A task force including students, staff and parents recommended new start times for elementary and high school to the Board of Education on April 13, following a year of meetings that included input from all stakeholder groups and thoughtful consideration of a communitywide survey, the findings of which are summarized below. The board will vote on these recommendations during the May 11 regular meeting.

• School Start Times Task Force Presentation

The task force followed a design thinking process to empathize with those who are currently affected by school start times, define the problem, come up with ideas and develop a prototype. Considerations included improved sleep patterns for students, increased academic outcomes, transportation and child care.

The task force is recommending implementation of the following schedules for the 2021-22 school year:

• Elementary School: 8:55 a.m.-3:45 p.m.
• Middle School: 7:40 a.m.-2:40 p.m.
• High School: 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

Two years ago, a Middle School Redesign Task Force was established to evaluate and rethink what middle school looks like, creating a flexible, high-quality learning experience that supports student success, real-world connections, collaboration and social-emotional well-being. The task force includes more than 40 middle school teachers, as well as students, parents, board members and administrators.

The task force began its work in 2019 to evaluate the current middle school experience and create priorities for a new middle school structure and experiences. Through site visits to other schools, community surveys and shadowing middle school students, the task force identified several priorities for change.

Several of those changes will be implemented for the 2021-22 school year, including a new student schedule and new elective offerings at both middle schools. The task force will continue to evaluate the impact of these changes and plan for future student experiences that meet the redesign priorities.

• Middle School Redesign for 2021-22

Lindbergh Schools continues to expand its measurement of student learning. Over the last few years, the district has monitored student reading skills through FastBridge assessments in grades K-3. This year, students in grades 4-8 began assessments in reading and math through NWEA MAP growth. While we plan to use student learning data to personalize learning for students, this year's implementation has been helpful in understanding the impact the pandemic has had on student learning.

• FastBridge and NWEA MAP Assessment Data

ARC, which stands for Accelerated and Remote Courses, was designed during the summer of 2020 for two purposes; to provide an initial platform for virtual learning that allows for remote instruction during the pandemic, and to allow for personalized learning experiences.

At this time, the program’s intent is to fully support a remote platform for students and families who feel in-person learning is not the right option for them.

• ARC Program Overview

All Lindbergh students in grades 6-12 will receive new devices this August as part of the district’s plan to help students develop future-ready skills by providing equitable access to educational technology. This work follows a yearlong technology impact study that included teachers and students in grades 3-12. Elementary school students will receive devices beginning in fall 2021.

• Technology Impact Study: Final Results

Lindbergh Schools has seen a significant decrease this year in the number of students in grades K-3 who are identifying at-risk for dyslexia. This is due first and foremost to the amazing work of our teachers and reading specialists. It is also due to the addition of phonics tools that are helping our youngest readers not only read for meaning, but also decode new words in a more structured and systematic way.

• FastBridge Reading Screening

The St. Louis Centers for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS) is an opportunity for high school juniors and seniors to engage in personalized learning experiences outside of a traditional classroom setting. Students learn directly from business and industry professionals in authentic workspaces, including medical labs, engineering firms and small business incubators. CAPS participants are immersed in a professional culture, using industry standards, teamwork, critical thinking and creativity to solve real-world problems.

CAPS is an example of how business, community and public education can work together to develop the workforce of tomorrow, especially in high-skill, high-demand jobs.

• Learn more about CAPS

Early reading is an area of curriculum development that inspires passion and support for all Lindbergh learners. Our goal is to ensure that we are meeting the individual needs of all students, because we share a common goal with our families, a goal that results in students who are successful, motivated and engaged readers. It is essential that we combine targeted direct instruction with small group instruction, while providing responsive feedback and encouraging the transfer of skills to authentic reading materials. This balance supports the individual needs of all students and helps teachers measure reading skills.

• Early Reading: Our Journey