Wyoming Valley West officials report Title I gains, add middle-school math intervention teacher

Wyoming Valley West School District presented an overview of its Title I schoolwide program Wednesday, with Title I coaches and building principals reporting measurable gains on Renaissance/STAR and IXL assessments and describing interventions used across elementary and middle schools.

District Title I coach Dana Masholi and coach Russ Singer told the school board that buildings use a 30–45 minute “WIN” (What I Need) intervention period, data-driven regrouping, PBIS incentives and family engagement events to support students. “Win means what I need, meaning what each student needs,” Masholi said.

The presentation covered State Street, Dana Street, Chester Street, Third Avenue elementary schools and Wyoming Valley West Middle School. At State Street, presenters said STAR/ Renaissance data show an 8% increase in students “at or above benchmark” in reading for grades 2–5 and smaller gains in math; the speakers said those changes represent roughly 50–75 students moving to grade level. Dana Street reported an 8% increase in early literacy and overall reading growth of 9% with math growth of 6% through the third quarter. Chester Street reported a 6% increase overall over three quarters. At Third Avenue, which serves primarily kindergarten students plus one autistic support classroom, presenters said students at or above benchmark rose from 35 at the start of the year to 39 at the end of the third quarter, while urgent-intervention counts fell from 25 to 19.

Wyoming Valley West Middle School Principal (presenter) said IXL benchmark snapshots taken three times per year show measurable gains: he cited a sixth‑grade math baseline of “358” in September and a January score of “414,” a gain of 56 points toward the district’s target of a 100‑point annual gain, and said the middle school is on track to meet or exceed a year’s growth in several grades. The principal said the district funded an additional teacher assigned to sixth‑grade math intervention to target students below grade level. “The Wyoming Valley West School Board has allocated funds for us to be able to add another teacher to the Wyoming Valley West Middle School staff. That teacher was targeted to teach sixth grade mathematics intervention,” he said.

Presenters credited common planning time, daily regrouping during WIN periods, use of IXL and IXL‑related after‑school JamBoard activities, and family events such as “Merry Math Night” and “Spartan STEAM” for improved outcomes. Several principals described PBIS (positive behavioral interventions and supports) ticket/reward systems and in‑school stores used to motivate students.

Board members asked for clarifications about categories on the STAR/ Renaissance charts (urgent intervention, intervention, on watch, at/above benchmark). A principal explained that “urgent intervention” identifies students needing the most support, “on watch” are students being monitored so they do not regress, and movement to the right side of the charts shows improvement. After the presentation, a board member asked Miss Troy to email the presentation to the board and requested a fourth‑quarter report after the school year; Miss Troy agreed.

The presenters repeatedly tied current improvement efforts to closing pandemic‑era achievement gaps. The middle‑school presenter said the district’s growth trajectory, if sustained, would narrow multi‑year gaps that appeared among cohorts affected by pandemic disruptions.

The board did not take a formal vote on program changes during this work session; the presenters noted the board had already allocated funding for the middle‑school intervention teacher. The school administration asked the board to review the emailed presentation and watch for a Q4 update after the school year ends.