To: Asha Riley, Superintendent
From: Malinda Huddleston, Principal
Date: 5/20/2026
RE: Yale Elementary Board Report
School Improvement Plan
Our current efforts to enhance student learning remain deeply rooted in the strategic goals of our School Improvement Plan. This spring, our reading and math progress monitoring data reflects strong, steady growth for the majority of our students, validating the targeted interventions we have put in place this year. While our final end-of-year benchmark assessments will not be completed until late May, this consistent progress monitoring data gives us high confidence that our students are well-positioned to score exceptionally well. Additionally, our preliminary Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA) results are beginning to arrive, and the early data looks incredibly promising. A key driver of this year's academic success has been the robust implementation of the UFLI (University of Florida Literacy Initiative) foundations program, which has considerably increased our students' reading accuracy and fluency scores. We look forward to sharing a comprehensive analysis of our final data once all testing concludes.
Recognition
We are incredibly proud to celebrate Mr. Reardon, a retired educator and local resident whose dedication has made an invaluable impact on our school community. Three mornings a week, Mr. Reardon volunteers his time to provide critical reading and math support, drawing upon his years of professional expertise to simplify complex concepts for our learners. Known for his motivational, kind, and nurturing approach, he does a masterful job of building genuine connections that instill self-esteem and perseverance in our students. The results of his tireless dedication speak for themselves: the students who work with Mr. Reardon have shown remarkable academic growth, frequently leaping forward in their proficiency levels while feeling deeply seen and valued.
Upcoming Events
Our school community has been buzzing with exciting activities designed to celebrate our students and support our upcoming fourth-grade transition. We recently hosted a highly attended Spring Music Concert for families, led by our music teacher, Alex Seymour, where our students truly shone like bright stars. This week, students enjoyed an inspiring visit to the high school art fest. Looking ahead to next week, we are focused on transition prep as our counselor, Jordan Babcock, collaborates with middle school counselors—who are generously traveling to Yale to make personal connections—to help our fourth graders navigate middle school schedule forecasting. That same week, fourth-grade families are invited to attend the middle school family night, followed by an in-school daytime tour in early June where students will tour the campus, spend time with the counselors, and get their questions answered. These thoughtful steps are vital in alleviating anxiety as our students transition from our close-knit school to the larger middle school environment. Wrapping up the year, our students will embark on an all-school field trip to Fort Vancouver in June, featuring a one-hour guided tour of the Fort, a self-guided tour of the Pearson Air Museum, and time to enjoy the Visitor Center, playground, and an outdoor picnic lunch. We are immensely grateful to our wonderful PTO volunteers, who continue to sponsor beloved, inclusive "old school" traditions like the upcoming Fun Run and Field Day, making every single event feel incredibly special for our students.