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Board adopts five‑year improvement plan targets for reading, attendance and retention
Summary
Trustees reviewed and approved a five‑year continuous improvement plan setting district targets (e.g., early-reading proficiency goals, attendance interventions and staff‑retention initiatives) and discussed specific supports for lower-performing schools.
At its end-of-year meeting, the Missisquoi Valley School District #89 board reviewed and recorded a five-year continuous improvement plan that sets district targets for academic achievement, attendance, postsecondary outcomes and employee retention.
District staff presented a district-level reading proficiency target (60% proficiency) and outlined plans to launch an evidence-based early-reading program intended for the lower grades. "I had an opportunity along with a bunch of teachers and administrators today to go to a really incredible literacy training," Chris said, noting that district literacy coaches led the work and that the curriculum alignment will be visible in the fall.
Board members questioned supports for schools that are behind the district average; administrators described a staffing strategy that includes advertising for a reading/grading specialist and hiring academic specialists to support special-education instruction when certified special-education staff cannot be filled. "We finally agreed to advertise for a reading specialist who can then work with our special ed students," the presenter said, describing two candidates interviewed and a third scheduled for interview.
The board also reviewed attendance goals and the district MTSS attendance team’s categorization of absences (regular fewer than 10 days; at-risk 10–18 days; moderate 19–35; severe 36+). Staff reported the district maintains about a 90% overall attendance rate but emphasized targeted work to reduce moderate and severe chronic absenteeism.
Bonnie presented retention results and HR work: the district reported a 95% support‑staff retention snapshot and professional staff retention near the board’s target (the presenter cited an 88% target that was met in the snapshot). Bonnie described exit interviews, roundtables and improved communication and onboarding as actions to sustain retention gains: "We have a 95% retention rate for support staff," she said, and credited roundtables and improved communication for producing actionable feedback.
The board recorded the continuous improvement plan as submitted to the state (the transcript notes state approval of the CI plan). Trustees took no separate modification to the plan at this meeting and moved on to approve personnel items later in the agenda.
