2010 - Blue Ribbon Schools Program
Type of School: (Check all that apply) / []Charter / [X]Title I / []Magnet / []Choice
Name of Principal: Mr. Patrick Dee
Official School Name: Sanford Street School
School Mailing Address:
10 Sanford Street
Glens Falls, NY 12801-0000
County: Warren State School Code Number*: 63-03-00-01-0005
Telephone: (518) 793-5653 Fax: (518) 793-5770
Web site/URL: www.gfsd.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. Thomas McGowan
District Name: Glens Falls CSD Tel: (518) 792-1212
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. Devin Spencer
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) / 4 / Elementary schools (includes K-8)1 / Middle/Junior high schools
1 / High schools
K-12 schools
6 / TOTAL
2. District Per Pupil Expenditure: 12449
SCHOOL (To be completed by all schools)
3. Category that best describes the area where the school is located:
[ ] Urban or large central city
[ ] Suburban school with characteristics typical of an urban area
[ ] Suburban
[ X ] 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 / 28 / 20 / 48 / 6 / 0
K / 33 / 36 / 69 / 7 / 0
1 / 22 / 20 / 42 / 8 / 0
2 / 23 / 26 / 49 / 9 / 0
3 / 27 / 26 / 53 / 10 / 0
4 / 11 / 10 / 21 / 11 / 0
5 / 17 / 11 / 28 / 12 / 0
TOTAL STUDENTS IN THE APPLYING SCHOOL / 310
6. Racial/ethnic composition of the school: / % American Indian or Alaska Native
% Asian
1 / % Black or African American
3 / % Hispanic or Latino
% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
95 / % 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: 21%
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. / 38
(2) / Number of students who transferred from the school after October 1 until the end of the year. / 26
(3) / Total of all transferred students [sum of rows (1) and (2)]. / 64
(4) / Total number of students in the school as of October 1. / 310
(5) / Total transferred students in row (3)
divided by total students in row (4). / 0.206
(6) / Amount in row (5) multiplied by 100. / 20.645
8. Limited English proficient students in the school: 0%
Total number limited English proficient 0
Number of languages represented: 0
Specify languages:
9. Students eligible for free/reduced-priced meals: 54%
Total number students who qualify: 167
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.
Data is based upon approved applications for the Free and Reduced Breakfast/Lunch Program.
10. Students receiving special education services: 17%
Total Number of Students Served: 52
Indicate below the number of students with disabilities according to conditions designated in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Do not add additional categories.
8 / Autism / 0 / Orthopedic Impairment0 / Deafness / 11 / Other Health Impaired
0 / Deaf-Blindness / 10 / Specific Learning Disability
0 / Emotional Disturbance / 21 / Speech or Language Impairment
0 / Hearing Impairment / 0 / Traumatic Brain Injury
0 / Mental Retardation / 0 / Visual Impairment Including Blindness
2 / 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) / 1 / 0
Classroom teachers / 17 / 1
Special resource teachers/specialists / 13 / 0
Paraprofessionals / 5 / 0
Support staff / 8 / 9
Total number / 44 / 10
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 16 :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% / 96% / 95% / 96%
Daily teacher attendance / 96% / 97% / 96% / 95% / 96%
Teacher turnover rate / 15% / 20% / 11% / 10% / 10%
Student dropout rate / 0% / 0% / 0% / 0% / 0%
Please provide all explanations below.
The teacher turnover rate is an average estimate of one retirement per year. Staff very seldom has left Sanford Street for reasons other than retirement or reduction in force.
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
The vision of Sanford Street School is to provide a safe, positive, and stimulating environment; one that fosters self growth, a passion for continuous learning, confidence and the ability to succeed in a changing world. We promote excellence through high expectations and evolving standards for students, staff, parents and community. The challenge is for all to reach their personal best while respecting individuality. We share in the accountability for the implementation of this mission and to model behaviors that are influential to the character as well as the mind.
Sanford serves a uniquely diverse population in a small city setting. We have students from all socio-economic backgrounds, but primarily serve students in poverty who live in subsidized housing and are on public assistance. Transiency and homelessness are not uncommon.
The range of our students' abilities is equally diverse, but we routinely adjust settings and services to meet individual needs. We proudly implemented the first elementary collaborative inclusion classroom in the Glens Falls School District and now house two of three such classes in our district. Most special needs students are members of regular education classes and are given added support to be successful members of the classroom.Our autistic class using a 6:1:4 ratio mainstreams students with support of 1:1 aides wherever possible. Project Kindle serves the needs of students requiring enrichment opportunities.Recently, this class collaborated with the autistic students and created equipment to be used for activities promoting social interaction.
Within the classrooms of Sanford Street School, differentiation is the rule, not the exception.Students are regularly engaged in daily learning activities at their individual instructional levels; thereby producing intricate, meaningful outcomes. By using this format, all students feel like part of the Sanford family and are free to learn in a supportive environment.
The Sanford family extends beyond our students. We reach out to families and the community to make our school the best it can be. Parent volunteers continually support classroom programs. We have also been adopted by a local church and insurance agency who provide mentors for at-risk students as well as school supplies and snack for underprivileged children. Through school traditions, we strengthen bonds with parents as we collaborate together to support our students social development. Movie Nights, Supermarket Bingo, Talent Shows, Family Picnics, Spaghetti Dinners, and AIS Night are opportunities used to build relationships and trust which are crucial to student achievement.
One major accomplishment proved the depth of our joint commitment to our school. Due to coordinated efforts between faculty, staff, administration, PTA and local Home Depot, we were awarded a $65,000 grant from Kaboom for a new playground. A unique aspect was that the playground was installed by parents, Home Depot employees, and staff. The children were involved in the event as they voted on equipment they wanted, prepared songs for workers and were given opportunities to watch construction. We all shared lunch prepared by our food service coordinator and had local dignitaries participate in a ribbon cutting ceremony. The sense of community adorned the day.
Coordinated school and community efforts also helped us as we transitioned from a basal to a guided reading program to meet the diverse literacy needs of our students. Teachers donated their classroom or personal collections of children's books. Businesses and families donated some and we compiled a wonderful collection of multiple copies of leveled books. Administrators earmarked funds to further develop the inventory. By combining resources, sharing materials, and demonstrating their effectiveness, we developed a book room that helps us address the needs and interests of all of our students. We now have enlisted the help of an Eagle Scout to build bookcases to house our ever-expanding collection.