Our priorities have focused on rigorous instruction, strong relationships, and responsive data use to drive student success—and these continue to guide our work as we move forward. We grounded in our annual priorities to start.

The academic leadership team then shared their plan for Quarter 2, which runs from November 2024 - January 2025. Highlights from the Q2 plan include: celebration of monthly core values (integrity and promoting social justice), Q1 report cards, Q1 Report card conferences, DIBELs for Kindergarten, FEL Monitoring meetings, the launch of the 3rd Annual Spelling Bee, WIDA ACCESS Field Test, ACCESS testing and Q2 Report Cards and Q2 Report Card Conferences.

We then did a brief recap of BOY data and discussed the next steps that are in process for academic interventions based on the data.

In ELA, students identified through benchmarking assessments as struggling with phonemic awareness and/or phonics are receiving targeted small-group intervention through UFLI or Orton-Gillingham during centers. Teachers are progress monitoring in alignment with each program and guiding students along the trajectory from phonics to comprehension. In addition, all students are receiving BOOST, a computer-based intervention that adapts to student need, providing both intervention and enrichment. BOOST integrates DIBELS BOY data and allows teachers to monitor whether student growth is on track to be typical, above typical, or below typical by the end of the year.

In Math, the highest-need students in grades 2–5 are supported by their teacher, a teaching associate, or our math Interventionist in small-group instruction four days per week. Other high-need students receive support from teachers and/or teaching associates at least Monday through Thursday, with some groups also meeting on Fridays, to address unfinished learning from prior grade levels. Students with less significant gaps receive small-group instruction two to three times per week for individualized support. All students are also engaging with i-Ready MyPath for 30–45 minutes weekly, ensuring access to adaptive, computer-based instruction that reinforces grade-level learning and provides enrichment opportunities beyond.

The academic leadership team than shared their foci for Q2 coaching and development. Highlights included:

• Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) has begun working and is meeting biweekly - planning and leading Common Planning Time Professional Development
• Verbal de-escalation training
• Developing and internalizing existing lesson plans
• How to write an Exemplar
• Revisiting and Refining Co-Teaching models
• Coaching grounded in the “Get Better Faster” trajectory 
• Classroom Management Training: Workshops on classroom management techniques and creating effective behavior management systems (for select staff)
• ESL Grade Level Team Meetings: Started alternating weekly department meetings between book study and and an application workshop week where ESL teachers apply new learning to lesson plans
• Anti-racism work continues
• Launched Music lessons in partnership with Sonida Fridays after school
• Student-led Town Halls