South Middle School outlines state‑required receiverhip plan focused on instruction, attendance and family partnerships

South Middle School Principal Roderick Phoenix and the district’s director of middle level education, Dr. Pushcanser, presented a state‑required continuation plan Tuesday that officials said is designed to pull the school out of receiverhip by strengthening instruction, attendance and family partnerships.

The plan, developed with New York State education representatives, targets four lead strategies: increase structured academic discourse so students explain their thinking; engage students in cognitively demanding tasks that require reasoning and problem‑solving; establish a schoolwide culture of connectedness and belonging grounded in restorative practices; and expand family and community partnerships with more accessible communication and workshops. "This plan was developed in collaboration with the state over multiple meetings," Phoenix said, adding the strategies are aligned to the demonstrable indicators the state requires.

Presenters said demonstrable indicators include grade‑span ELA and math growth percentiles, overall performance levels in ELA, math and science, and locally selected measures such as attendance and family engagement. The team described a multi‑tiered implementation approach that emphasizes strengthening tier‑one instruction, sustained professional learning communities, instructional coaching, curriculum monitoring and frequent walkthroughs.

Phoenix highlighted progress on state testing participation this year, saying the school recorded a 99% participation rate on the ELA exam and about 96% participation in math and science testing—figures he described as among the highest in decades. The presenters said higher participation is critical because low participation rates historically depressed the school’s results.

Board members pressed presenters on timelines, funding and how the district will secure teacher and family buy‑in. Dr. Pushcanser and district staff said the plan must be submitted to and approved by New York State; they identified July 1 as the date the state review and budget alignment would permit full implementation. Once approved, the district plans quarterly progress reviews using the state’s demonstrable indicator framework and frequent formative checks to adjust strategies.

The board requested regular, transparent updates and asked leaders to report candidly on what is working and what needs change. Phoenix said the implementation will include weekly or biweekly monitoring and that the district will use observational data, student work, survey results and state measures to track progress.

The presentation closed with an appeal from the board for visible, timely reports as the plan is implemented over the coming year.