Eleven of Edgecomb Eddy School’s 90 students are from Alna and Westport Island, but local school officials are still looking for more. Principal Ira Michaud is still receiving inquiries from Alna and Westport Island families. He reported during the Jan. 14 Edgecomb School Committee meeting that one Alna family toured the school Jan. 11 and agreed to send their two children to the school, and another Alna family will tour the school soon.

This is year two of the agreement which requires Region School Unit 12 to pay for transportation costs for any Alna and Westport Island families sending their children to Edgecomb Eddy. Last year, Alna and Westport Island students filled 11 of 15 pre-kindergarten slots for the first- year program. The additional students boosted enrollment numbers from a forecasted 59 two years ago,  without a pre-kindergarten program to a school finishing  with 86 students last spring.  Edgecomb Eddy hadn’t seen that many students since it opened in 2002 with 82 students.

Even with increasing enrollment numbers, Michaud is still searching for more students. He is sending a letter to all Alna and Westport Island homes reminding them about the five-year tuition agreement between Edgecomb and RSU 12. The letter is similar to one school officials sent three years ago encouraging Alna and Westport Island families to send their students to Edgecomb Eddy’s new pre-kindergarten program. In the letter, Michaud touts the school’s reputation as a top performing school.  “Edgecomb Eddy is an outstanding school that constantly performs among the state’s best. In 2017, Edgecomb started a pre-kindergarten program for Edgecomb, Alna and Westport Island students. RSU 12 has agreed to provide transportation for all Westport Island and Alna students. We look forward to welcoming you and your children to the Edgecomb Eddy School family next fall,” Michaud wrote.

School enrollment reached 93 this year before three families moved. “We still have 11 students from Alna and Westport and may have more coming,” he said.   “An Alna family toured the school Jan.7 and they filled out registration papers from their pre-k and grade one kids. And, there’s another Alna family tour on the horizon,” he said.

In other action, Michaud reported about the upcoming National Assessment of Education Process fourth grade assessment testing on Feb. 12. He described NAEP as the “gold standard of assessment testing.” Approximately five Eddy school fourth graders will take either a mathematics or literacy assessment test. Results are used to gauge student progress compared to other state, national and world results. Edgecomb provides a testing place and NAEP officials facilitate the exam. But it’s unlikely school officials will know how Eddy students fared.

“We don’t hear back from them,” Michaud said. “We provide the space and they facilitate the exam, but after that, they don’t release the results.” Michaud is also busy preparing for a school visit by the Maine and Science Alliance for Math Alliance. The visit will focus on professional development. Michaud explained the alliance will demonstrate how teachers can integrate assessment data and use formative assessment into the school’s  “Everyday Math” resource. The alliance will offer a half-day cohort on  Jan. 29. A second visit occurs March 15 during a teacher in-service day.

The committee meets next at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 4 in Edgecomb Eddy.