South Clinton Elementary principal spotlights strong math gains, new ADA playground and staff
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Summary
Principal Miss Braden introduced new staff and reported student assessment results: overall math proficiency 64% with 5th grade at 88%, ELA 49% overall, and I‑Ready growth exceeding goals; district announced an ADA‑compliant playground dedication and auditorium accessibility work.
South Clinton Elementary’s principal introduced new teachers and support staff and presented assessment data showing notable gains, particularly in math, during a schoolboard meeting.
Miss Braden introduced new hires including Danielle Oliver (fourth grade), Joyce Fernandez (third grade, covering maternity leaves), Shelly Phillips (sixth grade math/science), Sarah Woods (instructional assistant) and Jenna Osborne (special education assistant). Braden praised staff performance: "She definitely was born to be a teacher," she said of a newly hired fourth‑grade teacher.
On assessments, Braden reported TCAP results (02/24/25) with ELA proficiency overall at 49% (third grade 56%; fourth grade 41%; fifth 53%; sixth 52%) and math overall at 64% with fifth grade at 88%. She attributed math gains to focused PLC work and a math grant. Science proficiency was reported at 54.7% and the school’s overall success rate at 56.6% (goal 50.3%). Braden also cited I‑Ready end‑of‑year growth figures: 71% of students on or above grade level in reading and median growth at 162% (district goal: 100%). Chronic absenteeism was reported at 11.4%.
Facility updates: Clinton Elementary’s ADA‑compliant playground is open and will be dedicated to long‑time facilities leader Jim Sanderson; district leaders plan a joint ribbon cutting with the renovated auditorium and are pursuing an electronic wheelchair lift to improve stage accessibility.
The principal and director noted that midyear screeners (AIMSweb and I‑Ready) begin after Thanksgiving as the district focuses on reducing Tier 2 and Tier 3 readers in ELA.