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Racine Unified spotlights early-literacy gains, parent-engagement and 10-year Academies milestone
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Summary
Principals and partners reported early literacy gains at Bull Early Education Center, attendance and improvement at Knapp Elementary, parent-engagement growth through "brunch and learn" events, and a 10-year review of the Academies of Racine with partner-reported college credit, scholarships and industry certifications.
Officials and community partners used the Racine Unified board meeting to showcase student progress and decade-long work linking schools and employers.
Yolanda Allen, principal of Bull Early Education Center, told the board that the school met and exceeded a prior goal for uppercase letter recognition and that, after a revised benchmark of 31 letters, "77.9% of our all K–4 students have met or exceeded that benchmark." She described an average letter-sound fluency of 11.4 at midyear and said the school will adopt the Frog Street early-learning curriculum across K–3 and K–4 programs to strengthen continuity and research-based instruction.
At Knapp Elementary, directing principal Rich Witanic said the school has improved literacy outcomes and reduced chronic absenteeism by about 5 percentage points. He announced that Knapp has exited its CSI designation after demonstrating sustained growth in math and ELA and a strengthened PDSA (Plan-Do-Study-Act) documentation cycle. Parent ambassador Leanna Jones and parent lead Keddie Bingen described a parent "brunch and learn" series that grew from 64 families attending in the fall to 99 families at a recent event, which Jones said reflects an 87% attendance rate from 115 sign-ups.
District and external partners marked the 10th anniversary of the Academies of Racine. Ford Next Generation Learning coaches and Academy partners described increased graduation rates, youth apprenticeships and employer engagement that translate into both college credits and industry credentials. Presenters reported that the 2024–25 year included roughly 5,700 college credits, $6.2 million in scholarships and about 2,600 industry certifications, and they credited sustained business partnerships for creating pathways to employment and apprenticeships.
Public commenters reinforced the business-and-school partnership theme. Mike Irvin, an organizing director for Operating Engineers Local 139, praised the academies and shared a success story of a CASE graduate who entered an apprenticeship and a construction job. Chrissy Molitor, a literacy coach and union leader, urged leaders to maintain professional conduct and accountability so staff and students see constructive models for navigating disagreement. Anna Clemente, representing Racine Area Manufacturers and Commerce and cochair of the Academies steering committee, described the academies as both an education model and an economic development strategy.
The presenters and parent leaders framed the initiatives as sustained, data-driven efforts that rely on family engagement, targeted instruction and employer partnerships to improve student outcomes and transition pathways after graduation.
