Myers Middle School reports falling chronic absenteeism and rising assessment scores

Principal Bill Rivers presented a school‑level update for Stephen and Harry Myers (Myers) Middle School, telling the board the school reduced chronic absenteeism and improved ELA and math assessment results while expanding climate‑and‑culture work.

Rivers said Myers runs targeted attendance outreach that starts in summer: students with prior‑year attendance between 0–69% are assigned to an attendance teacher, 70–79% to school counselors and the home‑school coordinator, and 80–89% receive outreach from teacher leaders paid with school improvement grant funds. He said chronic absenteeism dropped about 8 percentage points this year and about 13 percentage points over three years; current chronic‑absence rates were reported around the mid‑20s percentage range and the school is aiming to get below 25%.

Rivers highlighted a focus on high‑impact instructional strategies, data‑informed planning, and restorative practices. He described partnership work with the Vegetable Project to bring hands‑on science and gardening into special‑education classrooms, reporting higher engagement for students in the special classes (the presentation listed three special‑class programs serving about 24 students). Rivers said combined ELA and math assessment scores have climbed steadily — the presentation cited a combined score rising from roughly 43.6 pre‑pandemic to 76.5 last year.

Student voice work included grade‑level equity teams developing materials to help new students navigate school culture and to address racism, bullying and safety. Rivers said the school is developing plans for the last two weeks of the school year to boost engagement and avoid last‑minute drops in attendance.

Board members congratulated staff and students on the improvements and asked about next steps; Rivers said the school would continue to refine literacy instruction across content areas and strengthen argumentative writing supports.