The Student Success & Programs section highlights key initiatives and resources that support academic growth and personal development for all students. By fostering engagement, inclusivity, and comprehensive support, we aim to create a thriving environment where every learner can excel.
Topics Covered:
1. Academic Engagement
2. Assessment Results
3. Diversity & Inclusion
4. Early Education & Pre-K
5. Special Education
6. Extracurricular Activities
At Williston Basin School District #7, our commitment to academic excellence is evident in the initiatives we’ve implemented to promote student achievement and engagement.
Additionally, our Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) create an environment of continuous staff collaboration, where educators work together to analyze data, refine instructional strategies, and ensure student success.
During the 2023-2024 school year, our district saw significant improvements in reading scores, as evidenced by iReady Diagnostic Assessment results. These achievements can be largely attributed to our commitment to the Science of Reading, which includes the implementation of programs like LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) and UFLI (University of Florida Literacy Institute).
These initiatives have equipped our educators with the necessary tools to enhance literacy instruction and ensure that students develop strong foundational skills in reading and spelling.
In the 2023-2024 school year, we successfully introduced the BARR (Building Assets, Reducing Risks) framework in two of our elementary schools.
This innovative approach focuses on building student strengths and reducing risks, ultimately fostering a supportive and inclusive learning environment. The BARR model emphasizes strong relationships, personalized support, and data-driven decision-making to enhance student outcomes.
The BARR model pairs nicely with our current initiatives, providing a cohesive structure that integrates all our efforts rather than adding another layer; it ensures everything flows seamlessly together.
Looking ahead, we are excited to announce our plan for district-wide implementation of the BARR framework over the next two years.
During the 2024-2025 school year, we will extend this initiative to all elementary schools, followed by a full-scale implementation at the high school level in 2025-2026. This phased approach will allow us to refine our strategies, gather feedback, and ensure that all staff members are equipped to effectively support our students' needs.
By adopting the BARR framework across the district, we aim to create a cohesive and resilient educational experience for every student, paving the way for their academic and personal success.
This section provides a summary of K-8 iReady Math and Reading results, along with the ND A+ Math and Reading results for high school students, highlighting key insights into student performance across grade levels.
iReady is a diagnostic tool used to assess students' math and reading skills, identifying strengths and areas for improvement. It provides personalized learning paths and tracks progress throughout the year.
Students in grades K-8 demonstrated notable academic growth in both Math and Reading, particularly from Fall to Spring.
Our focus on curriculum alignment and targeted interventions resulted in substantial math gains across all grade levels.
All grades K-8 demonstrated overall improvement in math proficiency, with many grades showing significant gains throughout the year.
With regard to students in grades K-8 performing at or above grade level in math, the data reveals an increase from the fall to the spring, indicating notable growth in proficiency.
All grade levels demonstrated over 10% gains, with all but one grade showing over 20% improvement. Additionally, all K-5 grades achieved over 25% gains, reflecting a general trend of lower grades seeing the highest increases.
The most significant improvement was observed in kindergarten, which experienced a remarkable 47% increase.
Implications of K-8 Math Gains:
The gains in K-8 math indicate significant progress in students' understanding and mastery of mathematical concepts.
This improvement suggests effective instructional practices and support systems are in place, contributing to enhanced student engagement and proficiency.
Overall, these results reflect the district's commitment to fostering a strong mathematical foundation for future learning.
Every grade K-8 exhibited overall improvement in reading, with several grades achieving significant advancements in their proficiency levels.
With regard to students in grades K-8 performing at or above grade level in reading, the data reveals a consistent increase from fall to spring, showcasing significant growth in reading proficiency.
All grade levels demonstrated gains, with six of the eight grades showing over 15% improvement. Additionally, grades K-3 achieved over 30% growth, highlighting a trend where lower grades generally saw the highest increases.
The most substantial improvement was observed in kindergarten, which experienced an impressive 50% increase, making it the standout grade for reading growth during this period.
Implications of K-8 Reading Gains:
The gains in K-8 reading highlight the success of our comprehensive literacy programs, particularly in areas such as phonics, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. This improvement reflects the effectiveness of our instructional strategies and targeted interventions, ensuring that students receive the support they need to progress.
These results suggest that our reading initiatives are fostering stronger student engagement and building essential literacy skills. Overall, this growth underscores the district's dedication to cultivating a solid foundation in reading, which is critical for long-term academic success.
North Dakota Academic Progression of Learning and Understanding of Students or ND A-PLUS (ND A+) is a newly implemented, connected system of assessments introduced by the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction. This system includes state-provided interim assessments, which began in Fall 2023, and a statewide summative assessment set to replace the North Dakota State Assessment (NDSA) starting in Spring 2025.
The ND A-PLUS (ND A+) system of assessments provided valuable insights into student performance throughout the 2023-2024 school year. This was also the first year this test was given in our state, so the data is not normed yet.
WBSD7 students in grades 9-12 demonstrated competitive results when compared to state averages in both math and reading.
With the state implementing a modification to their scoring system in the spring, which affected scores statewide, it is important to compare WBSD7’s results to state averages to gain an accurate understanding of our students' performance.
In the spring, fewer North Dakota schools chose the ND A+ assessment, opting for other assessment tools instead. As a result, the state average was more significantly impacted by scoring changes, displaying much lower scores compared to those of WBSD7.
For grades 9-12, WBSD7’s math scores were generally comparable to state averages across all assessments.
Even with the scoring adjustments in the spring, WBSD7 students performed competitively, particularly in Geometry and Algebra 2, where our results aligned closely with state benchmarks.
For grades 9-10, WBSD7 students consistently performed near or above state averages in reading throughout the year.
In the spring assessment, our students showed particularly strong results, with significantly higher scores than the state averages in both grades 9 and 10, reflecting the district’s emphasis on literacy and reading comprehension.
The results from the 2023-2024 iReady and ND A+ assessments reveal our students’ academic growth and areas where we can continue to improve. The strong gains made in K-8 math and reading underscore the success of our curriculum alignment, interventions, and professional development.
Meanwhile, the high school results showed competitive performance in both math and reading when compared to state averages. Notably, WBSD7 students in Geometry and Algebra 2 demonstrated results aligned closely with state benchmarks, while reading scores for grades 9-10 were particularly strong, exceeding state averages in the spring assessment.
Moving forward, we will use these insights to guide instructional planning and ensure that all students across the district continue on a path toward academic excellence.
Our special education services continue to thrive through a strong partnership with Wilmac, allowing us to provide diverse programs that meet the individual needs of students across each school.
Looking ahead, we are taking initial steps toward transitioning to a self-service model for special education. This change will allow us to manage more of our special education staffing internally, moving away from fully contracted services through Wilmac. Wilmac remains fully supportive of this goal, and we are working collaboratively to ensure a smooth transition while maintaining high-quality support for our students.
Through these ongoing efforts, we remain dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment that empowers every student to reach their full potential.
During the 2023-2024 school year, we made significant strides in supporting our diverse student population through the implementation of a Newcomer Center, designed to provide immersive assistance for students who are brand new to the English language. This center offers tailored support to help these students acclimate to their new environment and build foundational language skills.
During the 2023-2024 school year, 419 students—representing 7% of our student population—were enrolled in the English Learner (EL) program. This program supports students in developing English language proficiency, enabling them to succeed academically and fully engage in school life.
Our EL program serves a vibrant community, with students representing an impressive 31 different first languages. This linguistic diversity enriches our schools and highlights the importance of providing comprehensive support to all learners.
In the Fall, athletics include Boys Cross-Country, Boys Soccer, Boys Tennis, Fall Cheer, Football, Girls Cross-Country, Girls Golf, Girls Swimming & Dive, Drill Team, and Volleyball. During the Winter season, students can participate in Winter Cheer, Drill Team, Boys Basketball, Boys Hockey, Boys Swimming & Dive, Girls Basketball, Girls Hockey, Wrestling, and Girls Wrestling. The Spring athletics program features Baseball, Boys Golf, Boys Track, Girls Tennis, Girls Track, Girls Soccer, and Softball.
Our athletics program for grades six through eight provides a diverse range of sports that largely mirror those offered at the high school level, though not all sports are available to sixth graders. This allows younger students to engage in athletic activities while gradually preparing for the expanded options available in high school.
Williston High School and Williston Middle School Central Campus offer a broad selection of extracurricular activities.
At Williston High School (Coyotes), students can join clubs and organizations such as Chess Club, Close Up, Elk Youth Day, Drama Club, Musical, E-Sports, Family Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), FFA, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Game Club, Jazz Band, Leo Club, National Honor Society, Percussion, Drumline, Prom Committee, Science Club, Science Olympiad, Speech, SkillsUSA, Art Club, and Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD).
At Williston Middle School Central Campus (Junior Coyotes), students are encouraged to participate in activities like Drumline, Jazz Band, National Junior Honor Society, Percussion Ensemble, SADD, Science Club, Art Club, and the Technology Student Association (TSA).
These programs provide students with the opportunity to explore their interests, develop leadership skills, and engage with their peers in meaningful ways.
