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Monticello principals outline data-driven building goals, push cohort model and MTSS focus
Summary
Middle and high school principals told the school board they are using instructional leadership teams, cohort learning and new data tools (FastBridge, EduCLIMBER) to align instruction, address diverse learners and improve attendance and literacy outcomes.
Monticello Middle School and Monticello High School principals presented building-level goals and implementation steps at the Sept. 22 school board meeting, describing a multi-tiered approach to instruction and data use intended to improve literacy, graduation and attendance outcomes.
Monticello Middle School Principal Jeff Sherber said the building's plan centers on an instructional framework aligned to the district MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) umbrella. Sherber said the middle school will rely on an instructional leadership team (ILT), monthly cohort learning sessions by department and teacher-level goals to ensure consistent classroom practice across grades. Assistant Principal Rachel Sandquist described the staff process: department cohorts identify specific tier-1 strategies, “collect feedback from each other, to learn from each other, to constantly reflect,” and align those actions to building goals.
At the high school, Principal Laurie Hanson and Assistant Principal Matt Colwell described parallel structures. Hanson said the high school is entering year two of the cohort model and plans to roll out EduCLIMBER to better aggregate student-level data; “EduCLIMBER is gonna be brand new to the high school this year,” Hanson said. Both principals emphasized work on “diverse learners,” expanded tier-2 supports and a focus on attendance — the high school cited an 80% attendance goal as a building target.
Both buildings connected curriculum choices and teacher professional development to FastBridge and state assessment results. Sherber said the middle school has completed a summer data workshop and is preparing to triangulate multiple measures to identify strands and student groups that need targeted support. Hanson described grading and syllabus work at the high school, including clearer formative and summative grade categories and consistent weighting so students and families can better understand progress.
Board members requested additional longitudinal and cohort data. Board member Casey Root asked for five‑year trend charts to distinguish anomalies from persistent changes; Hanson and Laura Stebner (district instructional leader) said the district will produce multi-year and cohort analyses and embed data reviews into board work sessions.
The presentations were informational; no board action was required, but the board directed the administration to return with more cohort-level data and make the data reviews a recurring board work-session agenda item.
Principals said they will continue monthly cohort meetings, expand building ILT activity and report progress to the board during the school year.
