October 23, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 5 Midland Park Public input sought on Highlands feasibility study The Midland Park Board of Education will discuss at its Nov. 5 meeting whether to commission an impact study on sending Midland Park High School students to Northern Highlands Regional High School in Allendale on a tuition basis. Comprised of high school students from Allendale and Upper Saddle River, Highlands receives tuition stu- dents from Ho-Ho-Kus and Saddle River. President William Sullivan last week said the feasibility study would cost an estimated $25,000. It would deal only with Northern Highlands, and would include enrollment, comparison of educational programs, the ability to house the students, the impact on staff and the facilities, transpor- tation costs and the effect on the taxpayers, Sullivan said. The board president asked that residents contact him via email to “provide input on the study and whether they want to proceed with it.” His address is wsullivan@mpsnj.org. Earlier this month Sullivan reported that Northern High- lands Superintendent of Schools John Keenan had told him his district may be able to accommodate Midland Park’s high school students in a send/receive arrangement. Mid- HSPA scores show improvement The results from Midland Park High School’s most recent High School Proficient Assessment (HSPA) test were presented at a recent board of education meeting. “The results demonstrate that our high school is moving up in statewide rankings, producing strong students who are prepared and ready to excel and meet the demands of col- lege and beyond,” said MPHS Principal Nicholas Capuano. HSPA measures 11 th grade students’ knowledge and skills in the Core Curriculum Content Standards and contains two test sections: Language Arts Literacy and Math. The test results indicate the following: • 59.4 percent of 11 th graders are advanced proficient in language art literacy (LAL). This represents an increase of 32.6 above last year. When compared to those in the District Factor Group (DFG), MPHS students score even higher. The average advanced proficient in LAL in the factor group is 33.7 percent – Midland Park’s is 59.4 per- cent. That means Midland Park students are significantly outperforming others in the factor group. New state guide- lines, however, no longer make comparisons within the DFG but rather to academic peers, which is based on the number of students receiving special education or free lunch, among other factors. • 39.1 percent of MPHS 11 th graders are advanced pro- ficient in math. That is up from 30.9 percent the previous year, showing an increase of 8.2 percent. • Above national average AP scores - 82.5 percent of AP students achieve 3 or better on AP course tests. The national average is 60.8 percent. “Many times we forget the high quality of education at MPHS. These test scores, while only one factor in the educational experience, help us gauge our approach and make adjustments when necessary to meet the needs of all students,” Capuano said. “They also demonstrate that MPHS is competitive and providing opportunities for high academic success to its students,” he added. Capuano also pointed out that MPHS is listed among the top 25 percent of high schools in New Jersey in New Jersey Monthly magazine. MPHS ranks 68 in the state (up from 118 in 2010) and number 18 of Bergen County’s public high schools. “As we continue to set the bar higher and higher for ourselves and our students, I want to thank our dedicated families and faculty who contribute so much to our schools. Together, we are truly achieving great things and have every reason to be proud,” Capuano said. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Marie Cirasella said the district’s gains are attributable to several district initiatives, including a new accountability system, aligning the cur- riculum to new standards and in general, familiarizing the students with the new ways of proving their knowledge. She said the district analyzes the weaknesses demonstrated by the scores and then focuses instruction on those areas. land Park has 335 students in grades 9-12 this school year. Northern Highland has 1,351 students. Interest in the feasibility study was sparked by parents who believe the sending option must be fully researched and discussed before any building referendum can be pur- sued. Last December, district voters defeated a $15.27 mil- lion referendum to upgrade facilities and athletic fields. The board of education has applied for state funds to complete some of the projects that were part of that vote, but any state aid received will likely have to be matched with funds raised through another referendum.