ASSA staff describe MTSS steps that helped one middle-school student regain engagement

ASSA Clark Middle School staff told the Pewaukee School District board on April 14 that a coordinated multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS), combined with special-education services and frequent teacher collaboration, helped one sixth‑grade student move from disengagement to measurable classroom growth.

The presentation, led by Katie Spadoni, ASSA principal, and classroom and intervention staff, laid out how classroom-level adjustments (tier 1), targeted pull-out intervention (tier 2), and coordinated use of the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) worked together to improve the student’s behavior and assessment results.

Spadoni said the case began when classroom formative assessments and screener data — including STAR and AIMSweb benchmarking — showed the student persistently scoring in the lowest percentiles and earning “ones and twos” on classroom assessments. Julie Giese, the sixth‑grade teacher, and Lauren Wyske, a math interventionist, described observing the student withdrawn in whole-class settings but making growth in small-group intervention.

To bridge the gap between intervention and classroom performance, staff shifted to a mix of strategies: more pretesting and reteaching in intervention sessions so students would see the same content in class; increased “push‑in” intervention so the interventionist worked inside the classroom; and intentional use of scaffolds and foldable supports in both settings. The staff reported the student began participating in groups, asked to retake assessments to improve scores, and showed higher intrinsic motivation, including striving for 100% mastery on computerized work rather than stopping at the classroom requirement.

Speakers emphasized that reading deficits affected math performance, and that targeted reading instruction under the student’s IEP had been provided in addition to math intervention. Amy Tosin (special-education staff) explained staff considered whether the student’s reading disability might be the barrier to understanding math word problems; that prompted strategies to reduce reading-related barriers in math instruction.

Presenters credited ongoing professional learning communities (PLCs), frequent informal communication, shared formative data, and collaboration across intervention and classroom teachers for the improvement. Melissa Schultz, an instructional coach, framed the case as an example of MTSS “in action,” stressing early identification and layered supports to prevent students from forming a negative learner identity in middle school.

The board and audience members asked follow-up questions about how many students receive MTSS supports at ASSA. Staff said caseloads fluctuate by six‑ to eight‑week cycles and reported serving roughly 18 to 22 students in math intervention this year, with a separate reading interventionist supporting additional students. Presenters repeatedly noted MTSS is school‑wide and distinct from special education, which provides specially designed instruction only for eligible disability areas.

Board members and administrators praised the team’s collaboration and the student’s gains as representative of the district’s MTSS model rather than an isolated success.

The presentation concluded with board commendations and an invitation to continue sharing MTSS case studies at future meetings.