Lyon schools maintain adequate rankings

By 2014 the Lyon County School District has to meet 100 percent proficiency and the new superintendent said they were well on the way to doing that.

Caroline McIntosh was happy that the students in her district made Adequate Yearly Progress in the federal No Child Left Behind ratings.

She said the test scores were 11 percent higher than last year, despite having the same rating, meeting AYP in everything but high school math.

"Lyon County will be the envy of the state," she said. "It is so remarkable what the administrators, teachers and staff have done.

She declined to comment on each school, explaining that it was Lyon County protocol to have the results presented to the board before anyone commented on them.

"They don't talk particulars until they talk to the board," she said.

The board will examine the results, but McIntosh said it would be more like a celebration.

"We'll be at the same percentage this coming year and last year, and then it jumps up again," she said. "Then you have to meet a higher standard."

Cottonwood Elementary in Fernley kept its adequate rating, as did Dayton Elementary and East Valley Elementary. First-year Riverview was also deemed adequate.

But Fernley Elementary dropped to Adequate from High Achieving, as did Silver Springs and Smith Valley.

Sutro Elementary dropped from Adequate to Watch and Yerington Elementary saw the biggest decrease of all, from Exemplary to Adequate.

Among the middle schools, Dayton Intermediate dropped from Adequate to Watch, Fernley dropped from High Achieving to Adequate.

But Silver Stage Middle School improved from Watch to Adequate, while Yerington remained at Needs Improvement Year 2.

Yerington led the district's high schools, moving from Adequate in 2007 to High Achieving this year, while Dayton and Silver Stage maintained their Adequate ratings.

Fernley improved from Watch to Adequate, but Smith Valley dropped from High Achieving to Adequate.

The Western Nevada Youth Center, an alternative school, dropped from Watch in 2007 to Needs Improvement Year 1 for 2008.

Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or call 881-7351.