Greensburg Salem offers students customized help as many fall short of expected academic growth

Greensburg Salem elementary students are getting a daily break from regular classroom instruction to receive a half hour of personalized help with academics or social or emotional needs.

The move comes after just two out of 21 grade- level groups in grades K-8 last school year met or exceeded the district goal of having 70% of students demonstrate expected individual growth in math and language arts.

“Some of the schools did meet the goal and some were almost there,” said Lenni Nedley, director of curriculum and federal programs. She said changes are being made at district schools to move closer to the student growth goal.

Superintendent Ken Bissell said the 70% growth goal is an initial target, adding, “The ultimate goal is 100%.”

In light of the results, from tests provided by the nonprofit Northwest Evaluation Association, “Teachers are conferencing with their students and setting individual goals,” said Nicely Elementary Principal Christopher Thomas. “It has made a difference. The kids are owning their learning.

“It’s pretty neat at such a young age. They discuss where they are and where they’d like to be.”

Test results are paired with assessments of students in the classroom by their teachers.

“All of this is giving us a big picture of the child,” said Metzgar Principal Tina Federico.

“If we see children really struggling, then the reading specialist comes in and they take a closer look,” she said. “You want to be able to assign an intervention to the specific problem a child is having.”

Hutchinson Principal Jennifer Kapusta said a student’s half-hour personalized time can be used to meet with classroom teachers, support staff or counselors for additional help.

“We have a lot of students who suffer from trauma and homelessness,” she said. “We have students who need a check-in from adults and someone safe they can talk to. That time is set aside for 30 minutes, where they’re not missing anything academic.”

The school’s Student Assistance Program offers some students the opportunity to begin their day by having breakfast with a chosen staff member.

In addition, Kapusta said, “We spent the first five weeks on character days, teaching expected behaviors building-wide, which has cut our suspensions in-school and out-of-school by half this year.”

Greensburg Salem uses federal funding to cover the costs of the Northwest Evaluation Association testing.

Test questions are adjusted based on the student’s performance. If the student correctly answers a question geared to their grade level, the next question will be more challenging; if the answer is incorrect, the next question is easier.

The association’s test results are reported promptly, Bissell said, while state assessment results aren’t received until long after students take those tests.

He said the association’s data is “much more useful — for an immediate impact, for immediate interventions.”