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Wilson School principal highlights reading, math gains and new programs at board meeting
Summary
Wilson School principal presented academic growth data and described new student programs and facility improvements, including reading-level figures, NJSLA comparative gains and enrichment activities such as a pen‑pal video conference with students in Marrakech, Morocco.
Wilson Elementary School principal Lincoln presented student achievement figures, programs and recent building improvements to the Caldwell-West Caldwell Board of Education at the district’s April 21 public conference meeting.
Lincoln told the board that more than 80 percent of students were reading on or above grade level last June and that, as of March 2025, about 73 percent of Wilson students were reading on or above grade level. He also reported that last year’s New Jersey Student Learning Assessment (NJSLA) results showed Wilson students outperformed the state average in English language arts by approximately 13 percentage points and that math results showed roughly 15 percentage‑point gains relative to the prior year’s state comparison. Internally, the principal said benchmark tests showed about a 10 percent increase in students predicted to meet or exceed the 2025 NJSLA in the fall‑to‑winter period.
Lincoln outlined a number of nonacademic programs intended to build school community, social‑emotional learning and hands‑on learning experiences. He described a new lunchtime program run by the school counselor, an assembly program called LEAD U that focuses on managing emotions and conflict, visits by James Caldwell High School students in the Self Advocacy Club, a STEM visit for kindergarteners, a Macy’s Day Parade design activity for third grade that incorporated coding, and an international classroom exchange with students in Marrakech, Morocco. He said the school is exploring an additional connection with a school in Taiwan.
On facilities and campus life, Lincoln credited families and the Home and School Association for recent “legacy gifts” that provided custom padding for basketball hoops, parking lot banners and new floor mats. He said the district and HSA helped improve an informal baseball field on campus and that Wilson recently received upgraded media equipment for the multipurpose room.
The principal also highlighted longstanding school traditions including a “Gotcha” awards program, a geography bee and a fifth‑grade jobs program to teach student responsibility. Lincoln closed by thanking teachers, staff and families for their support.
Why it matters: The presentation combined academic indicators with examples of enrichment and school community work. The performance figures and benchmarking results will inform district curriculum and assessment discussions this spring.
