Writing SOL scores improve by seven percent

by Alton Coston, Kevin Moore and Keayna Veney

The English End-of-Course Writing scores have increased from 62 to 69 percent passing during the school year. This score increased the overall pass rate to 77 percent.

The score is based on a two-part assessment taken in March including a persuasive writing prompt and a multiple-choice test on usage, writing and editing strategies.

English department leader Emily Stains said the goal was to get more students to pass with advanced scores. Passing advanced requires a score of 500 and above. To reach that goal, Ms. Stains provided more opportunities for tutoring.

Beginning in February, tutoring occurred for six weeks on Tuesdays and Thursdays during ABC and on the weekends prior to the SOL. Tutors used “Laying the Foundation” strategies including punctuation exercises, technology-enhanced questions, research questions, brainstorming ideas, writing and revising persuasive essays and multiple-choice strategies.

Ms. Stains said the improved results couldn’t have been achieved without the entire English team.

“I’m extremely proud of my team, and I am extremely proud of the sophomores,” Ms. Stains said.

English teachers Christine Suders and Beth Firmin were in charge of the tutoring program. Mrs. Suders and Mrs. Firmin developed the plan, notified and reminded students of the tutoring dates and created the modules on Schoology.

Mrs. Firmin said the improved scores have given her confidence in what she was doing by letting her know she was on the right track.

Approximately 50 students participated in the tutoring program. Some sessions were so crowded that students sat on the floor.

Sophomore Jessica Hines said she didn’t know anything about annotation, thesis or paragraph development. To attend tutoring, Jessica said she sacrificed sleep on Saturdays and going out with friends.  She said she benefited from tutoring because the questions were similar to SOL questions.

“I feel like the teachers got us there. Some stuff I wouldn’t have got on my own,” Jessica said.

Sophomore athlete and band member Breauna Lane said she went to tutoring before practice.  She said that Ms. Stains taught her how to use the checklist for writers, how to break down the passages and how to write a proper essay.

“Coaches always say the school comes before athletics,” Breauna said. “Just because I have track practice doesn’t mean I don’t have to go to tutoring.”