Souderton Area SD presents winter MAP gains; principals describe MTSS, PBIS and family engagement efforts

Souderton Area SD administrators reported to the district’s education personnel committee on Feb. 12 that winter interim MAP assessment results show many grades clustered in the upper-right quadrant—indicating both high achievement and growth—and principals described school-level strategies intended to sustain that progress.

The presentation, led by Dr. Kennedy Riley and building principals, summarized district-level assessment practice and then moved through short reports from the high school, both middle schools and six elementary buildings. Dr. Riley emphasized that assessments are “multiple measures” used to inform instruction and that numerical results should be viewed as indicators of students, not abstractions. “We’re not talking about the numbers. We’re not talking about things in terms of just numbers. Remember that numbers represent our students,” she said.

District data and what it means

The district uses MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) as an interim indicator three times per year for grades K–8. District staff presented fall-to-winter MAP trajectories: elementary grades 3–5 and several middle grades were reported in the high-achievement, high-growth quadrant; other middle grades showed high achievement and were approaching high growth. The presentation also highlighted K–1 reading fluency measures; Dr. Riley reported a districtwide roughly 28-point gain in listening comprehension for K–1 students from fall to winter.

Principals’ building-level priorities

Principals used two-minute reports to describe school goals and local strategies that align to the district’s four strands—academic achievement, interventions and behavioral supports, extended opportunities and engagement. Examples included: - High school assistant principal Michelle Moga: peer observation cycles, a summer book-study program for staff and renewed emphasis on differentiated instruction. - Indian Crest principal Katie McCoy: year-one PBIS implementation with explicit core values—compassionate, accepting, respectful, engaged—and family-engagement events including a “best foot forward” donation drive and an English-language learner family night. - Indian Valley principal Josh Klonovich: staff consistency through revised core values, MAP-focused conferencing with students and celebrations of growth; the school held short MAP “celebrations” to reward student growth rather than absolute scores. - Oak Ridge principal Tom Furlick: a new 30-minute “Flight Time” period that mixes small-group intervention, enrichment and student passion projects; plans to involve parents as presenters and partners in those activities. - EMC Elementary principal Tamara Furlick, Fernfield principal John Graff, Southford Hills principal Todd Burns, West Broad Street principal Sue Hatfield and others described similar emphases on MTSS, PBIS, family outreach (including Title I nights and parent book clubs), and targeted check-in/check-out supports for students with behavioral needs.

How schools are using data

Presenters said teachers and leaders use a balanced assessment approach—daily curriculum-based checks, formative measures and MAP—to make real-time instructional decisions. Several principals described systems to conference with students before and after MAP testing to set goals and celebrate progress.

Board discussion and next steps

Board members thanked principals for the presentations and asked follow-up questions about middle-school challenges (social media and developmental changes were cited) and partnerships with families. The superintendent and assistant superintendent said the district will continue to drill district-level data down to building, classroom and individual-student levels so teachers and parents can use it for targeted action plans.

Ending

Administrators and principals framed the winter MAP snapshot as a mid-year progress check and reiterated that MAP is one of multiple measures. The committee will expect another data update in the spring.