Tuesday, March 9, 2021 - 1:58 pm
Sauk Trail Principal Chris Dahlk shared student progress data as part of the achievement gap reduction funding the elementary school receives annually at the Board of Education meeting at Kromrey Middle School on Monday, March 8.
Dahlk noted a narrative was included as part of the March 8 meeting agenda. She added the information and assessments look a lot different than in previous years in large part because of students learning virtually for much of the school year. She reviewed student growth, including noting how students have remained in the proficient range even as the difficulty of learning increases throughout the year.
"We feel like we're at the point to give children what they need and we're starting to roll,'' Dahlk said, while also noting she has received more questions than ever before from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, which elicited chuckles from the members.
In other news from Monday's meeting: * The Board recognized Kohl Educational Foundation Teacher Fellow recipients Darlayne Coughlin of Kromrey and Jen Lohr of Glacier Creek along with CSCS senior Aaliyah Espinoza, who was awarded a student scholarship.
* The Board decided not to discuss space challenges at the District Services Center.
Administration shared a conceptual idea of potential facility changes that would provide increased office space and larger conference room space for small and large group gatherings at the Finance Committee meeting on Monday night. Lori Ames noted, based on feedback from Finance Committee members, it made more sense for the full School Board to wait until the District can provide more short-term and long-term options with dollar amounts. Ames also noted there is a meeting later this week with J.H. Findorff & Son representatives and she will take questions posed by Finance Committee members to the meeting.
* The Board approved the school safety drills. The Board will be asked to approve the drills regularly for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year.
* Board president Annette Ashley noted approximately 10 residents submitted comments requesting that elementary students receive more in-person instruction. Fourteen residents submitted written comments in favor of the sustainability resolution being discussed at the meeting. Two residents submitted written comments about the school resource officer program.
Meanwhile Todd Smith thanked administrative assistant Cheryl Janssen for recruiting 10 volunteers to help with the February primary election recount that took most of the day on Friday, Feb. 26.
* As part of her superintendent's report, Dana Monogue noted the transition to in-person learning continues at high school level, with freshman orientation having taken place last week on March 4-5, while juniors will take ACT on Tuesday at MHS. She noted Cohort 2 students in the Universal instructional model will start attending school starting Thursday, while Cohort 1 students start on Monday, March 15.
Monogue also noted there has been very little evidence of virus in District elementary and middle schools since they opened and praised students and staff for being vigilant about following protocols. She also thanked families for not sending sick children to school.