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Granite Falls superintendent flags elementary declines, details intervention and safety steps
Summary
Superintendent Giesek told the board the district’s SBA results show declines in some elementary grades and outlined measures — math specialists, reading interventionists and monthly building safety walkthroughs with local chiefs — using Title I and MAPS funds rather than new district dollars.
Superintendent Giesek told the Granite Falls School Board on Sept. 11 that recent state assessment results show both areas to celebrate and clear priorities for improvement, particularly in elementary literacy and math.
Giesek said some elementary grade levels posted decreases on the SBA (state assessment) that warrant targeted work while Granite Falls High School remains above the state average in several measures. To address gaps, she said the district has added a certificated math specialist at each elementary and created certified reading-interventionist roles to deliver small-group instruction and coordinate Title I and MAPS services. “We have to tell our story,” Giesek said, describing concurrent communications efforts to reach families and share supports.
Why it matters: District leaders linked assessment performance to instruction and materials and said the changes are intended to improve early reading — a priority because teachers and administrators see literacy as foundational to accessing other content. The superintendent emphasized that these staffing shifts use existing federal and state intervention funds rather than new district general-fund dollars.
Supporting details: Giesek explained that decreases were most notable in early elementary grades (third through fifth grades were singled out during the presentation) and described math results as mixed across grade levels. She said district-level strategies include district-directed PLC time for math specialists, evaluation of the new specialist roles by district staff, and use of Title I and MAPS to scale interventions toward Tier 1 supports.
Safety and school operations: Giesek also outlined recurring safety work: monthly building walkthroughs with Chief Haverfield and Chief Dalton alongside building administrators to identify security gaps, and district planning for the annual Great Washington ShakeOut drill on Oct. 17. She suggested a possible staff study session on additional safety technologies raised by board members.
Board reaction and follow-up: Board members asked about disaggregating data at classroom and subgroup levels; Giesek affirmed the district can dive into ethnic, gender and other subgroup data and said staff are examining disproportionality trends and will develop action plans where needed. She closed by listing upcoming community events and noting preschool enrollment growth.
The board moved on after the report; no formal action was taken on the assessment measures at this meeting.
