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Christa McAuliffe Elementary named National Distinguished School; district leaders describe literacy and professional development work
Summary
Principal Chris Gallo told the board Christa McAuliffe Elementary was named a National Distinguished School after gains in grades 3–5 ELA proficiency; staff described professional learning communities (PLCs), Teach United training, phonics investments and next steps to share practices districtwide.
Christa McAuliffe Elementary School was recognized at the Jan. 6 Concord Board of Education meeting as a National Distinguished School. Principal Chris Gallo described a multiyear effort of professional learning, evidence-based literacy instruction and targeted interventions that he said led to rapid gains in the school’s third‑ through fifth‑grade English/language-arts results.
Why it matters: A National Distinguished School designation signals above‑average academic performance or significant progress at a school and frames district conversations about how to scale effective practices.
Gallo told the board the school’s third, fourth and fifth graders scored “about 76.6% proficient in ELA” on spring testing last year (principal’s description of results), a turnaround from earlier years when the school had been identified for additional assistance. He credited a combination of strategies: an 11-member team trained in professional learning community practices; participation in a Teach United program that provided high-impact instructional strategies (growth mindset, authentic engagement, personalized learning and data-driven instruction); and investments in phonics and morphology programs — including kindergarten phonics, a foundations program in lower grades and a morphology/word-study program in upper elementary classrooms.
Gallo said the school sent educators to institutes and then used that training to develop common assessments, unpack literacy standards and provide targeted interventions. He added the school’s staff continued the work after COVID interruptions and described a six-person teacher team trained last year that is now coaching colleagues through grade-level PLCs.
Board members asked whether Teach United training could be expanded districtwide; staff replied the program is not currently free and the district would seek grant funding to bring it to additional schools. Gallo also said the district received support from the U.S. Department of Education for a recognition event in Austin, Texas; the school will send three staff members to the celebration.
Next steps: The board discussed districtwide curriculum and standards work and asked staff to evaluate whether the practices that produced gains at Christa McAuliffe can be replicated and funded across other elementary schools.
