MHCBE boasts solid PAT scores across the board

The Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education tabled Tuesday a report on its excellent 2016/2017 PAT results, and on its success under provincial accountability pillars

The report showed results slightly above or at the provincial average in all subject areas at both the Grade 6 and 9 levels when it comes to PAT acceptable marks, and very high levels of student and parent satisfaction with MHCBE through the accountability pillars.

“We are about 10.6 per cent above the provincial average on our PAT results for our Grade 9 writers,” explained MHCBE associate superintendent Chuck Hellman, emphasizing one the most suggestive statistics from the report. “I think there are a number of reasons for that.

“Our teachers work really hard with kids that struggle. All of our schools have plans in place, like response to intervention or leveled reading, to work with our students that struggle a bit. We take great pride in moving those kids forward.”

Hellman pointed out the positive results were not confined to one particular school within the district, but were representative of the success all participating local Catholic schools had in writing the PAT exams.

“We are exceptionally proud of the results,” said Hellman. “These results show the high quality of education in our schools and the commitment of staff, students and parents. We want to be a division that has a culture of continuous improvement.”

Hellman also credited the unquantifiable factor of an atmosphere of safety and security students felt going to school in an academic culture rooted in faith, which helped to ease their anxiety about attending school and writing exams.

“There is an atmosphere of love and respect which comes through in the faith part in our schools, and it helps with the anxiety aspect of our students,” Hellman confirmed.