Mesa board hears Project Momentum update; principals point to instructional‑design gains

Amy Dela Torre, the district’s director of federal programs and the Project Momentum lead, told the Mesa Public Schools Governing Board on Tuesday evening that the state-required Project Momentum model provides coach and principal‑partner supports and Systemic School Improvement grant funding to help identified campuses improve instruction. "Project Momentum is an ADE school improvement model," Dela Torre said, noting each campus receives principal partners, in‑person and virtual coaching and grant dollars to pay teachers for planning time.

District data presented in the study session showed 10 schools were identified for Project Momentum this year; five schools from an earlier cohort have exited the program and will remain on a one‑year sustainability plan. Dela Torre said six of the 10 identified campuses are at or above district average for typical or aggressive growth in math, and seven of seven elementary early‑math campuses exceeded 50% typical or aggressive growth.

Kerr Center Principal Bridal Buecher described how Project Momentum funded time for teachers to build instructional design templates and regular walkthroughs. "Quarter 1 we were at 47%. Quarter 2 we were at 68%, and we just finished quarter 3 ... and we're at 76," she said, describing weekly walkthroughs, embedded lesson‑plan feedback and quarterly "pocket meetings" that track teacher and team progress.

Board members pressed staff on sustainability after grant funding ends. Dela Torre and district leaders said sustainability planning is part of the model: campuses may use Title I and site budgets and must build systems so the work can continue with reduced funds. The board also discussed district coordination as Project Momentum scales; staff said executive directors and Doctor Mesa will be the central contacts to ensure consistent implementation across regions.

The presentation concluded with board members urging that continuous‑improvement artifacts be posted for community transparency and that district leaders continue to support teachers as workload shifts with new instructional expectations. The board did not take formal action on Project Momentum at the meeting; the update will inform future agenda items and budget discussions.