Greene County principals outline gains and set targets on literacy, attendance and graduation

Principals for Greene County schools presented a mix of progress and concerns as the board reviewed last year's school improvement work and set targets for 2024-25.

At the elementary level, a principal said last year's goals focused on reading and math growth and lowering chronic absenteeism, and described how teachers set student-level growth goals separate from NWEA/MAP projections. "We want them to grow," she said, explaining that teachers share scores with students and set attainable targets.

Middle school leaders highlighted classroom strategies and interventions. One principal said the school reduced high-frequency behavior incidents by targeting supports during lunch and recess and credited consistent adult expectations and house systems for improving culture. She also pointed to a new reading intervention approach that staff member Tiffany Cougarstra championed as part of the reason for recent gains.

At the high school, Principal Karen reviewed outcomes that she called both "heartening and worrisome." She reported that 76% of students were proficient on ISASP reading measures but said the district recorded 168 failed required classes last year, with failures concentrated in ninth and tenth grade. "When students start getting behind in ninth and tenth grade, it's really hard to get out of that hole," Karen said, noting the district's goal that 100% of students be on track for graduation by the end of sophomore year.

Across buildings, principals said universal-tier instruction, strengthened PLCs (professional learning communities) and targeted MTSS (multi-tiered system of supports) work will drive the coming year's plans. Attendance also emerged as a top priority: leaders set school-specific targets and described new attendance teams and protected instructional time to reduce chronic absence.

Board members asked how measured growth is explained to students and whether MAP/NWEA targets might negatively affect student morale; principals said growth conversations are framed around progress from each student's prior performance, not solely against normative benchmarks.

The board received the reports for conversation and next steps; principals said follow-up will include more detailed monitoring of ninth- and tenth-grade course completion and additional literacy-focused interventions.