Columbus Intermediate outlines plan to raise report-card ratings, reduce chronic absenteeism

Columbus Intermediate School Principal Jermaine Huff told the Bedford City Board of Education during its Oct. 1 consent meeting that the school—arned a 3.5 out of 5 rating on the 2024 istrict report card and outlined building-level goals to increase achievement and close gaps by two percentage points annually and to reduce chronic absenteeism by two percentage points each year.

Huff described a three-tier Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) model that provides universal instruction for all students, targeted support for students at risk and intensive individual interventions for students with high needs. "We teach ELA, math, science, social studies, and our electives," Huff said, and added that the building focuses instructional practice on feedback, direct instruction and cooperative learning.

Carla Eberhardt, dean of students, summarized fall diagnostic results from the I-Ready platform and said the school typically starts the year with a large share of students in the most intensive tier. "At the beginning of the year we do have about 50 percent of our students who are at the tier 3 stage which is the intensive support," Eberhardt said, and noted that expectation is for that share to decrease as tier 1 instruction ramps up.

When asked for particulars about the diagnostic tiers, Huff gave counts as reported to the board: "for tier 3, it's 205, tier 2 is 1 of 42, and tier 1 is 26," and offered to provide a grade-by-grade breakdown on request.

Huff and Eberhardt said the school will use differentiated instructional groups, small-group instruction branded as WIN ("what I need"), a writing strategy they described as R.A.C.E., and targeted professional development led by outside experts and in-house mini-trainings. "We are charged with establishing an in-house PD series," Huff said, describing plans to bring external trainer Mindy Geske from the Educational Service Center and to host recurring staff meeting micro-trainings.

On attendance, Huff said the school is analyzing subgroup data, holding biweekly attendance meetings with SEL staff and counselors, and using individualized and classroom incentives (including a partnership with the Cleveland Browns program "Stay in the Game") to boost daily attendance. Eberhardt said the school uses MTSS to monitor attendance patterns.

Why this matters: The presentation ties building strategy to measurable district goals (report-card improvement, gap closing, attendance) and signals specific uses of Title I funds for interventions and potential after-school tutoring. Board members requested more granular data that Huff agreed to provide.

Provenance: topicintro: transcript block starting at 00:02:43 ("Good evening...Jermaine Huff"). topfinish: transcript block starting at 00:20:00 (end of Q&A segment).