Montville - Superintendent of Schools Pamela Aubin said Friday that she was "extremely pleased" with the district's scores on the Connecticut Mastery Test, especially in the areas of reading and math.

The district is concerned, however, about a drop in reading scores on the Connecticut Academic Performance Test, which is given to tenth-graders.

The CMT is administered statewide to students in grades three through eight. The percentage of Montville students who reached or exceeded the state's goal in reading was greater than the statewide average in all grades except grade five, according to a press release from the district. For math, the percentage of Montville students at goal was greater than the state average in grades three, four and seven.

The district's third-grade reading scores were also the highest in five years. This year, 61.4 percent of third-graders were at goal in reading, up from last year's 52 percent and the highest percentage since 2008's 61.5 percent.

Montville implemented several strategies to achieve these results, according to the press release. Elementary schools held an after school intervention program two days a week that focused on reading and math, providing academic support and time to complete homework as well as recreational activities.

Principals and teachers identified students in grades three through five who they thought would benefit from the program, which was paid for by a state grant and Title 1 funds. The latter is provided by the federal government for programs that help low-income students.

The district's press release also credited the success to the use of Smart Board technology, which was installed in all kindergarten to grade five classrooms during the 2012-2013 school year, and meetings at which teachers in each grade level discussed instructional strategies and grade level goals.

The percentage of Montville students scoring at or above the state's goal on the CAPT, which tests tenth-graders on science, math, reading and writing, increased in math and science and decreased by only 0.1 percent in writing.

The percentage of students at goal in reading, however, was 7.5 percent below the state average and is the district's greatest area of concern, according to the press release. Less than half-41 percent-of Montville's tenth-graders scored at goal on that section, below last year's 47.8 percent.

Montville High School has a program called MHS Alternative Pathways to Success, or M.A.P.S., which identifies at-risk students and places them in classes designed to help them succeed. On component of M.A.P.S. during the past school year was a double-block English class that combines a traditional English class with a reading comprehension program, and MHS plans to continue that feature during the up coming school year.

Montville High School Principal Jeffery Theodoss said this spring that the school also plans to add a tutoring center for M.A.P.S. students where they can receive extra help with math or English.

The district's press release also notes that work was completed this summer to align the curriculum with Common Core Standards to prepare for the shift to Smarter Balanced assessments.

Montville had its highest percentage at or above the state goal in CAPT science in five years with 56.6 percent, according to the press release. It also exceeded the state average of students at goal, which was 49 percent.

In CAPT math, 47.2 percent of Montville students were at goal, 3.3 more than last year's results but still below the state average of 52.6 percent.

k.catalfamo@theday.com