Oxford 3rd-graders score above state average, report says

Jul. 22—OXFORD — Third-graders in Oxford's public schools performed above the state average, according to results from the state Department of Education Spring Assessments.

Those numbers were announced to the Oxford School Board during its monthly meeting Tuesday.

Michael Maniscalco, director of instruction and student services, told the board of the state's preliminary release of the Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program's Summative Reading Subset for third-graders.

"The percent of honor for that grade level was 85.14 percent, which is well above the state average of 77.7 percent," Maniscalco said. "We have a little celebrating to do with our third-grade reading data."

School Superintendent Dr. Shannon Stanley explained to The Anniston Star the score is related to the state's Literacy Act.

"Our spring ACAP scores are embargoed until August, but any students who are not proficient have the opportunity to go to a summer learning program," Stanley said. "After they go through that program, they have the opportunity to reassess."

Stanley said the Oxford schools have increased the proficiency scores, not just the scores that are embargoed, "but when you get those students in summer learning they have the opportunity to learn more and go deeper into what they need to work on."

"Our teachers have done a phenomenal job," Stanley said. "We're very excited about this."

Director of Operations Eric Burrage told board members construction is nearing completion on the improvements at the high school stadium.

"We have had some delays with getting the windows at the ticket booth," Burrage said. "At worst, that means we won't be able to use those booths for the first few games."

"We will be able to get in and out of there," he added. "They have finished up with the concrete and the asphalt around it. It's a little out of order from what we would normally do, but in order to assist us getting it completed, that's what we're going to have to do."

Burrage said efforts are continuing to get the scoreboard up for the first home game, which is now scheduled against McAdory on Friday, Aug. 19, at 7 p.m.

He said the turf would have to be "peeled back" to do the boring where the scoreboard will be placed in the south endzone.

Burrage said the demolition of Fulton Hall is "ongoing and going well" and should be completed and cleaned up before the start of school. He said discussions with architects are scheduled to "see how things look once we get that down."

Bids have been opened for the renovation of Oxford Middle School, with that project set to begin "in a few months" making improvements to windows and restroom areas, according to Burrage.

"We will be phasing in the work keeping disruptions down to a minimum," he said.

Students are scheduled to report to the first day of the new school year on Wednesday, Aug. 10.