Fairview Elementary makes school district history

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Reading and writing is the foundation of an education, and in Columbus one elementary school is performing with historic numbers.

The state reading test implemented by MDE is make-it-or break-it for third graders on whether they make it to the fourth grade or not.

For Fairview Elementary and the Columbus Municipal School District, for the first time a third grade class passed the test at 100%, and it was a call for celebration.

Third graders at Fairview took a break from class and held a celebration, and a much deserved one.

Every single student passed the state reading test, something that’s never been done in the school district.

“Our kids work very hard, and they went in with an open mind and knowing that they were going to be victorious, and they went in and took the test and they did an awesome job,” said Fairview 3rd grade teacher, Natasha Cheeks.

For any school, a third grader who doesn’t pass the reading test cannot move on to the fourth grade, a hard subject for teachers.

“It’s really hard, especially when the kids have worked hard all year-long,” said Fairview 3rd grade teacher, Caroline Reed. “It’s just like they’re your own children, so it’s just really hard if they don’t pass the test.”

Of course, that subject won’t come up this year, as these teachers are sending all of their students to the next grade level.

“It makes me feel good; that makes me feel like I’ve done my job,” Cheeks said. “You know, I’ve done what I’ve needed to do to prepare them for the next grade and to make them successful and so they can see their potential to be successful.”

These teachers give credit where credit is due and not take it all for themselves.

“We have a great staff here at Fairview, so it doesn’t just start in the third grade,” Reed said. “It starts in pre-k and on up. So we have an awesome staff here, and we just build on that foundation. We’re just happy. It’s a great day at Fairview.”

This is a sign of an even bigger show of reading proficiency in our state.

In 2017, 92% of Mississippi third graders passed the reading test, up from 87% the year before.