Rome City Schools Board of Education members received an inside look Tuesday at the work taking place across the district to strengthen classroom instruction, support teachers, and improve student achievement at the September Board of Education Meeting held at the College and Career Academy at Rome High School.
Coretta Stewart, Rome City Schools Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Pre-K, highlighted the work of the district’s Teaching, Leading & Learning Team, detailing a comprehensive approach that connects district leadership, school leaders, academic coaches, interventionists and classroom teachers.
Stewart described Teaching, Leading & Learning as the instructional engine of Rome City Schools, focused on developing instructional expertise, building leadership capacity, and providing the support systems needed to strengthen teaching and improve student outcomes.
One of the biggest pieces of that work centers on creating a culture of coaching throughout Rome City Schools. Literacy and math academic coaches, along with a secondary science coach, work directly with teachers to strengthen instruction and help carry district priorities into classrooms.
Interventionists provide another layer of support for students. Through the Interventionists Academy, staff participate in monthly professional learning communities, analyze assessment data to identify specific student needs, develop schedules for research and evidence-based interventions and continually monitor student progress.
Those systems support ambitious academic goals for Rome City Schools. The district aims to increase the percentage of students scoring Proficient and Distinguished by 5 percent in literacy and math and by 3 percent in science and social studies while improving CCRPI performance, increasing graduation rates and strengthening college, career and life readiness.
Over the past several years, Rome City Schools has built its literacy efforts from the establishment of a Literacy Taskforce and defined literacy goals to the Literacy Compass, academic coaches and interventionists, high-quality instructional materials, universal screeners and an increased focus on foundational reading skills.
Those efforts have continued to expand through Read Across Rome, Books in the Barbershop and Beauty Salon and Books on the Bus, along with additional early learning opportunities.
Stewart also highlighted continued improvement in the district’s MAP Above Average literacy measure, which has increased over the last three years.
For 2026-27, the district’s instructional focus includes Writing to Learn, unpacking and aligning standards and co-teaching for impact. Rome City Schools is also continuing its reading incentive program through Red Hat Readers, challenging students to read 20 minutes each day as the district works toward a collective goal of 8 million minutes.
Teaching, Leading & Learning also provides extensive professional development for Rome City Schools employees. The district offered numerous professional learning sessions across grade levels and content areas while also providing principals' meetings, coaches meetings, collaborative planning, Interventionists Academy and Exemplary Leaders Institute opportunities.
Superintendent Dr. Eric L. Holland used his report to update Board members on a busy September and early October across Rome City Schools.
The district will host its Exemplary Professionals Banquet on Sept. 15 at the College and Career Academy.
Family Fun Fest returns to Heritage Park on Sept. 18 at 4 p.m., providing another opportunity for Rome City Schools students and families to come together.
Dr. Holland also highlighted several opportunities for Rome City Schools to remain connected to the Rome community, including the One Table Annual Community Dinner on Sept. 20, the NAMI Walk and 100 Black Men Gala on Sept. 26, and meetings with the RESA Board of Control, Boys and Girls Club Board and Rotary.
The district’s fall community events will continue Oct. 8 with the Rome City Schools Hispanic Heritage Festival from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Ridge Ferry Park.