To honor its commitment to Salida youth, First Presbyterian Church will partner with Salida Middle School to host a special SLICE (Supporting Learning in the Classroom Environment) pizza bash on Thursday, February 19th.

Designed as an incentive as well as a reward for a job well done, the event will honor 312 students who met special conditions on their winter Northwest Evaluation Association MAP tests.  Complete with acknowledgment and certificates for each pupil, the party will take place during normal lunch hours in the school cafeteria.

The project has expanded considerably since it was first conceived by FPC’s Bridge Team, created to sponsor events that foster connections between church and community.

Computerized MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) tests are given three times a year.  Unlike typical mastery assessments in which each student takes the same grade-specific test, MAP’s do not assign the status of “proficient” or “below basic”.  Instead, test questions dynamically adjust to a pupil’s performance, accurately reflecting his or her instructional level and focusing on areas where the greatest academic growth can be achieved.

Ideally, this information allows instructors to reflect on the impact of their teaching, plan ahead, and decide which instructional methods and materials are most appropriate.

Knowing that test results are inaccurate when students are unmotivated or spend too little time, teachers and administrators were thrilled when the prospect of a pizza reward seemed to inspire the youth. Using three criteria (spending a minimal time on each test, improving over their fall MAP scores, or exceeding benchmark for their grade), SLICE  provided motivation for less successful students without punishing high achievers.

The results were remarkable, and a win for all involved.  Every one of the school’s 312 enrollees qualified for the pizza party.  The greatest gains from fall to winter were seen in 6th graders, where the percentage of students meeting benchmark rose from 51% to 56% in math, from 55% to 63% in reading, and from 55% to 75% in English language.

Given more accurate results, teachers will be better able to identify skills and concepts learned, and diagnose instructional needs.  Administrators can more easily place new students into appropriate programs, and make data-driven decisions at the classroom, school, and district levels.  And students, reinforced with success and a sense of pride, will be encouraged to form an intrinsic value system that will serve them well as adults.

Who would have conceived that a village is alive and well in Salida, at the cost of only 80 pizzas?

Becky Goff, for the First Presbyterian Church Bridge Team

SMS Students for SLICE

Fifth Grade

Brian Anderson, Evan Arnett, Allen Barrientos, Ethan Berry, Christopher Bowers, Ainsley Bright, Dakota Chavez, Jacob Chrestensen, Tavin Conway, Tala Cox, Dylan DeLeo, Alexis Dewberry, Shea Donavan, Zoe Drake, Mychaela Ellsworth, Audrey Evaskovich, Sydney Fesenmeyer, Taite Frasier, Mathew Freeman, Raven Gamber, Garrett Genschorck, Nolan Grunska, Olivia Hapl, Brian Hufford, Cheyenne Johnson, Hannah Johnson, Shelby Kroschel, Nigel Kucera, Tyler Lennie, Kelsey Lindbloom, Olivia Lowe, Naomi Mansheim, Brittainy Martin, Brittany Martin, Shelby Martin, Damien Martinez, Jacob Martinez, Storm McBeth, Mika McConnaughhay, Aaron McCorkindale, Taylor Miller, Kaitlyn Moltz, John Office, Jesse Orris, Alexander Ottmer, Jazmn Phillips, Joah Phillips, Judah Phillips, Andrew Quintana, Kordell Redmiles, Aaron Scanga, Anna Schehrer, Jeremy Scott, Joshua Scott, Christin Smith, Dane Smith, Noah Soltz, Taylor Stack, Brandi Stevens, Dayna Stewart, Billy Tharpe, Barbara Thomas, Jhett Trenary, Troy Turley, Selena vonAllmen, Megan Walberg, Keegan Wentz, Samuel Wilkin

Sixth Grade

Chase Abbott, Nicole Adkisson, Abby Arnett, Harmony Rain Balaun, Kenneth Berndt, Tristyn Bowers, Kelsey Brown, Jonas Burgett, Eric Compton, Coral Conway, Alyssa Davidson, Levi Dryden, Eldy Evangelista, Stephanie Feather, Rowen Felt, James Fontana, Nicholas Fox, Mark Frasier, Paige Friesen, Tandi Gaalaas, James Gallagher, William Gilchrist, Anthony Glovan, Maya Godina, Brooke Golden, Jamie Granzella, Alyssa Hallett, Harmony Hartranft, Alicia Higgins, Clay Hiser, Darryion Huschka, Zachary James, Drew Jensen, Ryver Kallstrom, Amber Kimberlin, Ashley Kimberlin, Madison Leinster, Brandon Lewis, Allison Lofton, Haylee Love, Nathan Lowe, Nicholas Mann, Haley McCoy, Lauren McDonald, Kierian McFain-Garcia, Joseph McGlinchy, Amanda McGraugh Criswell, Michael Montoya, Dylan Murphy, Michael Myers, Colton Newcomb, Garrett O’Neal, Pixie Oversole-Lutters, Claire Patton, Joshua Perez, Nancy Perschbacher, Kelsey Peter, Dylana Pfeiffer, Dylan Phelps, Jarrett Phillips, Juston Phillips, Sheree Powell, Charlotte Price, Kelsey Quick, Roslyn Quintana, Sienna Rahe, Gabrielle Rampy, Quinten Richards, Robert Roberts, John Sanchez, Sierra Sanchez, Sydney Scanga, Jacob Schoenfeld, Derek Scott, Maura Serrano, Hannah Sites, Evan Smith, Erick Smithey II, Taylor Stout, David Tanner, Chance Trueblood, Seth Turner, Bernadette Valdez, Demi Vanatta, Morgaan Walters-Schaler, Meghan White, Michael Wilcoxson, Michael Wilkins, Anchaleepom Wongsa, Jacob Wood, Natalie Zwingers

Seventh Grade

Robert Adler, Garrett Bachand, Shandilyn Ball, Ezra Berry, Melody Brood, Zeferino Bustos-Rivera, Austin Cabay, Amanda Cahill, Justin Callahan, Katrina Clark, Creedence Cobb, Ethan Coit, Alec Coscarella, Alexandra Cover, Nicholas DeBruin, Jacob DeKing, Riley Donavan, Victoria Donner, Tylea Enz, Lexi Erwin, McKenzie Everett, Alexander Farris, Orion Gamber, Kaylin Garcia, Bailee Gardunio, Anthony Gentile, Madisan Giorno, Darby Himschoot, Joshua Hodgson, Morgan Holm, Christian Horn, Kelsie Jefferson, Caleb Johnson, Cody Johnstone, Andrea Jones, Leanna Kimberlin, Shanea Kimberlin, Kyle Knickerbocker, Isaac Koelsch, Cody Kroschel, Savanah, Lee-Sobal, Andrew Lennie, Charlena Lopez, Tye McAllister, John Mendicino, Matthew Myers, Laurel-Anne Nott, Justin Parker, Jessie Pascarelli, Dillon Phillips, Taylor Poole, Ashley Potts, Michael Procko, Michael Ricci, Thomas Roberts, Mellissa Rodriguez, Benito Roland, Evan Schehrer, Samantha Sharrar, Hannah Skief, Marc Smith, James Soli, Harry Spencer, Kimberly Stevens, Helen Stroheker, Theresa Vialpando, Christian Wadsworth, Karissa Wentz, Shelina Whiteaker, Nina Wilcox, Marie Wilken, Hayden Williams, Sarah Wilson, Timothy Wilson, Andrea Yesupatham, Jacquelyn Yokeley

Eighth Grade

Jacob Adamson, Dylan Adkisson, Geovanna Barrientos, Caitlin Batty, Kendra Berndt, Mitchell Bullard, Alexis Cardenas, Jazmin Castaneda, Kristin Clark, Adrianna Claybrook, Angel Coffman, Brandon Coleman, Shelbie Cribari, Katie Criswell, Timothy DeVos, Ethan Dodds, Casey Doren, Matthew Eggert, German Evangelista, Russell Evers, Kyle Fowler, Tanner Fox, Jordan Garcia, Kayla Gobin, Julaine Graves, Jesse Haro, Inda Kalivoda, Andrew Kien, Jesse Koenig, Anita Kudasik, Julianna Lambrecht, Allen Leavitt, Samantha Leewaye, Amanda Lewey, Brooke Love, Caleb Lowe, Micaela Lowe, Kento Marlow, David Martin, Jayme McCorkindale, Daniel McFarland, Michaela Medrano, Grant Monroe, Thomas Myers, Laura Nelson, Shayla Neppl, Dallas O’Neal, Chance Ogden, Logan Oversole, Jacob Phillips, Jairis Phillips, Justice Phillips, Nrsimhadeva Pugh, Tyler Raby, Luke Rankin, Morgan Rhoades, Edward Rodriguez, Brianna Rose, Maynor Serrano, Stevie Shurbet, Tucker Small, Thane Smith, Wesley Sonheim, Isaac Stackonis, Walter Stephens, Ashlyn Stewart, Cassidy Thompson, Matthew Trueblood, Reh Vanatta, Brandon Vogt, Samantha Wallis, Jennifer Wentz, Kayla White, Rio Wintz, Peonie Wong, Claire Zwaan