4th Quarter EMSD Newsletter
It’s been just one year since Wells Elementary launched the United For Schools program in partnership with United Way, and the results are already speaking for themselves. This initiative was designed to bring outside resources directly into our halls to support students, families, and staff—and under the leadership of our full-time facilitator, Mr. Tracy Hadley, Jr., the Wells community is stronger than ever.
Making a Measurable Difference
The most exciting news comes from the data: Student referrals are down 24% compared to this time last year. We believe this is a direct result of our "wrap-around" approach—when a family’s basic needs are met through our food pantry and community connections, students can walk into the classroom ready to focus and learn.
Spring Highlights & Community Connections
From literacy to athletics, the United For Schools program has been busy creating unforgettable experiences for our students:
Reading with Rascal: We kicked off our reading program with a high-energy assembly featuring Rascal from the River Bandits!
Kindness Club: Mr. Hadley has been facilitating a 2nd-grade "Kindness Club" during lunch, focusing on how small actions can spark a big change.
Mentorship & Literacy: We currently have three Read United volunteers visiting weekly to bond with 2nd graders over books, and we continue to host Big Brothers Big Sisters matching events to pair students with caring adult mentors.
Youth Sports: Four Wells students participated in the YMCA Basketball League this year. Looking ahead, we are working to form an official "Wells Team" at the YMCA to help families with transportation for practices and games.
Lessons Learned (and Donuts Shared!)
We recently hosted Donuts with Grownups, which saw a fantastic turnout of Wells families. While the event was a huge success, we did walk away with one important piece of data: Maple glazed donuts are officially off the menu for next time! We had a great time and it was wonderful to see our families inside the school enjoying a breakfast treat with their children.
Coming Soon: Lunch on the Lawn
Get ready for one of our favorite traditions. This spring, we will host our annual Lunch on the Lawn, featuring games and a Petting Zoo! It’s a wonderful way to celebrate the growth we’ve seen this year.
🤝 We Need You!
We are looking for community members interested in becoming a Big Brother or Big Sister. If you or someone you know wants to make a difference in the life of a student, please reach out to Mr. Tracy Hadley, Jr. at the school. Let’s keep this momentum going!
Hillcrest Elementary is excited to welcome Carol Hightower as the building principal beginning in the 2026-2027 school year! Mrs. Hightower has worked in the district since 2019 as a special education teacher and, most recently, as an administrative intern at Glenview Middle School. She holds a bachelors degree from Western Illinois University and a masters degree from the American College of Education. Her experience supporting students with a diverse range of needs and amazing work ethic make her a perfect fit as the next leader of Hillcrest.
Wells Elementary is excited to welcome new principal Elizabeth Anderson next year! Mrs. Anderson has been a special educator with the district since 2015, and this year serves as an administrative intern at Bowlesburg Elementary. She holds a bachelors degree and a masters degree from Western Illinois University. She has an extensive background in the district's Conscious Discipline approach, and her heart for serving all students has everyone excited to see her leadership in action at Wells.
As we prepare for our new elementary attendance boundaries next school year, our Transportation Department has finalized updated walking and transportation zones. Our goal remains consistent: keeping neighborhoods together and prioritizing safe walking routes for students.
Check Your Zone
We’ve published an interactive boundary map. Families can use this tool to:
Confirm their assigned school based on their home address.
Determine if they reside in a Walking Zone or a Transportation Zone.
Note: Students in specialized programming will continue to receive transportation as required.
Daycare Transportation
We will continue to provide transportation to specific schools from the following centers:
It’s a Child’s World: To Ridgewood Elementary
Aldridge Early Learning Center: To Hillcrest and Ridgewood Elementary
Please note: If a daycare center is located within a school’s walking zone, district transportation will not be provided.
Transfer Requests
If you wish for your child to attend a school other than their assigned one, you must submit a Transfer Request Form.
Deadline: May 1st (for current students).
Requirement: Forms must be submitted annually.
Details: Approvals depend on building capacity and may be rescinded if enrollment numbers change. Parents/guardians are responsible for transportation for all approved transfers. You will receive a response regarding your request no later than 10 days before the first day of school.
This update is a key part of our year-long redistricting initiative, and we are incredibly grateful for your partnership throughout this process. Most importantly, we are thrilled to officially welcome our 5th-grade students back to our elementary buildings this August! Bringing our 5th graders back home to their elementary campuses is a milestone we’ve looked forward to all year, and we can’t wait to see the leadership and energy they bring to our hallways this fall.
The district welcomes our new Transportation Director, Ryan Ellis, who began working with the department in March. Ryan is a graduate of United Township High School, Blackhawk College, and the Marine Mechanics Institute. He comes to us with work experience with the city of East Moline maintenance department, and is a local business owner. His knowledge of our community will be an asset as he leads the department that gets our students to school and home safely each day. Please join us in welcoming Ryan to the EMSD #37 Team!
We are proud to introduce the East Moline School District Literacy Plan, a comprehensive framework that aims to provide high-quality, evidence-based literacy instruction to every student. This plan mirrors the Illinois Comprehensive Literacy Plan and serves as our roadmap for the future of reading and writing in our schools.
Our mission is to empower every learner to become proficient, independent, and critical lifelong readers. By aligning our practices district-wide, we are ensuring that every child receives a consistent and rigorous foundation, regardless of which school they attend.
View the Full EMSD37 Literacy Plan Here
Our district has made a significant push to ensure our teaching is both explicit and systematic. This means we don't leave reading to chance; we teach foundational skills like phonics and word recognition in a clear, logical sequence that builds in complexity.
To support this, we have dedicated a specific time of the day to give students exactly what they need:
For students who need extra support, we use this time to provide remediation on critical foundational skills.
For students who have mastered the essentials, we provide opportunities to extend their learning and tackle more complex challenges.
We are utilizing research-backed resources like Heggerty, 95% Core Phonics, and UFLI to ensure our instruction is effective.
While we recognize that we still have a long way to go, we are beginning to see very encouraging signs of improvement. Our district utilizes STAR Reading assessments to monitor student growth and identify trends.
Our most recent STAR data shows a clear upward trend. This is a testament to the hard work teachers are putting in to implementing best practices in reading instruction, and the hard work of our students as well. We are committed to maintaining this momentum and using this data to continuously refine our instruction and support every reader in East Moline.
