Get AI Briefings, Transcripts & Alerts on Local & National Government Meetings — Forever.
Middle school presenter cites nearly 5-point report-card gain and big drop in major referrals
Loading...
Summary
The board heard the middle school's continuous improvement plan: a near five-point rise in report-card score last year, a 24% reduction in major referrals and 91% of students with zero or one major referral, plus plans for expanded project-based learning and personalized learning time for students with IEPs.
At the Berlin Area School District board meeting, the presenter (S8) told the board the middle school's report-card score rose nearly five points last year and that the school has seen marked declines in behavior referrals.
The presenter (S8) said the school "had increased our report card score by nearly 5 points" and described programmatic changes that staff credited with the gain: expansion of project-based learning, a new "power hour" for focused instruction, adjusted grading practices and increased collaboration time for teachers.
Why it matters: Board members were given both academic and behavioral metrics they can use to assess the middle school's improvement work. The presenter framed the gains as the result of instructional changes and social-emotional learning supports that aim to boost engagement, reduce disciplinary incidents and close achievement gaps.
The presenter highlighted multiple performance metrics: she said iReady typical-growth results sit "about that 67% mark," and reported that math typical-growth and proficiency showed improvement, with one winter diagnostic noting 76% of students meeting annual typical growth in math. On behavior she said major referrals fell 24% and that "we're actually at 91 percent" of students having zero or one major referral this school year.
Board members asked clarifying questions about the referral data and how it is presented; the presenter explained the graph shows the share of students with zero or one major referral and reiterated that the district's goal is to reduce referrals while supporting student needs through inclusion strategies and targeted interventions. She described structures to support students with IEPs, including "personalized learning time" aligned to IEP minutes and ongoing progress monitoring with AIMSweb.
The presenter also said the school secured a grant to expand project-based learning and described the role teachers and staff play in implementing the plan: regular observations, unit planning and professional development anchored to student learning targets. She credited staff, volunteers and advisers for expanding extracurricular opportunities and engagement that, she said, support academic growth.
The presentation concluded with board thanks for the work and a recognition that ongoing data collection and monitoring will guide next steps for the plan. The board moved on to subsequent agenda items without taking formal action on the plan during this meeting.
