Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Early Learning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Euclid Early Learning Village highlights federal literacy grant, PBIS work and sharp drop in chronic absenteeism
Summary
At a Euclid City Schools board presentation, Early Learning Village leaders outlined how a federal literacy grant, curriculum fidelity and PBIS strategies tie to efforts to raise reading proficiency and to reduce chronic absenteeism, which they reported fell from 53% to 34% over three years.
Mary Thomas, principal of the Euclid Early Learning Village, told the Euclid City Schools board that the school is using a federal Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant and district-aligned curriculum to boost early reading outcomes and support teachers.
"In 2024, Ohio was awarded $60,000,000 of a comprehensive literacy state development grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Euclid Schools was awarded one of the grants and the Early Learning Village is proud to be a part of the grant," Thomas said, framing the initiative as a combination of professional learning, instructional coaching and high-quality materials.
The presentation said the district currently has about 35% of students reading at grade level and set a target to reach 80% proficiency by 2029 through stronger tier 1 instruction and fewer tier 2 interventions. Thomas credited curriculum adoption and coaching—Core Knowledge Language Arts for reading, Envision Math (grades 1–5) and Bridges in Mathematics (kindergarten)—for creating consistent instructional practice.
"By integrating professional development, leadership structures, and community engagement, this initiative will create a sustainable literacy model," Thomas said. She also described reading interventions that include Orton-Gillingham and other school intervention systems; the transcript referenced a program named 'CIPS' but the school did not provide a full name for that item during the presentation.
Assistant Principal Jamie Mediate outlined the school's Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) work and staff-recognition practices, and reported substantial gains on attendance. "Chronic absenteeism has been reduced by nearly 20 percentage points from 53% to 34% over the past 3 years. We are off to a great start this year at only 14%," Mediate said.
When a board member asked for specifics on how absenteeism was reduced, Thomas described an attendance committee that reviews data weekly or biweekly, outreach to families through phone calls, ParentSquare messages and emails, and early interventions aimed at preventing students from reaching a chronic threshold: "We send out phone calls. We send out messages through ParentSquare. We... send emails out," she said, adding that the school tries to intervene before students reach the threshold of 18 occurrences.
The presentation also highlighted family engagement and PTA activities—Lindberg said the PTA has grown and noted a popcorn fundraiser that will pay for a playground fence—and community partnerships. Mediate thanked the Euclid Schools Foundation for seven teacher classroom grants and a $10,000 schoolwide grant designated for PBIS and social-emotional learning.
Board members praised the school's data-driven approach, family engagement and emphasis on a growth mindset. Thomas closed the presentation by inviting questions and noting the school would continue its focus on teacher empowerment, consistent curriculum use and community partnerships.
The presentation did not include formal board votes or actions; it concluded with board comments and a request for additional details about attendance strategies. The school said follow-up information (for example, any detailed attendance reports or the full name of the intervention program referenced as 'CIPS') was available on request.
