Massena district reports steady attendance, benchmark projections and possible capital project timeline

Assistant Superintendent Nicole Flynn presented the district’s midyear goal update to the Massena Central School District board, highlighting attendance, benchmark projections, climate measures and capital-project progress.

Flynn told trustees the district’s average daily attendance is 93% and that staff use ParentSquare to communicate with families; she reported 92,539 direct staff-to-family messages this school year. Flynn described chronic absenteeism goals: the elementary target is 21% (midyear reported 24.5%, a December sick-season spike likely raised that rate), while the junior-high and high-school combined rate sits at about 26.5%, below a 29% target for secondary.

On academic projections, Flynn said the district uses i-Ready benchmarks as a proxy until state 3–8 assessments are available. The projected ELA proficiency goal is 49% and projected math proficiency 61% (current projection 55.8%); Flynn cautioned these are projections, not final state results. The district is tracking grade-level variation, noting grade 5–6 cohorts affected by disrupted early learning during COVID.

Flynn also reviewed climate and safety data, citing lower reported drug-use incidents in recent SSEC reports and the district’s continued work on alternatives to suspension and reentry plans for secondary students. Superintendent Burke added that capital-project planning is moving ahead: he said stakeholder meetings and design work are on schedule and that the district may be able to break ground in roughly 12 months, with the pool area as a priority if timing allows.

Trustees asked clarifying questions about the underlying data sources, and Flynn said some midyear reports differ by reporting window and that the final NYSED reports will be available later. The administration will follow up with detailed reports and continue monthly monitoring of chronic-absenteeism cohorts and reentry interventions.