CCISD offers a look at student performance By Mary Alys Cherry
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lear Creek School District officials gave parents a look at student performance, presenting a public hearing on the Texas Education Agency’s Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR) at the Jan. 18 school board meeting, comparing local results with state test scores on the STAAR Tests. The district as a whole passed with flying colors, receiving a Met Standard rating. The TAPR, which is intended to inform the public about the educational performance of a district, describes the performance of a district and each campus in relation to the district, the state and a comparable group of schools. It gave CCISD a Met Standard rating, which means it passed inspection, school officials explained. In addition to the district’s overall scores on Reading, Writing, Math, Science and Social Studies, parents were shown the percentage of students passing Reading, for example, in grades 3 through 8, compared with state totals. On the STAAR tests, CCISD’s passing rates, compared with the state average, were: CCISD State Reading 88% 77% Math 92% 81% Writing 81% 72% Science 87% 78% Social Studies 85% 78% On the reading tests, here, for example is how CCISD students fared, compared with the state average: CCISD State Third grade 87% 77% Fourth grade 86% 74% Fifth grade 94% 87% Sixth grade 88% 77% Seventh grade 86% 76% Eighth grade 94% 88% Secondary students also did well – 84% passing English I, 85% English II, 92% passing Algebra I, 96% Biology and 96% passing U.S. History – all scoring higher than the state average. CCISD students also did well on attendance with a 96 percent rate in both 2014 and 2013. The state average was slightly lower, 95.8 and 95.9 percent respectively. On test scores, CCISD students in the Class of 2014 averaged 1589 on the SAT and 24.1 on the ACT, while Texas students, as a whole averaged 1417 on the SAT and 20.6 on the ACT. In 2014, 96.9 percent graduated, compared with 88.3 percent statewide. When the totals include those earning GEDs and getting diplomas slightly later, the graduation total rises to 99 percent, while the statewide total climbs to 93.4 percent. In 2013, 82.3 percent of the CCISD graduates went on the college, as did 70.8 percent of the high school graduates statewide. Officials said 48.2 percent of the students are Caucasian, 29.4 are Hispanic, 8.1 are African American, 9.7 are Asian, 0.2 are American Indian and 4.3 percent are biracial. Only negative came on Special Education with the TEA giving the district a Needs Assistance rating.
Lakewood Lasers Take First Place at the Orange Bowl Regatta!
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akewood Yacht Club’s youth sailing team took first place in laser class at the Orange Bowl Regatta last month when Miami welcomed nearly 700 youth racers for the annual event in Biscayne Bay. Asher Zittrer sailed the 13-foot laser that defeated 25 other teams in 11 races. Held annually in conjunction with the Orange Bowl, the international youth regatta draws world-class sailors ages 8-18 to South Florida for the largest four-day international youth sailing event in the U.S. Attracting nearly 700 racers from all over the world, the event is an excellent opportunity for youth to go on to achieve even greater notoriety in the sailing world. Several of the Orange Bowl competitors sail the race multiple times in multiple classes as their skills improve. This year, the regatta attracted contenders from 27 states and 23 countries worldwide. Opti class, typically for beginner sailors, is a small, one-person dingy, while lasers are better suited for more skilled sailors. The 420 class, meant for advanced sailors, can be crewed by two. Racers like Asher Zittrer gravitate toward the sleek lasers for their speed and maneuverability in competition.
For 14-year-old Asher Zittrer, the Orange Bowl signified his first shot at a broader racing circuit. “You get more competitive with lasers since you get to race more aggressively. Since this was my first big laser-class race, I didn›t really know what to expect, so I didn’t expect to win.» But Zittrer soon got familiar with the competition he was up against, and drew on the solid strategies he’s been trained to use. “Toward the end, I focused on not taking many risks, but staying ahead of my immediate competition.” After the first day, Zittrer was tied with a team from Great Britain. By the last day, he was only one point behind. He knew exactly who he needed to stay ahead of. In the first race on the last day, Zittrer took the lead. “I was more strategic and less aggressive. In the beginning, when I started off close to my competition, I took a lot of risks to get up in front. If I messed up, the other team would have immediately passed me and could have kept me behind. After I was ahead, I was more conservative. You take advantage of the other racers› mistakes. I followed the wind shift and stayed consistently in the top.” Bringing home a medal and a trophy can be exhausting work. Zittrer slept on the plane the whole way home and was greeted by his parents and well-wishers when he returned. The house was decked out in a big banner that said ‘Way to Go, Asher!’ The following days were spent getting ready to go back to school and making plans for next year’s race. Lakewood Yacht Club had two sailors compete in the 25-boat laser class, eight sailors in opti class racing with 225 other competitors, and 4 teams out of 36 competing in the international 420 class. The club recognizes Bryan Trammel for coming in 5th overall in laser class, Zane Rogers for finishing 10th overall in optis, and Wiley Rogers and Jack Parkin for a first-place win in 420 class. Big congrats to the Lakewood Race Team for another great event!
Ron Carter Clear Lake Achievers Scholarship Ron Carter Clear Lake will again recognize the hard work and dedication of college bound Greater Clear Lake Area High School seniors in 2016 through the Ron Carter Clear Lake Community Achievers Scholarship. Each year, recipients are chosen based on academic achievement, character, leadership, service, and adult recommendations. Ron Carter Clear Lake will award five college scholarships in the amount of $1,000 to deserving applicants. One outstanding recipient will be selected for each month. The program starts in March and ends in July. Applications will be accepted starting February. This scholarship is open to high school seniors in the Greater Clear Lake Area and surrounding areas that reside in Clear Creek ISD, Alvin ISD, Deer Park ISD, Pasadena ISD, Dickinson ISD, LaPorte ISD, Pearland ISD and Friendswood ISD. Applicants may be students of public, parochial or home schools. Visit www.roncarterhyundai.com/communityinvolvement-achievers-scholarship.html to download the application. FEBRUARY 2016 | Bay Area Houston Magazine
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