001Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the Wattsburg Area School District where we are student centered and future focus for a world-class education. Welcome to the Monday, February 9th work session of the Wattsburg area school district board of directors. Would you all please stand for the pledge of allegiance? >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. May I have a roll call, please? >> Mr. Blazer, >> present. >> Mr. Brumagen, >> present. >> Mrs. Heatherington, >> here. >> Mr. Morve, >> here. [clears throat] >> Dr. Pushjek. >> Mr. Snippert, >> here. >> Mrs. Will >> here. >> Dr. Williams >> here. >> Mr. Young, >> present. You could throw a doctor
002on there if you too many doctors around here. >> That's not how that works. That's not how that works. >> [clears throat] >> Honorary. Uh ladies and gentlemen, for the the public this evening, just a reminder, this is the work session. So all of the items that you will hear discussed this evening uh will be discussed for the purpose of moving them over for our regular board meeting next week where voting will occur. Uh we did meet in executive session uh prior to this meeting uh for a personnel issue and we did also meet as a personnel committee prior to this meeting uh for discussion of our superintendent search process. Um so as we go through this evening just just be minded that we discussed these items to send them over for vote next week.
003Um and we will also be getting a school report this evening. Dr. Berlin, is that correct? >> Yes. Mrs. Barb is with us and uh she's going to share some PSSA data that wasn't available uh early in the fall when um the principal started providing initial updates. So we can do that um >> perfect under school reports if you'd like or or at some other time in the agenda. >> We can do it now. Welcome Miss Barbon. You look prepared and ready to go. We could go through the rest of the agenda while you stand right there if you want the end. Or >> I just wanted to say thank you for being here. >> Yeah. >> Can you click your microphone on? I just want to make sure everybody can hear you. I know
004it's like the worst thing to do to turn the microphone off. >> Hey, there we are. Okay. >> Oh, there we go. >> Make sure I'm not too close. Just close enough. Okay. So, um, welcome, Mrs. Will to the board. I didn't get a chance to see you when you came in. And Mr. Sniffer, welcome back. It's nice to have you both aboard. So, when we were here in the fall, we did not have our PSSA data out yet. So, we wanted to do an update for you. So, that's what we're going to go ahead and do this evening. Okay. So to get us started, the easiest way to dive into this is to look at the state this year compared to the state last year just to see how the trends are going. So
005if you look at the blue there, that's the 2024 data from the state. And then in the yellow is the 2025. So this was just last year. So as you're looking, I think I want to point to this side. Let's flash over for some of you over there. You can see that the state did go down in third grade ELA. state also did go down in fourth grade ELA. So, this was definitely an area of focus uh for the state. So, we're going to come back and talk about this. Third grade math went up roughly 2%. Fourth grade math did the same as well. So, now the fun part I wanted to look at our school compared to the state. So again, the state had gone down. Um we are ahead of the state in
006third grade ELA. So you can see we're here in the blue and the state is in the yellow. Um a little over 2%. This is definitely the lower area for us. So I do want to come back and touch on that. We're ahead of the state in fourth grade ELA, which is great to see. ahead of the state in third grade math and ahead of the state in fourth grade math. So, just touching on that third grade ELA that I said we'd come back to, I wanted to take a look at and see where we had been. So, even though we were ahead of the state, not as much as I would like to see, last year we were, we had a great year, real strong, we're ahead of the state in 22 23 and
007in 2122. You can see historically we've always been right on trend with the state and just a little bit higher. So state went down this year and so did we as well. When I'm looking at the math again doing real nice ahead of the state in 2425 again for 23 24 we're in the blue states in the yellow. You see we're following that same trend for 22 23 same for 2122. So strong in our math there. When we're looking at our fourth grade ELA, even though this was an area when I showed you the state-to-state comparison that they had dipped in a bit, we held pretty strong and steady in there. So we're ahead of the state significantly, 64% here. Again, we're in the blue, states in the yellow. Historically, always ahead of the state.
008Fourth grade for ELA. We're going to take a look here at fourth grade math again. Wake in the blue, state in the yellow. And you can see again ahead of the trend with the state. That was an exceptional year for us as well. right on par, a bit ahead, a bit ahead. So, always following that trend of being ahead of the state. So, this is where it gets uh really interesting. I just wanted to take a deeper a deeper dive into things and look more at this data. So, kind of hard to read, so let me show it out to you. This light blue line here is us. Okay? When you're looking at that yellowy kind of mustard colored, that's the northwest region. The green is the IU5. And then this darker, more of a
009brown color is Pennsylvania. It's going back to 2017 and then all the way up to last year. So, you can see we're not too far off with the trends that everyone is following. You can see we peaked when everyone peaked. We did a drop when everyone dropped. But then you can just see where we we break away and we actually started increasing on 2022 and then rising up to 2024. So I really feel strongly that this was a great decision on the part of the school district, the board to bring us back during COVID. I just see where we broke away from the pack and our kids, our elementary kids came back to school when other schools were still doing virtual. we were in person. We had our three, four down at the high school
010and we had K1 and two here. So, I just I I just want to thank you for bringing us back. I think that made a big difference. Uh little slight dip here, but everyone did. So, I'm not really sure if we've just got a a trend going on state statewide IU wise, but nothing significantly different from what we're seeing um everyone's pattern is doing right now. >> May I ask a question while we're on this one? >> Sure. And and I would just make an assumption at this point if I was looking at the chart. So if I go all the way back to what is it 2019 there where you see the old peak of everybody, right? >> Um assumption there. I mean obviously going into 20 there's COVID implications. Was there any changes
011in testing standards or the way anything was administered at that time or was that purely a social and physiological suppression? Yeah, that's a that's a great question. I have a slide coming up where I'm going to talk about some of the the things that we did. So, that might answer that, but hold on to it >> just in case it doesn't doesn't get to it completely >> because the same question would apply then at the the peak in 2024 for essentially everyone. Right. >> Right. Regardless of where we lie in comparison to our regional neighbors, everyone falls. So, >> right. likely a change in testing process standard bigger than us. >> What was that? >> Something bigger than us. >> Not just our district. >> Yes. I mean, obviously I can't speak to the fine
012details of what what the state is is doing, but I have that same assumption that you do, but I have some information on what we've been doing to at least account for what I'm accounting saying that we're doing on our end to see this. >> Great. >> So, I'll let you go to that. >> Awesome. Great question. Thank you, >> Miss Barboni. Just before you keep going, the the previous slides with the bars, is that saying the the percentages that we're comparing, is that how many are advanced and proficient? >> I'm sorry. Yes, it is. >> I'm so used to >> Sure. >> That's what I'm looking at is the good stuff, right? [laughter] That's what we want to compare. Okay. So, this now is looking at third and fourth grade math. So, I'd shown
013you the trends in ELA. These are the trends that we have in math. So again, we're we're mirroring those same trends that you see for the tri county area, the state, the IU. We had a significant peak like you were pointing out in 2019. Then we're seeing that same COVID time drop that everyone had as well. And then you see that we're making, you know, more significant gains in 2024. A little bit of a concern here for me as I'm seeing, you know, we're still above the state. So that's a positive, but I'm seeing that they are trending upward and we we did trend down a little here. So it might be a concern, it might mean something, it might not mean something. So I'm I'm kind of anxious to see the results coming up
014for this spring and to see how that that trend goes there. Okay. So, I'm sure that you know um we are going to have a mandated K through K through three evidence-based science of reading will be mandated by the state in 2027 2028. I feel like we're doing a great job on this already. So, I just kind of paired this down real quick for you just to to give you the the bullet points. So, we want to make sure that we adopt an evidence-based reading curriculum that aligns with the PA standards and the science of reading. provide explicit systematic cumulative instruction. Uh we have phmic awareness, alphabetic principle, decoding, that's our our phonics as well, fondological, and that we have professional development of the science of reading for our staff. So, I'm going to talk
015I'm going to show you another slide and then I'm going to talk a little bit specifically about this in um com in in specific to what we're doing here here at Wake for you. So prior to hearing about yes indeed we want to make sure we have a science of reading curriculum and that we're solid in that by 2027 2028 as mandated by the state. We of course all you know looked at the um what works clearing house which comes from the Florida Institute of Reading where we're really always wanting to make sure are we following best practices. These are the different recommendations and I can come back to this slide and let you go through the the checklist on your own. I don't want to uh go through everything but just again it's talking
016about phonics, phenemic awareness, decoding the words, um making sure the kids can sound and segment and that they're connecting to text every day. So this is what we have been basing our teaching on. Anyhow, and when Rebecca Kelly was here, I just want to say she did an excellent job and really was ahead of the curve making sure that we were we were prepared for what was going to be coming down the line with science of reading. So, this kind of goes back to your question, Mr. Young. This is what we have been doing. So, when we're looking at timing, Heggerty again is our program for phmic awareness and that's the beginning just that oral language. Okay? So, you're not writing things down yet at that point. It's what the kids are hearing auditorially. We
017brought that into kindergarten in 2019 and the 2020 year and then we implemented in first grade 2020 2021 and those are the grades you want to have that in. Those are those foundational skills again in that K12 kids are learning how to read. So this is the the foundation for that foundations now goes into the phonics aspect and then we're we're putting in print with that as well. That's where we're also segmenting words. We're manipulating maybe changing um tip to lip. Can the kids manipulate the T to the L? So kindergarten the same year for that. Okay. We did pilots in one and two in 2020 and then we had a full implementation by the end of 2021. So even when we were um online for that little bit of time during COVID, we they
018were still doing this with the kids online and I think that that was just an excellent thing. Um so they were able to do those programs with them, have the kids join on so we really didn't lose any ground there. the assessments which back in the recommendations on the checklist want to make sure that you have benchmarking three times a year. We do that with our Aadon ELA. Um so we had full implementation for 2020 was K through three. Three times a year we do our benchmarking but we progress monitor all along as well. Okay. So the teachers are doing that. We just got into our 95% um back in I want to say two on that. I'd have to look right on 2024 on that one. Um they have a diagnostic test as well.
019It's called the PSI and we we give that to our students in title. So here's the interventions that we're doing for our tier 2 fun and focus for our kids which matches up in foundation. So that's just reiterating and reinforcing the skills. We just got 95% wrapped for our tier three special ed intervention. Dr. Jablonsky brought that in this year and we're seeing excellent results with it. I know she's taking it to the middle school as well. uh foundations integrity decodable readers we've brought in so our kids are reading every day and this is some of the professional development that we've had along the way so really I think we're in good shape we already have um the science of reading is a common word phrase feeling it's what we're living and breathing here at
020the elementary center already and we have been for several years we have new staff coming in we're we're getting them trained in professional development So, I I feel that we're in a very a very solid solid place. >> Any questions for Mr. Barboni? >> Mr. President, um so part of the the new additions to the PA school code as well is remediation for students um who fall below benchmark on three progress monitoring probes throughout the year. So what is the elementary school's plan to meet that portion of the mandate? >> So right now when we do the benchmarking for the aadence then we can obviously see who already is behind and we have our our title groups for that. >> Does your current staffing support that need to remediate all students who fall below that
021benchmark? >> Yes. Those who are in the the solid red tend to qualify either in a tier three for learning support or a tier two and a half we sometimes call it for our title support. If we're looking at those who are in a higher red which would be the well below benchmark or a yellow area of a cadence which is below benchmark. Those students are met with our teachers because we are a title one school. So we can go ahead and we we have the teachers um divide out and take students in a more of a homogeneous grouping at that time where we're not teaching any new information and work with this the kids then. Yeah. And some of our teachers are doing the 95% wrap with those kids that are not quite yet,
022you know, they're they're in that middle part of the yellow where we'd like to see them getting pushed into the proficient or are they not making progress and these are kids that we're looking at for maybe a future title group. So, they're they're working on that with them. And before we ever consider anyone going into a special ed program, we want to make sure that they've gone through the title and the 95% Is this adding up to your question? >> Thank you, >> Mr. President. >> Yes, Mr. President. >> Uh kind of kind of related. Uh I know I learned a lot through the experiences I had with with my son in the elementary school. Um the question was did we have the staffing and stuff. Now, what I found was a lot of the
023programs weren't being offered with proper fidelity as the curriculum was designed to offer it to. Um we were offering pieces. We weren't offering it with with true fidelity. You think that you used to have the staffing now to be offering these programs with Fidelity the way that they were created to offer? >> I feel that we do. I mean, we've had a lot of professional development training. Um, you know, our title staff is is very wellversed in what they're doing. >> And with title, we're still so we're district-wide title school. Her her we're a schoolwide title >> title, >> but we only offer true pull out title to 15 still. So, we don't actually have an increase in staff. We haven't, you know, I know in October I said, "Hey, let's hire some aids. Is
024that something we can look at?" We haven't done anything like that, right? We haven't increased any services. Correct. >> There's not more personnel when a child exits out of title. Sometimes children exit out because they may have made that progress and then that opens a spot for another child or they may have um not made the type of progress we would like to see and then maybe a better way to service them is through a more intensive intervention which would be uh learning support. So then that would open up. So number of personnel increasing no number of children we're servicing yes. Um, we are also trying to have some time built in to our title teachers schedules where they are able to meet with students that we have a high level of concern for. And
025is there a difference between professional development and uh certifications in these areas? I know that was an issue that we uncovered too was that teachers weren't properly trained in offering a lot of this stuff. So, is there a difference uh from just hey, professional development to no, this is actually something somebody should have a certificate for? >> That's a great question and I I guess it depends on what specifically you're you're looking at. Certainly, if someone is a a title teacher, they tend to have that reading specialist certification. We have had professional development for all of our staff as um recommended by the state when you are a title one school. So all of our teachers are highly qualified in that level. Now do they all have a reading specialist certification? No. So have they
026had professional development? Yes. Have the reading specialist are they reading specialists with that degree? Yes. >> I guess my question would be in regards to the reason why we're a title wide school. Right. So you know are they all properly trained in the 95% group? you know, are they all properly trained in foundations and >> yes, any other is there higher trainings that we can offer them since we are a schoolwide uh title? >> Sure. >> Um, >> so let me let me break that apart for you. So, uh, foundations, yes, because every single teacher does that in their classroom. So, yes, everyone has had intensive professional development on this. Our new teachers that we got this year, long-term subs, will be receiving professional development next year because we're hiring like three new staff members.
027So, we're going to have to do another round of professional development. Heaggerty, everyone's had professional development on that. We had representatives come in from Wilson last year, and that's who runs the foundations program. So, they actually came in and monitored us and then went through into each of the rooms to see how the teachers were doing, then offered tips and suggestions. They came four times last year to monitor us. So we had professional development with them. The 95% RAP, the people who are using that have had the professional development on that. And as to your question, Mrs. Will, when we're looking at students who need that more intensive intervention, they're going to teachers who have had professional development on that. 95% RAP isn't going to be something um that's relevant to a student who is
028advanced or in high proficiency. They don't need that intensiveness. So, they're not going to a teacher to work on those phonics or phmic awareness skills. So any child that is in an intervention group like this, yes, is with someone who's had training. >> I have others, but anybody else? >> Uh, >> continue. Mr. Pre, >> can you go back to slide one? >> Yeah, let me find my thing here. >> You tell me when. >> Uh, yeah. All the way back to the beginning. Thank you. Um >> I want to just look at I wanted to look at the data one more time and go down through some of these slides one at a time. So you know when I read this now does PSSAs break it down advanced proficient below basic or is that
029keystones or do they both do that? So when I look at this I'm looking at blue. What am I looking at? You're looking at that was Mr. Blowier's question. Blazier, I'm sorry. Uh that is our proficient and advanced. >> So that's profic. So we're 55% proficient and advanced in in 2024 and in 2025 that's the state. Do you want to see? >> That's the statewide. So the state dropped that much. Okay. Correct. Correct. Next. So next one. >> Yeah. We we held fairly steady >> compared to the state but not compared to the progress we had made. The trend line was up and then the trend line went down 14 points where the where the state trend the state's trend line is fairly flat, >> right? >> Yeah. >> And that's um >> this is
030stateto state here. All the yellow is state. >> Okay. >> So that's stateto state. This is math if you're wanting to look just at ELA. Yep. >> Okay. So, we can if you can go back to slide two, please. So, our trend line was up or we have math on the right. We have uh English on on the left. Okay. So, the trend line's in one of the other ones. So, the state held held there. We dropped and this is percent proficient in ELA >> just in third grade. Yes. This was the area. If I'm picking an area of concern for me, this is something I was a little concerned with, but the entire state and third grade dropped as well. >> So if I if I remember the fall correctly, it was every grade
031we were having issues with and and the number I have in head was like twothirds of the elementary school we were having issues with at at or at or below. Um, so we're only seeing, you know, third grade tonight. We're not getting an update on all the grade levels. Well, >> we're getting an update on the PSA. >> PSSA. Yeah, they only start in third grade. >> They start in third grade. So, does that was that keystone data that we were referring earlier? >> That was a cadence benchmark. >> Cadence benchmark, >> which which truthfully is not meant to be used that way because it is a benchmark. It is supposed to be used for instruction for the the title teachers and for the teachers to see where the students are and then to benchmark
032them to see how much they've grown. But remember that test that they take, it's a probe. It it also changes. So it's not apples to apples. >> But this would this would say similarly that 50% is below because this if this is proficient advanced then 50% would be below proficient as well. >> Yeah, I would I would just caution you there. There's there's a lot to the psychometrics of this test and it's not linear and um comparing this to a cadence uh that's not a linear direct common sense type connection uh because of the statistics that run behind the scenes on these tests. Um, so the PSSA is an is an achievement test and it it's going to show you cumulatively uh where you're at in ref as referenced to the PA u standards. So,
033it's supposed to be criterion reference, although it's designed in a norm referenced way. And that, by the way, norm reference tests, I think I talked about this before, they're designed to give you a bellshaped curve distribution, and there's always a middle that's always around 50 to 60%. And if you look up at that slide right there, you can see the footprint of standardized normre referenced testing all over that. Um it's not going to climb much more than that. uh and when it does start to move drastically one way or another, uh my experience um as an assessment specialist at the IU and then in my uh my experience as administrator, uh that is almost without fail um signifying that a change has been made to the test. They've introduced, you know, new questions that they
034field tested the prior year. um they they uh got the criterion referenced expert groups back together and established new baselines or new areas. Um so it's very frustrating I would say. I mean I I can if you're frustrated looking at this I I I totally get it. Uh be be but that's that's standardized testing. Um it's it's worth doing and looking at it because it gives you a snapshot on one day in time of how the students are doing and it gives you some type of uh idea of you know where the students as a whole are. Um so I yeah you I just wanted to throw that out there. the cadence testing um that we looked at where like twothirds of the students looked, you know, like where they were in trouble. They should
035that should look like that. That's exactly how it should look at the beginning of the year. Um it should show you and reveal everybody that's deficient in a particular skill. But that's all it tells you. Are you at benchmark, below, or above? Period. There's nothing else you can derive from uh Aadians which used to be Dibbles and it's the most widespread um benchmark assessment uh by far used across Pennsylvania and by special ed in particular uh and title as well. So it's meant to say are you doing okay? Are you doing great? or you're not doing and and and even break it down into percentage. >> Uh if if you're in that upper uh area on the cadence benchmark, there's a 70 to 80% chance that you're going to be the same way when you
036take the next benchmark. Um so it left unaltered uh [clears throat] uh or without interference or with the right instruction, students should should progress. But the ones that are below, it's not going to tell you what to do. None of these tests tell you what to do. And I feel like the public has um you know, we we hear this. We want schools to be accountable. Um but it's a fallacy to some extent. They're using, you know, these tools were not designed to tell you like a fuel gauge how much fuel is in your tank. That's not what they do. uh they essentially compare humans to other humans and tell you, you know, what's average and then what's outside of average. But keep in mind, that's a big group. Minus standard two deviations plus two
037de standard deviations includes uh 70 to 80% of the population. And the difference between minus two standard deviations and average in a normal shaped distribution is almost negligible. But when you when you look at the numbers, it makes it look like it's awful. It is not. Most of the population is uh in this particular area. And we want to make sure that our kids are performing and reflecting and and falling into uh that pattern because because we know just like growth curves with infants and things that you know if you had kids you've done this before. You take them to the doctor how what's the head circumference? What's the height? What's the weight? And you can follow those curves. And you might have a child that is very underweight compared to the neighbors but they're
038making you know they're following that curve all the way up. Those are the things that we're looking at because Wattsburg is different and Fair View is different and Harbor Creek is different than Corey. Uh so when you look at us, we have to look at us compared to us. Um and and keep in mind that the tool that we're supposed to be using it with or the most that you everyone is the PSSA, which really isn't designed to do what we think it is. I you know if you're mechanical I I I guess I'll give you one more example. If you've ever worked on your car, do you know what the OBD2 scanners are? Uh like your mechanics it I mean I have one at home. I if I get an engine light or something
039I'll plug plug it into my truck and it'll tell me you know the fuel uh mixture is lean on cylinder 3. That's all it tells me. It does not tell me what's wrong with the truck. You know, it could be a number of things. Uh, and reading and math and teaching kids is the same way. You know, you look at a cadence test. Wow, there's a lot of students that are below benchmark right when they come in the door after summer. Uh, we expect that. Um, so we need to know that they are. We need to review. we need to quickly fi figure out which elements of the science of reading uh they are not um making uh they're not fluent in and and then adjust there. Um so that's just my overall what was
040that 10-minute elevator speech on standardized testing what it is what it is not. >> Yeah, we didn't even get to the right slide yet but Mrs. Heatherington had a question. >> Sure. I just want to piggyback real quick on what Dr. Berlin was saying because I'm I'm not mechanical so I appreciate you saying that but this might kind of help with that too also when we looked at that it was a sum called the reading composite which is which is a whole and like Dr. Dr. Berlin was saying what was it the OBG the OBI too what I'm not mechanical that's what the 95% is so if we see that kids are in the red which is below benchmark that's it's not the same as the PSSA because mind you K12 we're we're they're learning
041to read they're not reading to learn they're learning to read so we have to teach them their phonics their phmic awareness so we see that red on the cadence and that makes us go, "Oh, whoa, something's not right here." So then we look in deeper at those kids and I had shown you all of and it was a lot of information showing you first sound fluency, nonsense word, all these different strands. So then we look more specifically at those and say, "Okay, this child's having a deficiency in this area, in that area." and we go through with the 95% so we can parse out is it short E, is it short I and then work on those skills specifically for that child during their title or interventions. So I I hope that clar clarifies a
042bit. Okay, let me know where you want me to stop. >> Miss Heatherington, >> um [clears throat] just remind me these third graders, this third grade is this year's fourth grade, >> correct? Yes. >> When were they kindergarten? Oh, you're going to make me do math. I think I wrote that >> back for them. 21 >> they were I want to say >> I want to say 20 >> 21 >> 22 >> uh 2122 was fourth grade was >> it would be >> it was fifth grade was first K which is now fourth grade was >> in first and 2021 they were kindergarten was the current fifth grade >> okay so I this is not an excuse and I hate to beat a dead horse. But a lot of kids in that kindergarten year did
043not go to preschool. >> Yeah, I I know they didn't. Yeah. Yeah. >> Just another >> You're right. Yeah. >> There's another data point. >> There was a a lot of factors and and I know we all keep No one wants to keep hitting that that COVID and like you said, it's not an excuse, but it is truth. We see that even in non-COVID years, kids that come to us with preschool versus kids who come to us without preschool. That gap is is huge. >> Can you go back just one more to the third grade ELA? >> Yeah. So now this is third grade ELA from 21 to 25. >> You know, the state did retract a little bit um but not nearly as much as we did. Looks like our fourth graders are those
044fifth old fifth graders now are just very very I know I'm I'm anxious to I'm really looking forward to see how we do. My concern again though is around you know what Mrs. Will said too like do we have the resources if if 50% of the school is below efficient >> and we only pull out 15 kids per class. You know, if we're 80 kids in a class, that's 40 kids. And if we're only pulling out 15. Yeah. Yes. We're a schoolwide title. But if we're only truly laser focusing on 15 at a time, do we have the proper resources to ever get the trend line going the the correct direction? Now, if you go to the the math one, >> look, I'm just going to hop in for one second because what you're saying
045absolutely gels with me. And so I dug a little deeper on that as as well because I did have concerns. Just so that you know because there are always things that make a difference here. 13% I'm sorry, excuse me. Um 18% were below basic and 13 of those students were on IEPs for special education and then 10 of them of the 32 that were in basic were also on IEPs for special education. So we we had 23 kids that year in that third grade that were on IEPs and special education that were in our below. >> Are you stating [clears throat] just IEPs in general or are you saying >> No, I took out learning learning support IEPs. >> Learning support IEPs. So >> didn't do speech. >> So those kids are not eligible for
046title one. They have a different >> because they're they have a different tract. >> They're they're doing learning support which is smaller groups. Yes. And more intensive. And Mr. Peron, can I just speak to the curriculum side of this? So, a couple big picture items. Number one, take into account that in the last five years, we've fundamentally changed the way that reading and writing is taught at the elementary. You know, going from basically allowing, you know, the old method of, you know, you follow along with the picture as as reading clues to science of reading. It's it's a completely different method. Um, and then we talk about those tier one, tier two, tier three interventions, right? It's it's important to understand that that language. Um, when you're talking about a tier one student, you're talking
047about a kid that's in a regular ed classroom, you know, doesn't need much intervention beyond, you know, the teacher in the classroom. Tier two, so when a kid's starting to fall behind, that's when we start to move into title. And then tier three, moving to special ed. And so we look at all of the different um just curriculum items that we brought in in terms of the way that we're teaching science of reading and then also the supports that we're offering to tier 2 and tier three. They're all different. Um and so because of that I I think it's dangerous to look at one group like and and that drop is significant when you look at third grade you know go go from 67% to 50%. The danger in looking at one year is uh
048versus just taking that you know for me that broad like fiveyear step back is um you know what's what's a cohort and what's a systematic failure in terms of what we're doing from a curriculum standpoint. And so when we look at, you know, Western Clearing House and and what the recommendations are, that's that's the datadriven information like where they say, "Hey, this is what works and this is what doesn't work." When we look at the new legislation that's coming in with the science of reading, like from a big picture standpoint, we're doing all of those things. I don't know that that more staff, you know, you know, throwing more staff at this is necessarily the problem. Um, it's just getting better and better at at doing what we're doing now, you know, and just making
049that a welloiled machine and consistently taking back stepping back to look at that, you know, I'd say five or six years to say what's a what's a cohort blip and what's a overall trend, you know what I mean? So, just in terms of the way we looked at, >> if we looked at the fall data, which was, you know, the when's Aadians given again, >> excuse me, it's three times a year. >> It's three times a year. So will we get an update from what we saw in the fall if it's three times a year that was just given or is being about to be given? >> You know what I quite honestly I we should have not had a presentation like that because again in K one and two they are learning how to
050read. >> So in order to in order to do that for you honestly this is not the format for that. If you wanted to see it, then I need to be able to have my interactive slides go through and show you first sound fluency. Like I can give you a brief a brief update just to let you know like we have a 9% increase right now in kindergarten on first sound fluency. So we're making gains every single strand of a cadence. Again, we're not looking at the overall RCS, but every single strand of a cadence that is relevant for that grade level, we are making gains in. >> So, I guess I'm confused. You know, you're saying we shouldn't see a cadence data as a school board. Dr. Blind said PSSA data can't be scrutinized
051too much. How should we grade? What is the what tools what data should the board use to make an educated decision on how our elementary school is proficient below basic you know which I'm just thinking we look at all the data and we make educated decisions on it but I kind of just heard we can't look at the data >> did I did I mishar that >> I would just say I disagree with your premise there that that we've told you um that we can't look at the data I didn't hear anybody say that there's different types of data uh that serve different purposes. Um and I think Mrs. Borboni is correct in saying that uh further uh further looking at a diagnostic benchmark which is you know which is a mechanics tool uh to
052figure out a specific issue with certain kids. I mean it's all she had. I mean, she was put in, and I'll take the blame for that, she was put in a position where she didn't have PSSA data to show you, which PSSA data overall, despite my monologue, is a proxy uh and it's the best proxy uh that we have. Achievement tests in general are proxies. Um, so they're not they're not um without their use, but you have to temper that um w with the fact that they don't tell you everything. It's one test on one day. So, I'm sorry if I mis led you, you know, that we can't look at data. Um, you need to look at all of this data, but you have to look at the right data at the right time
053to make the right decision. Hopefully that makes sense. >> Yeah. And so to piggyback a little bit, so I I can give you a really brief layman's explanation of a couple different data points. So a cadence for example is I kind of like that was my decision with Hillary to say like this is not I I don't know that it's it's a good idea to share this with even parents because here's how it works. Like when you take that first acad test for example, it might test on two skills. By the time you move to the mid year, it's no longer testing on one of those two skills, but one of them it's continuing to test on, and then it adds two skills. And then the third one, you know, it's a it's kind of
054so I don't want to say it's bait and switch, but you know, so if your kid, for example, was green, green, red, now you're like, well, he's red all of a sudden, what happened? How do you lose ground? And it's not that you lost ground, it's just that these new skills, you know, right? So that's what that test can tell us. But it can also be alarming to a parent that that sees that green, green greed, red. um PSSA I mean I think we beat that so I don't I don't need to touch that but so right now like the state is is using for example CDTs and uh there's a new test right now Firefly um and one CDT for example like the great part about that is it it it does compare you
055across the board to other peers but but that test has a specific like let's say it's a sixth to eighth grade band in in math for example so like you know you may be killing it at grade level but then it's testing you on things that haven't seen. So like that's the downfall of that. Like you you you may not appear to be like advanced, but like you're just right on track with everything that you've seen in the classroom. Firefly is a new test. We haven't implemented it yet because I don't think the tools for teachers are robust enough to make it worthwhile. Um but that would give you a better snapshot of like if you were to take the PSSA today, how would you do? And so that one we should see growth from
056beginning of the year, mid year, and a year. And so, look, this has been a huge learning curve for me because I was always like, man, PSSA data is so much simpler than Keystone data because, you know, it's tested every fifth grader versus, you know, my ninth graders, some of them, and some of them are taking the second time and some a third time and some aren't taken to 11th grade. So, like it's just, man, it's it's really difficult to get a full grasp of the whole picture by looking at any one thing. Um, and so I think, you know, there's there's a little bit of trust that I think is put in into our hands to to try to paint that picture as best we can. Um, I don't know that answers your question
057fully or satisfies you. >> I just want to know how to properly, you know, grade and and understand, but I know in the fall it was a big number and then I look here and I see a 50% number and I go, they're kind of saying the same story. What are should we be doing something different? You know, I heard we're not we're trusting the process and we're going to try to get better at what we're doing, but we really haven't made drastic changes. And looks to me like the numbers suggest we should do drastic changes. >> I I think the best way is to look at a fiveyear >> soction blocks and not compared to the state or our peers >> because what a PSSA says a student should should achieve. I mean, they
058could set the bar so high or so low that the whole entire state could look good or bad. Um, and you know, there's blips in this that yes, I mean, my my wife does field work for PSSAs and she'll spend her whole summer in Harrisburg deciding how to grade these things again this year. And yes, they do change the way they assess. And yes, there's a big drop there. >> Uh, electronic testing >> first time. >> Absolutely. >> There was no mention of that, but that's the blip, right? So, we're relying on like and Greg to your point and I I understand what you're saying, but if you just go back and I and I also comparing to the whole state. Yeah. I mean, you can delineate Pittsburgh and Philly and half a loser in
059county and some kid in the holler. Like, that's not necessarily Watsburg, right? Sorry. That's just the way I talk. But if you go back to that state bar graph, we're relying on some sort of thought in the back of our minds that says that PSSAs and if kids achieve how we think they should achieve, then like 80% of kids are going to be proficient or advanced because we're doing a good job. But if the assessment is set up in a manner in which those students can't even achieve that level, right? Like the best you could ever get is 50% if you did the best job in the world or the best you could get is 30% of those kids or the best you could get is 99% if we set the bar really really really
060low. But somebody else is setting the bar. And what what we're relying on our administration and our building teams to do is to get our kids forward from wherever they're at today and try to compare ourselves, which PSSAs are about the only way we can do that to what's happening across our region or across the state or across comparative districts with similar similar socioeconomic profiles or you know class sizes or whatever those things are. But really at the end of the day, this is as good as we can get is to compare oursel against the cohort of the state because the state all takes the state test. >> And and even to to that too, just for curiosity, you know, I always like to always like to look at Fairview Elementary at Fox Chapel, not
061our Fairview. So they're, you know, number one in the state and their elementary still only for proficient advance 87%. So it's not like they're hitting 100%. You know, that's that's that's the creme de la creme is in in 87. >> To kind of summarize point of view that I have at talking about the data and the data points, me personally, I always liked more data than less. >> And so the PSSAs is one. The Aadian testing is another, the CDT testing is another. I know a lot of the discussions and I've focused on it myself in previous discussions on singular data points or a yearly data points. Uh what was helpful for me and I think uh Mr. Dr. Angler had given us a presentation in the past and I can't remember if that was
062a cadence testing but it showed the movement between the beginning of the year to the end of the year um and showed that that growth slide or progress however that and I forget which which um program or data point showed that amount of growth um if that was the cadence or CDTS I can't remember exactly which one it was um so holistically looking at all of that yes is absolutely uh important And I think to the the and I don't think nobody's and maybe hasn't been explicitly stated obviously our goal here is to increase our blue bars. >> Absolutely. >> I mean that's our goal. >> Absolutely. >> To maybe Mr. Brumman's point, how do we raise our blue bar >> and is it additional is it additional people or additional um early intervention? And
063I'm hearing from both, you know, uh, uh, discussions today is that we're getting there. >> Unfortunately, some of those kids that are getting there at this point, it's, you know, they're fifth and sixth graders now. And so, how do you try to keep those guys, >> you know, from being lost as well? You may be improving two, three, and four, >> but now those kids that have already gone through the path, you know, how do we uh, you know, not lose them? And is that a is that a a resource item as well? So per me personally, I prefer all that data. I would not I would I would be disappointed if less data was given. That's just me. Um and I think that gives us all a little bit of of a better picture.
064But I think our this board is yeah, ultimately how do we always >> improve that score? And if we're comparing against ourselves, that's great. So year-over-year um if this was you know this is a state I think you did the other other slides have year-over-year you know we're comparing against ourselves and if that trend line is in the right direction >> and unfortunately it's it's right to left >> year to year instead of left to right so I was a little confused there but um that's where you want that that bar to be you know trending upward >> those are different cohorts I just wanted to point out those aren't the same groups of students >> oh No doubt. Yeah. No doubt. And that's what I'm saying. So, >> and that's what's frustrating about >>
065not having K1. >> Well, I don't disagree. >> Yeah. I mean, you you have the the class of 28 and the class of 29 and the class of 30. >> However, the the the process >> is the system that we're trying to improve as we go. That's all I'm saying is that the system, any individual group of students is going to do how any individual groups of students is going to do. How does the system help carry that in the right direction? And I think that's ultimately maybe where we're trying to get to. >> Just very quickly to that point, so the PES score in ELA for the last two years has been 100. >> Um, okay. And and >> that's the that's the test that you're telling, >> correct? And so that's the value
066added. That's the move. >> That's the value added. Yeah. Yeah. >> And so essentially what that's saying is, you know, in layman's terms is we're we're showing a year's worth of growth. >> Mhm. >> Perfect. >> Which Yeah. >> And it's it's 100 point scale, you know what I mean? So it's not like you can't go to 120. >> And I remember we were way above the state on some of those. What do you POTS? I forget the exact PVA. Yeah. >> So I remember that we were Yeah, we were above that benchmark for the state. You know, the amount of movement that happens within the buildings. We were 100% for ELA, 100% for math, and the last year of science was 100%. >> So I that's very very positive to me. >> And that's
067why that's a data point that PSSA doesn't show. >> Correct. Very well said, Mr. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> All right. Well, thank you, Mrs. Barbon, for coming and sharing with us this evening. And yeah, >> um we love data. We just got to remember what data is correlative and not which it's zero. Um, and look at these individual and we appreciate the comments you brought this evening and answering all of our questions as they were brought. So, thank you for being here. Is there anyone signed up for guest and citizen comments this evening? >> All right. Hearing none, Dr. Berlin, will we have a superintendent report for next week? Thank you, Mr. President. Yes, we will. Um uh we'll be talking about cell phones uh and cell phone policy uh next week. So
068Mr. Hudnol will will be here to present uh the results of the survey of our stakeholders. Um and I'll also share some uh data that I collected. I did a survey based off the Boston Children's uh study questions of the 17 superintendent in the IU5 area. Uh, and I I can give you um a feeling for uh how the districts around us uh uh are handling cell phones, their efforts, who's in transition, who's not, who's adopted policies, uh and what type of policy, and there's basically three types that that um the Boston Children's Study uncovered. So, uh we'll be looking at that next week. >> Excellent. And obviously and uh for school reports um Mr. Grossman will be here and I believe we're going to have uh some guests lead us in the pledge and
069talk about fuel up to play 60 um a recent outing that they took which was is pretty neat. So uh those are some of the reports for >> Yeah, we absolutely love when students are here. So bring students um and obviously on the cell phone piece. You know, with the state senate legislation being passed, uh we've got that moved over to the House Education Committee right now. Um we'll be watching that and that potentially has some influence to steer. How much or how little we'll be putting into delineated decision making moving forward if that legislation moves through as quickly as I would anticipate in our legislature. Yeah, I I think at at best that'll give us um uh impetus and understanding across the board with the community and you know and and and layman that
070we need to do something about uh cell phones uh to maximize instructional time. It's still going to come down to what's going to work for us at Wattsburg. So that's why Mr. Dr. Hudnell engaged absolutely everybody with the stakeholders because I think we have to look at all of that data and decide you know what is realistic um what's going to move us in the right direction make it better maximize instructional time um that's enforcable and that is um something that the community understands and the students understand >> absolutely thank you Dr. Benn chair now recognizes Mr. Vicky Bendig for the business administrator's report. >> Thank you, Mr. President. For tonight, I have treasures reports uh for the general fund as of January 31st, 2026, 13,362,233.97. There is $18.65 in capital projects fund as of
071the end of January. cafeteria had $849,970.92 as of January 31st and the student activities accounts collective balance as of January 31st was $59,66944. Um the rest of those reports will be ready for next week. Um, moving on to the bill lists. Checks written prior to the work session from the last board meeting. General fund $112,95353. There were no Kapper projects checks written and the cafeteria had a check written for $3365. Uh, the rest of the bill lists will be available for next week. I will not be here, but the reports will be here. >> Excellent. Well, thank you, Mrs. Bending. Are there any questions? All right, hearing none. We look forward to seeing the reports and are said we will miss you. All right, we have two items under legal advisement um to move over
072for next week. Uh this uh first one is a stipulation to settle and discontinue an assessment appeal. This is on a property that um our team's been working on uh in Greenfield Township. Um this is to approve the stipulation to settle and discontinue this assessment appeal for the property. Um and the second one is a uh student discipline um issue. This is to approve a resolution regarding student discipline as outlined. If there are any questions on those that can be directed to Dr. Berlin. Does anyone have any questions on these two items? All right. Hearing none, those will move over for next week. Uh the chair will now recognize Dr. Williams for finance. >> Thank you, Mr. President. Uh Dr. Dr. Pushek, next week we'll be moving over uh budgetary transfer uh which is the
073approved the monthly budgetary transfer from the budget versus the actual report as attached for next week. >> Thank you, Dr. Williams. We'll see that for next week. Uh do you have any items for building and grounds this evening? >> Dr. Williams does not have anything for next week under >> All right. Thank you, sir. Uh the chair will now recognize Mr. Chairman Blazer for personnel. >> Thank you, Mr. President. There'll be seven items currently on personnel for next week. Uh A is our superintendent search service that we discussed at the personnel subcommittee. Uh B is resignations as listed. C are the appointments as listed. D are the service substitute list additions as listed. E are the conference requests as listed. F are the leave requests as listed. And G is the ESS substitute list additions
074as listed. >> How many were there? >> Seven. Does anyone have any questions on those seven items under personnel hearing? None. Those will move over for next week's regular board meeting. Thank you, Mr. Blazer. Uh, the chair now recognize Mr. Steven Morvey for policy. >> Mr. President, currently there are no items for policy to move to the board agenda next week. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Morve. The chair will now recognize Mr. Aaron Snippert for curriculum. >> Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, one item for next week would be homebound instruction uh, as listed. Thank you. >> Are there any questions on the homebound instruction for next week? Hearing none, those will move over. Thank you, Mr. Sniver. >> Oh, go ahead. M. >> Just a general question about homebound students. Are these are these
075are they doing cyber through our district or what is homebound in definition? Um, so it can be for a number of things like it could be for uh an illness or an accident or something that would prevent them from coming to the building safely. So it needs to be reviewed every three months, but no, they're not doing our cyber program. >> Okay. So it's >> so it's we we send Yeah. Yeah. Send a tutor in a couple times a week. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Chair will now recognize Mr. Greg Brem for technology. >> Uh there will be no items for next week underneath technology. >> Thank you, Mr. Mr. Bremagen. Uh, the chair will now recognize Miss Veronica Will for transportation. >> Thank you, Mr. President. There will be two items to move
076to the agenda next week. Um, item A, transportation request, as with the attachments, and then item B, the DURM contract renewal contract, which is attached, and all of the revisions are included from Attorney Gornal. >> All right. Thank you. Are there any questions on those? We are very happy to finally get the renewal contract for Durham settled on both sides of the aisle for the legal work. So we appreciate everyone's patience getting through the last couple months and and completing that process. So thank you Mrs. Will. Uh the chair will now recognize Miss Leah Heatherington for athletic and extracurricular. >> Thank you Mr. President. I will have two items on the agenda. A being the volunteer list additions um as listed on the agenda and B being the athletic appointments also listed below. >> Any
077questions from the board on those two? Hearing none, they will move over for next week. Thank you very much, Mrs. Heatherington. Uh there are no items that are miscellaneous for discussion. Uh Mr. Morvy, will we have an Erie County Technical School joint operating committee report for next week? >> Yes, Mr. President, that will be the January report and I'll bring that forward toward the board. >> Thank you very much. Um, and Dr. Pushek not being here this evening enjoying senior night uh with his daughter at the basketball game. So, we're very happy that he's over there to do that. I will not assume that we will have a January board report from the Tri County Intermediate Unit, but we may. So, we'll go ahead and keep that on there. Uh, it's now time for board
078correspondence and dialogue. Is there anything else for the good of the order? Hearing none, I will now entertain a motion to adjurnn. So move Blazer. >> Second, Heatherington. >> All in favor, please say I. Post nay. Motion carries. We are adjourned. Thank you.