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District 25 staff outline Project Soapbox, winter testing window and rising absenteeism
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Summary
District 25 staff updated the Community Education Council on districtwide civics programming, family workshops, athletics and a midyear assessment window, and warned that chronic absenteeism has increased since November.
District 25 staff gave the Community Education Council an overview Wednesday of ongoing civics programming, family workshops and the winter assessment window, and urged families to track student attendance.
The district report focused on Project Soapbox, a civics-for-all initiative that asks students to research and deliver persuasive speeches to classmates and school audiences. Doctor Mann, a member of the District 25 staff, said the program has produced speeches on topics ranging from climate change to personal health experiences. "Their voice does matter," Doctor Mann said.
The district also announced family-facing workshops: a special-education session on Jan. 14; an I-Ready family workshop on Feb. 13; and a math family night on Jan. 16 at PS 129. The district said it records workshops for later viewing.
Staff reviewed the winter diagnostic assessment window, which the district said runs from Jan. 2 through Feb. 9. Doctor Mann urged CEC members to use midyear results to check progress toward goals and to support school-based planning.
Attendance drew particular emphasis. Doctor Mann said district attendance fell from about 95.4% in November to 94.5%, and that chronic absenteeism has risen. "Every absence counts," Doctor Mann said, noting that one missed day can move some students below proficiency thresholds. The district said it will send positive messaging and reminders to families about healthy habits to limit avoidable absences.
Council members asked about acceleration and screened programs as students transition from elementary to middle school. In a sustained exchange, Council members and Doctor Mann debated how gifted-and-talented identification and accelerated coursework are handled across schools; Doctor Mann said district schools provide multiple routes to accelerated, Regents-level coursework by eighth grade but organization and practices vary by school.
The report also covered athletics and new programming: a district elementary basketball league, middle-school unified bocce, a tennis pilot for grades 1–3 and partnerships with NYCFC, Special Olympics and New York Mets for athletic supports. Staff said the district is working to expand lacrosse opportunities in spring.
The presentation closed with a reminder of enrollment and application dates for multiple programs, including kindergarten and gifted-and-talented deadlines in January and offers released in April and June.
Looking ahead, staff said they will share midyear assessment summaries at the February CEC meeting and work with schools on next steps where goals are not being met.
