District 161 staff present 2025–26 school improvement plans emphasizing student safety, PBIS and daily small-group instruction

Three elementary schools in Flossmoor District 161 presented their 2025–26 School Improvement Plans at the Aug. 18 board meeting, outlining a common focus: improving student perceptions of safety while increasing targeted instruction in reading and math.

Why it matters: district leaders said safety and classroom-level instructional consistency are linked. The plans emphasize student voice in safety work, regular PBIS stations, tiered small-group interventions and ongoing formative assessment so teachers can adjust instruction quickly.

Flossmoor Hills: Miss McNeil, accompanied by teachers Beth Ann Koleser and Kelly Rosales, said the building’s theme is "level up with every learner every single day." Flossmoor Hills set targets to raise the percentage of students meeting or exceeding Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) in reading from 54% to 64% and in math from 45% to 55%. The plan includes a universal pass system to manage student movement, targeted daily small-group instruction in reading and math, monthly nonfiction reading challenges and regular "data talk" forms that ask students to record their score, standard focus and next steps.

Heather Hill: Assistant Principal Sina Puram and staff presented a plan titled "rooting for each other and growing together." The building will prioritize student voice through surveys and Hornet Council focus groups, expand PBIS stations and implement AVID-style student binders and portfolios to track goals and organization. Heather Hill leaders said they would administer safety surveys early in the year and again midseason to guide adjustments before the 5Essentials survey window.

Serena Hills: Laura Rodriguez and colleagues said "student safety is our number one priority" and described a student-led safety squad that will meet monthly with administration, expanded PBIS stations, formalized classroom procedures and restorative peace circles for maintaining and restoring community. Serena Hills set academic targets to move IAR proficiency in English language arts from 39% to 49% and in math from 15% to 25%. Staff also described a districtwide emphasis on a gradual-release instructional framework ("I do, we do, you do"), ongoing formative checks to shape small groups and a quarterly analysis of student writing.

Districtwide supports and context: Superintendent Dr. Smith said the district has spent recent summers aligning instructional practices and building consistent PLC (professional learning community) rhythms. He reported the district’s fall enrollment at about 1,991 students and noted building renovations at Heather Hill and Serena Hills are complete; Flossmoor Hills has ongoing monitoring for humidity issues. The district also flagged a ribbon cutting at Heather Hill and an invitation to community "Chalk the Walk" events before school opens.

Public input and transparency questions: At the start of the meeting a resident, Agnes Trott, urged the board to publish current school improvement plans and to update online materials that she said still displayed 2024 data; she also asked the board to explain recent conference spending limits and to avoid paying students for attendance incentives. Trott’s remarks were addressed during the presentations and the superintendent’s update emphasizing public communication about plans and enrollment.

Implementation and next steps: principals said they will use walk-throughs, shared lesson observations, PLCs and classroom feedback to ensure consistent implementation. All three schools plan short-term measurement points (surveys, formative checks, data-talk cycles) before the district’s formal 5Essentials window to allow midyear corrections. No board action was required at the meeting to adopt the plans beyond the presentations.