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Bremen Elementary reports reading and math gains; district seeks donations for career-discovery labs
Summary
Bremen Elementary told the Muhlenberg County Board of Education it has raised reading proficiency on the I-Ready assessment and launched a makerspace; district staff described a proposal to fund Paxton Patterson Career Discovery Labs for elementary and middle grades, estimated at about $25,000 per school for fourth- and fifth-grade modules.
Bremen Elementary staff reported progress on student achievement and extracurricular programs and the district outlined plans to seek donations and grants to fund career-discovery lab modules.
Grant Sharp, presenting for Bremen Elementary, described a range of clubs and extracurricular activities and highlighted academic gains on the I-Ready diagnostics. Sharp said reading proficiency rose from 27% on or above grade level in the fall diagnostic to 49% in the winter diagnostic. Math proficiency at the school rose from 11% in the fall to 33% in the winter. Sharp described a new makerspace with art supplies and a podcast booth and noted student projects fund the school's clothing closet and food pantry through a Christmas bazaar and other fundraising.
Superintendent Orr described a proposal to bring Paxton Patterson Career Discovery Labs to the district and said staff and community members had solicited donations and reached out to the Felix Martin Foundation. The district estimated the cost for fourth- and fifth-grade modules at about $25,000 per elementary school and said buying for all five elementary schools would total more than $100,000; staff said annual consumables per module are estimated at about $1,000.
Attendance and enrollment were also reported. Watkins presented attendance data showing month 5 (covering Dec. 10—Jan.) at 92.5% districtwide and a reported peak enrollment of 4,229 students. Month 6, affected by illness and two NTI days, dropped to 89.5% attendance and enrollment to 4,216; Watkins said attendance rose each day after returning from NTI.
Why it matters: The I-Ready gains illustrate progress in reading and math at one elementary school. The career-discovery labs would represent a sizable one-time purchase and an ongoing consumables cost; the board added approval of donations for that purpose to its consent agenda for action.
What happens next: The donations item was placed on the consent agenda and approved by the board as part of a block vote. Staff said they aim to have at least some modules ready by the fall, then build the program over time.
