spowell@marysvilleglobe.com

MARYSVILLE – Compared with the rest of the state, Marysville students are seven to 11 points below average in English and Language Arts, and seven to 19 points below average in math.

“Math is a concern,” Superintendent Becky Berg said.

Third- and fourth-graders performed the best, while seventh-graders faired the worse in English and sixth-graders the worst in math.

“Sixth-graders statewide and locally were low,” said Jack Monpas-Huber, director of assessment and student information.

The tests are for third-through-eighth and 11th-graders. So many juniors opted out of even taking the tests that their low scores are barely valid.

There were some great surprises.

At the middle school level, the eighth-graders at 10th Street School scored 76.3 percent.

As expected, the Marysville Co-op School scored very well, with a low of 71.7 percent in third grade and a high of 89.3 in fourth grade.

But especially because their poverty level is so high at more than 44 percent, Pinewood and Sunnyside elementaries did exceptionally well. Pinewood’s third-graders scored 67.7 percent in math while fourth-graders did better than 64 percent in both subjects. At Sunnyside, third-graders scored better than 66.6 percent in both subjects.

Allen Creek third-graders also excelled in math, at almost 62 percent.

In looking at the scores, Council Member Pete Lundberg said: “Sunnyside seems to have beat the odds.

Kyle Kinoshita, executive director, said of the teachers, “They embrace professional development.”

He said teachers there were the first ones to use data to improve instruction.

“It’s not a mystery,” he said. “We need engaging teachers to collaborate across the district.”

Lundberg said: “So we know what to do we just have to get people to do it.”

•Berg said the start of school was smooth, but people worked frantically to make it look that way. She compared it to a duck that looks calm on the waters but is working hard underneath the surface.

•Finance director Jim Baker said the state schools office continues to help expedite for process for a new cafeteria at Marysville-Pilchuck High School. It is cutting back on requirements. The state legislature approved $5 million for the project, and the state also approved $2.4 million to apply to the local matching part of the grant.

•Baker said attendance is down about 60 from what he expected. But he is happy special education is fully funded for the first time in 11 years.

•Chromebooks will be checked out to sixth- to 12th-grade students, starting at Heritage High School Oct. 1. Technology director Scott Beebe said they will be given out every day until Thanksgiving. Students can buy insurance on a sliding scale, which includes two repairs per year. There’s a $40 deductible if it’s lost.

•The Tulalip Tribes donated $76,500 to the district as a quarterly payment.

The board members said:

•”The teachers are so ready to go,” Tom Albright said.

•Chris Nation said when you go to open houses at the schools you really see the community’s diversity.

•”I hope the kids are feeling better,” Mariana Maksimos said.

•”Every year we get to start over fresh,” Pete Lundberg said.