001Mhm. >> Mhm. >> The meeting of the Western Township Board of Education is officially called to order and this meeting has been advertised in compliance with the Sunshine Law. Can we please pause for a moment of silence followed by the pledge? Please stand. 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. >> Ms. Bangor? >> Here. >> Ms. Bridget? >> Here. >> Dr. Brown? >> Here. >> Mr. Foresight? >> Here. >> Mr. Hamilton? >> Here. >> Dr. Hutton? >> Here. >> Ms. Mel? >> Here. >> Ms. Reyes? Ms. Sargent? >> Here. >> Yep. Good evening everyone. Good evening. >> Thank you for coming for those of you who are here in person and
002certainly those of you who are watching us digitally. Thank you for coming and being here with us this evening. As I always say, our work as a board is rooted in our pursuit in the pursuit of academic success and personal well-being for every student, for each student. Accordingly, our mission is reviewed at every meeting and it reads, "We empower every student to achieve their academic [clears throat] and personal goals through educational expertise, dynamic programs, and influential kindness in a safe, challenging, and inclusive learning environment." So, now it's time for approval of the minutes. We need a motion to approve the minutes of the May 4th, 2026 public budget hearing and regular meeting. All in favor? Oh, a motion. >> Second. >> Thank you. All in favor? >> Aye. >> Thank you. So, we'll move right
003into presentations. >> Sorry. >> And we have the district goals and the end-of-the-year report provided by the superintendent. >> Good evening, everyone, and thanks for joining us in public and online. Every year we create district goals at the beginning of the school year and we'll do the same for 2026-2027 and I like to give a mid-year and end-of-year review that's on the screen behind some of the board members here. And I know that it's not all online. >> [clears throat] >> So, we know our mission statement to empower every student to achieve their academic and personal goals as um Dr. Rutledge shared. Um and we have our core values as well and what we deeply value as a district that we described in our strategic plan. So, I always like to start off with those.
004And these goals represented um for the 2025-2026 school year developed by the superintendent um with the board of education. They're aligned to the mission and strategic plan and the goals have a sustainable effect on student achievement and hopefully our students are successful as they leave us. I mean goal one we challenge trying to challenge all learners. Um and we implement learning experiences focusing on problem-solving and critical thinking skills, developing student resilience and preparation for an ever-changing world. So our objective for this school year was um to increase that student engagement, active teaching, student-centered instructional practices, structures to encourage learning resilience, and to be challenged academically. And I have at the end of the year uh two areas that I think that we were uh successful in two areas that we still need to grow in.
005One area to area to grow is to provide differentiated professional development and student-centered and active learning practices. We have done a few things in our special education program and our open science program in science, um in social studies, writing across content areas, language arts, um working on standards to success and a short cycle mastery, but we have um still work to do and I'll look to incorporate that into next year's goals. But we did create a uh progression of common language and vocabulary as we continue to build with our curriculum >> [snorts] >> uh department and through preschool to grade eight. And you can see the some of the successes that we had there. Um and then goal three I think we have work to grow on that differentiated professional development. Working next year on
006getting some real in-depth learning understanding and active learning strategies. But I think we're doing a a good job as a district uh with the professional development we had on the higher order thinking skills and resources and trying to uh grow our students' academic achievement there. So in goal two, um again we want to uh align instructional planning practices and professional development to ensure that all students experience a consistent learning progression in preschool through grade eight. And to do that, um we want to complete the curriculum scope and sequence and progression of skills for each grade level and for each subject area. And again, I think we accomplished um some of these uh activities. We are continually working on curriculum development as we had summer working on science and um uh reading grade grades K to
0073 and science grades 4 to 8. Um and but we have been pretty successful on developing first of all in on um depth of knowledge and learning progressions over the past year or two. I've applying uh depth of knowledge to current lesson planning and instructional practices. Um I put that as um we're getting there. We have some work that um I think Mrs. Murray will share with us tonight on uh plans for next year. We have [clears throat] our curriculum scope and sequence. Things are all in our curriculum planning and building that curriculum container, um utilizing the program Atlas. Our science program has uh continuing to improve in grades 4 to 8. And we're looking for a new math program um for reviewing next school year. And then uh vertical articulation practices uh preschool to
008grade eight. We're continuing to try to find uh time during our in-services and other times for vertical articulation and we've made that um an important effort going forward. And here in goal three, building a positive culture um in our schools uh using our the giant expectations, um other areas for positive behaviors, PBS supports, using student reflection and restoration was our objective. And out of the three activities, the giant expectations, we have we had um all throughout every month we had a different um uh work done with students with the student [clears throat] counselors and the teachers, giants of the month, etc. Um We have a PE PLC plan for raising diversity and empowering every learner. That's a big area for next year, but this year we did do trauma-informed practices for all staff, nurture heart
009training K to 3, and [clears throat] continuing even a book club was started um in in K to 3. I'm going to prove an influential kindness and reducing bullying through student self-reflection, increasing student leadership and voice. And I think we've done a good job, but we have room to grow in that student voice especially getting student leaders and helping them see the potential in their school and how to help that grow. So, I bet that's the next year's list. Um and then just looking forward to next year, these aren't our district's goals for next year, but just a little insight into some of the areas. Um we're going to continue with our strategic planning. Next year will be um strategic planning year three of three. Um some of the areas that we want to impact
010is chronic absenteeism starting at the preschool level, even though they don't count in our state numbers. That's where attendance starts, preschool and kindergarten. If you can build habits there in our students and families, we'll see continual growth. Overall academic achievement, if you've looked at our scores, you know, we have room to grow. So, we want to impact that, but also the gaps in our achievement, whether it's certain subgroups in the student populations that we really need to focus on. Um of course, the consolidation of grades 4 to 8 is the important goal that we continue to focus on. And student conduct, we had a great code of conduct meeting last week with parents and staff, and looking at trying to look at the gaps there based on our student populations and how we continue to
011grow. So, we'll we'll do that. You'll see um, in July or August. District goals on professional development, assessment data, benchmark data, parent development, >> [clears throat] >> um, surveys. We'll be looking at our student climate surveys I put out last week, and our professional development survey that was put out to our staff last week. Curriculum development, um, positive behavior supports, and multiple tier systems of support are some of our big areas. So, a little insight into what we're developing over this summer. I went pretty quickly, but I think that meets, um, the end of the year for district goals. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Um, just the other question. Uh, I continue to bring this up because I think that student voice is important, especially when it comes to student deportment. And the discipline code, or
012the discipline, I don't know if we call it the discipline code, but the code of student conduct, which I think was wonderful to review and to include, um, parents and teachers, but I also think it's important to include students. I mean, if they're the people who are accountable for with the actions. And you would be surprised, I think, at bringing students in and them saying, "Oh, really? On the third account of this, this is the particular discipline to be imposed?" Maybe they think it should be less, maybe they think it should be They doesn't matter. They I just think that they should have a voice. So, as you finalize that document, and and consider the input of parents and teachers, please also include the voices of students. >> Yes. Any other questions from the board
013or comments? >> Super question. Our district goals, that's only academic. I don't see anything about, um, improving the building, improving the technology, financial goals. That Is that not getting included in there? >> They They could be district goals. They absolutely could be district goals. Yeah, I mean we we're always working on that. We have a great plan for this summer that we we discussed at some of the committee meetings like our Holly Hills Vestibule is going to get done and some of our other safety areas working on the middle school gym is an important piece because that that flooring needs a lot of work. Getting some painting done. I always like to work think about it as academic achievement. The technology improvements can fall into those areas. You know, instead of saying this is you
014know, the technology improvement. What's the real goal is what every real goal is to improve student achievement or build community. So I usually like to focus there because that's the real hard work. It takes a lot of collaboration, but yeah, sometimes they are included in that area as well. Any other questions, comments from the board? Okay, thank you so much. >> Thank you. That puts us at item seven. Executive session, we do not have an executive session at this time. So we can move on to the public comment on agenda items only. This is the motion um that we allow or we that we are we encourage public comment on agenda items only, but we need a motion to go into >> So moved. >> Second. >> Thank you. So if there's anyone who would
015like to speak what Oh. >> [snorts] >> I know this procedure. I don't know what's my problem. All in favor. >> Aye. >> Thank you. >> This is this is involved. This is all task. But you all you know the initiative that the school boards association has are going around the state around civility. And, you know, I read it and I looked at it and I was very grateful that we don't have civility issues on this board. However, I'm going to hide behind that tonight because we always agree. I just can I just continue to skip that, but I I appreciate you. Please continue to remind me of what the process is because I want to make sure that we're in compliance, but getting back to the actual agenda. This is the portion where we
016encourage any comments on agenda items only. Please be mindful that if you would like to make a comment, let us know who you are, what your address is, and then you have 3 minutes to state your to make your comments. So, if there's anyone who would like to do that, please do so at this time. On agenda items only. >> I I think I will. I'm Felicia Holloman. 502 Drive. My comment is more of a question. >> On the agenda item, ma'am? >> Yeah, it's about agenda item seven. Because 5:00 was the time that was set for executive session, which was to start as soon after the public comment was over. >> Typically we don't go into that. >> Sure. Um executive session will happen at the end of the meeting. >> No, that's not
017what it says in the email from Mary Ellen. >> Well, the letter didn't come from her. >> shortly it's going to start at 7:00 and shortly thereafter we're going to executive session. >> Yeah, so executive >> That's not shortly if it's at the end. >> Well, it will be at the end. >> [snorts] >> Is it Are there any other public comments on agenda items only? Okay. So, seeing none, hearing none, none additional in addition, uh we can close this comment. I need a motion to close. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor. >> Aye. >> See. I'm not seriously though. What I would like to do is get through the business so that we can move as quickly as possible. >> Mhm. >> So, we are all the way at um district
018department reports. Even though everybody's listed here, are we doing all of those reports? >> We do have reports for all of us. >> Okay. Can we >> We'll be quick. >> Yes, thank you. >> Um I have the middle school report for Miss Talley. Today was field day for the middle school. Students demonstrated great sportsmanship and our eighth grade staff and students got to claim another victorious year as the winners of Clash of the Classes. The next two weeks are filled with lots of activities for eighth grade students including the award ceremony, dance, field trip, staff versus student volleyball game, and graduation on June 17th. 185 students were invited to the end of the year skating party in recognition of their academic achievements and or noteworthy positive behavior throughout the school year. We are so
019proud of our students for their focus and follow through by behaving like a giant. This week we also have our end of the year club unified game day. We look forward to our students being inclusive and having fun together. We are wrapping up our big little program where eighth grade bigs have been paired with sixth grade littles. Throughout the year, our school counselor worked with the students to build leadership qualities to mentor the sixth graders through meet and greets, organized games, and challenges each month. Teachers and students have noticed that math scores continue to grow and show notable growth. One of our informal school goals is to celebrate small wins. We are so proud of the growth we have seen in the students and take pride in their growth as well. The WMS and WIS
020staff met together for the first time this past Friday to begin the process of consolidating the two schools. We have a lot of planning and work to do over the summer for a smooth transition, but our goals are aligned and the administration is excited for the work ahead. W I S Field day was a success. Thank you to all of the parents who volunteered to help. Fifth grade field trip to Camp Dark Waters was fun and engaging for the students. Fifth grade has a pool party this week and the dance that was sponsored by the PTO for fourth and fifth graders last week was well put together. Thank you to the PTO. I believe next is Holly Hills. >> Yeah. >> Okay. I'll skip the curriculum. I believe Mr. DiDonato provided you a longer version.
021In the interest of time, I'll try to shorten it. Um we did a mentoring program survey to develop some next steps for our mentoring program for next year to strengthen it. Some of the things we're going to be doing from feedback from those mentors and mentees are formal times for them to observe each other, quarterly check-ins with their supervisor, and uh planning professional development as needed based off the strategies that we see they need. We did a preschool program survey across all four of our locations. Uh most of the survey results came from Holly Hills and Kid Academy. Um and all of them were satisfied with their child's growth academically and all overall satisfied with the communication between the school and home. All of the families felt welcomed and encouraged to participate in school events
022and family workshops. All but two recommended the preschool program to others. They said they would recommend it in the future. One of those parents being at Mosaic and one being at Different and Wonderful, but all Kid Academy and Holly Hills said they would recommend the program. All families gave feedback on workshops they'd like us to host for next year with one of the popular requests always [clears throat] being every year preparing their child for kindergarten. So [snorts] we are working on planning that. For preschool enrollment for the coming year, we achieved maximum capacity, so we're excited about that. >> What about the sports grade percentage? >> Oh, thank you. Um 36% are