The Wilmington Learning Collaborative sees improvements in reading assessment scores at two member schools.
The WLC held its monthly meeting Wednesday, just a few days into the fall semester.
The collaborative seeks to improve student outcomes overall. The WLC implemented iReady exams for students in these schools to track math and reading proficiency.
This week, it reported Bayard is seeing 9% of students grades 1-8 scoring at or above grade level in iReady math tests compared to 1% last year. iReady reading scores were at 10% in the spring compared to 2% the previous year, according to Bayard principal Tongela Ginyard.
“That is a great improvement for us,” Ginyard said. “We're excited about that. And overall, we had about 52% of our students who met their typical growth and 26% met their stretch goal. And we've seen a lot of improvement with our grades four, five and seventh grade.”
Pritchett’s principal Sara Toussaint-Moody said her school is also focused on proficiency. 7% of students scored at or above grade level in iReady reading assessments at the beginning of the year, which rose to 17% by the end of the year.
“However, in math, they started off with 8% but there was a decline,” Toussaint-Moody said. “There was a decrease. So it did go down to 1% [proficiency at or above grade level].”
Toussaint said most grades are hitting the 90% attendance requirement, but her team’s biggest focus is on grades 1-4.
“We have a team already working with those families, making sure, [...] based on address, are they able to come here and to speak to that these past two days. That's exactly what we've been working on.”
Ginyard said Bayard is on track for attendance.
“I ran a report today,” Ginyard said. “We're… a little over 83% for our attendance.”
Toussaint-Moody added the WLC is also supporting students beyond academics.
“Just today, we had United Way come in and expose our eighth graders to martial arts, our elementary to yoga, so just making sure we have well rounded babies in front of us…” Toussaint-Moody said. “Again, we want to make sure that we are shaping and molding the whole child and then encouraging our enrichment and wellness.”
United Way partnered with WLC to expand career and technical education programs. The partnership with the WLC now offers middle school-level cosmetology and culinary programs.
The Boys and Girls Club also works with the WLC and is responsible for before- and after-care programs.
And for educators, it hosts Wellness Wednesdays, which bring educators and council members together to unwind. It also invites educators to its cycling group, the Pedal Pack.
The WLC meets next October 1 at the DSU Riverfront Building.
