District 622 principals cite modest reading gains, expanded mental‑health supports and attendance uptick as Carver immersion plan advances

Principals from Carver, Weaver and Richardson elementaries told the school board that literacy work and targeted interventions are producing small but measurable improvements while the district builds mental‑health and after‑school supports.

"Our goal tonight is to highlight things taking place at elementary schools as they relate to the district's strategic plan," Arthur Williams, principal at Carver Elementary, told trustees as the team presented FastBridge and other local assessment data. Presenters said kindergarten–first grade early reading rose about 2% year‑to‑year and grades 2–5 rose about 4% on winter FastBridge comparisons.

Principals credited new curriculum supports and intervention structures. "We've been doing CKLA for a few years, and now we're seeing as they've done the training around the assessments and digging in, they're able to use the assessments within CKLA and actually track who's making growth," a principal said, noting partner reading and a third‑grade foundational skills unit.

District staff also highlighted new targeted work. The Bridge to Read phonemic‑awareness program showed early signs of improved kindergarten subskills, and the district is integrating intervention tracking into EduCLIMBERS to follow student progress.

Mental‑health services and community programs were prominent in the presentation. "Currently across all seven buildings, we have 173 students receiving school‑based mental health… and 22 students on [a] wait list," a Weaver principal told the board, while staff described social‑workers and a "Check and Connect" program serving an additional 266 students.

Principals described an after‑school pilot called Penguin Pals at Richardson that serves 136 children and is supported by a full‑service community‑school grant; the district said it will seek expansion funding if feasible.

Attendance metrics were presented as a key SIP goal: consistent attendance (students attending 90% or more of days) rose from about 79.1% in fall 2024 to 82.5% in winter and to 83.6% in the most recent fall, presenters said.

Board members asked how budget constraints are affecting schools after a failed levy referendum. A trustee said the district must make "$10,000,000" in cuts (another figure of $5,000,000 was mentioned in discussion). Principals described site‑level prioritization and lengthy staff conversations to make reductions while keeping student supports in place.

The presentation set the context for a separate action later in the meeting: with trustees' approval, the board authorized a Spanish dual‑language kindergarten at Carver beginning in 2026–27, expanding the district's immersion pathways.