Three middle schools report early gains after UVA partnership; district highlights statewide reading growth

Three Fond du Lac middle schools told the Board of Education on Feb. 24 that a yearlong partnership with the University of Virginia has produced early instructional changes and measurable student growth, and district leaders said separate state- and nationally-sourced analyses show strong recent gains in reading and math.

The schools — Sabish, Tyson and Woodworth — described implementing shared purpose statements, classroom protocols and a districtwide focus on data-driven instruction (DDI). Sabish’s presenter said the school adopted regular ‘‘micro PD’’ sessions, Table Talk protocols and teacher practices such as word walls and sentence stems to boost access and feedback for students. ‘‘We believe in each and every student, each and every day,’’ the Sabish presenter said, summarizing the school’s purpose statement.

Tyson Principal Brad Narott introduced teacher leaders Nicole Vogue and Randy Wilhelms, who described how new DDI meeting templates and weekly formative checks are driving reteaching and immediate feedback to students. ‘‘We unpack a summative assessment or a final test at the beginning of a unit,’’ Wilhelms said, adding that the practice lets teachers spot gaps and plan reteaching faster.

Woodworth’s presenter emphasized ‘‘intentionality and accountability,’’ saying staff have started dedicated 40-minute team planning blocks and are building PDSA cycles into practice so teachers can own the data work rather than react to outside consultants.

Chief of Schools Mrs. Bowers introduced the middle-school presentations. Later in superintendent and chief academic officer reports, district leaders said an independent «education recovery scorecard» compiled with Harvard and Stanford partners ranked Fond du Lac among the fastest improvers in math over two years and the top district in the state for recent reading growth. Superintendent Dr. Flagg told the board the analysis used NAEP-based benchmarks and was not dependent on state test standard-setting. ‘‘This does not happen by accident,’’ Dr. Flagg said, crediting district systems and adult practice changes for the results.

The chief academic officer also reviewed the Achievement Gap Reduction (AGR) program, noting AGR focuses on targeted supports — one-to-one tutoring, instructional coaching and smaller class sizes — for identified elementary students. He said a shift in kindergarten assessment emphasis (from letter-name recognition to letter-sound instruction tied to a new curriculum) helps explain a temporary dip in letter-name scores and that the district expects those measures to recover as curriculum pacing continues.

Board members and presenters repeatedly framed the work as system-driven: shared language, consistent protocols and adult practice changes. Board President Schreiner and several members praised staff for implementing the UVA partnership tools and encouraged continued focus on moving students from ‘‘high growth’’ into ‘‘high performance."