Newberry Elementary set three 'lofty' goals to address below‑average rating; tutoring vendor to provide in-school virtual support

The board reviewed a required school-improvement plan for Newberry Elementary after the school received a below-average rating. A presenter (Speaker 9) said the plan must include three goals: an equity goal to reduce the performance gap between students in poverty and their peers from 13.4 points below to 10 points or fewer by the end of the school year; a math goal and an English-language-arts goal focused on students in the bottom 20 percent of achievement with targets to raise growth metrics toward roughly 70 percent this spring.

Board members described the math and ELA growth targets as "lofty" and cautioned against setting goals that could set staff up to fail. The presenter said leadership and staff — including principal Miss Shealy and her team — are prepared to pursue the targets and that the goals are designed to accelerate growth for the district's most vulnerable students.

The presenter confirmed a state-funded tutoring arrangement with a vendor identified as Varsity Tutors. The district said Varsity Tutors will provide live teachers in a virtual small-group format during enrichment periods (not AI-driven or simply on-demand software) and that the vendor's services are covered by state grant assistance. The program will operate during the school day at Newberry Elementary and at additional schools (Boundary Street, Gollman, Prosperity Road). The board asked clarifying questions about whether tutoring is pull-out or during enrichment; the district answered most sessions occur during enrichment.

District staff asked if board members had questions about the plan; members requested school-level data breakdowns and reiterated concern about ambitious targets. The presenter said more granular reports can be provided on request.