High test scores at the choir school

Courtesy photo/MCS

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Principal Megan Randazzo connects with students as she quizzes them on expectations of students at the Madeleine Choir School.

The turbulence of the last two years required all of us to take a diverted route. Lock down. Mask up. Filter your air. Distance. Sanitize. Test. Retest. Quarantine. Repeat. Now comes the task to get back on course. At the Madeleine Choir School, that means a focus on the academic and social development needs of students.

“We are entering the 2022-2023 school year with a continued need for clear protocols to fend off COVID-19.  However, there are distinct differences between planning for this year and the last two years as we find the pathway back to focusing on the mission of the school,” said MCS Principal Megan Randazzo.  

That pathway back includes keeping the academic curriculum and the performance schedule of the choir school at the top of the priority list.

“For a pleasant change, the summer prep was spent collaborating with our very talented faculty members to ensure they are prepared to give our students the best chance to succeed in the classroom, and with their interactions among their peers,” Randazzo said.

Since Randazzo was named principal in 2018, the Madeleine Choir School has implemented a student services team that provides social and emotional support. The team is led by Dr. Kristen Fuoco, director of Student Services, whose team includes two intervention specialists, a school counselor and a licensed social worker.  

“The student services team is here to make sure students have the resources they need to be successful students and choristers,” Fuoco said. “The various strengths of each member of our team have been key in navigating the difficult learning environments that all schools have experienced in the last two years.”

Even through the pandemic ACT Aspire data continues to show MCS students as top performers in the nation. The following percentages show how many students at MCS met or exceeded benchmarks:

English: 90 percent (25 percent higher than the national average)

Reading: 65 percent (45 percent higher than the national average)

Science: 70 percent (43 percent higher than the national average)

Math: 71 percent (33 percent higher than the national average)

“So, while we keep a close eye on COVID, we are moving forward to enhance our data-based decision-making practices with new assessments along with the diocese and a new math curriculum in grades K-5 at MCS, to better align and prepare our students for their future academic success,” Randazzo said.

Courtesy of The Madeleine Choir School