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Mitchell Community School lays out plan to address literacy declines and boost family engagement
Summary
Mitchell's leadership told the Racine board that early-literacy proficiency fell for a cohort and cited student mobility, staffing and licensure as key challenges; they described PLCs, restorative practices and community events that increased family engagement and supported students.
Joe Miller, directing principal of Mitchell Community School, told the Racine Unified School District Board of Education on Dec. 15 that the school is pursuing a multi-pronged plan to address low early-literacy results and student mobility while expanding family engagement.
"We had a goal of 75 percent of our early elementary students attain an early literacy proficiency level... The results were that, we had 4 percent of our students who were proficient or advanced," Miller said, describing a sharp year-to-year drop in a cohort measured by the referenced third-grade indicator. He attributed the decline to high student transience, staff licensure gaps and retention challenges.
Miller outlined targeted strategies: structured professional learning communities (PLCs), strengthened tier 1 instruction, multi-level systems of support, restorative practices and increased family engagement. He credited community partners and recently revived events: Mitchell reported that an eighth-grade capstone project collected more than 4,000 items (about 1,200 pounds) for the Racine County Food Bank.
Staff noted practical barriers, such as classroom space limitations because of construction, and said the school is using attendance committees, human outreach and family-engagement committees to reduce absenteeism. Principals also described inviting district coaches and mentors to build instructional fidelity and said they are implementing a reflection desk and other restorative practices in classrooms to support student regulation.
Board members pressed for urgency and asked how long improvement will take; principals pointed to already implemented measures and ongoing monitoring but emphasized hiring and staff stability as the largest constraints. The board affirmed community partnerships and agreed to continue oversight as Mitchell implements its school-improvement plan.
