Wilson Middle School presents Goal Getters program; school staff cite drops in tardies and improved grades

Wilson Middle School Principal Leah Borg and program partners presented the Goal Getters small-group social‑skills and leadership program to the South Saint Paul Public Schools board on Jan. 27, saying data show participating middle school students have reduced tardies and made academic gains.

The program, run by founder Jarrell Miller in partnership with Wilson staff, serves sixth through eighth graders in groups of about six to nine students. Shannon Smith, an eighth‑grade counselor, told the board that 79 students are enrolled this school year in 13 groups and that the district has collected baseline and interim attendance and grade data to measure impact. "Forty percent of our eighth graders have reduced their number of tardies at this point of the year, and we've had 72 percent that have demonstrated consistent academic progress," Smith said.

Why it matters: the board heard the program as part of regular meeting reports. School leaders framed Goal Getters as an intervention to improve classroom engagement and social skills for middle school students, tying early improvements in attendance and grades to the district's broader student‑support objectives.

Program description and data: Jarrell Miller described Goal Getters as a curriculum that focuses on social‑emotional skills, vision boards, coping strategies and goal setting. Smith said the program began last spring with support from the South Saint Paul Education Foundation and expanded this year under the district's ANI plan to a two‑day‑per‑week schedule; Miller attends up to two days per week and also provides some one‑on‑one sessions.

Smith provided figures from last spring and the current school year. Last spring, 62 students participated in a limited number of sessions and the school reported that 71 percent of participating students decreased their number of tardies from third to fourth quarter. For the current year, with 11 sessions completed at the time of the presentation, Smith reported: 40 percent of eighth graders reduced tardies and 72 percent showed consistent academic progress; half of seventh graders reduced tardies and 81 percent showed consistent progress; and among 21 sixth‑grade participants 28 percent reduced tardies and 57 percent were consistent in academic measures.

Students who participate spoke to the board about their experience. Marcy, a Wilson Middle School student, told the board, "Go Getters has been a safe place where I can go. We can all express ourselves in our own way. We all feel connected and accepted." Another student, Takari, said the group "has taught me to be calm and, create more friends. I have learned a lot of social skills, and the group has been a safe place where my voice can be heard."

How students are selected and how groups are formed: Miller and Smith told the board they identify students using school data — attendance, behavior, academics and a screening tool the staff called Mysavers — combined with teacher, counselor and family input. Smith said staff sometimes adjust group composition to maintain safe spaces and to balance peer influences.

Curriculum and operations: Miller described a 56‑week session curriculum that addresses social anxiety, coping with anger and emotion regulation, and includes vision‑board activities and goal tracking. Tessa Walker, identified as a University of Minnesota school‑psychology intern working with the program, was present as staff support. Board members praised the students' public speaking and the staff for organizing the presentation.

Funding and next steps: Smith said initial funding came from the South Saint Paul Education Foundation and that current funding is through the district ANI plan. School leaders told the board they would like to increase Miller's time in the district but are limited by current scheduling and funding.

The board did not take formal action on the program during the meeting; the presentation served to inform trustees about the program's reported outcomes and operations.