Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Early Childhood Programs topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Bill Wallace Early Childhood Center reports improved outcomes, attendance and family engagement efforts
Summary
Principal Gretchen and staff reported gains in behavior referrals, new handwriting curriculum, strategies to reduce chronic absenteeism, and family engagement events at Bill Wallace Early Childhood Center; staff launched take-home book incentives tied to Lexia progress.
Bill Wallace Early Childhood Center leaders told the board about instructional and family-engagement initiatives aimed at improving attendance, early literacy and behavior.
Gretchen (principal of Bill Wallace Early Childhood Center) told the board the site is focusing on chronic absenteeism — currently “about 30%” — and is conducting individualized family outreach, increased cleaning protocols when illness clusters appear, and targeted interventions to raise attendance. She said the school is adopting the Handwriting Without Tears curriculum and implementing a WIN (What I Need) intervention and extension block to provide grade-level instruction plus targeted interventions and enrichment.
On behavior, the principal reported a drop in recorded referrals compared with the prior year: 324 major/minor referrals (Aug–Dec) last year versus 168 so far this year. Staff adopted a new behavior policy developed before the current principal arrived and presented it to families during back-to-school activities; the principal said parents signed the behavior policy and some students with prior repeated referrals have shown improvement.
To boost early-literacy resources, the school added a Lexia-based incentive: students who “level up” in the program may select a book to take home to build a home library. The principal said the incentive began recently and has produced enthusiastic student responses.
Gretchen also described community events that drew significant attendance — a STEM night, veterans day assembly, a Thanksgiving meal/open recess and a holiday program — and said staff will share midyear assessment data when the window closes.
Board members asked about donations and logistics; the principal said book donations are welcome and that physical-education and recess schedules run on rotations. Board members praised the center’s plans and asked staff to continue monitoring progress.
