Parents and staff urge more resources for Givens as district outlines school improvement plan
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Summary
Parents pressed the Webster Groves School Board to allocate more resources to Givens Elementary after data showed the school accounts for a disproportionate share of district behavior referrals; district leaders presented a CSIP focused on math, literacy and culture and pledged monitoring and supports.
Parents and district leaders clashed gently over how to meet a concentrated set of student needs at Givens Elementary on Tuesday, with a parent asking the Webster Groves School Board to ensure the school receives additional administrative support.
"Givens accounted for almost half of district's elementary referrals," parent Jacob Ryerson told the board during public comment, citing a Sunshine Act request he said showed Givens enrolls about 20% of the district's elementary students but produced roughly half of referrals and a large share of 504 plans. Ryerson urged the board to "err on the side of providing Givens with more rather than less resources," specifically recommending an assistant principal.
The comment prefaced a staff presentation on Givens' Comprehensive School Improvement Plan. Dwight Kirksey, principal at Givens Elementary, described a school culture anchored by daily commitments — "Connect, discover, and thrive" — and said staff are focused on academic and socioemotional growth as the building transitions to a new principal next year.
Dr. Adams, who presented district-level strategies, said the CSIP targets three priorities: math (through the district's new Illustrative Mathematics resource), literacy (with a literacy program evaluation and forthcoming resource selection), and culture (including partnership with Character Plus and efforts to reduce office referrals and suspensions). "We use state MAP data internally to guide our strategic work," Adams said, noting the district supplements state measures with iReady and benchmark assessments to monitor progress.
Board members asked about the timing of state data and training for teachers. Adams said the district receives MAP data internally before its public release and will combine it with internal benchmarks; staff agreed to provide the board with percentages of teachers who have completed Letters training at each building.
Kirksey said educators at Givens are using collaborative learning teams and instructional coaching, and emphasized the effort to leave processes in place for the next leader. "We want every single kid to succeed," he said.
The board did not take formal action on the CSIP at the meeting. Staff said they will continue monitoring outcomes and report back as the plan is implemented and metrics (MAP and local benchmarks) become available.