In May of 2021, your first through eighth grade student took the Terra Nova Standardized Test. We typically receive results before the last day of school; they arrived a bit later this year and we will be popping the results in the mail today. Here is a bit of information that may help you better understand your student's results.

The Terra Nova is a norm-referenced, nationally standardized achievement test. A nationally standardized test means that the test was administered to students across the country at the same time; norms are set for the time of year the tests are taken. A statistical sample of students is involved in the norming; this allows the test designers to establish percentile scales, which indicates how well students of a particular age and grade perform on the test.

The Terra Nova is an achievement test - not a proficiency test. Proficiency tests are those in which students have been taught all the content and are now being tested on whether or not they have mastered the content. Achievement tests include content that students have been taught and content that students may not have been taught, but could be expected to have mastered according to their cognitive ability.

A few points to consider when reviewing your student’s results...percentiles are not percentages. A percentile score of 60 does not mean a student got 6 out of 10 questions correct. Percentiles are rank order scores, indicating that in a national group of 100 children in the same grade, this student is doing better than 59 of those in the national group. By definition, the median percentile is 50. “Average” scores follow a bell-shaped curve, with most students falling between the 25th (low average) and 75th (high average) percentiles. A student scoring in the 58th percentile in math is achieving according to his/her ability, and perhaps a bit higher than the average of his/her peer group.

Grade level equivalencies can be easily misunderstood. A third grade student who achieves a GLE of 5.7 (fifth grade, seven months) is not necessarily reading at a fifth grade level. This means that the third grader was able to navigate the reading portion of the test in the way we would expect a fifth grader to navigate the third grade test.

It is important to remember that standardized test scores represent achievement in particular areas at one particular time and must be reviewed together with students’ actual classroom work. The information gathered from this testing is only one of the many variables that contribute to improved learning. While we are very proud of our results, it’s important to consider these tests are a portion of your child’s academic achievement.

Registration and Enrollment Options

Our After School Program is state licensed and must follow state regulations, pertaining to enrollment. Students must be registered and enrolled in the program in order to attend. Families are encouraged to register their child for ASP at the beginning of each month just as they do for school lunch. Families may enroll their students at any time of the year until capacity of the program is reached. Capacity is limited to 26 K-8 students, and 10 students for Pre-K, per day. Registration and more information can be found on the school website (ASP Registration); registration for the 2021-2022 school year will open on July 15. You may enroll your child in the After School Program for 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 days a week.

Financial Policies

The After School Program requires monthly registration, as such, families will be billed per day (please see table below), for the month. Payments may be made through your FACTS account, unless you have made different arrangements with Laurie Marcoux in our business office. Eligible families are encouraged to apply for Child Care Financial Assistance through the VT Department of Children and Families. Please email Laurie at lmarcoux@bjams.org for an application.

The State of Vermont passed a new law in 2019 that requires all schools and child care providers to test their drinking water for lead. Samples of water from every tap at Bishop John A. Marshall School were collected and sent to the Vermont Department of Health Laboratory for analysis.

Results for Bishop John A. Marshall School

• Two taps had a lead level at 4 parts per billion (ppb) action level in the FIRST draw only; the second draw (flush) of these two taps had lead levels less than 1 part per billion. Thankfully, both taps that tested at 4 parts per billion in the first draws are used predominantly as hand washing taps. The tap list with results is attached in PDF format following this letter.

Lead exposure poses a special risk to children because they absorb lead into their systems more easily than adults do. Lead can slow down growth, impair development and learning, and can cause behavior problems. While the major source of lead poisoning in Vermont children is paint, lead in plumbing pipes and fixtures can add to a person’s overall exposure. Drinking water in schools and homes may contain lead from old pipes, plumbing fixtures (such as fountains and faucets), or the solder that joins pipe sections together.

More Information

• For questions about the water testing process, or about the law and its requirements, please dial 2-1-1.

• You can view school and child care results, remediation and any follow-up testing at leadresults.vermont.gov. (NOTE: If your child’s preschool or after school program is located at a school, the results will be listed under the school’s name.) For more information visit:

• Schools: healthvermont.gov/school-drinking-water

• Child Care Programs: healthvermont.gov/childcare-drinking-water

• If you have questions or concerns about our facility and the actions we are taking, please contact Carrie Wilson.

To learn more about lead hazards and lead poisoning prevention, visit healthvermont.gov/lead.

There is a labelled bin will be outside at the main entrance of the school. Feel free to drop off anytime. Please launder, fold, and bag gently used uniform items.

Uniform Swap:

Typically, the uniform swap is held about two weeks before the start of school (Aug. 30). It may come a little earlier this year. We will notify all families via email as soon as the details are finalized.

Stay tuned!