadership Johnston County applications now being accepted PHS Volleyball: Lady Bulldogs 'kill' their competition RHS Volleyball: Lady Eagles fall to Ayden-Grifton Cross-Country: PHS girls place sixth RHS Tennis: Lady Eagles split matches PHS Golf: Narrow loss for Princeton Photos Obituaries James P. Bass, Pauline H. Johnson, Gilbert M. Martin Movies Mr. Woodcock Local Showtimes
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Kirk Denning keeps encouraging student improvementBy Barry Merrill 19 September 2007 — Principal Kirk Denning is starting his ninth year at Princeton School. It’s fair to say that even after nine years here, it’s still a challenging job.
As the school year nears the end of their first month back, Mr. Denning is responding to concerns over falling SAT scores and not meeting the No Child Left Behind standards. Mr. Denning noted Monday that the school’s SAT scores had been improving for several years, but in 2007 scores in all three areas, critical reading, math and writing, fell dramatically. Critical reading went from 533 to 465. Math went from 537 to 512. Writing fell to 478 from 503 the year before. In fairness, Princeton’s scores will be subject to greater swings, up and down, as a small number of students from the school take the test, usually around 30, and the abilities of students will vary from year to year. While the SAT is used as a predictor of academic success at colleges and universities, the people who prepare the test say it should not be used to compare schools or school systems. Obviously it is, whether they say it should be or not. Mr. Denning said that sometimes students who have a marginal chance to attend college will take the test, and that pulls down the scores. On the other hand, some of the better students may have decided to attend Johnston Community College or Wayne Community College, and neither requires the SAT so they do not take the test. Those who are planning to take the test are encouraged to take an SAT prep class, but some of those students choose other electives instead of taking that class. Those not in the prep class are given a prep session to help prepare them for the test. Many of the students taking the test will register through the guidance office, as registration is offered on-line, the school is not always aware of those taking the SAT and can’t give them extra help to prepare. He stressed that if students don’t take certain courses, particularly Geometry and Algebra II, they won’t do well on the test, and some who take the test don’t take those classes. Mr. Denning noted they ran into a new development last year. Counselors at UNC-Wilmington encouraged some students who were put on a waiting list based somewhat on their SAT score to also take the ACT (another entrance test). Princeton students were later accepted based on that test score. The end-of-grade testing was a much more positive story for Princeton. Princeton was one of 30 Johnston County Schools to meet expected growth in scores, and one of only 11 schools to meet high growth standards among the 37 county schools. Princeton was one of twenty-nine schools in the county to earn either School of Progress or School of Distinction designations as part of the state’s ABC program. The standards are always moving higher. “The bar has risen,” he said Monday. “While we met growth and high growth last year, always we can improve.” While test scores are seen as a measure of accountability, Mr. Denning was careful in how he phrased the school’s emphasis as relates to testing. “We encourage the teachers to teach what’s on the curriculum. If they teach the curriculum, the testing will take care of itself.” He said they particularly didn’t want to put undue pressure on the teachers and students for test scores. They recognize there already is pressure there. He said they have established what they call a pyramid of intervention. For third-eighth grade students, that intervention is based on the every nine weeks evaluations of student performance. In the high school, they are trying a new approach this year, called an extension block. This 25 minute block offers remediation during the school day for any student who needs some extra help. The help is available every day except Wednesday, when the block is used for clubs and other groups. While after-school help is also offered, with bus schedules and other activities, the remediation sometimes is squeezed out, and this is hoped to better address some of those remediation needs. For those students who are achieving, the block can be free time, which Mr. Denning hopes will be an incentive to the students to do well.
Princeton was one of the majority of county schools that did not meet the No Child Left Behind standards last year. Mr. Denning noted that as the student population at Princeton grows, the number of sub-groups, based on ethnicity and disabilities, grows. The challenges of meeting growth standards for all of the groups, which NCLB mandates, becomes increasingly difficult. Mr. Denning said they have more work to do, particularly with Hispanic and disabled students at his school. Still he expressed confidence in his staff’s abilities. As to the future, Mr. Denning was a bit non-committal. “In Johnston County, I have one of the best situations. I enjoy where I am.” His daughter, who is an eleventh grader, and his son, who is a ninth grader, are both at Princeton now, and he enjoys being able to now attend more of their athletic functions. Could there be a new principal at the old school when the new school opens next fall? With his 23 distinguished years in education in the county, Mr. Denning certainly could request a move.
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