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Monte Cristo Elementary spotlights writing gains; author visit and Title IV funds expand band access
Summary
Principal Maria Losi described a year‑long focus on writing structure after assessment data showed low structure scores; students read to the board, teachers described classroom changes, and the district used Title IV funds plus community contributions to buy instruments for a 63‑student fifth‑grade band pilot.
Principal Maria Losi told the board that Monte Cristo Elementary has made a concerted push on writing instruction this year, focusing on structure to lift student performance on state assessments and classroom tasks.
Losi presented Smarter Balanced Assessment strand data and highlighted a patterned weakness in writing structure: “91% of our students across the school only scored one point in structure for opinion writing,” she told the board, adding that the staff decided to focus on structure as “low‑hanging fruit” before moving to elaboration and detail in future years.
Teachers described instructional changes that accompanied the effort, including a workshop model, daily quick writes, writer’s notebooks and use of mentor texts. Several students came to the dais to read their work and describe how instruction helped them improve. One student, Clark, told the board he had been inspired to write and is working on a book about dragons; other students described how lessons and an author visit motivated them.
The presentation also spotlighted a recent author visit: the board heard that author Dave O'Hara read his book and held classroom workshops; the booster club purchased signed copies for classrooms.
Executive Director Moore described a complementary expansion of music opportunities funded through federal Title IV funds and local match: the district purchased instruments that are being inventoried and will support a fifth‑grade band, with 63 students signed up and two rotating groups planned to manage large participation. Moore said Title IV is an appropriate funding source for the work and credited the community coalition for contributing about $5,000 as matching support.
Staff emphasized that these instructional investments are meant to boost student outcomes: teachers reported early gains on interim reading assessments that they expect will translate to improved Smarter Balanced results when those scores are posted after testing in May.
No formal actions were taken on the literacy or music items; the presentations were part of the superintendent's teaching and learning update and school spotlight.
