WJCC presents Elevate 28 updates, sets new baseline for early literacy and details safety, career-readiness steps

At the Williamsburg-James City County School Board meeting, senior staff summarized progress under the Elevate 28 strategic plan, including a new baseline for early literacy from the Virginia Language and Literacy Screener (VALS), textbook adoptions across grade levels, plans for new pre‑K centers, and several facility and cyber security upgrades.

Division presenters said the spring VALS — a redesigned, more rigorous statewide literacy screener adopted through a Virginia Department of Education partnership — produced a new baseline showing 79% of K–2 students meeting the on‑track designation this spring. Staff emphasized that VALS is not directly comparable to the older PALS measure and therefore the division will use VALS as its new starting point for measuring K–2 growth and will aim to increase on‑track rates over time.

Officials reported multiple academic initiatives this year: alignment to revised K–12 math standards, professional learning for teachers and paraprofessionals, adoption of new elementary and secondary math texts (including Algebra 2/Trigonometry), and the textbook adoption for AP Environmental Science. For youngest learners, Bright Beginnings teams reported strong kindergarten readiness growth in math (staff reported 97% of Bright Beginnings 4‑year‑olds showed math growth from fall to spring) and pre‑K literacy data showing 70% of 4‑year‑olds in the growing or strong bands for letter‑sound knowledge; staff noted continued work to move more students into higher bands.

College and career readiness updates included expanded mock interview programming (staff reported dozens of business and organization volunteers provided professional feedback to students), use of ASVAB results to inform pathways, and plans to add data science and other advanced course options at secondary schools next year. The career‑focused committee recommended adding career coaches at each high school; that recommendation was presented separately to the board.

Safety and security items were presented as a layered strategy that included training, personnel and infrastructure changes: a standard response protocol for all new hires and substitutes, installation of security fencing at five schools, planned bollard installation at six sites, front‑entrance camera upgrades, intercoms at loading docks, vape detectors in all secondary schools, and designation of threat‑assessment certified trainers. Staff also described a recent network breach response: the division activated contingency instruction plans, tightened access controls, retained external cybersecurity experts, and coordinated with law enforcement; presenters said prior data‑security processes limited impact and any loss was minimal.

Presenters closed by noting that the division will compile full Key Performance Indicator data and return to the board this fall with a comprehensive KPI report tied to Elevate 28 priorities.

"The VALS assessment is more rigorous than the previous screener, so the spring results will serve as our new baseline," a presenter said during the briefing.