A strategy of belonging: How SDoL is supporting students and families in an era of mental-health crisis
A message from SDoL superintendent Dr. Keith Miles
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That is why our school board appointed a new director of diversity, equity, belonging, and inclusion, Jassinya Alvarado. Reporting directly to me, Ms. Alvarado is charged with ensuring we are implementing our district equity policy with fidelity, providing and directing professional development for staff, producing materials, establishing community partnerships, and advising leaders on ways to dismantle systemic barriers.
I thank our school board, including our new president Jennifer Eaton and vice president Kareena Rios, for its leadership, vision, and unwavering belief that every student can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally in our schools. And check out Achievements & Innovations below for just a snapshot of what our students, staff, and community can accomplish!
Together we can!
Sincerely,
Keith Miles, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
School District of Lancaster
SDoL looks to revitalize, expand its community schools strategy
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According to the National Center, based in New York City, the community school strategy transforms a school into a place where educators, local community members, families, and students work together to strengthen conditions for student learning and healthy development.
Radcliffe and the other community school directors at the district’s six community schools–Burrowes, King, Lafayette, Price, and Washington elementary schools, as well as Lincoln Middle School–are the centerpiece of the strategy. They are employees of community nonprofits who organize in- and out-of-school resources, supports, and opportunities as a key member of the school’s leadership team.
“We are a macro, tier-one support,” Radcliffe says, meaning the directors are responsible for providing resources, supports, and opportunities that can benefit all students in a school, not just those identified as needing more support. SDoL’s community schools have been shown to have higher family engagement and staff satisfaction.
Radcliffe is one of four community school directors employed by the Boys and Girls Club of Lancaster, which serves as the lead agency at Washington as well as Burrowes, King, and Price. The Mix is the lead agency at Lincoln. Bright Side Opportunities Center is the district’s newest lead agency partner, announced in January, at Lafayette.
“The idea that our vision and our partner’s vision align is critical,” says Patrick Muench, principal at Washington Elementary. “When we have that alignment, the impact on shared outcomes is powerful.”
The community school strategy should elevate all aspects of a school, including academics. At Burrowes, leaders noticed a dip in math achievement. As part of the response, community school director Dr. Alex Rohrer worked with Edible Classroom, one of the school’s partners, to incorporate math concepts and lessons into their hands-on environmental and gardening program.
“We are often involved to support through community partnerships and family engagement,” Dr. Rohrer said. “When we realized our math scores were down, that drove the partnerships I was working on.”
In SDoL’s strategic plan, the district committed to sustaining the community schools strategy to meet the special needs of individual schools. The district earned a technical assistance grant from the National Center, which identified Washington and Burrowes as “exemplar schools” that can serve as a model of the strategy for other districts across the country.
This spring, the district will add a seventh community school, at Carter & MacRae Elementary, with intentions to continue to grow, as long as it can ensure the strategy can be effectively implemented.
“We’re looking for new funding sources we can braid together, as well as partners who are willing to step up and become a lead agency,” says Erin Conahan, who facilitates the district’s community partnerships. ”We also want to tell the story of community schools and ensure we have a governance structure that ensures broad representation of our stakeholders.”
School board president Jennifer Eaton says it is exciting to see how the strategy has matured since it was first implemented in 2006.
“I am excited that this is a priority of this administration,” she says. “It is a good time to be reflective and say, how can we move forward?”
Using RULER to measure, communicate emotions
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One SDoL school, Wickersham Elementary, is the only school in Pennsylvania and one of fewer than 10 schools globally named a 2025 RULER Spotlight School. Wickersham was selected after the district submitted an application to Yale showing results.
RULER employs four evidence-based tools to integrate emotional learning into the school day:
- The Mood Meter: Helps students identify their feelings based on levels of pleasantness and energy.
- The Charter: A collective agreement on how students and teachers want to feel and how they will treat one another. Similar to a promise to one another.
- The Meta-Moment: A reflective strategy that helps individuals pause, assess their emotions, and choose productive responses, especially during high energy and low pleasantness times.
- The Blueprint: A reflective guide to use during conversation when recognizing, understanding, labeling, expressing, and regulating your emotions as well as understanding others’ emotions.
The district has more information on its website, including a video made in collaboration with Yale University, and resources for families to use RULER at home.
Click the link below to learn more.
College savings for every child in Pennsylvania
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Eligible families can claim their child’s account at the link below by entering the child’s date of birth, state file number from the child’s PA birth certificate, and the zip code on file when the child was born. Once the account is claimed, families may open a companion PA 529 account and link their Keystone Scholars account, if they wish.
Research shows that children with college savings in their name, even if the amount is modest, are three times more likely to pursue postsecondary education, and four times more likely to graduate, according to the state Treasury Department.
Achievements & Innovations
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Standout Students & Staff
Congratulations to Wheatland MS eighth-grade student Nicholas Patton, who completed the Mensa for Kids Excellence in Reading Challenge in under two years. In all, Nicholas read 60 books from a curated list of classics and contemporary works, including The Count of Monte Cristo, The Hobbit, A Wrinkle in Time, Rip Van Winkle, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, and Tales from Shakespeare.
Bright Side Opportunities Center honored SDoL staff and alumni at its annual Sneaker Ball fundraiser in September. Myasija Rivera, Class of 2024, received the Brighter Tomorrow Award, Sir Dominique Jordan, ’12, received the Servant Heart Award, and Brian ‘bri’ Nguyen, the district’s communications specialist, received the Respect & Collaboration Award.
Smith-Wade-El ES second-grade teacher Scott Aukamp won nearly $60,000 and a trip to Barbados on television’s “Wheel of Fortune: Teachers’ Week,” which aired in September featuring teachers as contestants.
The McCaskey Alumni Association inducted five graduates as new Distinguished Alumni as part of the high school’s annual homecoming festivities in October. They are: Jamie Arroyo, Class of 2006, Rebecca DeWinter-Schmitt, ’86, Edward Flick, ’59, Joe Nguyen, ’97, and Armenta Washington, ’80.
Reynolds MS communications arts teacher Tyrone ‘Ty’ Bair was named 2024 Educator of the Year by the Kappa Omega Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. Bair also co-founded Advantage Lancaster, which provides opportunities and mentorship to SDoL students.
Innovative Education
The flagship podcast of the Pennsylvania State Education Association, “Duty Free Lunch,” featured McCaskey HS’s Educators Rising program in a June episode. Teacher Amanda Funk spoke with the hosts, along with Dr. Chris Clayton, the statewide coordinator of the program for high school students interested in a career in education. McCaskey is a state leader in offering Educators Rising.
The Wharton ES PTO in September celebrated the ribbon cutting for a new outdoor learning space that it designed and funded. The new outdoor learning center features a native plant and pollinator garden, a wildflower garden, 13 native canopy trees, and an expanded edible garden. WGAL covered the opening.
SDoL’s Pre-kindergarten classrooms welcomed authors Ali Kamanda and Jorge Redmond to read their new children’s book Black Girl, Black Girl, a picture book about self-esteem and role models. Each student received a copy of the book thanks to Read Rose Books. SDoL’s Pre-K is open to any child who turns four by September 1.
The Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence named Wickersham ES as a 2025 RULER Spotlight School for its dedication to creating a supportive and emotionally intelligent learning environment through the implementation of RULER. Wickersham is the only school in Pennsylvania to receive the honor. RULER is an evidence-based approach to social-emotional learning.
The School District of Lancaster partnered with the private audio-visual company Illuminated Integration to host the first-ever “Tech Spotlight” at McCaskey HS. Media, music, and performing arts students from across Lancaster County got a hands-on look at cutting-edge technology in audio, video, lighting, and related fields.
The U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education called the School District of Lancaster a “model” for its strategic use of federal relief funds during a visit to Wickersham ES in October. Cindy Marten said the district’s targeted investments in small group learning and mental health programs are examples of “leveraging federal dollars in a way that turns into outcomes for students.”
Washington ES students held their own Election Day on Nov. 5. As Americans headed to the polls nationwide, students cast their own ballots for a fun attendance incentive day—Crazy Hat Day, Dress Like a Teacher Day, or Sports Team Day—and got an “I Voted Today” sticker to show off. The winner? Students chose Dress Like a Teacher Day.
McCaskey HS hosted civil rights icon Minnijean Brown-Trickey, a member of the Little Rock Nine, and pioneering diversity educator Jane Elliot in November as part of the Leon “Buddy” Glover Public Service Project. Brown-Trickey met with students at the high school and attended a virtual lecture from Elliott in the evening.
Keith Beauchamp, producer of the critically acclaimed 2022 film Till, made another visit to McCaskey HS to screen the film and talk about his career telling the story of Emmett Till, a black teenager abducted and lynched after being falsely accused of offending a white woman in Mississippi in 1955.
Meteorologists from WGAL, CBS-21, and Millersville University were helping Burrowes ES third-graders explore weather as part of their science unit. The lessons included interactive demonstrations and discussions to connect their classroom learning to real-world applications.
Strong Community
King ES collected gifts for more than 400 students as part of its annual Angel Tree program. Local organizations, businesses, and individuals sponsor students anonymously, donating gifts tailored to each child’s needs and wishes.
McCaskey HS students and staff collected more than a ton of food to donate to Water Street Mission in its annual Homeroom Challenge holiday food drive. Two classes collected more than 250 pounds, including Mr. Nelson’s at 360, to win a pizza party.
Jackson MS students, families, and neighbors took part in the annual Jackson Day of Action, which focuses on civic engagement and environmental education. The event honors Hazel I. Jackson, a trailblazing educator for whom the school is named. The Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful organization awarded Jackson MS its 2024 Community Pride Award for its commitment to environmental stewardship.
Advantage Lancaster, a nonprofit founded by SDoL teachers Ty Bair and Shayne Meadows, raised funds for cancer research and support through its annual Pink Lancaster fundraiser. Advantage Lancaster provides opportunities for educational experiences, activities, and community service projects for SDoL students during the school year and over the summer. The sale raised more than $10,000 for the Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute and Advantage Lancaster programming.
Wheatland MS students and staff raised $2,725 in their annual Color Run, which supports field trips and after-school activities for Wheatland students.
SDoL’s middle school cheerleading teams received $25,000 in new uniforms thanks to WK Kellogg Co. and Weis Markets. The district this year approved cheerleading as a sport at the middle level after a pilot program showed strong interest.
In November, SDoL students, families, staff, and community members planted a grove of 46 trees across the McCaskey HS campus in memory of “Brother” Frank Albrecht, a longtime teacher who lost his battle with ALS in the fall. The planting was made possible by a collaboration between the Lancaster Education Foundation’s Frank Albrecht Memorial Fund, Let’s Go Outdoors, Let’s Go 1-2-3, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Naturalist Resources (PA DCNR), the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership.
Tornado Time
Congratulations to three McCaskey student-athletes who earned medals in the PIAA District 3 cross country championships. Sophomore Ruby Garner-Valle finished eighth, senior Matthew McNair finished 15th, and freshman Carolynn Main finished 17th. Garner-Valle went on to finish 15th in the state at the PIAA championships. Kudos also to the McCaskey boys cross country team, which finished fourth overall in the district and qualified for the state championships for the first time since 1995.
Senior tennis captain Lauren Snell was featured in a story by the United States Tennis Association for her leadership role building the girls team at McCaskey when few students have experience with tennis prior to high school. LNP + LancasterOnline named Snell an L-L League Section One all-star this year.
McCaskey’s trailblazing girls wrestling team is featured in a PBS documentary, The Chance to Wrestle, that premiered in November. The Red Tornado team plays a pivotal role in the film, with several student-athletes sharing their experiences, challenges, and triumphs. The School District of Lancaster was the first in Pennsylvania to approve an all-girls wrestling team.
One athlete in the film, McCaskey’s Journie Rodriguez, continues to make history. The reigning state gold medalist became the first girls wrestler to reach 100 career wins with a pin in a dual meet against Spring Grove in December.
The McCaskey Athletics Hall of Fame inducted three new members in October: Niquan Lee, Class of 2002, a football and track & field star, Stan Mendenhall, ’92, a two-time football captain and quarterback, and Greg Rodgers, ’67, a two-time league champion cross country runner.
The Lancaster County Sports Hall of Fame inducted three former McCaskey student-athletes—Barbara Barr, Damien Henry, and Kris Wilson—at its 2024 awards banquet and honored McCaskey’s legendary boys basketball coach Pete Horn with its prestigious George Kirchner Memorial Award.
SDoL's Annual Report 2024
Academic growth surges; school climate and satisfaction also improve
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Achievement 2023-2024
The Pennsylvania Value-Added Assessment System (PVAAS) is not a separate assessment; it is a system used to determine student academic growth based on existing assessments (PSSA and Keystone).
Science proficiency has nearly reached pre-pandemic levels, with proficiency now above 2019 in Elementary and Middle School. We expect this trend to continue in 2025 and hope to exceed the 44% pre-pandemic proficiency benchmark. Science scores increased due to the integration of hands-on learning experiences, the use of phenomenon-based teaching to spark student curiosity, real-world applications of scientific concepts, and collaborative problem-solving activities that enhanced student engagement and understanding.
Math proficiency rates saw a significant increase in 2024, increasing by five percentage points from the prior. Current proficiency rates are now only slightly below pre-pandemic levels, especially at the middle school level. Math scores increased due to consistent data-driven instruction, increased student engagement through interactive learning strategies, strong support systems for struggling students, and elective teacher professional development.
District students made slight improvements towards pre-pandemic achievement rates in English Language Arts. ELA scores increased due to the implementation of targeted reading interventions, the use of differentiated instruction to meet diverse student needs, enhanced literacy practices, and ongoing teacher collaboration focused on best practices in language arts instruction.
Student and Parent/Guardian Survey Results
Each year SDoL partners with Franklin & Marshall College’s Center for Opinion Research to survey students and parents/guardians. All survey data is made publicly available on the district website. This includes data going back to surveys in 2006 and is a great resource to better understand data about your school and the district community at large.
Student Survey Results
School Climate: Safety
Compared to last year, perceptions of school safety improved at all grade spans.
Among the survey highlights are improved views of school safety. While elementary student views remained unchanged, the percentage of middle school students who really or kind of agree that they feel safe at school increased from 58% to 70%. High school responses similarly improved rose from 61% to 70%, the first improvement since 2021.
School Climate: Fair treatment for all
Perceptions that students are treated fairly are improving
One encouraging sign is the decreasing number of students who indicate they are treated unfairly at school because of their race, ethnicity, or cultural background. The percentage of middle school students who answered “Always” or “Most of the Time” decreased from 32% to 30%. High school agreement decreased from 21% to 16%. Both point to positive trends; however additional work is being done to address the findings.
Parent/Guardian Survey
Overall confidence in the district also increased, with 87.4% indicating ‘a great deal’ or ‘a fair amount’ of confidence, the highest since 2017. The percentage of respondents who rate the district’s communications as ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’ increased from 72.1% to 79.5%, the highest rate since the question was first asked in 2019.
How well does the district keep you informed about the things that matter to you?
Overall Satisfaction
Total District Sample by YEAR
Strategic Plan Updates
The School District of Lancaster tracks dozens of key metrics regularly to ensure progress toward the objectives of the strategic plan. Below are a few related to improving our district’s Culture of Belonging.
Attendance
Reducing chronic absenteeism, where students attend less than 90% of school days, is a key focus in SDoL’s strategic plan, because we can’t boost academic outcomes if students are out of school. At the halfway point in the school year, we are seeing positive progress. Chronic absenteeism rates are 2.7 percentage points below where they were at the same point during the 2023-2024 school year. Attendance rates have simultaneously improved.
Reduction in Suspensions
This year SDoL is making efforts to decrease the number of students who receive in- or out-of-school suspensions. This effort has thus far been successful, and we are currently on track to make improvements in comparison to last school year’s rates.
# of Students Suspended (ISS + OSS)
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