Manassas principals outline school-by-school improvement plans, targets for 2026

Four principals representing Jenny Dean Elementary, Round Elementary, Baldwin Intermediate and Mayfield Intermediate presented continuous improvement updates to the Manassas City School Board on Feb. 10.

Jenny Dean Elementary principal Dr. Stevenson said the school is fully accredited, has 571 students and carries a federal TSI designation for special education and English learners. He set smart targets of a 65% SOL pass rate in combined grade 3 and 4 English/language arts and in mathematics by May 2026 and described strategies including weekly collaborative learning team (CLT) meetings, Lexia Core5 interventions and small-group targeted instruction.

Janita Boatwright, Round Elementary principal, described a needs assessment and three priorities: instructional practice, staffing and organizational supports, and school climate/attendance. Round set goals of 60% reading and math proficiency by spring 2026 and emphasized differentiated professional learning, family engagement (weekly newsletters and monthly events), and expanded intervention blocks using Lexia and benchmark materials.

Baldwin Intermediate principal Dakota Jackson highlighted a school score of 73.9/100, a targeted support designation for special education, and said science scores for special education students grew 29% over two years. Jackson outlined strategies focused on daily small-group instruction, co-teaching refinement, biweekly instructional rounds and expanded after-school interventions.

Mayfield Intermediate principal Dr. Frishkorn reported a school score of 80.5/100 but noted a targeted support designation for special education that adjusts the overall performance category to off-track. Mayfield set 70% SOL pass-rate goals (with subgroup growth targets) and described an emphasis on collaborative learning teams, embedded intervention time and cooperative learning coaching.

Why it matters: The presentations show converging priorities across schools—strengthening tier 1 instruction, data-driven small-group intervention, improved co-teaching for students with disabilities, and parent engagement—while setting measurable short-term targets tied to the division strategic plan.

Next steps: Principals will continue progress monitoring; several board members requested earlier access to summaries and more detail on implementation and metrics as the schools work toward spring assessments.