Submitted by John Groh, District Administrator, Spring Valley Schools
SPRING VALLEY, WI – The School District of Spring Valley ranks in the top 25% of all districts across the state. Each fall, 420 public school districts in Wisconsin receive a report summarizing student achievement. In mid-November the results for the 2022-23 State Accountability Report were released publicly.
Spring Valley Schools saw very positive results. The district’s overall rating improved more than any other district in the Dunn-St. Croix Conference. Each SV School ranks in the top two compared to all other conference schools. At every level, Spring Valley Elementary School, Spring Valley Middle School, and Spring Valley Hish School, earned the designation “exceeds expectations.”
There are many factors that likely contributed to the positive outcomes and growth. For example, much effort has been made to achieve the district’s six-point strategic plan. Increasing professional development for staff along with recruiting and retaining high quality staff certainly made a difference. The Spring Valley School Board has also committed to purchasing a high-quality curriculum and the proper training to implement it successfully. Finally, the students and staff have emerged from COVID-19 by working extremely hard.
The teachers and administrators had this to say regarding the positive results:
- “There is increased communication through weekly professional learning community meetings so that all teachers help each other and are on the same page.” – Tyler Anderson, 4th Grade Teacher.
- “I’m most excited that we are adequately preparing our students for the world – to be thinkers and have inquisitive minds.” – Karli Stroo, 2nd Grade Teacher.
- “State tests are reading intensive. We’ve spent a lot of time and effort to increase students’ opportunities to read.” – Ryan Kapping, HS Science Teacher.
- “We have worked hard to follow our curriculum, which pushes students to think deeply and at a more analytical level.” – Marge Bednarek, MS Language Arts Teacher.
- “The establishment of strong routines is important. For example, students lead the conversation in learning mathematics in ways beyond simply memorizing.” – Julie Trcka, 3rd Grade Teacher.
- “Students are taking ownership of their learning by knowing where they are at and setting goals.” – Brittany Hoolihan, SVE Counselor.
- “I am most proud of our commitment to wanting to improve.” – Nicole Lamb, SVE Principal.
- “We have broadened our view to consistently meet the needs of all students through data driven planning.” – Amy Webb, Director Curriculum and Instruction/Reading Specialist/Interventionist.
- “We are deliberate in planning using student data in the beginning, middle and end of the year to provide focused interventions and instruction.” – Lisa Fesenmaier, 1st Grade Teacher.
- “We’ve focused on grade level standards, focused on best practices in teaching, and supported staff with high-quality professional development.” – Chris Segerstrom, MS/HS principal.
- “We are choosing to be innovative.” – Jane Borgerding, 1st Grade Teacher.
Many factors influence student learning, with students’ families being the biggest influence. However, when students walk into the classrooms of Spring Valley, schoolteachers and staff are committed to working together, sharing best practices, using high quality instructional materials, setting high expectations and sharing them with students, and focusing on learning.
Marge Bednarek, middle school language arts teacher, has dedicated many years to educating the children of Spring Valley. When asked what she was proud of from last year’s work, she shared, “I’m proud of our students. I told them, ‘I am pushing you, but it is going to be worth it!’”
