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South and Forest elementaries report intervention changes, inclusion efforts and new sensory room
Summary
Principals from South Elementary and Forest Elementary outlined efforts tied to District 62’s strategic goals, including data-driven intervention groups, expanded inclusion and a new sensory room at South; Forest highlighted reading interventions, PBIS work, student leadership and a Rivers Casino-funded playground upgrade.
South Elementary and Forest Elementary principals briefed the District 62 Board of Education on April 21 about school-level work tied to the district strategic plan, including changes to intervention scheduling, inclusion practices, PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) refinements and facility improvements.
Kristen Jeris, principal of South Elementary School, said teachers are restructuring intervention and enrichment time so student groupings change more frequently according to current pre-assessment data. “So data before they teach a certain standard…create and modify their groupings to make sure that as many students as we can are meeting our grade-level essential standards,” Jeris said. She described learning targets for content and language to support multilingual learners, and said South added a sensory room over the summer as a place for students to regulate and reset.
Jeris described inclusion practices for students in self-contained instructional classrooms: those students attend weekly second-step social-emotional lessons in general-education classrooms and join general-education peers for specials and class parties. The sensory room, she said, is available to any student who needs it and students may enter accompanied by a social worker, teacher or other staff member.
Forest Elementary Principal Amber Soege and Assistant Principal Tracy Reiner said their school prioritized foundational literacy and strengthened MTSS (multi-tiered systems of support) work, using professional learning on math recovery and benchmark phonics. Reiner said the school has expanded student leadership to include representatives from first through fifth grade and that 89% of Forest students in grades 1–5 participate in at least one activity.
Forest staff also said they used Title I and extended-day funds to provide after-school clubs, and that River’s Casino funded a playground enhancement to increase accessibility. Forest staff noted district foundation grants purchased new music instruments and supported family engagement events. The principals said they use PBIS tickets (called Fine Feather Friends) and monthly principal awards to reinforce expected behaviors.
Ending Both schools answered board questions about implementation and next steps; administrators said they will continue monitoring data and refining supports under the district strategic plan.
