East Elementary students spotlighted for reading program, testing gains and classroom projects
Summary
East Elementary presented student character awards, highlighted the Revved Up for Reading program and described instructional and enrichment activities — including a morning exercise pilot, a motivational speaker visit and a classroom monarch butterfly project — and reported NWEA and iLearn results above projected growth.
Mr. Candiano, speaking for East Elementary at the Nov. 6 board meeting, presented a multi-part spotlight that combined student awards, program descriptions and assessment results. He said the school's reading and math outcomes showed growth above projections and pointed to several programs and practices the building credits for that progress.
"We're super proud here, a 100% pass rate," Candiano said when describing a retest cohort outcome, and he emphasized teacher coaching and targeted small-group instruction as contributors to success. He told trustees that the district and school continue work on English language arts textbook adoption as part of ongoing improvement efforts.
Candiano described Revved Up for Reading, a tiered incentive program tied to the Indianapolis 500/500 Festival that provides experiences ranging from VIP activities to visits from race-related guests. He credited community business partner Mr. Reichardt and the 500 Festival for providing "swag" and visits that the school uses as reading incentives.
The presentation also described a morning exercise pilot for kindergarten through second grade that uses an outdoor track and staged indoor activities to build physical routines and calming strategies; staff participation is included so students follow teacher modeling. Candiano said the school is exploring expanding the practice to grades 3–6.
Teachers and students also presented a classroom monarch butterfly project. Fifth graders Tesla and Taryn described the lifecycle: larvae arrived Aug. 18, the first chrysalis appeared Sept. 4 and 22 butterflies were released Sept. 21; two chrysalis were lost to disease. "When a monarch is ready to hatch, the chrysalis becomes see through," the students said. The class discussed milkweed planting around the school to support future monarchs.
Teachers recognized several students with character awards; citations noted dependability, leadership, care for classmates and classroom citizenship. The board praised staff and students and thanked Mr. Sims, the test coordinator, and special education staff for targeted instruction that supports assessment results.
No formal action was required on the spotlight. The presentation combined student recognition with examples of classroom practice district leaders said are tied to reading and math gains.
