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George Washington Elementary principal reports curriculum changes, 'Thinking Classrooms' progress and new mascot
Summary
Interim principal Dr. Laura Zagan told the board George Washington Elementary moved from a Montessori structure to a traditional elementary configuration, adopted CKLA and I‑Ready, launched 'Thinking Classrooms' coaching and received a $3,000 grant for outdoor outerwear; the school unveiled its new mascot, the George Washington Dragons.
Dr. Laura Zagan, interim principal of George Washington Elementary School, briefed the Kingston City School District Board on the school’s transition year, instructional changes and community initiatives.
Zagan said the school serves about 320 students, including pre‑K, with roughly 48% Hispanic students, 28% English learners and about 24% students with disabilities. She described this past year as a year of transition after ending the Montessori program and reorganizing grade configurations.
The school adopted CKLA (Core Knowledge Language Arts) and I‑Ready math this year and received coaching and one‑on‑one support for teachers; Zagan said teachers are already reporting progress in student writing and document analysis. She credited district instructional teams and coaches for supporting implementation.
Zagan described outdoor learning expansions: a new pre‑K playground, partnerships with Mahar pre‑K and a neighboring Tree Project to create usable outdoor spaces, and a $3,000 grant from the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley to purchase rain jackets, boots and gloves so students can be outside in varied weather.
On assessments, Zagan presented combined third‑ and fourth‑grade ELA and math proficiency figures near 32% (level 3 or 4). She said winter assessments show shifts toward more students at grade level or one grade below, which she described as encouraging signs of progress.
The school also announced its new mascot — the George Washington ‘Dragons’ — selected through a community process that included more than 400 submissions and a final vote; a parent designed the winning dragon logo.
Trustees thanked Zagan and her staff for the transition work; multiple trustees praised family events and student engagement efforts. During follow‑up questions, Zagan explained that the 'Thinking Classrooms' approach came via the district systems and instructional improvement team (DSII), and that it emphasizes collaborative, process‑focused learning to strengthen tier‑1 instruction.
The board requested ongoing updates and thanked GW staff for their work during a challenging year of change.
