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Waldo School outlines goals to raise proficiency, reduce chronic absenteeism
Summary
Waldo School principal and team presented a school improvement plan focused on literacy, numeracy, culture of belonging and early interventions to reduce chronic absenteeism; the school aims for a 6 percentage-point increase in math and ELA proficiency and reported a 4-point drop in chronic absenteeism at day 15.
Waldo School leaders presented their school improvement plan to the District 131 curriculum committee, describing goals for literacy, numeracy and building a culture of belonging.
Principal Eileen Roberts and her administrative team said teachers will focus on grade-level standards taught with fidelity, universal vocabulary strategies and data-driven groups to close achievement gaps. The presentation stated a target of a 6 percentage-point increase in proficiency in math and English/language arts, which the team said would require 42 or more students to progress in reading and math.
Roberts and assistant principals described work from the prior year, including a 4 percent increase in reading growth tied to districtwide reading strategies. They also highlighted interventions to address chronic absenteeism: the team reported that about a quarter of students were chronically absent last year and that the day-15 data showed that the 24% chronic-absence figure had dropped by 4 percentage points after early interventions.
Specific strategies the Waldo team described include relationship mapping, early identification of students needing extra supports, guidance-counselor-led family outreach and targeted instruction through professional learning communities. The principal said teacher voice guided the school plan and that classroom practices will include rigorous, standards-aligned lessons and data-driven small-group instruction, with emphasis on English learners and students with disabilities.
School leaders closed the presentation with anecdotes intended to illustrate the attendance and culture work, and they told the committee they will continue monitoring day-to-day data and adjust supports.
The item was informational; no formal motions or votes were recorded.
