Farney Elementary leaders highlight lower absenteeism, reading gains and social-emotional work

Farney Elementary staff and students presented an overview of the school’s midyear progress to the Ottumwa Community School District Board of Education on Jan. 14, highlighting unusually low chronic absenteeism, gains on reading measures and expanded social-emotional programs.

In their presentation, Farney staff said chronic absenteeism stood at about 4.98 percent, substantially below a cited statewide Department of Education comparison figure of roughly 12 percent and neighboring JPA schools at about 15 percent. The presenters credited a combination of consistent expectations, smaller settings, a monthly “Bulldog Time” program and periodic climate surveys for the attendance and discipline improvements.

The presenters described reading growth measured by the DIBELS maze comprehension assessment. They said in October 57 percent of students were showing growth toward benchmarks and that figure rose to about 62 percent by December. For students identified as roughly 1.5 years below grade level, the presenters reported midyear growth from about 37 percent meeting the midyear goal in October to 46 percent in December.

Staff described classroom practices tied to the district’s “high five” Marzano elements and High Reliability Schools (HRS) elements: posting academic scales, student electronic portfolios (kept in Google Classroom), weekly progress monitoring and goal setting. Teachers described using scales to set clear learning targets so students can identify where they are and what they need to do to progress; staff said this has increased student ownership and motivation.

The presentation also covered targeted interventions, including a pilot of Varsity Tutors, an online tutoring service. Presenters said a pilot group of 10 students who used the program from September to December showed average increases on maze comprehension (from about 4.94 to 9.85) and fluency (from roughly 54.2 to 105.7 words per minute).

Staff also summarized social-emotional work: monthly Bulldog Time, classroom lessons delivered by guidance counselor Cindy Schnickloff using Iowa guidance coalition materials, and small-group supports such as “Mission Monday.” Climate survey results shown in the presentation indicated improvements across several items (for example, the percentage of students reporting they feel safe rose from 88.3 percent in spring 2023 to about 92.2 percent in December). Presenters said they have begun an “achievement with attendance” recognition program and continued classroom celebrations tied to iReady math minutes and other goals.

Teachers and students who spoke during the meeting pointed to flexible learning spaces, the library and courtyard as factors making the new building feel welcoming and supportive of learning. Staff said grade-level teams set weekly and monthly SMART goals that align to the school improvement plan, and they track progress frequently to add interventions when needed.

The Farney presenters concluded by outlining SIP targets through spring 2025, including a goal that a specified percentage (presented as 60 percent) of third-grade students will grow at least 19 points on the A-rating assessment (the presentation said the prior spring figure was 28 percent) and that certain proportions of teachers will post and use scales routinely in classrooms.

Board members asked students and staff several clarifying questions about interventions, the Varsity Tutors program and how scales are used to group students for targeted instruction. Staff said the district will continue to monitor midyear and spring results and return with updates as work continues.