Pride filled the air last Friday, as Mendenhall High School students, staff, and supporters gathered to celebrate. Simply put, the cause for celebration was progress.
Some students could be heard chanting “It’s a great day to be a Tiger,” while others recited the school’s motto “Don’t just be, be the best.” The excitement stemmed from Mendenhall High School now being ranked as a “B” level school, which is a vast improvement from the previous “D” ranking. This is a major accomplishment that took hard work and effort from everyone involved.
A large celebration was in order for this outstanding academic achievement. The crowd filled with parents and other supporters from around the community gathered at the Tigers stadium. The crowd cheered as the advanced students paraded to their seats before Principal Robert Sanders gave his remarks.
Sanders said, “Every school in America has a mission for students to come to school and learn. Teachers teach and students learn.”
He then explained that in 2002 schools began to measure the performance of students through standardize testing thanks to the No Child Left Behind Act. Since then every school has held these benchmarks and is graded based on performance.
Sanders said, “When I arrived here in 2014 we were on a mission to move this school forward. We were a D, but that was okay because we were focused.”
Sanders strategized with his teachers and set clear goals that everyone became dedicated to achieving. This newfound focus and dedication was passed on to the students and it was reflected in their test scores. Sanders said, “We focused and grew 56 points the next year, and we were positioned to be a C school but they moved the cut score.” He said, “So for a second year we were going to be a D school. It hurt, but I’ll tell you about the Tiger spirit that’s in everyone here.”
He explained that after missing the mark for improvement a second year everyone continued to work even harder. Along the way there was a cultural change in Mendenhall High School, and students expected to excel. During the next testing cycle Mendenhall High grew 88 points. This improvement was not only good enough to experience growth, but Mendenhall High bypassed the “C” school designation completely. Sanders exclaimed that through their efforts they were able to grow two academic levels, and received a “B” designation. Sanders said, “There are two B schools in Simpson County, and one is Mendenhall High School.”
Sanders went on to thank the school board, Superintendent Greg Paes, teachers, parents, and students. He then pointed out that students are also performing well athletically, citing the Mendenhall football Tigers 7-1 record and the Mendenhall Tiger Pride Marching Band “All Superior” designation. The advanced students were recognized once more, and he encouraged other students to continue to work harder. Before Sanders closed he pointed to the student body and said, “You are a Mendenhall High School Tiger, and you deserve to be celebrated.”
