FARMINGTON — Educators at W.G. Mallett School are continuing efforts to make school an engaging and positive experience for students while addressing an uptick in behavioral incidents, according to a report presented at the Regional School Unit 9 board of directors meeting Jan. 28.

Principal Tracy Williams highlighted several initiatives aimed at fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment, including a recent donation drive led by librarian Arika Galkowski. Galkowski independently secured more than 300 new hats for students after noticing many lacked proper winter gear for recess.

“That was pretty impressive,” Williams said. “She did that all on her own, just seeing how many students came in and didn’t have what they needed to go out for recess. It was a big boost.”

Behavioral Trends

Superintendent Christian Elkington asked Williams to review recent behavioral data, noting its significance in guiding school programming.

Williams explained that the school uses the Swiss data system to track and analyze disciplinary trends.

“When we looked at the numbers, we were pretty frustrated,” she said. “We have an increase from last year at the same time, but when you break it down, 105 of the office disciplinary referrals [ODRs] come from just four students; two of whom are new to us.”

She noted that referrals are more frequent among boys and that a single grade level accounts for many incidents. However, she pointed out that the numbers trended downward in November and December, suggesting improvement.

“We are a PBIS [Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports] school, and we have a community connect coordinator,” Williams said. “We are digging more deeply into kids with high-level needs, reinforcing positive behaviors in classrooms, and utilizing programs and day treatment to support students.”

Addressing Behavior

Elkington inquired whether the school’s kindness initiative was developed in response to the behavioral trends.

Williams confirmed that the initiative aligns with ongoing efforts to encourage positive behavior.

“We definitely have initiatives that are all about having kids recognize and engage in positive behavior rather than always attending to negative behavior,” she said. “We’ll have an assembly where we teach kids what we’ll be working on. We often do skits acted out by staff and have kids participate in discussions.”

Elkington commended the staff at W.G. Mallett School and Cascade Brook School for their work with students requiring additional behavioral and social-emotional support.

“Some of the programming at both schools is among our greatest resources,” he said. “We take students from other schools who have higher needs, and that can sometimes skew the numbers. But I want to thank the staff for their efforts.”

New Literacy Model

Williams also announced a restructuring of literacy instruction at Mallett through a new program called FLEX.

“We’re calling it FLEX, where students actually move across the grade level more than they did before to join groups that are more appropriate for them,” she said. “We’re in the early stages, but I’m working with a kindergarten group and it’s really revealing. It makes me respect kindergarten teachers even more.”

Under the FLEX model, students are assessed and grouped based on their proficiency levels rather than remaining in their homeroom class for literacy instruction. The initiative is modeled after successful programs in other districts, and faculty have consulted with schools where it has been implemented.

“We’ve been working with a consultant who has seen this program succeed in different places,” Williams said. “Some of us visited schools to observe the changes and ask staff about their experiences. It all seems positive.”

Addressing Aggression

Williams acknowledged that physical aggression remains a challenge, particularly among kindergarten students.

“Kids will often lash out quickly, and that’s what we consider part of our role in elementary school – teaching kids different strategies,” she said. “You don’t push somebody because you’re mad. You don’t hit, poke or pull their hair.”

Report Highlights

• Student enrollment: 309 students, with a recent increase of six.
• Attendance: Averaging 93.15% daily attendance as of Dec. 31, slightly down from last year’s 93.95%.
• Behavioral trends: 352 major referrals this year compared to 235 last year. Four students account for 105 ODRs.
• Kindness initiative: A school-wide effort to promote positive behavior, including an upcoming assembly.

The meeting concluded with Elkington and Board Chair Dorothy “Dee” Robinson expressing appreciation for Williams’ report and the staff’s ongoing efforts to support students.