To: Asha Riley, Superintendent
From: Jen Havig, Principal
Date: May 21, 2026
RE: Columbia Elementary School Board Report
School Improvement Plan
Our spring assessments are happening at this time, and as results come in, we are thrilled at the progress our students are making. While we are still waiting for math assessment results to come in, our reading data is showing tremendous growth. A couple of highlights for this year include 79% of our Kindergarten students are reading at or above benchmark. This group of Kinders scored the lowest at the beginning of the year of any Kindergarten class in recent years, making their growth even more of an accomplishment. We have a few students who still need to be tested, but our preliminary data shows 71% of our students are at or above benchmark.
As a staff, we have been digging deeper into brain breaks and exploring how we use them in the classroom. Brain breaks enhance cognitive focus and productivity, foster self-regulation and well-being, assist with classroom management, and connect with academics. We also challenged the staff to try a new analog brain break with their students. In our follow up conversations during grade level PLCs, teachers shared which analog brain breaks students connected with, and our 3rd and 4th grade teachers encouraged students to utilize mini brain breaks during state testing to help them take a brief break before reengaging with the state test. Part of this work is helping our students practice regulation strategies, so they are able to build their skills in this area.
Recognition
I would like to recognize Kel Detrich, our Student Advocate for all of their hard work with state testing. Kel made sure that all staff were trained and prepared and went above and beyond by decorating our entry hallway with an ocean theme. Each 3rd and 4th grader had a paper fish with their name on it, and there were positive slogans to encourage students to try their best.
Upcoming Events
Kinder graduation on June 5th. Field day June 10th.