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District updates strategic-plan Focus Area 1: literacy grant, curriculum mapping and special programs
Summary
District leaders reported progress on a K-12 literacy grant, curriculum mapping, special education coordination, gifted-education review and home visits during the Feb. 10 Steamboat Springs School Board meeting.
District administrators updated the Steamboat Springs School Board on Feb. 10 about progress under Strategic Plan Focus Area 1, reporting gains tied to a K-3 literacy grant, expansion of curriculum-mapping work across grades 4-12, and new coordination in special education and gifted-education programming.
Superintendent Celine Wicks and a team that included Dr. Tim Ritter, principals and assistant principals summarized program enhancements, professional learning and steps to align curriculum districtwide. They emphasized data-driven practices, weekly PLC (professional learning community) assessment protocols, and ongoing curriculum review in math, language arts and EB (emerging bilingual) programs.
Administrators said the district is in year 3 of a four-year K-3 literacy grant. Erin Halbert described monthly, in-person consultant visits, small-group literacy profiles and PDSA (plan-do-study-act) cycles that administrators say have driven measurable midyear growth in DIBELS benchmarks.
Special-education staff reported the district has hired a special-education coordinator and gained access to a Board Certified Behavior Analyst to support complex cases. The district also adopted a new platform (Enrich) for special-education reporting and monitoring.
Gifted-education leaders reviewed a quality assessment process that produced a mission and vision, common assessments, and a focus on identifying a broader and more diverse pool of students for enrichment activities. Administrators said they recently obtained better access to MAPs data for GT (gifted and talented) identification and are planning further professional development.
District staff highlighted a home-visit pilot: the program has increased from 49 visits in spring 2023 to 97 at the midyear check-in this year, and administrators encouraged its continued use as an outreach tool for families.
Board members asked for more clarity on how the science of reading and literacy coaching might extend beyond grade 3 into grades 4 and 5 and into secondary content areas. Administrators said work is under way through curriculum-mapping and professional development, and they flagged a March 24 differentiated professional-development day designed to address identified gaps.
Administrators said they will continue to compile and share program-evaluation data with the board and that further updates will be included in the district's monitoring schedule and upcoming GIAC (Gifted Education Advisory Council) reports.
