Bow Memorial School is no longer listed as a school in need of improvement, as its AYP appeal has been accepted by the state Board of Education.

The school did not meet requirements for special education students when the results were released in early September, but administrators felt the data was incorrect.

Under the Safe Harbor rule of the assessment, if a school shows improvement by 10 percent from the previous year, it passes. The school felt the number of special education students counted when the test was taken was incorrect, and it appealed.

Although the commissioner of education rejected the school district’s first appeal in October, after pleading its case at the next level, Bow Memorial’s ruling was overturned.

“We’re very pleased and we were also relieved that we would not have to spend two years writing reports and could focus on educating kids again,” said Principal Kirk Spofford. “It’s very exciting that they acknowledged that the school was not a school in need of improvement.”

The decision was well received at the school when it was announced over the intercom, as many faculty members cheered aloud after hearing the news.

“When you are told you’re not making grade and you are, it’s hard to deal with. We were confident that with the correct data we were making grade,” said Spofford. “We were discouraged when told we hadn’t passed and then elated when that was corrected.”

Being a school in need of improvement would have ramifications that come with the title.

“It obviously has political implications when you are a high performing school like we are and to have that moniker stuck on you,” said Spofford.

“Much more importantly, it casts a negative feeling on everyone who works in the building or goes to the school.”

Spofford said his school can now focus on improvement on its own accord.

“We are now clean as a whistle. We want our work driven by desire to improve, not an external force,” he said. “In our school, we want to get better and work to get better because we want to. It is a very different feeling to be told you’re not doing well and get better.”