May '25 Newsletter

Scott Reeves, Assistant Superintendent, Teaching & Learning

Wow! Where did the time go? Congratulations on finishing another school year! Best wishes and thank you a million times over for those of you leaving WCS and moving on to your next chapter. Your impact on the rest of the life of your students is immeasurable.

For our last Connections Newsletter of the year, you will notice that each department focused on a portion of their role in the WCS MTSS Framework. Our alignment and development of that framework will continue to be a driving force next year, and in the years to come.

As we celebrate the end of another school year and look forward to a much needed summer reprieve, some of us maintain a peeking eye to the start of next school year. We are full steam ahead planning next year’s opening WE Day. Below is the schedule for the August 8 WE Day. I’m happy to announce that we will again have a convocation gathering to welcome you back. I am excited to share that as our focus on MTSS continues, we will have a Keynote Speaker Session conducted by national speaker Dr. Angela Burke from Novak Education. Please note from on the agenda when your particular group will attend the convocation or the keynote session.

Cheryl Relford, Executive Director of Elementary Schools

Kate Thoma, Director of Elementary Curriculum & Instruction

Elementary Schools

Elementary continued their work by utilizing aligned supportive structures. There is still much work to redesign to improve experiences for all staff but it was a GREAT first step. Most importantly, the evidence of staff's hard work shows that we have significantly supported student growth using research based interventions.

Next year, we will move to working with more focus on Tier 2 supports and taking a deep dive into Social Emotional and Behavioral Supports. This Spring, we were able to share a draft of our K-2 and 3-5 SEB Hubs with staff in preparation for the 2025-2026 School year. This joint effort between MTSS Coaches, School Counselors, Social Workers and Behavioral Specialists proved the power of teamwork all over again. While there is still much to be done-we are ready to hit the ground running!

Anne Baldwin, Executive Director, Secondary Schools

Dr. Jennifer Knapp, Director, Secondary Curriculum & Instruction

Matt Misener, Director, Career and College Pathways

Becca Yanni, Coordinator, Related Arts and Extra Curricular Programs

Secondary Schools

Our Secondary teams have worked fast and furiously to develop Frameworks that will support our most At-Risk students this school year! These frameworks went through many iterations and continue to be refined as we begin to apply them to our MTSS work. Data walls with multiple data points including grades, OST’s, iReady Scores, attendance, discipline and other key indicators were used to identify students that would benefit from true intervention. We are currently working through the many constraints of a Secondary schedule as we work to create space within a students day to intervene on key skills that are not yet mastered and are getting in the way of these students being successful in the general education classroom. Our team remains enthusiastic and collaborative as we move forward with the implementation of our MTSS framework, striving to ensure every student and staff member has the support they need to succeed.

Career and College Pathways

Our department is excited to learn more about MTSS in the upcoming year. We have been working across the department to dig into MTSS and what it means to each department we touch.

Our secondary school counselors have been exploring the role of the school counselors in the MTSS process. As you can imagine, they are a critical role on MTSS teams by analyzing data, providing information about all aspects of students, and providing ideas for interventions for struggling learners. Next year, we will be launching a new Needs Assessment across all 8 secondary buildings as the foundation of our MTSS work.

Our career technical teachers in our Business Pathway have started digging into WebXam data to look at critical needs of our students in our pathways courses. WebXams are state-level assessments taken by all students in a career technical class and are a measure of student learning of career technical competencies. This work will continue next year and expand to our Health and Engineering Pathways.

Related Arts and Extra Curricular Programs

Extra curricular and co-curricular activities are an essential part of our connections with students and should also hold an extension of our classroom/building expectations. A PBIS matrix for team/club expectations is just one example of how MTSS is a part of this world too.

We look forward to continuing tracking and monitoring student participation and progress in our co-curricular and extracurricular activities. This data helps us identify areas where additional support is needed and helps us be informed about resources needed as well. Additionally, MTSS helps our department address student equity. Ensuring that all students have access to quality programs- an example might be a student gaining access to an instrument when entering middle school.

Guerdie Glass, Executive Director, Specialized Learning Programs

Adam Flugge, Director, Special Education

Suzanne Kile, Director, Preschool Services

Jennifer Winters, Coordinator, Office of English Learners

Valarie Jasinski, Coordinator, Gifted Education

Elizabeth Jelkin, Civil Rights Coordinator

This month, we celebrate several collaborative achievements related to MTSS across our Special Education, Gifted, and English Learner departments that have taken place across the school year. Leaders from all three areas came together to deliver professional development on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) strategies at seven elementary schools and one middle school, equipping educators to better support diverse learners. District administrators also received targeted micro PD sessions focused on Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), helping to align our practices system-wide.

To support English Learners and students in special education during the upcoming school year, a framework has been established to clarify Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions at the secondary level in relation to course selection. Additionally, new guidance was created to support differentiation of the Wit & Wisdom curriculum for gifted learners in grades 3–5, ensuring rigorous and enriching instruction.

These initiatives mark significant progress in meeting the unique needs of all students. We are excited to continue this work into next school year to ensure we are meeting the unique needs of all students.

This year, our MTSS work included deeper exploration of how to best support students served by specialized programs. We established an English Learner (EL) subcommittee that developed resources to help staff better understand language development and classroom scaffolds. A Special Education focus group began outlining the evolving role of intervention specialists within MTSS.

Additionally, a Gifted focus group examined how to strengthen Tier 1 and 2 enrichment opportunities and progress monitoring practices. Building on this foundation, we will form a new subcommittee in the upcoming school year that unites Special Education, EL, and Gifted perspectives. This cross-functional team will guide our district-wide Year 3 MTSS focus: aligning specialized programs within the MTSS framework to ensure every learner receives the targeted support they need to thrive.

Preschool faced unique design constraints this year serving young learners and adapting to new state curriculum requirements. Despite constant changes, the staff remained patient and supportive. This spring, we made strong progress toward implementing a high-quality Tier 1 curriculum that aligns with legislation and supports our MTSS efforts. We're excited to continue this work next year!

Don’t miss the last edition of The Multilingual Message from our EL department! You won’t want to miss all the exciting lessons our staff has provided to students, our retiring staff members and our graduating English learners.

As we approach the end of another school year, we want to take a moment to express our sincere gratitude for your unwavering dedication and hard work. Your commitment to nurturing and inspiring our students has made a lasting impact on their lives and on our community.

This year presented its challenges, but your resilience, creativity, and passion for teaching have shone through. You have not only imparted knowledge but have also fostered a love for learning, encouraged curiosity, and provided a safe and supportive environment for all.

We would also like to celebrate our retiring staff members for their dedication and impact on our students and community. Their hard work has inspired growth and created lasting memories. We wish them all the best in this exciting new chapter!

As the summer break approaches, we hope you take this well-deserved time to rest, recharge, and enjoy the fruits of your labor. May it be filled with relaxation, joy, and the opportunity to reflect on the positive difference you've made.

Thank you once again for everything you do. Wishing you a wonderful and restful summer!

Tami Santa, Executive Director, Student Services

Jessie Martin, Director, Student Well-Being

Ja'Niece McAlpine, Director, Student Support and Success

Megan Orlowski, TOSA, Educational Equity

Rachel Pinto, District Nurse Coordinator

A massive thank you to our staff for the continued collaboration, care and support this school year.

This team is grateful to partner with you on a regular basis to improve outcomes for our students. Remember how your interactions and relationships create a lasting impact that extends far beyond the classroom.

Wishing you a well-deserved summer break. ~Tami

Student Support and Success

As we enter this last month of the school year, our department would like to extend our appreciation for the incredible work that the Westerville staff do in creating positive school experiences for ALL of our students. It is our hope that we continue to provide opportunities to learn, adapt and evolve our staff to continue to meet the needs of our community.

As we close out this last month, here is one final opportunity to celebrate and highlight our cultures! Our district's world celebrations calendar has links for more information.

May 1-31. Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month- Month honoring Asian American and Pacific Islander cultures and contributions in the United States.

May 5. Cinco de Mayo- Holiday that historically celebrates the Mexican city of Heroica Puebla de Zaragoza resisting French Rule. In the United States today, it is a day that celebrates Mexican culture.

May 11. Mother’s Day- Day of celebrating moms and mother-like figures.

May12. Vesak- Holiday celebrating the birth of Buddha.

May 25. Argentina Revolution Day- Day commemorating Argentina’s Independence.

May 26. Memorial Day- United States holiday remembering all military service members who have died.

Clinics & Health Services

Thank you for your dedication and partnership this school year!

Next school year, clinic staff will continue to learn our role in supporting MTSS, and work alongside you to ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed through this framework.

Here are some ways our School Nurses support MTSS:

• Identify health concerns that affect attendance, behavior, and academic performance
• Collaborate on care plans for students with medical, behavioral, or mental health needs
• Promote a healthy school environment through prevention and education
• Provide health-related data to inform MTSS decisions and monitor student progress
• Offer expert guidance on health, safety, and emergency response
• We appreciate your continued collaboration—together, we help every student receive the support they need to succeed.

Student Well Being

As elementary’s focus next year turns to SEL/SEB support, this department has been working closely to identify resources and provide tier 1 and 2 strategies to support all students. Our elementary school counselors have also been hard at work collecting and analyzing their data through an MTSS framework to guide their tiered interventions. This strategic approach ensures that all students receive the level of support they need to thrive. Looking ahead, these counselors will play a key role in advancing next year’s SEL/SEB focus.

School Social Workers/Mental Health Specialists continue to provide tier 2 and 3 interventions, while also equipping both students and staff with regulation strategies that promote a positive and supportive learning environment.

Lastly, this work is closely connected to our trauma-informed and resilience-focused practices, which align with UDL strategies and responsive classroom techniques - creating a unified, student-centered approach that supports emotional well-being, accessibility, and engagement for all learners.

Nick McIlwain, Director of Alternative Education & Assessments

Thank you to all of our teachers and staff members that made our spring testing season (AASCD, OELPA, Alt OELPA, OST’s, AP, IB, OMG) run so efficiently. Your attention to detail and professionalism is greatly appreciated.

A BIG THANK YOU to all of the WCS staff members that tried the Readiness Assessments in the State Testing Portal to prepare and introduce our students to the types of questions they saw on the OST’s. Meeting students where they are in their learning journey is so important and your willingness to try this new tool is appreciated.

Our numbers have grown exponentially compared to last year in the use of the Readiness Assessments to prepare our students for the OST’s. In WCS, we gave over 18,600 benchmark/checkpoint/authored assessments to prepare our students. Last year, we gave 4,800 checkpoints/benchmarks/authored assessments.

OST results for Math/Science/SS will be available in the CRS next Tuesday (May 13th) while ELA results will be available the following week (May 21st). The Office of Assessments will mail home to families the results from the OST’s in June.

Thank you all for a GREAT year. I hope you have a fantastic summer. 😎