The Community Council met on April 24th to discuss several key initiatives including school safety improvements, upcoming staff elections, and the implementation of a new School Improvement Plan (SIP).
During the meeting, members proposed the designation of a school zone and the addition of a crosswalk to address safety concerns. Additionally, the council announced that five positions will be opened for the upcoming elections following the completion of second terms by Ashley Rayback, Lochsley Allred, and Tyler Steele.
The council reviewed the SIP Plan, which focuses on three primary goal areas: literacy, math, and behavior. To track progress toward state RISE test proficiency, the school utilizes NWEA testing data, noting that while Acadience is used for fundamental skills, NWEA provides better predictions for the RISE test.
Academic strategies include adding grade level and teacher goals, utilizing ML strategies to support multilingual learners, and hiring paraprofoleals. The school is also adjusting its Special Education system to provide more individualized support by integrating the Tier 2 intervention system with the SpEd system. The district is also hiring an additional SpEd teacher.
Regarding behavior, the school uses a PBIS program featuring a school store. Moving forward, the council aims to improve consistency in how points are distributed across grade levels and plans to fund a 40-hour student success coach.
Discussion regarding TSSA funds highlighted goals for both proficiency and growth, specifically targeting multilingual learners and students with disabilities, as these groups have seen decreases in proficiency. The council is considering adding RISE interim tests to gather midyear data.
During the questions and comments portion, parents and members discussed the importance of parental involvement at home and the need for better communication regarding student progress. Suggestions were made to improve how scores are communicated via PowerSchool and to educate parents on interpreting test terminology to avoid a false sense of security regarding student levels.
The council also noted that the Trustlands proposal was approved unanimously. Other business items included updates on class lists being sent home on the last day of school and the scheduling of the Dance Festival for 10:30 am on the last day of school.
