Beaver Dam School Superintendent Discusses District Report Card Results

(Beaver Dam) Beaver Dam School Superintendent Mark DiStefano discussed the grades the district and each school recently received from the state. The Department of Public Instruction released its annual reports cards earlier this month. The Beaver Dam school district, as a whole, received a 63.6-percent last year, down from the previous year’s 64.9-percent but still well within the category of “Meets Expectations.”

“Overall, pleased that we’re within that range,” DiStefano says, “I think that’s that minimum standard, we need to continue to grow and move toward that ‘Exceeds’ and ‘Significantly Exceeds,’ as we have seen in some of the schools in our district, but we’re very aware of areas and opportunities to grow. We’ve got the staff and they’re focused in the right areas to make improvement in the areas we need to make improvement.”

The Beaver Dam Middle School again earned a designation of “Meets Few Expectations” with a rating of 58.9-percent last year, down from 62.4-percent.

“That score was tough,” DiStefano says, “and some scores do not reflect what we are doing and our ability to perform better. I had confidence last year and continue to have confidence. I think the middle school staff is more than capable of helping contribute to that change and I feel like the leadership is committed to supporting the staff and supporting the students. We just need to continue to come together and keep the focus in the right direction.”

DiStefano says he anticipates that schedule changes in the middle school will help significantly going forward. Minutes were bolstered in core areas, “increasing focus and increasing time the most impactful people have with children.”

Washington Elementary “Meets Expectations” with a 72.1-percent. Lincoln Elementary “Significantly Exceeded Expectations” with a 83.2-percent, the highest in the district.

Three of Beaver Dam’s elementary schools “Exceed Expectations.” Wilson earned a 78.5-percent while Prairie View received a 78.9-percent and South Beaver Dam got an 80.2-percent. South Beaver Dam will be closing after the current school year and consolidating with Jefferson Elementary, which last year had a dismal 58.6-percent rating, “Meeting Few Expectations.” DiStefano says that was an anomaly and he expects good things from the consolidation.

“I think that the staff are talented at both schools,” he says, “and I think both schools are focused on the right things, they both have school success plans in place that are focused on achievement and growth. I anticipate that by bringing the collective skills and knowledge of the staff together, together those schools are only going to be stronger.”

The Beaver Dam High School “Meets Expectations” with a rating of 68.7-percent, down slightly from the previous year’s 68.9-perecent.