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Mill Valley Elementary touts state rankings, 8,000 'paw prints' and an 'integrity' theme
Summary
Mill Valley Elementary staff presented to the Muskego-Norway School Board on Jan. 13 about student achievement, a schoolwide integrity initiative and specific interventions for students who need extra support, citing a 94.1 school report card score and strong value‑added growth metrics.
Mill Valley Elementary staff told the Muskego‑Norway School Board on Jan. 13 that the school ranks among the top elementary schools in Wisconsin in several measures and has launched a schoolwide integrity focus aimed at improving student behavior and experience.
"We are, at Mill Valley, a caring community who ensures high levels of growth for everyone, every day," Mill Valley presenter Miss Harris told the board as she opened the school's presentation.
Staff highlighted academic metrics presented in the state report card: Mill Valley was described as ranking third in the state for the percentage of students scoring proficient or advanced in ELA, second among Waukesha County elementary schools for math proficiency, and holding a school report card score of 94.1. The presentation cited a value‑added (growth) score of 4.1 in ELA; presenters said a growth score of 3.0 is considered average and that scores above 3.0 indicate students are performing better than if they had attended a different school.
As part of behavior supports, Mill Valley staff described an "integrity" theme carried to classrooms and staff recognition. Teachers give students paw‑print recognitions; staff reported more than 8,000 paw prints distributed this year. The school also uses a check‑in survey and interventions with school psychologists and teaching and learning coaches to address students who report mixed feelings about respect and belonging.
Presenters listed professional supports and curricular interventions including literacy coaching, diagnostic assessments, Orton‑Gillingham reading interventions and small‑group math extension activities led by a math teaching and learning coach identified in the presentation as Abby Jobot.
Board members praised the Mill Valley staff for consistent high performance and asked how the school supports students who fall in the district's bottom quartile or who are not yet proficient. Miss Harris said staff use targeted small‑group work and new intervention programs to meet those students' needs.
The presentation concluded with an invitation to board members and parents to visit classrooms and observe school activities; the board and superintendent thanked Mill Valley staff for the report and for hosting the meeting.
Speakers quoted in this article spoke during the Jan. 13 presentation; all quotes and data points are drawn directly from the meeting transcript.
