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Saroyan Elementary and El Capitan Middle report academic gains, attendance work and new family supports
Summary
Principals from Saroyan Elementary and El Capitan Middle reported gains on state and local assessments, efforts to reduce chronic absenteeism and new family supports including after‑school programs and a community pantry opening Oct. 22 at El Capitan.
Two school principals presented site reports at the Sept. 23 Central Unified board meeting, highlighting student achievement gains, attendance efforts and new family supports.
Saroyan Elementary Principal Joelle Mills reported a 6.1 percentage‑point improvement in SBAC ELA from the prior year. She said the school focused on handwriting and writing stamina as part of instruction, which staff believe contributed to gains. Additional site results she presented included spring F&P proficiency at 75.2% (a reported gain of 8.1 points), iReady ELA 59.6% (+6.5) and iReady math 56.6% (+6.4). Mills said Saroyan met a site goal of at least one field trip per grade level, moved from PBIS bronze to silver and earned PBIS gold status for the 2024–25 year. She described attendance initiatives — including recognition for improved attendance and targeted SSC discussions — and said after‑school enrollment exceeded 220 students. Mills also described a pilot with Allevo playground coaches to provide structured recess activities, expanded Thinkery and MTSS staff, teaching fellows in primary grades and before/after tutoring offerings.
El Capitan Middle School Principal Patricia McCurley reported double‑digit iReady growth: a 17% increase in reading mastery and a 15% increase in mathematics mastery year‑over‑year, affecting about 299 students in reading and 200 in math per presentation slides. McCurley said English learners are making steady progress and noted 57% of 7th‑grade ELs and 74% of 8th‑grade ELs scored a 3 or 4 on the ELPAC. She reported a 14% decrease in suspension rates over two years and said the campus uses intervention specialists who make home visits and partner with families to address attendance barriers. El Capitan’s expanded‑learning program reported roughly 130 students enrolled and the school plans to open a community pantry on Oct. 22 to support families; the principal thanked Central Foundation and named community supporters who helped the effort.
Board members asked site‑specific questions about PLC practices, how schools measure success for vendor programs (Allevo), how Saroyan is addressing math growth, and whether overflow enrollment affects attendance. Principals described PLC work, common formative assessments, teacher coaching, targeted interventions and parent outreach strategies that sites use to monitor progress. Trustees praised improvements and asked for continued follow‑up on attendance and program effectiveness.
No board action was required on the reports; both sites will continue work tied to district goals and return data through routine reporting channels.
