Middle‑school principals told the North St. Paul–Maplewood–Oakdale School Board on Dec. 16 that a combination of curriculum adoption, targeted interventions and increased attendance has driven gains in reading and math at John Glenn and Skyview.

"When it came to achieving proficiency, when you accounted for attendance ... there was no achievement gap between black students and white students," Principal Jeff Cabot said while describing analysis done in partnership with the Search Institute. Cabot told the board that in some grade levels Black students outperformed peers once consistent attendance was taken into account.

Principal Jill McClosic said John Glenn saw increases in reading and math proficiency and that the school met several school‑improvement goals. The middle schools have added targeted classes — a literacy course for sixth grade and a communications class for seventh grade — as well as more frequent assessment cycles using FastBridge and intervention tools such as IXL and SuccessMaker.

Cabot reported significant gains at Skyview, including notable increases in math proficiency and nearly an 8% combined increase in MCA math proficiency across grade levels in the most recent year. Both principals said more than half of students in each school achieved measurable growth on state assessments last year.

Principals described student‑well‑being initiatives that support attendance and learning: daily advisory classes focused on social‑emotional learning and organization, three building‑based therapists seeing roughly 56 students per week, two check‑and‑connect specialists with case loads of 50–60 students each, after‑school supports, and long‑standing community partnerships including a monthly community market run with Cross Lutheran Church that serves about 120 families.

The principals framed this work as part of a benefits‑based accountability approach: using outcome data and family expectations to guide resource allocation and interventions. They also emphasized professional learning communities that allow teachers to set weekly learning targets, design common assessments and plan differentiated supports.

District leaders and board members praised the focus on both academics and student well‑being and asked principals to keep reporting on attendance and equity metrics in future meetings.