Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Anders Hill, superintendent of Houghton-Portage Township Schools, reports on the district’s Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP) results.

HOUGHTON — Houghton-Portage Township Schools students had strong showings in last year’s standardized test results, Superintendent Anders Hill said. 

Third through eighth grade Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP) results were released last week. Scores were stable from previous years, and ahead of state and Copper Country Intermediate School District averages. 

In some categories, the percentage of proficient students was higher than in 2018-19, the last full year prior to COVID. 

For English/language arts, 65.8% of Houghton third-grade students met or exceeded the standards for proficiency in 2021-2022, while 63.6% of sixth-graders did. Statewide, those rates were 41.6% and 37.6%, respectively. 

In 2018-19, Houghton had been at 67.2% in the elementary school, and 55.3% in the middle school. Statewide, the third-grade and sixth-grade were both several points higher in the pre-COVID year, at 45.1% for third and 41.7% for sixth.

Hill said he was especially proud of the district math scores, which in some cases were double the state average for proficiency. 

In math, 70.9% of Houghton third-graders were at or above proficiency, below the 75.7% from 2018-19, but above the 68.9% from last year. Statewide, third-graders were at 41.5% in 2021-22, down from 46.7% in 2018-19. 

Sixth-graders were at 59.8%, down from 65.2% last year but above the 58.5% from 2018-19. Michigan sixth-graders had dropped from 35.1% in 2018-19 to 28.4% in 2021-22. 

“This is really good high-level information that kind of tells us how we stack up against other schools in the state,” Hill said. “We don’t use it a ton because we collect information in the moment to help students grow. I think that’s why our scores are high because we are focused on individual students and how we can make sure each kid is growing.”

The board also heard introductions of new teachers. The elementary school has five new teachers. Tiffany Maas-Berkey had been with the district for several years as a Title I paraprofessional before becoming a third-grade teacher. Second-grade teacher Andee Hiner had also been with the district before, both as a paraprofessional and a student teacher. 

Jamie Mack comes to the district from Dollar Bay, where she taught 

“By the interview, I thought, ‘Maybe I can do this,'” she said. “I’m so thankful that I did switch, because I was in kindergarten for 19 years, and I thought that’s where I was going to be. I thought I was going to retire from kindergarten, but I’m really loving second.”

Tessa Cipriano, who is teaching a couple of sections of math in the fifth grade, graduated from Northern Michigan University last spring. She was born in the area, although not raised here, Elementary Principal Cole Klein said.

Special education teacher Dominique Crowley came from Chassell, where she taught second grade. Originally slated to be a classroom teacher, she moved to special education when the school’s resource room teacher moved to a position at the CCISD.

Middle school English teacher Patrick Aldrich, a former principal at the elementary school, is also helping out in the afternoons as the student affairs coordinator. 

At the high school, Jessica Klein is teaching ninth-grade English as well as a section of eighth grade. Before coming to Houghton, she taught for many years in Lake Linden. 

“It’s been really exciting,” she said. “Great student body. I can tell there’s community support.”

In other action, the board:

• Heard from Hill the district had received a gold medal award for implementation of MTSS (Multi-Tiered Systems of Support). The MTSS framework helps districts identify and respond to children with various behavioral, social and emotional needs.

“Very few high schools across the state are jumped on with that MTSS process and we’ve jumped on elementary, middle and high school,” he said. “It really helps drive a lot of what we do here at our schools.”

Hill also recognized administrative assistant Sheri Tapani for her work in organizing school bus routes at the start of the school year.

“Our bus company had some staffing issues,” he said. “She helped rework those routes and put in a lot of hours.”

• Heard from Principal Cole Klein of the elementary school had been working on MTSS behavior initiatives. Students are rewarded for positive behavior with orange tickets, which they can trade in for prizes such as small treats or getting to recite the morning pledge of allegiance over the intercom. The school will also hold a pep rally for the Copper Bowl with visits from high school band members, volleyball and football players and Gizmo the Gremlin.

• Heard from Middle School Principal Julie Filpus 96% of families of new students had attended at least one student orientation event. Sixth-grade students will go to the Fortune Lake Camp next month. Eighth-graders, who were not able to go because of COVID, will visit the camp in the spring. Also, 31% of middle-school students are participating in girls’ basketball, football or cross country this fall. 

• Heard from High School Principal Tiffany Scullion the school had good turnout for its freshman orientation and open house. The student council also put on a lunch for new students.

• Heard from Athletic Director John Sanregret the booster club had served dinner for the Bark River team after Saturday’s football game. 

• Approved the 2022-23 Title I Family and School Compact. The annual resolution is a requirement for Title I funding. 

• Certified Nels Christopherson and Rob Fay as delegates to the Michigan Association of School Boards fall conference.