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Elementary principals report two‑year school improvement progress and next steps
Summary
Elementary principals presented a district‑aligned two‑year school improvement review: structured literacy adoption (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), increased family engagement and Panorama‑driven social‑emotional work. They said they will finalize new two‑year plans and report back in the fall.
Principals from Wilmington’s six elementary schools presented a joint two‑year school improvement report to the School Committee on April 30, describing implementation of a structured literacy program, expanded family and community engagement and data‑driven social‑emotional supports.
The principals said the district adopted a Houghton‑Mifflin‑Harcourt (HMH) reading program and completed faculty pilots and professional development across buildings in the second year of implementation. The district conducted classroom observations to support teachers’ use of the program and held family information nights. "We have met this goal," one principal reported of the initial implementation phase; the district plans to review fidelity and student outcome data from May assessments.
On social‑emotional learning and school culture, principals described coordinated work using Panorama screening data to identify needs, create small groups (lunch bunch, kindness clubs) and offer targeted interventions. Schools reported partnerships across grade levels — for example, middle‑ and high‑school students visiting elementary classrooms for Read Across America and tutoring, and student leaders undertaking community service such as visits to the Veterans breakfast and senior center activities.
Principals also described audits of classroom and library collections to improve representation in materials, translation and communications in families’ home languages, and enrichment programs (music, STEM) supported by school advisory councils and community partnerships.
Looking ahead, principals said they would finalize new two‑year plans aligned to the district strategic plan, with a focus on sustaining Tier‑1 instruction while expanding Tier‑2 supports. They expect to deliver a fuller update on the next cycle in the fall, and committee members asked the principals to tighten measurable outcomes so the committee and public can track student progress against the plan’s goals.
