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Eagle School principal outlines gains and remaining reading gaps; district staff to form advisory group on I‑Ready
Summary
Interim principal Melissa Holland told the board Eagle School has made progress in diagnostics and reduced the number of students two or more grade levels behind, but reading gaps and chronic absenteeism persist; district staff described an advisory focus group on the I‑Ready diagnostic and instructional pathways.
Melissa Holland, interim principal at Eagle School, delivered an extended annual report at the March 16 meeting focusing on student achievement, interventions and school climate. She said Eagle has 688 students and that diagnostic data show third-grade growth and declines in the percentage of students two or more grade levels behind. "We are in a much better place compared to where we were this time last year," she said, while acknowledging there is still substantial work to do to meet the school's goals.
Holland described strategic goals (including 35% proficiency targets in reading and math for the diagnostic cycle), a summer professional-development plan for staff, and expanded coaching supports from academic specialists. She also highlighted social‑emotional and attendance supports: leaders identified roughly 74 students with nine or more absences who are receiving wraparound services and a mentor-based attendance program.
The presentation included an extended discussion about I‑Ready, the district's diagnostic and personalized-pathway tool. Board member Mr. Murphy asked whether the district relies "too much on I‑Ready," and district staff described forming a focus group of teachers and I‑Ready consultants to evaluate how the tool is used. Dr. Woods (instruction team) said the committee will include two to three teachers per school and will seek real-time feedback from practitioners, calling I‑Ready "one window looking in" — useful but not the only measure for decision-making.
The principal and staff also outlined behavior interventions (PBIS, reward systems such as "Allstar Eagle diner" and punch-card incentives), co‑teaching (co‑teaching) strategies for special education, and facility upgrades (surveillance, fencing, roof repair). Board members asked detailed operational questions about scheduling, device time limits for I‑Ready (staff described guidance of no more than 45 minutes per week in reading and 45 minutes in math, broken into smaller blocks), and how diagnostic information is shared with families.
