Our WaKIDS data is in for the 25/26 school year! The WaKids (Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills) assessment, includes an assessment that is administered during the first two months of kindergarten. Teachers observe students across six areas of development and learning: Social-Emotional, Physical, Language, Cognitive, Literacy and Math. Knowing children’s level of development in each area can help families, early learning educators and communities better prepare children for success in kindergarten and beyond.

Here is a snapshot of ESD kindergarten students Kindergarten Readiness by developmental area:

Mt. Stuart’s Kindergarten team recently hosted a family STEM night centered around building gingerbread houses together. With generous support from the ESD Ed Foundation, the team was able to design this event to foster community while removing financial barriers for families.

The evening featured a gingerbread house construction challenge, a hot cocoa station, and a special visit from Santa. To create a relaxed, community-focused atmosphere, families were invited to attend in pajamas, and the excitement at the doors set a joyful tone for the entire event. It was a wonderful night of memory-making, laughter, and collaboration as families wrapped up the kindergarten gingerbread unit focused on comparing and contrasting stories. (See pic below) 

Last Friday, our Early Learning Leadership Team came together for a powerful day of learning and collaboration. The team dove into a collection of lessons from our incredible ESD 123 presenters, Cindy Morris and Lisa Brouwer-Thompson, focused on building community and strengthening social-emotional resilience through the ARTS (Artful Responses to Tiered Supports).

Looking ahead, the team will engage in important vertical alignment work by reviewing essential outcomes across PK, TK, Kindergarten, and 1st grade. They will also be developing a family-facing Kindergarten Readiness resource to support families as they prepare for a strong start to kindergarten this fall.

We are grateful for the dedication and collaboration of this team in supporting our youngest learners and their families

Out of the 222 8th grade students who took the MAP math test this winter, about 31% of them are showing algebra readiness. That is up from 22% in the fall. By spring of 8th grade year, we hope to see students achieving at a RIT of 235 or higher, which indicates a readiness for Algebra.

One of our student achievement goals in our District Learning Improvement Plan is to have ½ of our students above the 60th percentile for growth for fall to spring. This indicates we are closing gaps for students. We are on our way to meeting that goal. The graphs below show math district wide and reading district wide for the fall to winter growth period. You can also note the changes in achievement from fall term to winter term. We’ve increased students in the green and blue bands for both reading and math. It indicates more students at benchmark now than in the fall. That is a direct result of the positive impacts of teachers and classrooms.

We continue to make progress with our proficiency maps. Recently, 40 teachers across 7 of our buildings participated in professional learning with Nicole Dimich, author of Design in Five: Essential Phases to Create Engaging Assessment Practice.This work moves us closer to clearly defined essential outcomes and standards aligned assessment schedules which together create shared clarity about what matters most for student learning.  Below is a quote I shared with the teachers attending the training - I love the idea of data as a compass--not something we simply collect, but something we actively use to guide our instructional decisions and ensure we’re moving in the right direction for students.

Our ELA adoption teams are rolling along. Our high school is currently piloting HMH Into Literature and middle school is piloting Amplify ELA. K-5 has been deep in the work of narrowing down options and being intentional about ensuring what we adopt for early literacy sets students up for K-12 success. We plan to pick a program soon to pilot in spring.

We’ll be doing a needs assessment early spring for SEL curriculum and looking to consider materials for piloting and adoption of those next year.

OSPI has released the new math standards and updated ELA standards are expected to be released within the next month or two. You can view the new math standards here, and a brief description of what’s new in them here. Standards are expected to be implemented during the 2027-28 school year. We will be developing plans for professional learning and support in both content areas, and more information will be shared as those plans take shape. 

With a district-wide goal of 70% regular attendance for the year, our schools are showing strong progress despite seasonal challenges. Currently, five out of seven schools—Ida Nason Aronica Elementary (IES), Valley View Elementary (VVE), Lincoln Elementary (LES), Mt Stuart Elementary (MSE), and Morgan Middle School (MMS)—continue to exceed this target as of the end of Quarter 2. While the overall district average saw a slight dip to 69.1%, a decrease in attendance during the winter cold season is a common trend and not unusual. We are particularly encouraged by the growth at Ellensburg Choice Schools (ECS), which improved its attendance rate by over 5% this quarter. 

This year, our district team is exploring frameworks to better support you in addressing chronic absence. We are currently looking closely at resources from Attendance Works, a national non-profit focused on positive, non-punitive transition strategies.

We love their focus on "The Power of Presence." Rather than looking at attendance as a compliance issue, they offer simple, teacher-centered shifts that build connection:

What’s Next? We are spending this year identifying the right framework to ensure our tiered interventions are clear, consistent, and most importantly, supportive of your classroom environment. We look forward to sharing more as we align these resources with our 2026-27 goals.

While we have hosted the Strengthening Families Program (SFP) in our district for several years, we are seeing an exciting surge in momentum. Under the leadership of Lonnie Allphin, our Community Prevention Specialist (ESD 105), the program has hit a new stride. Following a high-energy fall cohort, our winter session is currently underway, with families meeting for seven consecutive weeks to grow and learn together.

Strengthening Families (specifically the 10-14 age curriculum) is a nationally recognized, evidence-based model that goes beyond traditional "parenting classes." It is designed to bridge the gap between home and school during the critical middle school years.

Each session is built on a "Learn-Practice-Connect" cycle:

One of the reasons we are seeing such "stickiness" with our families lately is the program's focus on Agency and Connection.

Over the past year, the district has continued to strengthen a shared, preventive approach to student behavior through PBIS. PBIS is grounded in the idea that clear expectations, consistent adult responses, and proactive supports lead to improved student behavior and better learning conditions for everyone. When behavior is taught, supported, and responded to consistently, fewer students require exclusionary or crisis-driven interventions.

As part of this work, staff across all buildings have been trained in both Tier 1 and Tier 2 behavior supports.

Behavior Solutions focuses on strengthening adult practices at the universal level. The emphasis is on identifying patterns, clarifying expectations, responding consistently, and adjusting environments and routines before behavior escalates. Secondary Tier 1 teams received training on January 15, with a focus on practical strategies teams can use to reduce common disruptions and improve predictability for students. Elementary staff received this training in December 2024. The intent of Behavior Solutions is not to add new initiatives, but to improve consistency and effectiveness in how we already respond to behavior across classrooms and settings.

Behavior Academies are targeted, short-term interventions designed for students who need additional support beyond Tier 1. Training for building representatives took place on October 10 and included deans or assistant principals, counselors, school psychologists, and other staff involved in Tier 2 interventions. Behavior Academies provide structured instruction, relationship-building, and skill development for students while using data to monitor progress. Most schools have now implemented Behavior Academies, with early results showing promising improvements for participating students.

The 9th Grade Success Team meets bi-weekly to review academic, attendance, and behavioral data and provide timely support that keep students on track for promotion to 10th grade and graduation, in alignment with guidance from the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). By identifying concerns early and responding with targeted interventions, the team focuses on removing barriers and building strong academic habits during this critical transition year.

Recent data shows a steady decrease in the number of students with one or more failing grades, reflecting the impact of consistent monitoring and responsive support. This progress directly supports the district’s commitment to developing Future Ready Graduates by strengthening engagement, increasing credit attainment, and helping students build the skills and confidence needed for long-term success in high school and postsecondary pathways.

The decline in students with one or more failing grades highlights the effectiveness of early intervention and supports the district’s commitment to developing Future Ready Graduates.

We are proud to celebrate our students who qualified for the State Business Leadership Conference in Spokane after earning top placements at the Winter Leadership Conference through Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). Students demonstrated outstanding professionalism, communication, and technical skill across a wide range of business and career-focused events, including marketing, entrepreneurship, customer service, digital media, international business, and parliamentary procedure.

These achievements reflect the strength of our Career and Technical Education programs in preparing students with real-world skills such as collaboration, problem-solving, and leadership. As our students advance to the state level, they represent the district’s commitment to developing Future Ready Graduates who are prepared for postsecondary education, careers, and civic engagement. Congratulations to all of our qualifiers, and best of luck at the State Leadership Conference this spring!

Students from the Introduction to Construction class and SkillsUSA participated in a hands-on cabinetry competition hosted at Selah High School on January 29, where they demonstrated technical skill, craftsmanship, and problem-solving in a real-world construction setting. This experience provided students with an authentic opportunity to apply classroom learning while building confidence, teamwork, and career-ready skills.

Morgan Middle School students are demonstrating strong engagement with their High School and Beyond Plan (HSBP) work through SchooLinks, with data showing high completion rates in key areas of student onboarding, self-discovery, and career exploration. Nearly all students have successfully logged into the platform, completed the “Find Your Path” assessment, and identified initial career interests and goals.

This progress directly supports the Ellensburg School District Strategic Plan by promoting student engagement, personalized learning, and early career awareness. By helping students reflect on their interests, explore future career pathways, and set academic goals in middle school, Morgan is building a strong foundation for informed course planning and long-term success. These efforts ensure students enter high school better prepared to take ownership of their learning and move confidently toward becoming Future Ready Graduates equipped with purpose, direction, and postsecondary readiness skills.

What would you like to share with the T& L Team? Please let us know here.