HOUGHTON - The Houghton-Portage Township Board of Education heard a presentation on progress toward reading benchmarks.
Title I Coordinator Kriss Bosley and Lynette Borree of the Copper Country Intermediate School District discussed the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) goals, which measure the likelihood of meeting later reading outcomes.
Bosley described a goal of having at least 80 percent of students at the benchmark.
The percentage of students who met their DIBELS benchmark in 2010 was below the hoped-for 80 percent for all but the class of 2022 (current second-graders). But by this spring, that had risen to 80 percent or above for the class of 2022 through the class of 2019 (current fifth-graders).
"This is the strongest class we've ever been able to send up to you," Borree told Houghton Middle School Principal Jim Luoma.
In other action, the board:
heard a report from High School Principal Kass Simila. The school made Newsweek's upcoming Top 1,000 list and received a silver medal from U.S. News & World Report.
heard a report from Luoma. During Walk and Roll to School Day 89 middle and high students walked to school.
heard a report from Elementary School Principal Patrick Aldrich. The Elementary Art & Music Fair was a success.
approved holding a public hearing for the 2012-13 budget at 5:45 p.m. June 18.
approved a second reading of and adopting a revised policy on bullying and other aggressive behavior towards students.
approved the proposed Copper Country Intermediate School District budget.
discussed the commencement ceremony set for Sunday. Filmmaker Heather Courtney will be the commencement speaker.