The Marion school committee is concerned about Sippican School’s 2011 MCAS scores.

Principal Evelyn Rivet and vice-principal Sarah Goerges presented the school’s Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System test scores Wednesday night and addressed what grades needed improvement in math and English/language arts. The scores reflect last school year’s performance.

MCAS, which tests math, English/language arts and science/technology, is administered each year to students. The MCAS program holds schools and districts accountable toward reaching the objective of the No Child Left Behind Law, which requires all students be proficient in reading and mathematics by 2014.

Rivet and Goerges’ report showed significant drops between grades three and four terms of each class’ previous scores in both math and English/language arts for students ranking either advanced or proficient. Scores jumped back up between grades four and five.

In some instances, nearly 30 students’ grade four scores fell below the rankings of their grade three scores in both areas.

“This is disappointing,” said vice chairperson Christine Winters. “Our kids aren’t growing they way they should. Do we want to just be at the state averages? No. What are we going to do to be above that?”

Terry Villa, a parent of two grade five Sippican School students, believed a problem in the scores was a difference in curriculum between grades three through six.

“These results are appalling and heartbreaking,” Villa said at the meeting. “My kids have told me others are in tears because they don’t know the work.”

Despite some of these drops, Sippican School did fair compared to state percentages overall.

“We want the best for our children, and we’re working to achieve that,” Rivet said.

Rivet said several steps would be taken to improve scores, including the full implementation of the “Everyday Math” curriculum and newly formed Early Literacy Plan. Both actions revolve around creating universal curriculum standards and monitoring students’ progress with the help of reports from teachers and administration.

Kelly Kelleher, a reading recovery teacher at the school, felt confident that significant changes for improvement were already in the works.

“Our children are in good hands,” said Kelleher, who is now in her 28th year of teaching at Sippican. “There is room for growth and examination, but we’ve come so far over the past few years. There has been some bumps, but with Rivet’s leadership we will see an upward trend.”

For an overview of Sippican School's performance, visit http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/.