Gaylord Community Schools board highlights national rankings, midyear NWEA growth and personnel changes

Gaylord Community Schools leaders used the board meeting to celebrate national recognition for district buildings, report midyear student-growth data from NWEA national tests, announce personnel changes and highlight several staff and student accomplishments.

District presenters said every Gaylord building placed in the top 15% nationally in recent US News listings, a result board presenters described as a point of pride even as they acknowledged continuing work on test scores and student behavior. The district said it planned a press release and social media posts in the days following the meeting.

Principals and building leaders reported midyear NWEA growth figures staff will use to guide instruction. “The growth for our seventh grade reading was in the 60 second percentile,” said Miss Summerville, a school staff member who presented assessment results. She reported seventh-grade math growth near the 74th percentile, and noted that about 38% of eighth-grade students take eighth-grade algebra; those students showed strong growth and state qualification rates. The district said staff would use the data to direct interventions for the remainder of the year.

Administrators also announced personnel changes. New hires listed by the district included educational assistants Madison Davis, Maddie Deniff and Christy Maxon, and food-service helper Kathleen Murray. Retirements announced were GIS teacher Melissa Jorgensen (effective end of school year), Gaylord High School teachers Mike Franke and Rick Bigsby, Gaylord Middle School teacher Deanna Graham, and bus driver Kelly Johnson. Resignations included varsity girls track and varsity cross-country coach Lindsey Yates. The district said Ms. Johnson’s retirement is effective in February; other retirements were listed as effective at the end of the school year.

Board members and staff recognized staff members for service and attendance, and principals highlighted student accomplishments: band students qualifying for state-level performance and higher senior-class academic achievement, including 26 seniors projected to graduate with a GPA above 4.0.

During the meeting’s quick-response segment, district staff answered two community questions. On cellphone use in classrooms, Mr. Craycraft, a district staff member, said the district does not allow phones in classrooms and treats misuse as an addictive behavior, noting staff have seen “less of a distraction this year.” On building security, the district answered a question about keyless-entry systems and power outages: “Our electronic, locks are backed up with a battery system that lasts about 5 years,” Mr. Craycraft said, adding that batteries are replaced on a schedule.

The board also noted upcoming events and fundraising successes, including a Buffalo Wild Wings fundraiser that raised more than $1,000 for a fifth-grade field trip and a Valentine’s card activity for veterans.