Cohasset principal credits staff teamwork, reports progress on literacy programs and MCA testing

Ryan Sigley, principal of Cohasset Elementary, updated the Grand Rapids Public School District board on academic and school-culture developments at Cohasset.

Sigley said this year brought substantial personnel change at Cohasset — new principal, new office staff and student-support specialists, new educational support professionals and kitchen staff — and credited staff for adapting. “One of the things that we have talked about all year is trying to do common things uncommonly well,” Sigley said, adding that school culture is strong and staff focus on “kids first.”

On academics, Sigley described two instructional priorities: implementing Wit & Wisdom and Orton-Gillingham with higher fidelity. He said administrators set clear expectations, conducted walkthroughs, collected data and used that data with leadership teams to reduce variability between classrooms. He called the work “evidence-based” and said the school is seeing growth.

Testing and screening: Sigley said third- through fifth-graders recently completed MCA (Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments) testing — third and fourth in reading and math; fifth in science — and that universal screening is in place for kindergarten through fifth grade. He described universal screening as a tool to measure growth from fall to winter to spring and to guide tiered academic supports.

Community and student highlights: Sigley noted a student-led School of Excellence celebration, described classroom collaboration and praised staff for sustained implementation efforts. He also thanked staff during Teacher Appreciation Week.

Board members thanked Sigley and asked for clarification on Orton-Gillingham; Sigley described it as an explicit, structured approach to early reading instruction used primarily in primary grades to teach foundational reading skills.

The presentation was informational; no board action was taken.