Ames, principals detail learning goals at Cloverdale Schools

CLOVERDALE — Acknowledging that many students fell behind in the last two years, the focus now for school administrators at Cloverdale Schools is setting goals individually and corporation-wide.

Curriculum Director Cathy Ames, along with principals Mary Jane Elkins, Dawn Tucker and Sonny Stoltz, detailed to the Cloverdale School Board Monday evening how these goals would promote learning growth.

Though those disruptions led to learning loss and showed iniquities when it came to access and support, Ames made it clear at the outset that the impetus was not putting challenges down to Covid. Rather, it is that students and staff need to work on improvements on all fronts.

To this point, Ames highlighted that assessment data is crucial in seeing where students are and what gains they need to make. However, Cloverdale’s ILEARN data shows that these gains moving forward are significant.

Across the board, the proficiency percentage in English-language arts for 2022 stands at 43.3 percent, compared to 47.4 percent in 2019 and 36.7 percent in 2021. The math percentage for 2022 stands at 33.2 percent, compared to 53.5 percent in 2019 and 35.3 percent in 2021. ILEARN assessments were not done in 2020.

“That is our goal, to show those increases, to continue working,” Ames said in noting that some measurable gains from 2021 were made in grades 3-8 individually. She also advocated that 2019’s scores “weren’t that bad” taking ILEARN for the first time.

In general, the data shows that math has seen a majorly negative impact, while English-language arts is gaining ground. Ames’ takeaway was that getting students back to pre-pandemic status in math could take three-to-five years.

Not dwelling on Covid, though, Elkins, Tucker and Stoltz each presented action plans perhaps focused ultimately on promoting an attitude of success from students and staff alike.

The goals at each level, Elkins related, have to be strategic and based on the assessment data. In turn, goals at Cloverdale Elementary School must be measurable and able to stretch students’ learning through remediation and enrichment.

New goals are to be created each nine weeks for the different grade levels, while each classroom would establish a common goal for language arts and math. On an individual basis, each student has to take ownership of their learning and strive to meet their own goals.

Elkins highlighted that the third grade was above the state standard with the 2022 ILEARN and IREAD assessments. She attributed this to the teachers having a plan which could be passed on to the fourth-grade team. This includes tracking gains and creating weekly curriculum guides and “mini-lessons.”

The most crucial part of this plan, Elkins said, is to focus on stamina and rigor in shoring up math and reading skills. This is helping students understand the process of learning as being a continual opportunity.

“Sometimes, we as educators try to dissect, analyze and make too much of it, and I’m being sincere,” Elkins said. “Most importantly, we gotta celebrate those small gains, and we’re gonna celebrate those big gains.”

For her part, Tucker iterated academic growth, improving attendance and taking ownership of learning at Cloverdale Middle School.

Teachers are to have weekly i-Ready lessons, as well as small-group instruction at least once a week. Each would be focused on enhancing language arts and math skills and response-to-instruction needs. This relates to students and teachers taking that ownership through goal-setting and working together.

“I really stress to my teachers to take ownership of their students,” Tucker said.

Stoltz emphasized that, no matter what, students have to have those essential skills by the time they come to Cloverdale High School. Administratively, as well as school-wide, he said there is no fear of change and adapting.

On the academic side, this means going back to monthly department meetings, as well as “double-dipping” with tutoring, labs and lunchtime working. There is also reshaping needs, like focusing on algebra and precalculus and not geometry at the upper level.

However, Stoltz related that the most critical element is increasing students’ motivation and school spirit. He touched on Leader in Me, Area 30 and athletics, as well as incentives, for them to get more involved and be present at school.

“There’s some people out there who don’t like the idea that if a student doesn’t get their work done, you shouldn’t give them a second chance,” Stoltz said about having an attitude of zeros not being acceptable. “We’re trying to get them to get some work turned in to see where they’re at. It’s made a big difference.”

Each of them agreed on teaching students what they need to know and providing more focused remediation. Ultimately, they iterated that none of this is possible without understanding where the gaps are.

“We know it’s going to take us some time, but we’re very committed to doing that,” Ames summed up. “When our students are in our seats, and they’re listening to our teachers and doing what needs to be done, then we’re going to have that success.”

In other business:

• After holding a public hearing on Aug. 22 and with no changes noted, the board approved Cloverdale School’s budget for 2023, as well as its capital projects and bus replacement plans. The budget was detailed in coverage of the board’s meeting last month.

• The board approved declaring worn-out athletic weight equipment and furniture as surplus. While the weight equipment will just be disposed of, Supt. Greg Linton said the furniture would be sold online.

The board also recognized Emma Paauwe as Cloverdale High School’s Student of the Month. In a new addition, the board also recognized Chelsey Meluch as CHS’ teacher of the month.

Chance Suits and Michael Mulnix were listed as the Students of the Month for Cloverdale Elementary School and Cloverdale Middle School, respectively, with Jody Crum and Ivy Oberkrom as the Teachers of the Month in kind. However, they were not in attendance.

The board also approved the following personnel report:

• Employment: Jessica Fidler and Lori Halloran - 21st Century Community Learning Centers program; Melissa Hall - CMS one-to-one instructional assistant; Doug Wokoun - eighth-grade social studies teacher; Riley Bates, Michael King, Shayla Dulworth and Noriko Stanfield - cafeteria aides; Heather Stokes - bus driver; Brantson Scott - CHS JV baseball coach; Chelsie Edwards and Andy Tyler - CHS cross country volunteer coaches; and Christian Frye - CMS athletic director/event supervisor.

Along with Ames and the principals, Linton was joined by the entire board and executive secretary Rebecca Willis for the meeting.

The next regular meeting of the Cloverdale School Board is set for Monday, Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. in the Arthur L. Johnson Administration Office near Cloverdale High School.