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Ambrose Family Center evaluation highlights strong outcomes, recommends counselor, tuition increase and playscape upgrade
Summary
District staff presented an evaluation of the Walter Ambrose Family Center praising instructional practices and student progress, noting full-day enrollment, Head Start participation, and recommending a full-time counselor, a 5% tuition increase and a new playscape.
District staff presented the Walter Ambrose Family Center program evaluation, outlining instructional approaches, enrollment and funding, assessment results and recommended next steps.
The evaluation described Ambrose’s use of Project Construct and Reggio Emilia–influenced practices, daily collaborative planning (PAS), and assessment tools including CLASS observations and GOLDs assessments required by Head Start. Staff reported full enrollment in full-day classrooms, enrollment just over 200 students, 9% Head Start-funded students and 14% served through the Special School District (SSD) partnership.
On instructional outcomes, the presentation showed progress from fall to winter assessments across developmental domains and notable gains for Head Start students: the presenter said a subgroup of 20 Head Start students moved from 55% below age level in math at intake to 75% meeting or exceeding developmental milestones after one trimester. The report also noted strong staff credentials and retention: about 80% of lead teachers hold master’s degrees and several staff completed master’s-level Reggio training.
Recommendations included hiring a full-time counselor to provide social-emotional support and play therapy, a proposed 5% tuition increase (the program had not raised tuition in three years), expanded professional development (including LETRS training and Project Construct / Reggio practices), increased parent involvement strategies, a timeline for onboarding part-time instructional aides, possible slight restructuring of extended hours (proposals such as 07:30–16:30 or 08:00–17:00), and hosting a district professional development workshop in the 2026–27 school year. The presenter said the new playscape currently under construction responds to Missouri licensing and accessibility standards.
Why it matters: the evaluation ties instructional philosophy, assessment results and staffing to recommendations intended to preserve program quality while addressing staffing, equity and sustainability concerns.
Next steps: staff said they will survey parents about possible hour changes, pursue the recommended PD and onboarding timelines, and share results of spring assessments when available. No board vote was recorded on the evaluation at this meeting.
