By Crystal Hayduk
Michelle Hilla, director of curriculum and instruction, presented a 98b data-driven progress report and slide show at the Chelsea School District (CSD) Board of Education meeting on Feb. 13. This report, to be presented to school boards no later than the first meeting in February, is a requirement of the Michigan Department of Education for any district receiving state aid.
The district’s educational goal for K-8 students is an increased percentage showing average to above average growth in literacy and math from fall to winter as evidenced by mid-year NWEA scores. Hilla said the scores show “a nice jump in growth.”
Looking at the data for expected growth nationwide according to grade levels, teachers can see where students exceed expectation and where they need additional support. Hilla said teachers will examine the data for individual students as well, because students who are above average at the beginning of the assessment period tend to have lower growth scores at the next testing period.
Among high school students, the mid-year goal is to achieve grade-level proficiency in ELA and math evidenced by passing courses in the first trimester courses and middle of the second trimester. This year, 98% of students passed ELA courses and 97% of students passed math courses in the first trimester.
Hilla showed slides of M-STEP (an assessment to determine if students are mastering state standards) data indicating declines in proficiency and growth, particularly during the first year of the pandemic. However, students are currently climbing up to pre-pandemic levels. M-STEP and PSAT-8 data also show CSD students generally outperform their peers around the county.
SAT trends in other schools have also been declining in recent years, although CSD continues to outperform their peers. All eleventh graders take the SAT, which assesses math and evidence-based reading and writing.
Hilla, who began her position with the district in January, said she has spent as much time as possible in classrooms, school improvement meetings, and literacy lab days. “They [teachers] are doing this work,” she said. “We will get there. If we continue to hold strong, we’ll see our scores continue to climb out of COVID and grow from there.”
Board Vice-President Jason Eyster said some parents are concerned about the challenge of regaining pandemic learning loss. He asked how the district is responding differently as a result of the pandemic. Hilla said educators are assessing specific gaps in learning that occurred during that time and targeting those areas.
Hilla also said it is important to “… keep in mind the entire child,” as more than just deficits in reading and math need to be addressed.
A draft version of Hilla’s slide show is attached to the board meeting agenda, linked here. Per state requirements, the 98b report will also be available on the website in its final version on the Budget and Transparency Reporting page. (It has not been posted yet at press time.)
In a statement following the board meeting, Hilla said, “The district reviews data at all levels to track student growth, inform instruction, and align district improvement goals and resources to best support our students. While the presentation to the board focused on academics, we value our student’s social and emotional growth, as well.”
Hilla outlined the district’s six-year curriculum review cycle. This year, updates occurred in K-12 science, 7-12 family and consumer science, and K-5 technology and computer science. The review is a rigorous one- to two-year process from preparation to ordering resources and professional development for teachers.
Curriculum standards are posted on the District Curriculum Documents tab on the district’s website here.
Amy Forehand, president of Chelsea Education Foundation (CEF), spoke to the board about the mission, vision, and community impact of the organization, which was founded in 1990 by Joe Piasecki, the district’s superintendent at that time.
CEF provides funds for educational projects that are beyond the resources of the district and offers scholarships to district graduates. It is a resource for students and teachers that is trusted by community members.
Throughout CEF’s history, Forehand said $1.17 million in donations have benefited 52,000 students, provided more than 690 grants in a variety of programs, and awarded more than 1,000 scholarships to diverse and well-represented students.
CEF’s current goals include growing grants and scholarships by 25% each year. To that end, they are working to diversify their funding sources, recruit and maintain strong alumni support, and grow their endowment investments.
For more information, visit CEF’s website.
Board President Eric Wilkinson responded to issues related to board policies brought up during public comment at recent meetings. He said the district uses software programs to host the policies. “When we enact any new policies, those go through our policy committee,” he said. “They come to the board through multiple meetings before anything is approved. We don’t ‘buy’ policies per se. We reach out to other subject matter experts to assist us, such as legal counsel.”
The videorecording of the meeting will be available to view for one month here.
In other board news:
During his superintendent’s report, Mike Kapolka said the district received a school safety grant of $287,000. The money will offset the cost of previous safety purchases, such as camera upgrades and AI software.
The board approved the purchase of 91 HP and 11 Apple laptops for Chelsea High School staff, district administrators, and the technology team. The laptops will be purchased from InaComp Technical Services and Apple, the vendors who won the REMC SPOT statewide contract bids. The cost of $108,294 will be paid as part of the 2019 technology bond replacement cycle.
During public comment, Michael McVey, president of the Saline Area Schools Board of Education, addressed the board. In his additional office as the vice-president of the Washtenaw Association of School Boards (WASB), he invited Chelsea’s school board trustees to participate in meetings and professional development, and to reach out for assistance with issues that may impact the county.
February Students of the Month (North Creek Elementary School student Kenley Rehmann and South Meadows Elementary student Luke Vetter) were introduced. A feature article about them will be published in the near future.
Upcoming dates:
There will be no school Feb. 20 for Presidents Day.
There will be a board work session at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 27 in the board room at the Washington Street Education Center.
The next regular school board meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. on March 13 in the media center at South Meadows Elementary School.
