New Berlin reports strong winter reading scores; math flagged as a focus for intervention

District leaders presented winter 2026 screening data to the board, highlighting generally strong reading outcomes and identifying targeted areas for improvement in math.

Matt Sypniewski, director of elementary schools, told the board the district uses screeners three times a year to check whether curriculum is meeting the needs of 80% of students and to identify the 20% who need additional supports. He said this year’s third graders showed “very high achievement” in oral reading fluency and that cohort aReading results are close to the district’s 80% target. "We're also identifying students in the other 20% to determine what their needs are," he said, noting interventions such as reteaching and strategic small-group instruction.

Kelly Klyakowski, the secondary director, presented middle- and upper-grade FastBridge results. She reported seventh-grade reading benchmark rates of roughly 78% this winter and said some cohort comparisons showed modest dips or stagnation in math automaticity and achievement. Klyakowski described a classroom-level intervention the district adopted called "Morpheme Magic" to strengthen foundational reading skills in grades seven and eight and said school-based teams use a data-analysis tool called NextPath (which now includes an AI component) to identify students’ deficits and suggest instructional next steps.

Administrators emphasized the data are cohort-based (tracking largely the same students year to year) and that school teams examine fall-to-winter growth when planning supports. Board members and presenters discussed how the winter results will inform classroom interventions and preparation for state accountability tests scheduled for March and April. No formal board action was taken on the assessment report; it was presented for the board’s review and planning.