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Adelaide Elementary highlights literacy gains, family engagement in Learning First presentation to school board
Summary
Principal Patty Arben and Adelaide Elementary staff told the Davis County School Board about student-growth strategies — including High Reliability Schools practices, CKLA literacy adoption, PBIS supports and new family outreach — and shared demographics and student counts for the campus.
Principal Patty Arben and staff from Adelaide Elementary presented the school’s Learning First update to the Davis County School District Board during a board workshop, detailing literacy strategies, family engagement efforts and schoolwide recognition programs.
The presentation noted Adelaide is a Title I school identified by the state as a CSI (Comprehensive Support and Improvement) school. Arben said Adelaide serves 365 students in K–6 and about 420 when preschool enrollment is included, and described the student population as roughly 48% Hispanic, 50% Caucasian and 2% mixed.
The presentation focused on High Reliability Schools (HRS) work and literacy. Sixth-grade teacher Randy Wood described Adelaide’s process to become a certified HRS site and said the staff used a “prove or improve” approach to identify strengths and weaknesses. Wood cited positive indicators such as PBIS programs, biannual expectation rotations, a recess “golden sneaker” award and the “tiger coin” program as evidence that staff and students perceive the school environment as safe, supportive and orderly.
Third-grade teacher Amy Larson described efforts to increase recognition across faculty and students after HRS survey results showed opportunities to better acknowledge successes. Initiatives she listed include a monthly principal newsletter that highlights staff accomplishments, a faculty “Shelebrate” board where staff leave recognition notes, a monthly Tiger Roar Award assembly with family invitations, and monthly MVP student acknowledgements tied to character traits.
Literacy coach Claire Revelle explained classroom- and school-level data systems used to track reading progress. Revelle described a data wall with color-coded student cards (red, yellow, green, blue) updated at benchmark periods, frequent “data dives” to set targeted goals (for items such as first sound fluency and accuracy), and shared spreadsheets and progress monitoring so teachers can adjust instruction “in the moment.” She credited CKLA (Core Knowledge Language Arts) implementation and a partnership with Schools Cube for strengthening instruction and aligning practice with the science of reading.
Administrative intern Valerie Demus described family- and community engagement efforts: restarting literacy night, using ClassDojo to support non-English-speaking families, and a recurring Cafe Conversaciones series to invite parents to campus conversations (with Spanish-language support). The school also participates in a spring multicultural showcase with Woods Cross Cluster and holds an annual fun run and school play to build parent involvement.
Speakers repeatedly credited principal communication — monthly newsletters and uploading coaching next-steps into the newsletter — as a reason staff and families know about school goals and progress. Board members thanked the Adelaide team for the presentation and for outreach efforts.
No formal board action was taken on the presentation itself; it was given as an informational report during the workshop.
