LOMPOC, Calif. - Lompoc Valley Middle School has had to deal with under performing test scores. But that impression is changing thanks to the efforts of dedicated teachers, parents, and ultimately, hardworking students.
Holly Ingrahm teaches English at LVMS and says the school has had "this image that we are a lesser school. A lesser achieving school. People think maybe our teachers are not producing or not doing an academically sound job."
Ingrahm has seen a change in the direction the school is going and its for the better.
"I can tell that there is a whole sense in the environment at our school this year. Its just more positive."
Part of that positivity is from recent scores the school received from the academic performance index testing. The school's score was 724, 33 points higher than the year before. It's a significant jump.
Principal Larry Boone says "it makes me proud. It helps me and the community understand that our students are hardworking, our teachers are hardworking, they are very knowledgeable and they know what they're doing."
According to Ingrahm, students aren't the only ones overachieving. Parents as well have been going the extra mile.
"We have them for student parent lunches, they're involved in our school site council. They're involved in our parent-student-teacher association, more so than some of our teachers I must admit."
Past reputation aside, the school is ready to move forward with the progress they've made.
"That mindset that we are a lesser school, we have to get away from that. We have to let the community know that there are things that are offered, and programs, and academic excellence at this school."
