District principals present school improvement plans; focus on literacy, math, MTSS and attendance

Principals and district leaders presented school improvement and Title I plans for the coming year at the Mifflin County School District board meeting, outlining priority challenges, measurable goals and action steps focused on literacy, math and attendance.

Supervising administrator Mr. DeArmond introduced the process the district uses to compile school plans, noting schools are evaluated on statewide assessments and local measures. East Dairy Elementary (presented by Mr. Reeder) identified two priority challenges: third-grade ELA proficiency (53.7% proficient/advanced on the district’s cited metric) and K–3 math (38.5% proficient/advanced). East Dairy’s measurable goals include raising students to a 70% benchmark in ELA and math by the end of the school year, and implementing phonics programs (UFLI, LETRS), a universal phonics screener k–3, I‑Ready math adoption, Screenmap/SpringMAP assessments, MTSS meeting structures, and PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports).

Lewistown Elementary School (presented by Ms. Sich) reported targeted improvement designations in attendance and achievement for subgroups including students with disabilities and economically disadvantaged students. Action steps include intensified family outreach, school‑based social work/home visits, UFLI implementation, SpringMAP use, MTSS meetings, PBIS and early reading interventions for students below the 10th percentile.

David Portzante and other elementary presenters described similar priorities across buildings: structured-literacy practices (e.g., Heggerty, LETRS/UFLI), districtwide adoption of I‑Ready math for K–5, spring and fall benchmark assessments using SpringMAP, and monthly MTSS data reviews with school psychologists and counselors. Principals set measurable local goals — commonly 70% proficiency on benchmark assessments by 06/01/2026 for K–3 reading and targeted 50–70% targets for math depending on building — chosen to be challenging but achievable based on recent incremental gains.

At the middle and junior high levels, Jennifer McNair (middle school) and junior high presenters said they will use the state Firefly diagnostic assessment (Firefly) and local progress monitoring three times per year to target growth in ELA and math subgroups (economically disadvantaged, students with disabilities, combined ethnicity groups) and to implement teacher-led “what I need” intervention blocks and study-hall restructuring. The junior high added intervention periods led by special education teachers to close IEP-related gaps and to monitor career-standards benchmarks.

Mifflin County High School leaders said they would use a variety of diagnostic, formative and summative assessments tied to Keystone‑eligible standards and continue targeted supports for students with disabilities and economically disadvantaged students. The high school set measurable targets of 60% for students with disabilities meeting individual growth targets on benchmark assessments by 06/01/2026 and highlighted gains on recent Keystone and career‑readiness indicators.

Attendance emerged as a consistent cross-district priority. Presenters described school-level attendance plans that include frequent outreach, daily attendance reporting, case management with counselors and social workers, scripts for teacher outreach, and progressive truancy protocols to reduce chronic absence.

The board received the plans and the presentations; the meeting record shows the district submitted the school improvement and Title I schoolwide plans to the board for approval later in the consent agenda.

Key data points mentioned in presentations are taken from plans attached to the board packet and from presenters’ remarks at the meeting; where presenters cited statewide averages or state goals, those were given as comparative context in the slide remarks.