Still reeling from long-term effects of COVID-19, Bryant and Holmes elementary schools see modest improvements in student readiness

Harvey students and teachers are feeling the lingering impact of remote learning due to COVID-19, though most of district 152’s elementary schoolers are rebounding. 

On Dec. 16, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Gloria Carbajal-Trejo presented the board with a summary of the district’s schools performance over 2019 to 2024, detailing fluctuations in student performance as a result of remote learning due to COVID-19. 

The Illinois State Board of Education gives schools a summative designation derived from student progress in standardized test scores, attendance and a survey on school culture. Illinois Assessment of Readiness results are released once a year, after standardized testing.

There are four designations: exemplary, commendable, targeted, comprehensive and intensive. The latter three rankings receive additional funds for student support. HSD 152’s elementary school designations were all commendable.

Whittier Elementary School maintained its status as “commendable,” as Bryant and Holmes Elementary schools improved from “comprehensive” to “commendable.” This indicates students at the three schools perform above the level of the bottom five percent of students in the lowest performing five percent of schools.

“Last year we had three schools that were rated as comprehensive, one school rated targeted and one commendable school,” Superintendent Reginald Lawrence said in a Facebook video this fall. “But this year, we’ve had a chance to flip that script.” 

Lawrence added: “We’ve got great things going on here in Harvey School District 152. Thank you to all of our teachers for that hard work and dedication. Parents: thank you for getting kids to school, because the only way they’re going to learn,” Lawrence stressed,”is if they’re in the seats and kids shout out to you for taking time to learn a little bit and continue to improve on those scores.” 

But there’s still work to do. 

Both Maya Angelou Elementary School and Gwendolyn Brooks Middle Schools will undergo a four-year improvement cycle after each was designated as needing comprehensive support and targeted support, respectively speaking. 

Trejo pointed to learning disruptions as a result of COVID-19 as dampening student performance, especially in math, which she described as “the district’s biggest challenge.” 

“To address this, we’re doing numerous new things. One, we’re providing a 95 Percent literacy program training we’re providing to train for teachers,” Trejo said, “and we’re providing ongoing training throughout the school year.”

Assistance from Eureka Math and the 95 Percent Group have already yielded “…gradual improvements,” Trejo reported.

Steps for growth, Trejo said, include continued professional development in phonics and math curriculums, in addition to teacher support. The district will also prioritize a focus on smaller group instruction and a positive classroom culture, she added.

School administrators are keeping a close eye on these new measures through conducting classroom walkthroughs with a checklist, Trejo said. “Our goal is to continue refining math instruction and providing targeted support to enhance student outcomes.”

Official business

The board approved its 2024 tax levy. 

The district’s finance committee reported a balanced budget of $35,851,653 in the total fund balance. The student activity fund account reported a balance of $10,319.83. The right school account, consisting of $817.48, is set to be closed and its contents evenly distributed among the district’s four elementary schools. 

Board member Casey Nesbit provided an update on the district’s financial audit after an auditor was unable to make a conclusion on where the district stood due to issues with the Thornton township school treasurer’s office in October. 

She said business manager Dana Nichols, who was absent from the meeting, reviewed documents from the Thornton Township Trustees of Schools treasurer’s office to provide clarity on the district’s 2023 financial audit. 

The township school treasurer reported a $2.2 million cash pool. The treasurer’s office was unclear on the amount of money from this to allocate to each participating district at the time of the audit, Nesbit said.

“This amount is expected to be properly allocated in the fiscal year ‘24 audit. Our cash position will increase or stay the same,” Nesbit said. “This will not cause a reduction.”