Tina McCauley and Bob Magyar, leaders at the district’s intermediate school, presented Dec. 10 on the school’s 'Power of Yet' initiative, Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and a districtwide push on writing instruction.

The presenters described classroom examples designed to build background knowledge and writing skills, including CKLA‑aligned lessons and the Writing Revolution strategy. They reported staff engagement in professional learning and cited third‑grade fall OST writing results that rose from an average score of 2.5 last year to 4.9 for a cohort after implementing new instructional approaches.

McCauley and Magyar also described PBIS activities such as win‑time rewards and cross‑school collaboration with high‑school students serving as guest callers for school bingo and volunteers during interventions. The presentation emphasized making reading and writing “real” for students and creating a culture of listening and relationship building in classrooms.

Board members responded positively and asked to see more of the intermediate school’s programs at future meetings.