RICHMOND — Madison Middle School principal Steve Evans presented the Middle School Report Thursday at the board meeting, which happened to fall on Valentine’s Day.

“There are five middle school principals … I was the only one who didn’t have a date this evening,” Evans joked.

“I have a beautiful wife,” he added, looking at the video camera.

Evans introduced three initiatives being implemented in county middle schools:

• Standards-based grading — Designed to teach and assess students and be a summative assessment.

• Assessment for learning, in conjunction with standards-based grading — Teachers will design and implement lessons based upon core content and assess the desired outcomes.

• Blended learning — To have tablets and computers readily accessible to all students.

“Teachers use technology within the lesson to allow students the opportunities to extend their learning or to review and/or remediate while the teacher facilitates other students,” Evans said.

So in short, he said, “We’re teaching what needs to be taught, we’re assessing what needs to be assessed, and we’re using technology to help further education or to help those kids that have remediated.”

Evans then took the opportunity to “brag on” Madison Middle with a “Did you know?” list:

• Madison Middle was the most-improved school in the entire district based upon 2010-2011 CATS (Commonwealth Accountability Testing System) test.

• Madison Middle is ranked second academically among the five county middle schools as determined by the new state test K-PREP (Kentucky Performance Rating for Educational Progress)

• Within the sub-groups of K-PREP Madison Middle tied for first place for highest growth among middle schools and shared second place for highest achievement.

• On the Explore test, pre-curser to the ACT that colleges use for admission, Madison Middle had the second highest score among county middle schools.

• Within the Explore test only Madison Middle and one other middle school scores met or exceeded the benchmark in every category.

• Madison Middle School's Student Technology Leadership Program (STLP) has maintained a Gold status for the past six years.

• Its band was invited to perform at the University of Kentucky Middle School Band Invitational and this year the band program was one of three groups from the entire state selected to perform at the Kentucky Music Educators Association professional Conference, held in Louisville. It was the first time a Madison County middle school band has been invited to perform.

• Madison Middle’s cheerleaders won the KAPOS Small Division State Championship.

• Madison Middle and B. Michael Caudill middle schools partnered to receive an $8,000 grant to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) at our schools.

• The Madison Middle Choir under the direction of Elizabeth Pike consistently earns distinguished ratings from the KMEA and was the only county middle school that had singers selected for the Kentucky All-State Choir in 2012.

• The Madison Middle Archery Team has competed at the national level the past 5 years.

• The 6th grade football team went 10-0 and won the Commonwealth Conference Championship. The 8th grade football team came in second in the conference and the tournament.

• The Beta Club participated in a county wide food drive to help support local food pantries.

• The 7th grade girls basketball team advanced to the Final Four of the Commonwealth Conference Tournament.

• The Family Youth Resource Center provides 30 food backpacks every Friday to students in need with the assistance of local community donors.

• Based on this year’s Explore test, Madison Middle will have the highest College Readiness scores among district middle schools on next year’s KPREP test.

• Madison Middle has 13 students participating in an e-mentoring group partnered by Eastern Kentucky University. It is one of two schools participating in the pilot program in Madison County.

• Madison Middle had three 7th grade and three 8th grade girls make the Madison Central freshmen girls basketball team.

• The academic team took the top spots in the district, and the 6th grade team went undefeated.

• 2012-13 All District Band: Madison Middle had more students selected than any other middle school.

• Madison Middle School is the 2012-13 Quick Recall district champions.

• Madison Middle students testified in front of the House committee on Anti-Bullying for HB 35 and was recognized on Nickelodeon, USA TODAY and many other newspapers for HB 35.