Jackson PreK–8 credits restorative practices, targeted instruction for sharp drop in suspensions and early academic gains

At the Feb. 19 York City SD school board meeting, Jackson PreK–8 Principal Miss Smallwood told directors the school has cut out-of-class disciplinary referrals and suspensions while expanding instruction and family engagement.

"This time last year our 200-level infractions were 381; this year that has decreased 52% with the 200-level infractions and 65% decrease in non-incident infractions," Miss Smallwood said, attributing part of the improvement to staff training in Capturing Kids' Hearts and daily restorative-practice circles led by staff. She said restorative conversations are used in classrooms and in separate circles so students can address harm and return to learning sooner.

The principal said Jackson’s total enrollment is 494 and provided a school demographic breakdown and subgroup counts: 52 students with IEPs, 78 students receiving EL services, 10 dually diagnosed, and the school listed 494 students identified as economically disadvantaged. She said fifth grade is the largest cohort (61 students) and third grade is the smallest (48 students).

Jackson staff presented assessment and instructional data. The school reported substantial practice on the IXL platform—"over 31,000" skills practiced, roughly 15,000 marked proficient and 13,000 mastered—and more than 4,000 total hours logged in IXL across math and ELA. On interim math assessments, staff reported grade-level shifts including a 7% increase in fourth-grade proficiency and reductions in below-basic percentages in several grades; district and building leaders are working to align interim assessments and the new curriculum.

Miss Smallwood described data-driven PLCs, daily instructional leadership team meetings and use of MTSS supports. She credited the MTSS coach for assembling spreadsheets and supporting teachers with real-time data and said the school plans to expand data-driven instruction next year.

School staff said the building has emphasized library and literacy efforts but acknowledged gaps in “books in hand.” When asked by Director Breeland about books available to students, staff said many classrooms maintain their own libraries and teachers are cautious about sending books home because sets are often lost. The school pointed to a districtwide program that delivers two books per month to students as a corrective measure and said classroom sets are being provided so students may take books home without teachers losing classroom resources.

Jackson also highlighted nonacademic supports: a paraprofessional, Calvin, described his role as a mediator and ‘‘big brother’’ figure; Miss Byard, a security team member trained in restorative practices, said she focuses on rapport-building and difficult conversations with students; and the school outlined SEL small groups, check-in/check-out supports and an incoming social worker.

Staff described enrichment programs and recent grants: a robotics program started recently; Leadership York funded a quilt project tied to learning about the Underground Railroad that the school hopes to display at the African American Museum; and after-school programs such as a girls’ enrichment group and tutoring are being phased in.

Board members pressed on several fronts: use of the physical library versus classroom collections; whether books provided are being read rather than merely distributed; and how to sustain instructional rigor given some midyear dips. Miss Smallwood said teachers are actively monitoring writing across subjects to improve grammar and composition and that instructional priorities are now structured as action steps tied to data, not only data collection.

Jackson leaders closed by reiterating their priorities: keep instruction central, continue restorative practices, expand book access, and sustain targeted PLC and MTSS interventions.

Any follow-up requested by the board will return to future meetings as the school continues data digs and monitors the next round of interim assessments.