Eight elementary schools report gains; districtwide chronic-absenteeism declines highlighted
Summary
Principals from Altoona, Centennial, Clay, Delaware, Fourmile, Mitchellville, Reynolds and Willowbrook presented school-improvement plans and results, reporting drops in chronic absenteeism at multiple buildings, literacy and math growth (including district-leading ISAS gains), and expanded building-improvement leader roles credited with attendance improvements.
Principals and building improvement leaders from eight elementary schools presented school-improvement summaries emphasizing reading and math gains, declining chronic absenteeism and targeted interventions.
Altoona Principal Morgan Miller cited early-literacy progress on district monitoring: "71 percent of our kindergarten students are making accelerated growth, 82% in first grade, and second grade has 55% making accelerated growth," and said chronic absenteeism at Altoona had fallen from 13% last October to 8% this year. Altoona’s plan protects intervention minutes, uses high-quality ELA and math materials and relies on PBIS and Leader in Me strategies.
Centennial Principal Laurie Waddell and Ashley Houston, Centennial building-improvement leader, described a preventative approach to student needs, summer reading retention among first graders and an attendance goal to reduce chronic absenteeism toward 5% by year-end. Clay Principal Andrea Brenz and instructional coach Annie Poblocki outlined an "all means all" strategy that prioritizes small-group ELA, inclusion of special-education staff in planning, and schedule changes to protect instructional time.
Delaware Principal Chelsea Clark highlighted state-assessment outcomes — six third-graders ranked in the top 2% statewide on ISASP math — and strong ELPA gains for English-language learners; Delaware also introduced a district-wide engagement rubric for student self-monitoring. Fourmile Principal Tammy Steenook reported that Fourmile rose from a 64% to a 72% performance-profile rating and credited a building-improvement leader and an "adopt-a-student" attendance outreach model for sharp declines in chronic absenteeism (earlier multi-year declines and October improvements noted).
Mitchellville Principal Blake Gilman described student leadership initiatives and the theme "small acts, big waves." Reynolds Principal Jake Bartels said Reynolds recorded top district math proficiency (96% proficient/advanced) and reduced chronic absenteeism to about 8% this school year. Willowbrook Principal George Panache said the school had the district’s highest literacy growth and that ESOL exits reduced ELL teacher load as students reached proficiency.
Board members praised cross-district sharing, noting the district attendance task force and building-improvement leaders as common drivers of improvement; trustees asked which specific practices were most effective and were told the improvements stem from combined actions: family outreach, PLC/data cycles, PBIS, morning greetings and protection of intervention time. The presentations concluded with a general invitation for trustees to continue school visits and for staff to return with any requested follow-ups.
