As the first quarter of the 2021-2022 school year comes to a close, Mariemont City Schools is celebrating a host of academic achievements.
In September, Mariemont Junior High School was named a 2021 National Blue Ribbon school. Only 325 public and private schools across the nation were named Blue Ribbon schools for 2021 and Mariemont Junior High School earned the status of Exemplary High Performing School.
The junior high now joins the district’s other three schools with this distinction making Mariemont one of only four public school districts in the state to have all of its schools recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools.
Mariemont City School District students also scored very high on annual state assessments. The October release of Ohio School District Report Cards shows exemplary achievement on a multitude of metrics for the 2020-2021 school year. Mariemont ranked 8th among the state’s 607 school districts in performance index, a detailed measure of state test score performance. This places Mariemont in the top 2% of all school districts in Ohio and is a move up from 12th place in the previous round of state testing. Mariemont has consistently been in the top 2% of all Ohio districts since 2015.
“We are so proud of the hard work our staff and students put into learning each and every day in our schools,” said Superintendent Steven Estepp. “Earning the Blue Ribbon distinction and scoring in the Top Ten Districts in Ohio is a remarkable accomplishment and a true testament to their hard work, dedication to growth and to our community’s support of their learning.”
Other state assessment highlights include:
· 75% of students scored advanced or accelerated (the highest possible) on the grade 4 English language arts test.
· 98% of students passed the 7th grade English language arts test; 81% scored advanced or accelerated (the highest possible).
· 92% of students passed the 8th grade math test.
· 95% of students passed the biology test.
· 99% of students passed the American History test.
· 97% passed the American Government test.
Student performance on 2021 College Board Advanced Placement (AP) exams was also exceptional. 86% of all Mariemont students who took exams scored a 3 or above (meaning they passed) with over 50% of students scoring a 4 or 5 (the highest score possible). Eight of the district’s advanced placement courses saw a 100% passage rate on the rigorous advanced placement exam. Nationally just 58% of all test takers earned a passing score last year.
96 Mariemont students also earned the distinction of AP Scholar for exceptional performance on multiple exams, which is a feat only 10% of AP students earn nationwide.
“Although these are only a few of the many metrics by which we measure our overall success as a school district, our students’ achievement levels should be a source of pride for our entire community,” added Estepp. “We know that the 2020-2021 school year was a year of many disruptions brought on by COVID-19, but our teachers and staff worked tirelessly to protect the rigorous academic environment we expect in Mariemont Schools and the results speak for themselves.”
The Mariemont City Schools Board of Education recognized teachers and staff for these academic achievements along with this year’s National Merit Scholars, students selected for the Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra and Superintendent’s Showcase Award recipients at its regular monthly meeting on October 11.