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Blackstone‑Millville reports mid‑year gains on i‑Ready; geometry and writing highlighted as priorities
Summary
District staff presented middle‑of‑year assessment results showing decreases in students in red/yellow categories and growth for intervention, ELL and special‑education groups; district leaders identified geometry and writing (response to text/critical thinking) as areas needing sustained focus and outlined professional development and targeted interventions.
District leaders used the March 26 meeting to present BOY→MOY (beginning‑of‑year to middle‑of‑year) data from i‑Ready and other local assessments, reporting consistent gains across elementary, middle and high school levels but flagging specific content‑area weaknesses.
Presenters from Millville Elementary, Harnett Middle and the high school highlighted several cross‑cutting findings: fewer students are in the lowest (red) performance bands at MOY compared with BOY; intervention students made large relative gains; and ELL and special‑education populations showed measurable improvement. Staff credited targeted interventions, the DESI online tutoring program (54 students participating districtwide), and expanded use of Building Thinking Classrooms and PLC calibration for writing assessment scoring.
At the elementary level, staff described improvements in K–3 early literacy and numeracy screens and reported movement from three or more grades below toward on/above grade level in reading and math. Middle‑school presenters noted that calibration across grade‑level teams had helped align writing scoring and that BTC work and individualized myPath lessons in i‑Ready were being used to push on‑grade and above‑grade students. High‑school presenters reported the strongest reading gains in ninth grade but emphasized geometry and continued ELL support as priorities.
District next steps included: - Focused PD and calibration for writing scoring across grade levels, including standards‑based rubrics and calibration sessions. - Expanded spiral review and targeted small‑group lessons to shore up geometry skill gaps. - Continued cross‑departmental use of data in PLCs and increased one‑to‑one feedback and extended time for student revision.
Superintendent Jill Peloquin also reported the district had secured a non‑monetary civics curriculum/training award (Democratic Knowledge Project) for eighth grade and was advancing MSBA schematic design and community outreach on school building planning.
Administrators emphasized that the MOY results show positive movement but that work on rigorous instruction and writing across the curriculum must continue before MCAS and end‑of‑year reviews.
