Batavia USD 101 principals presented school-level progress on May 20, reporting mixed results across reading, math and social-emotional indicators as the district prepares a districtwide review in June.

The presentations, delivered during a special board meeting item on school improvement plans, summarized each building's goals, outcomes and next steps under the district's strategic plan. Principals described using Panorama survey data, CHAMPS classroom-walkthroughs and early implementation of the Illinois Comprehensive Literacy Plan to guide instruction and social-emotional work.

Kristen Stevens, principal at AGS, said the school met both its ELA proficiency and growth targets, with 78% of students at or above the 50th percentile and growth exceeding the goal by two percentile points. Stevens also reported 83% proficiency in math and said a targeted approach to decreased nurse visits — used as a proxy for belonging and emotional support — showed improvement: “97 percent of those students being tracked had less nursing visits,” she said.

At Grace McWain, Principal Jeff Monet reported high proficiency levels and year‑over‑year gains: “We had 91 of our students proficient in math on NWA MAP, and 80 percent of our students were proficient in reading,” Monet said, and added that kindergarten cohorts and specific grade bands showed notable growth.

HC Storm Principal Chris Milken said the school saw a 12 percentage‑point increase in math proficiency and subgroup gains — including a 9.5 percentage‑point increase in Black/African American students meeting projected growth — but acknowledged the building did not meet its overall ELA growth target. Milken described a series of teacher-led professional learning efforts and a pilot of the Boys & Girls Club partnership, which produced modest increases in participation when staffing stabilized.

Gina Greenwald, principal at Hoover Wood, reported the building reached 73% proficiency in reading and noted a 10 percentage‑point jump in math proficiency from fall to spring; she also described a districtwide pattern of a winter dip in Panorama belonging scores that rebounded by spring.

Nicole Prentice, principal at JV Nelson, said the school exceeded its math growth goal (about 76% meeting growth targets) while literacy growth remained short of the 60% target. Prentice described using student focus groups to diagnose social‑emotional trends and piloting lessons on neurodiversity to improve peer respect and inclusion.

At Louise White, Principal Mike Wall said the school used monthly SEL focus areas, CHAMPS alignment and a fifth‑grade service club to boost participation and belonging; the building met its targeted reduction in office referrals and saw mixed MAP growth outcomes.

Middle school leaders reported high building‑wide math proficiency but continued reading challenges. Adam Lester, filling in for RMS leadership, reported a spring proficiency of about 77% in math and said reading growth remained a priority for next year’s work on the district’s literacy shifts.

At Batavia High School, Principal Joanne Smith described two SLT goals: adapt to the state’s switch to the ACT (including a new combined ELA metric) and increase extracurricular participation among low‑income students. Smith said the school will continue targeted outreach and student interviews after conducting roughly 100 one‑on‑one interviews to learn why participation gaps exist.

Across presentations, principals described consistent next steps: deepen implementation of the Illinois Comprehensive Literacy Plan, expand instructional rounds and PLC data work, increase student voice activities, and refine CHAMPS and Bulldog block intervention structures. Several principals noted the district is in a multi-year process to close gaps and that specific work will continue in the districtwide presentation scheduled for June.

The board heard the presentations in a special session devoted to item 3.1 and did not take any formal votes on the school improvement plans at the May 20 meeting.