T
he performance of the West Jefferson Hills School District
continues to improve each day, and we are proud to
showcase and celebrate student academic achievement
and growth. The various visuals summarize student
academic success and are the direct result of intentional, focused
and strategic work on the part of our students, faculty, staff,
and administrators. Without the strong support for education
demonstrated by the families of our students, these results would
be far less impressive.
I am pleased to summarize a few of the noteworthy accomplishments:
● Scores from state assessments (PSSA) are well above the
average in Pennsylvania.
● Students at McClellan and Gill Hall exceeded all projections
for growth in Math and English Language Arts on their Winter
NWEA MAP assessment. These results are higher than one
year ago.
● Students at Jefferson Hills Intermediate School and Pleasant
Hills Middle School demonstrated levels of growth on the
2019 PSSA previously unseen at either building.
Statewide Exams
PSSA
The annual Pennsylvania
System School Assessment
(PSSA) is a standards-based,
criterion-referenced assessment
that provides students, parents,
educators, and citizens with an
understanding of student and
school performance related to
the attainment of proficiency of
the academic standards. These
standards in English Language
Arts, Mathematics, and Science
and Technology identify what
a student should know and be
able to do at varying grade levels.
School districts possess the
freedom to design curriculum and
instruction to ensure that students
meet or exceed the standards’
expectations.
Every Pennsylvania student in
grades 3 through 8 is assessed
in English Language Arts and
Math. Every Pennsylvania student
in grades 4 and 8 is assessed in
science.
Keystone Exams
Keystone Exams are end-of-
course assessments designed to
assess proficiency in Algebra I,
Literature and Biology. Exams are
administered as students.
34 WEST JEFFERSON HILLS
●
Projected PSSA reading achievement at Jefferson Hills
Intermediate School is 75%, a full 5 percent higher than this
time last year. The actual PSSA reading achievement in 2019
was 79.8%.
As pleased as we are about these and other accomplishments,
our improvement efforts continue to drive our next steps.
Immediately following the winter NWEA MAP, our leadership team
consisting of teachers and administrators engaged in collaborative,
data-driven work designed to improve the learning experience
for every student. Several opportunities for improvement were
identified, and strategies were developed which are designed to
reach short-term, grade-level goals.
I applaud the efforts of our students, faculty, staff, administrators,
school board and our families to make the West Jefferson Hills
School District a place where all students grow. Great things are
intentionally happening here and that is something we can all be
proud of!