Sarah McWilliams, principal of Tony Goetz Elementary, told the Muskogee Board of Education that the school’s most recent Oklahoma State Department of Education report card shows a drop in the overall rating while internal benchmark scores and attendance measures show improvement.

McWilliams said Tony Goetz’s official state grade was a C in 2022 with 46 points, fell to a D in 2023 with 41 points, and that an unofficial 2024 result also stood at D as of the meeting. She presented student assessment data showing higher proficiency rates on some measures this year compared with past years: English language arts proficiency at state testing rose in the most recent year to about 45 percent proficient and roughly 10 percent advanced, compared with lower proficiency percentages in 2022–23. McWilliams noted that changes in cut scores may have affected year-to-year comparisons and said the data require careful interpretation.

McWilliams also presented internal STAR benchmark results that show steady within-year gains over multiple years in reading and math. For reading, she reported rising average benchmark scores over successive school years and said this year’s beginning-of-year average was higher than in prior years. For math, the STAR cycle likewise showed growth, though McWilliams told the board that mathematics proficiency remains an area of focus for the school.

Attendance and chronic absenteeism were highlighted as factors affecting the state report-card rating. McWilliams reported that chronic absenteeism has declined from earlier post‑COVID peaks: she said the school had about 367 students in one year with roughly 100 chronically absent (about 27 percent), then improved to a lower percentage in subsequent years, and that current-year figures show about 414 enrolled students with roughly 50 students at risk or chronically absent (about 14 percent).

McWilliams described Tony Goetz’s site goals: ensuring students read on grade level by the end of third grade, increasing math proficiency with emphasis on number operations and place value, and raising daily student and staff attendance averages to 95 percent. The school’s theme for the year is “Time to Shine,” and McWilliams outlined school activities intended to create differentiated opportunities for students, including student council, a spelling bee, veterans‑day programming, a robotics team competition, entrepreneurship projects (a lemonade stand and an “elf market”), and community service (a food drive McWilliams said collected “close to 700 or 800 cans” for a local food pantry).

McWilliams also reported on a student leadership initiative modeled on the Ron Clark Academy (RCA) house system. She said staff raised about $20,000 to take 10 student leaders to the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia. Several students who attended described lessons they brought back: Alexandra McKinney, who identified herself as a house captain, said the house system emphasizes “working together,” kindness and inclusive competition; Robert Kennedy, a house leader, described a multi‑stage selection process that included a video submission and an interview; other students cited “hype” (inclusion practices), purposeful hand gestures to engage audiences, teamwork and courage as concrete techniques learned at RCA.

The board also recognized district employees. The board named Carrie Greenie as a certified staff honoree at Tony Goetz Elementary and praised her role implementing RCA practices. Whitney Adair, a teacher at the district’s 8/9 academy, was recognized as a certified staff member; trustees also acknowledged support staff employees Elizabeth Patterson (receptionist at the 8/9 academy) and Samantha Jane Warren (support monitor at Creek Elementary) for their service and student relationships.

McWilliams fielded questions from board members and closed the effectiveness report before the meeting moved to other agenda items.