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District improvement updates: reading and math gains reported; Lombard Middle School highlights and student council events announced
Summary
District improvement committee reported modest reading gains and stronger math gains; Lombard Middle School presented academic and behavior highlights; student council outlined upcoming spirit events, blood drives and spring activities.
District leadership reported incremental academic gains and priorities during the meeting, while Lombard Middle School staff highlighted classroom practices and community partnerships that the school says are supporting student growth.
Ms. Breidenmeier, presenting winter updates for the district improvement committee, said the district’s overall reading rate rose from 63% to 66% year‑over‑year and math improved from 59% to 68%. She said the district’s strategic aim is for grade levels to show 3–5 percentage points of growth each year until reaching 80% proficiency; staff singled out first grade as a continuing area of focus and noted one school experienced roughly 25% student mobility, which affected results.
“First grade is one of those areas where we did not see as much growth,” the presenter said, noting assessment differences between kindergarten and first grade can affect comparisons. Staff also reported that the district is continuing work on writing across content areas and plans to refine rubrics next year to measure growth more directly.
Lombard Middle School’s presentation emphasized a consistent writing framework (claim, evidence, reasoning) used across content areas, increased engagement through family and community partnerships, and student leadership opportunities. The Lombard presenter described partnerships with community organizations and Knox College and highlighted programs such as a student podcast and family engagement events that are intended to reinforce character and college‑and‑career readiness.
A student council representative outlined upcoming high school spirit events: Swirl week spirit days (PJ day, Tie‑Dye day, Dinosaur day, Decades day and School Spirit day), the Swirl assembly on Feb. 14, Swirl on Feb. 15, and other activities including a blood drive on Feb. 21 and May 9, “Shooting Hoops and Smiling” on March 6, and a Glow Run on May 2.
Board members praised extracurricular opportunities such as the junior high play and called out the district’s progress while noting continued work remains. The reports were informational and no board action was required on the presentations.
