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Elkhart board hears school spotlights: Mary Feazer and Pinewood praise staff, new library director introduced

Elkhart Community Schools Board of Trustees · December 10, 2025
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Summary

At the Dec. 9 board meeting Elkhart Community Schools heard presentations from Mary Feazer and Pinewood elementaries highlighting attendance and literacy gains; the board also heard a brief introduction of new Elkhart Public Library executive director Kristen Edson.

Elkhart Community Schools used the Dec. 9 meeting to showcase school-level successes and to introduce new local library leadership.

Mary Feazer: Rob Fries presented attendance and academic metrics for Mary Feazer Elementary, reporting strong attendance (cited 94% overall) and year-over-year gains on iRead and iLearn checkpoints. Fries outlined an attendance-incentive plan that includes monthly drawings for perfect attendance, classroom "cookie" rewards leading to parties, grade-level stickers and a schoolwide celebration if district targets are met. "We are at 94% of all students coming to school," Fries said, and described tiered interventions and a 15-person tier-2 team providing daily small-group instruction.

Pinewood Elementary: Principal Tracy Martin and assistant principal Beth Hahn described efforts to align Pinewood's mission with the Elkhart Promise, expand tier-2 time for literacy and math, implement CKLA curriculum and boost family engagement through events such as Popsicles with the Principal and weekly "gathering" meetings. Martin said the school is on track to hit a 95% attendance goal for the year and cited improvements in second-grade passage rates and ELA goals.

Library leadership: Cindy Dunlop and Jerry Star (Elkhart Public Library board members) introduced Kristen Edson as the new library executive director (hired Oct. 1). Edson described her background (MA in library and information science from Wayne State University; prior roles in Chicago Public Library, Bossier Parish and East Baton Rouge; most recently director in Livonia, Michigan) and said she looks forward to partnering with schools.

Why it matters: Presentations highlighted district instructional and engagement strategies aimed at improving attendance and literacy and emphasized partnerships between schools and community institutions such as the public library.