Melissa Menkin

This document provides a progress update and state performance reports for the Rahway School District, outlining district and school goals for the 2024-2025 school year. Key goals include increasing student proficiency in ELA and Math, decreasing chronic absenteeism rates, and supporting staff growth through professional development opportunities. The report also details past performance trends in ELA and Math proficiency and chronic absenteeism rates, comparing them against state benchmarks.

This document details the initial outcomes of the Rahway Public School District's strategic planning process, which commenced with a meeting on November 19, 2024. It presents the district's mission statement, focusing on diversity, equity, inclusion, and culturally sustaining, student-centered programs to empower students for global citizenship. The report consolidates identified strengths and challenges across various stakeholder groups, highlighting themes such as staff commitment, diversity, technology, communication, academic focus, programming, class size, space, parental involvement, staff retention, and professional development.

The document outlines Rahway Public Schools' strategic planning initiatives, encompassing strategic goals for 2018-2023 related to teaching and learning, finance and facilities, and family and community partnerships. It also details district goals for 2024-2025, focusing on developing rigorous, culturally sustaining academic programs, enhancing staff and student safety and wellness, recruiting and retaining diverse staff, providing dynamic learning opportunities, and strengthening community relationships. The plan is guided by a mission centered on diversity, equity, and inclusion, aiming to empower students to become successful global citizens and achieve their highest potential within a community built on diversity, learning, and leadership.

This plan outlines the strategic implementation of a universal screening tool at Rahway High School. It details the necessity for such a tool, presents research on various options, and recommends Renaissance: STAR Assessments and Freckle as a three-year implementation plan. Key components include integrating the tool with the New Jersey Tiered System of Supports (NJTSS) to facilitate data-driven instruction and targeted interventions, and establishing a clear timeline for procurement, training, piloting, and full launch to enhance student support and academic outcomes.

This document outlines a proposal for revised English Language Arts (ELA) course sequencing within Rahway Public Schools. The central focus is the introduction of a Pre-AP English 1 course starting in Grade 8 for the 2025-26 school year. This initiative aims to establish a vertically aligned pathway that bridges middle and high school expectations, strengthens academic readiness through rigorous college-preparatory instruction, expands opportunity for diverse student populations, promotes curriculum consistency, supports teacher development, and prepares students for long-term academic success in AP English, SAT, and college.