Principals from three Dennis‑Yarmouth elementary schools and the intermediate school presented 2025 MCAS results on Dec. 1 and described plans to sustain gains while addressing persistent subgroup gaps and chronic absenteeism.

Patrick Riley, principal at the Ezra H. Baker Innovation School, said Ezra Baker “met or exceeded all targets in ELA for all of our subgroups” and noted the school met math growth targets for high‑needs students and students with disabilities. He told the Committee the school’s composite accountability percentage was 54% and contrasted this year’s growth (28% of growth targets hit in one year) with the previous year’s higher growth (72%), calling attendance a top area for continued focus.

“We did meet our math growth targets for our high needs and students with disability subgroups,” Riley said, adding that chronic absenteeism rose by about two percentage points and will be a focus for the year.

Marguerite (Emmy) Small, principal at Emmy Small School, and Valerie Kelly, principal at Station Avenue Elementary, described double‑digit improvements in several assessment domains. Station Avenue reported progress targets at 92% and said math gains have improved over a five‑year trend; both principals said writing and EL achievement remain priority areas and linked some gaps to chronic absenteeism.

Jim Blake, principal of D‑Y Intermediate, said about one in five students in some grades are chronically absent (he cited figures around 17%–19% in his remarks) and stressed in‑school interventions: shorter data cycles, more frequent teacher meetings to set goals, expanded intervention blocks and family outreach. Blake and others credited recent staffing changes for improving EL ratios and said targeted coaching and curriculum alignment are part of their action plans.

District leaders described system‑level steps including consistent attendance coding and messaging, a district attendance team, nurse guidance on when children should stay home and planned surveys of families and students to understand barriers to attendance.

What’s next: principals and district staff said they will continue data meetings with teachers, pursue targeted interventions for EL students and students on IEPs, and implement attendance‑team strategies to reduce chronic absenteeism.