Tempe Academy of International Studies will be presented the Rock Star School Award on February 27, 2015, by Edmentum, a leading provider of online learning solutions. Within its first year of operation, the school performed better on Arizona’s Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) test than any other middle school in the Tempe Elementary School District. 

Tempe Academy opened its International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program for the 2013–14 school year, which is designed for academically bright students in grades 6–7. The school identified learning gaps and used Edmentum’s Study Island to provide students with differentiated learning paths to prepare for the AIMS exams. 

In Tempe Academy’s first year, it showed outstanding performance on the 2014 AIMS test, with 97 percent of students meeting or exceeding standards on AIMS reading and almost 90 percent meeting or exceeding standards on AIMS math. Tempe Academy also earned an A rating from the Arizona Department of Education and considers its inaugural year a success.

 “Even though we serve student scholars, there are gaps in student learning,” said Principal Marianne McMurrin, a longtime Study Island user. “Students enjoy playing the games while practicing the grade-level content standards. We are continuing to use Study Island, and we expect the same or better results.”

The school considers Study Island a critical component of its math and English language arts instructional programs. Study Island’s data-driven standards mastery programs are designed to help K–12 students master the content specified in state standards and improve performance in core skill areas. Students work in the program every week, and the school includes the blue ribbons that students win from the program as part of students’ quarterly grades.

Edmentum’s Rock Star School program recognizes outstanding schools by their inventive and effective uses of Edmentum learning solutions. The Rock Star School Award presentation will occur at 10:00 a.m. Mountain Time on February 27, 2015, at Tempe Academy of International Studies - McKemy Campus: 2250 South College Avenue, Tempe, Arizona 85283.