Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Curriculum Audit topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Monongalia County presents curriculum audit results, expands behavior training and keeps cell‑phone policy in classrooms
Summary
Deputy Superintendent Donna Stolorico summarized findings from elementary curriculum audits May 13, highlighted behavior blueprint training attended by hundreds of teachers, said the district’s phone pouch policy has reduced distractions and described plans to expand summer mastery programs.
MONONGALIA COUNTY, W.Va. — Donna Stolorico, deputy superintendent for Monongalia County Schools, gave an elementary curriculum audit “season‑finale” presentation at the board’s May 13 meeting that summarized school‑level findings and districtwide initiatives aimed at improving instruction and student behavior.
Stolorico outlined outcomes from school visits and the district’s response to issues identified in last year’s audit. She told the board behavior was the most frequently cited problem and described the district’s “behavior blueprint” training that drew close to 400 teacher participants; Stolorico said the district expects about 500 teachers to attend the second session this summer. She said the training effort included options for earning college credit and lunch for attendees.
Stolorico described a summer “eighth‑grade redemption” program run last July that she said got participating students to mastery in ELA and math; she said the program will expand this summer to provide supports for sixth‑, seventh‑ and eighth‑grade students at risk of not demonstrating mastery. On the elementary front, she said the district will continue to strengthen small‑group literacy work, phonics and targeted interventions.
On the district’s cell‑phone policy for secondary schools, Stolorico said the phones are kept in student‑held pouches while on campus and praised the effect on classroom engagement. “The first phones are in the pouches. It has worked magnificently,” she said. She acknowledged there were initial hiccups and that exceptions have been created for medical needs and parent access; she said staff have worked through those issues.
Stolorico also described instructional changes: the district chose the UFLI (YouFLY) phonics program for consistent phonics instruction across schools, increased co‑teaching practices and expanded training for trauma‑informed classrooms. She praised the work at three schools — Mason Dixon, Mountain View and Skyview — that were designated as CSI/ATS schools after declines in special‑education results; she said the designation prompted intensive work that strengthened instruction and team commitment.
Stolorico described a new district initiative called “Boost Our Educators” that connects local businesses and partners with teachers; she said roughly 36 partners currently offer discounts and support for educators. She also thanked staff who coordinated the curriculum audits and school visits and said the district will present secondary audit findings at a future meeting.
No formal board action was taken on the presentation. Stolorico said she will return in two weeks with the second part of the presentation focused on middle and high schools.
