2010 - Blue Ribbon Schools Program
Type of School: (Check all that apply) / []Charter / []Title I / []Magnet / []Choice
Name of Principal: Ms. Elizabeth Mascitti-Miller
Official School Name: School 58-World of Inquiry School
School Mailing Address:
200 University Ave.
Rochester, NY 14605-2931
County: Monroe State School Code Number*: 261600010058
Telephone: (585) 325-6170 Fax: (585) 262-8964
Web site/URL: rcsdk12.orgE-mail:
I have reviewed the information in this application, including the eligibility requirements on page 2 (Part I - Eligibility Certification), and certify that to the best of my knowledge all information is accurate.
Date
(Principal‘s Signature)
Name of Superintendent*: Mr. Jean-Claude Brizard
District Name: Rochester CSD Tel: (585) 262-8100
I have reviewed the information in this application, including the eligibility requirements on page 2 (Part I - Eligibility Certification), and certify that to the best of my knowledge it is accurate.
Date
(Superintendent‘s Signature)
Name of School Board President/Chairperson: Mr. Malek Evans
I have reviewed the information in this application, including the eligibility requirements on page 2 (Part I - Eligibility Certification), and certify that to the best of my knowledge it is accurate.
Date
(School Board President‘s/Chairperson‘s Signature)
*Private Schools: If the information requested is not applicable, write N/A in the space.
The original signed cover sheet only should be converted to a PDF file and emailed to Aba Kumi, Blue Ribbon Schools Project Manager () or mailed by expedited mail or a courier mail service (such as Express Mail, FedEx or UPS) to Aba Kumi, Director, Blue Ribbon Schools Program, Office of Communications and Outreach, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW, Room 5E103, Washington, DC 20202-8173
The signatures on the first page of this application certify that each of the statements below concerning the school‘s eligibility and compliance with U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR) requirements is true and correct.
1. The school has some configuration that includes one or more of grades K-12. (Schools on the same campus with one principal, even K-12 schools, must apply as an entire school.)
2. The school has made adequate yearly progress each year for the past two years and has not been identified by the state as “persistently dangerous” within the last two years.
3. To meet final eligibility, the school must meet the state’s Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) requirement in the 2009-2010 school year. AYP must be certified by the state and all appeals resolved at least two weeks before the awards ceremony for the school to receive the award.
4. If the school includes grades 7 or higher, the school must have foreign language as a part of its curriculum and a significant number of students in grades 7 and higher must take the course.
5. The school has been in existence for five full years, that is, from at least September 2004.
6. The nominated school has not received the Blue Ribbon Schools award in the past five years, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 or 2009.
7. The nominated school or district is not refusing OCR access to information necessary to investigate a civil rights complaint or to conduct a district-wide compliance review.
8. OCR has not issued a violation letter of findings to the school district concluding that the nominated school or the district as a whole has violated one or more of the civil rights statutes. A violation letter of findings will not be considered outstanding if OCR has accepted a corrective action plan from the district to remedy the violation.
9. The U.S. Department of Justice does not have a pending suit alleging that the nominated school or the school district as a whole has violated one or more of the civil rights statutes or the Constitution‘s equal protection clause.
10. There are no findings of violations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in a U.S. Department of Education monitoring report that apply to the school or school district in question; or if there are such findings, the state or district has corrected, or agreed to correct, the findings.
PART II - DEMOGRAPHIC DATAAll data are the most recent year available.
DISTRICT (Questions 1-2 not applicable to private schools)
1. Number of schools in the district: (per district designation) / 40 / Elementary schools (includes K-8)1 / Middle/Junior high schools
18 / High schools
K-12 schools
59 / TOTAL
2. District Per Pupil Expenditure: 18054
SCHOOL (To be completed by all schools)
3. Category that best describes the area where the school is located:
[ X ] Urban or large central city
[ ] Suburban school with characteristics typical of an urban area
[ ] Suburban
[ ] Small city or town in a rural area
[ ] Rural
4. 9 Number of years the principal has been in her/his position at this school.
5. Number of students as of October 1 enrolled at each grade level or its equivalent in applying school only:
Grade / # of Males / # of Females / Grade Total / Grade / # of Males / # of Females / Grade TotalPreK / 0 / 6 / 21 / 19 / 40
K / 20 / 21 / 41 / 7 / 29 / 35 / 64
1 / 23 / 21 / 44 / 8 / 0
2 / 20 / 27 / 47 / 9 / 0
3 / 19 / 29 / 48 / 10 / 0
4 / 19 / 19 / 38 / 11 / 0
5 / 25 / 23 / 48 / 12 / 0
TOTAL STUDENTS IN THE APPLYING SCHOOL / 370
6. Racial/ethnic composition of the school: / 1 / % American Indian or Alaska Native
2 / % Asian
78 / % Black or African American
8 / % Hispanic or Latino
0 / % Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
10 / % White
1 / % Two or more races
100 / % Total
Only the seven standard categories should be used in reporting the racial/ethnic composition of your school. The final Guidance on Maintaining, Collecting, and Reporting Racial and Ethnic data to the U.S. Department of Education published in the October 19, 2007 Federal Register provides definitions for each of the seven categories.
7. Student turnover, or mobility rate, during the past year: 2%
This rate is calculated using the grid below. The answer to (6) is the mobility rate.
(1) / Number of students who transferred to the school after October 1 until theend of the year. / 2
(2) / Number of students who transferred from the school after October 1 until the end of the year. / 3
(3) / Total of all transferred students [sum of rows (1) and (2)]. / 5
(4) / Total number of students in the school as of October 1. / 300
(5) / Total transferred students in row (3)
divided by total students in row (4). / 0.017
(6) / Amount in row (5) multiplied by 100. / 1.667
8. Limited English proficient students in the school: 3%
Total number limited English proficient 11
Number of languages represented: 6
Specify languages:
Spanish, Turkish, Russian, Pular, Maay Maay, Karen and Swahili
9. Students eligible for free/reduced-priced meals: 74%
Total number students who qualify: 275
If this method does not produce an accurate estimate of the percentage of students from low-income families, or the school does not participate in the free and reduced-price school meals program, specify a more accurate estimate, tell why the school chose it, and explain how it arrived at this estimate.
The World of Inquiry School, beginning in the 2009-2010, began its expansion to a Kindergarten through 12th grade model. Information requested as of fall '09 reflects the addition of the expansion which includes 7th grade. Prior to this year, the free/reduced-price school meals program was calculated at approximately 79%.
10. Students receiving special education services: 19%
Total Number of Students Served: 70
Indicate below the number of students with disabilities according to conditions designated in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Do not add additional categories.
6 / Autism / 0 / Orthopedic Impairment0 / Deafness / 20 / Other Health Impaired
0 / Deaf-Blindness / 20 / Specific Learning Disability
1 / Emotional Disturbance / 19 / Speech or Language Impairment
0 / Hearing Impairment / 1 / Traumatic Brain Injury
1 / Mental Retardation / 1 / Visual Impairment Including Blindness
0 / Multiple Disabilities / 0 / Developmentally Delayed
11. Indicate number of full-time and part-time staff members in each of the categories below:
Number of StaffFull-Time / Part-Time
Administrator(s) / 2 / 0
Classroom teachers / 18 / 0
Special resource teachers/specialists / 17 / 3
Paraprofessionals / 8 / 0
Support staff / 4 / 4
Total number / 49 / 7
12. Average school student-classroom teacher ratio, that is, the number of students in the school divided by the Full Time Equivalent of classroom teachers, e.g., 22:1 20 :1
13. Show the attendance patterns of teachers and students as a percentage. Only middle and high schools need to supply dropout rates. Briefly explain in the Notes section any attendance rates under 95%, teacher turnover rates over 12%, or student dropout rates over 5%.
2008-2009 / 2007-2008 / 2006-2007 / 2005-2006 / 2004-2005Daily student attendance / 96% / 96% / 97% / 97% / 96%
Daily teacher attendance / 97% / 96% / 97% / 96% / 97%
Teacher turnover rate / 0% / 15% / 5% / 0% / 15%
Student dropout rate / 0% / 0% / 0% / 0% / 0%
Please provide all explanations below.
Teacher turnover rate is determined by a state calculation and is not delineated by reason. Observational data at the school level suggests teacher retirements and displacements due to bargaining unit seniority are the primary reasons teachers have left the school. The fluctuation of turnover rates between 0% to 15% reflects the impact of losing one teacher due to the size of the school.
Although not driven by statistics, the value of a teacher drives a continuous focus for the recruitment and retention of dynamic educators.
14. For schools ending in grade 12 (high schools).
Show what the students who graduated in Spring 2009 are doing as of the Fall 2009.
Graduating class size / 0Enrolled in a 4-year college or university / 0 / %
Enrolled in a community college / 0 / %
Enrolled in vocational training / 0 / %
Found employment / 0 / %
Military service / 0 / %
Other (travel, staying home, etc.) / 0 / %
Unknown / 0 / %
Total / %
PART III - SUMMARY
"A Community of High Expectations"
The World of Inquiry School #58 is in the Rochester City School District, in Rochester, New York. Up until this year the school served students Kindergarten through 6th grade. This year, however, due in large part to the success of the elementary students, the World of Inquiry School was approved to open a Kindergarten through 12th grade program. In September 2009, the secondary school component opened beginning with the 7th grade. They will be the first graduating cohort, the Class of 2015. The school will continue to add a grade level each subsequent year, creating a Kindergarten through 12th grade school.
The World of Inquiry School serves students from across the district. Students enter our school through a central district lottery process. There is a high demand for school openings and a waiting list exists for each grade level. In the 2009-2010, over 200 students requested the kindergarten program for approximately 20 seats, and 400 students requested the secondary program for 35 available seats. As a result of our success, the Rochester City School District is attempting to replicate the school model in an effort to offer families and their children greater options in the Rochester community.
The World of Inquiry School began in the late 1960's and had a rich tradition of academic achievement and family involvement. Over time, however, it began to drift away from its practices and fell prey to more traditional teaching practices and declining student achievement. Approximately eight years ago the school community, eager to create a school that once again supported high levels of student achievement, embarked on a journey to return to its "roots" of inquiry based learning.
Today, the World of Inquiry uses the motto "Crew Not Passengers, A Community of High Expectations!" Our school community is devoted to providing a rigorous academic environment that develops students' ability to think critically, communicate effectively, and work collaboratively with others. Our small school structure allows us to offer personalized learning and to nurture students toward achieving their highest potential. Students are supported to take ownership of and be responsible for their own learning. In addition, parents are true partners in our educational process.
The World of Inquiry School is an Expeditionary Learning School. In our school, students engage in a process of inquiry through learning expeditions. Learning expeditions are in-depth units of study based on New York State Standards. Expeditions are centered on social studies and science content and are integrated across the disciplines. Students have multiple fieldwork experiences, grapple with genuine problems or issues, and create high quality projects that are presented to community members during exhibition nights.
An education at the World of Inquiry School balances academic rigor with character development. Students form partnerships with a diverse group of experts, contribute to service-learning projects, and utilize Rochester's rich multicultural and historical resources. Our mission is to prepare students to achieve their college and career goals in order to be compassionate and competent leaders of the 21st century. At the World of Inquiry students engage in:
Rigorous academic program balanced with character development
Crews- small advisor groups that meet daily
School wide community meetings that occur weekly
Exhibition nights (sharing of student work with community members)
"Outward Bound" adventure experiences
Student led conferences and portfolio presentations
Internships/Volunteer experiences
Community service projects
Collaboration with area colleges
Accelerated grade level work