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District highlights professional learning day, student growth on Panorama and launches Hope Squad peer-support program
Summary
District leaders described a large professional learning day attended by hundreds of staff, reported reading growth on iReady and Panorama results, and announced a peer mental-health program (Hope Squad) with 52 student leaders and sponsorship support from Beacon Mental Health.
District staff told the board about a recent full day of professional learning and shared interim student-support and assessment updates.
Dr. Moore reported the district hosted an extensive professional learning day with more than 700 staff at learning hubs and 75 staff attending externships; staff-led sessions and keynote speakers included Rachel Thomas (Kaufman), Michelle Frost (Accountable Intelligence) on artificial intelligence, Jessica Meisenheimer on student connection, and Cassidy Jobe of Summit Future Foundation on inclusion and workforce transition. Moore said about 50 afternoon breakout sessions supported collaboration across content and grade-level teams and that the district will survey participants for feedback.
On assessment, staff reported winter iReady reading results placed almost all schools in the “high performance, high growth” quadrant, with consistent growth across demographic groups. Panorama results showed grades 3–5 had the greatest increase in school-safety measures and grades 6–12 the greatest increase in emotional regulation; staff also reported a 2% increase in staff sense of belonging. Moore said reading growth trends outpaced math but that math will remain an emphasis.
Dr. Dixon Sehorn of the Department of Student Equity and Access briefed the board on family-engagement modules added to the district site and said the district had opened kindergarten enrollment; as of February staff reported approximately 41 fully registered kindergarten students and roughly 27 additional pending registrations. He also described the Hope Squad peer-support program: 52 student leaders were selected and received parental consent; Beacon Mental Health will sponsor two Hope Squad advisors to attend a June conference in Frisco, Texas.
Nut graf: The board received progress reports on staff professional development and early indicators of student social-emotional gains and learning-growth data, and heard that the district is launching a peer-support initiative supported by a community mental-health partner.
Board members praised in-building collaboration and asked about plans to re-acclimate students after extended absences; staff described gradual re-teaching and assessment-window adjustments to align with DESE guidance.
Ending: Staff said they will continue monthly enrollment updates and will provide survey results from the professional learning day as they become available.
