Composite School Plan – 2014-2015 Valley View Elementary
SCHOOL’S PURPOSE
MISSION
Learning First!
VISION
Davis School District provides an environment where learning comes first. Students master essential learning skills, demonstrate civic responsibility, prepare for post-secondary education and careers, and engage in positive personal development. Parents are invested in their student’s education. Employees recognize the value of their individual contributions and commit to excellence. The community supports the educational process.
SCHOOL PURPOSE
The purpose of Valley View Elementary is to promote the mission of “Learning First!” for all. To accomplish our purpose we have set in place essential priority skills for every student in every grade level in the areas of reading, writing, math, and science. We also promote civic responsibility and accountability through school-wide rules and procedures along with positive behavior reinforcement. Supportive parents, highly involved community volunteers, and outstanding teachers play an integral part in each of these areas.
DESCRIPTION OF THE SCHOOL
COMMUNITY
Valley View Elementary was opened in 1962 and is located in the southeast end of Davis School District. During the fifty-one years of operation, it has always been a traditional school. The school is situated at 1395 South 600 East Bountiful, Utah 84010 in a suburban area that is about 10-12 miles from Salt Lake City, Utah. We serve families north of 1800 South, south of Millcreek Way, and east of Orchard
Drive. We also encompass a segment on 900 East to 2050 South and east to Bountiful Blvd. including the Ridgewood condominiums, the Stone Ridge development from 1100 South to 1800 South, and a small segment west of Orchard Drive at Millcreek Way to 200 East and north to 500 south. Approximately 75% of our students are within walking distance of our school. We have one bus that serves our community. The rest of the 25% of the students are carpooled to our school as they are in the Spectrum Advanced Learning classes (grades 3-6). Our PTA actively supports the school by providing volunteers and fund-raising efforts. The Community Council acts as an advisory board to the administration in decision making and determines the use of the School Land Trust funds provided by the State of Utah. This council is made up of eight parents and three faculty members. We have tremendous support from our community in many diverse ways. Community groups and leaders are invited and welcomed to participate in school programs and activities.
STUDENT BODY
Valley View Elementary has a student population of about 460 students with approximately 18% of move-in, move-out during the school year. Therefore our population is fairly stable. We are a K-6 elementary school with 18 classrooms and four portable units. We house the Advanced Learner Program (Spectrum) in grades 3-6 (one class for each grade) drawing students from areas beyond our school boundaries. Our school’s diversity includes: Asian (1.1%), African American (.7%), Caucasian (91.2%), Hispanic (3.1%), Native American (0%), Pacific Islander (1.1%) and Multiple Races (2.9%). Just under 1% of our students are ELL. Approximately 18% of our students are considered economically disadvantaged. Class sizes average about 26.8 students per class.
STAFF
There are 27 instructional staff members, including two mild/moderate special education teachers, one school counselor and one school psychologist, who serve the school community. We have 20 support staff that provide various services to the children. Forty percent of our teachers are ESL endorsed and twenty-four percent have attained their Master’s Degree. The average years of teaching experience at Valley View Elementary is 13 years with 100 percent female.
SCHOOL CULTURE
Valley View Elementary puts Learning First. Teachers and staff promote a caring, safe and nurturing environment. Each student is encouraged to reach their potential and become life-long learners. Our volunteers and community members are welcome and vital to the learning of each student. Our community has one of the highest volunteer rates in Davis County. Adults tutor children using the Next Steps Program sponsored through AmeriCorps. Our goal is to foster this program so that all students needing reading support can receive it through one-to-one adult tutoring. Teachers provide small group interventions to help increase student achievement.
UNIQUE FEATURES & CHALLENGES
The local neighborhoods have matured. Consequently, Valley View Elementary has a small student population which can create difficulties in designing balanced classes, and often results in grade level splits. The growth we receive is from the older population selling or renting their homes to a younger population and from the sales of a few new homes or condominiums. We are still in need of more space to run the programs we provide such as, a multipurpose room to provide opportunities for activities, assemblies, student productions, gym, etc. We also have a need for updated bathrooms, including an adult bathroom on the second floor. We have one room that houses lunch and all activities we provide. This is not adequate to run the programs we offer at our school. The K-4th grade classes still need a cooling system so that the teachers and students are not sweltering in the early fall and late spring. Our school has multiple levels which makes it difficult to transport mobile labs from floor to floor. Valley View would benefit from purchasing a mobile lab for each floor.
The Family Fall Festival and Spring Art Gallery Night have become favorite annual events. This year our school performed the musical, “The Berlin Candy Bomber,” with an original script and musical score. We plan on making this an annual event. Valley View has a strong PTA membership which supports the school in many ways including funding field trips, student activities, and providing numerous volunteers.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Programs offered at Valley View Elementary:
Small Group Intervention
Each teacher receives 25 minutes, four days a week to work with a small group of students. This time is used to provide Tier 2 interventions. During this time a teacher assistant supports the rest of the class in practicing previously taught concepts.
AmeriCorps
An AmeriCorps Coordinator recruits and trains community volunteers to tutor children in reading. Two LDS Stakes provide the majority of the volunteers to Valley View Elementary. This year we are participating with RSVP of Davis County to increase the number of volunteer tutors. School Land Trust funds pay half of the AmeriCorps Coordinator’s wage. The rest of the wage is paid by AmeriCorps.
ADVANCED LEARNERS’ PROGRAM
Valley View Elementary hosts one of the five Advanced Learners, or Spectrum Programs in the district. Spectrum students are given the opportunity to do challenging and rigorous work in the areas of math and reading. Students are encouraged to explore other areas of the curriculum in greater depth and complexity. Independent study opportunities are provided. Students may also participate in a variety of programs including: foreign language, history fair, science fair, and problem solving. Students are recommended by teachers and parents for this program and then tested by the District to determine if they qualify.
SEM
The SEM Program is the site-based school advanced learner program. The program provides both enrichment activities for all students in the school and enrichment cluster classes for students who demonstrate above average ability, task commitment, and an interest in a particular subject. Accelerated math classes, History Fair and Elementary Debate are examples of cluster classes that might be offered to small groups of students.
Music Specialist
Our Music Specialist offers one thirty minute class each week for all students where they learn musical appreciation and skills. The students also learn to play a variety of instruments.
P.E. SpecialistS
Our two P.E. Specialists work with the students weekly. They offer hands on skill building and teaching of healthy life styles.
Computer Specialist
Students meet weekly with the computer specialist to learn keyboarding and other advanced computer skills.
Counselor & SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST
Our counselor and school psychologist provide classroom lessons, small group interventions, and individual counseling. They assist students in learning to contribute and adapt to their diverse and changing world.
Student Council
This program is reserved for 6th grade students. They are recommended by their present and past classroom teachers in order to qualify. Students learn how to lead in areas of student government, making Valley View Elementary a fun and exciting place to learn. They conduct activities such as Spirit Days, assist with assemblies, make weekly announcements, and celebrate student birthdays monthly. The Student Council attends the Student Council Conference each year to learn and practice leadership skills.
Chess Club
The after school Chess Club is offered by parent volunteers (at no cost to students), during the second and third terms of school. Students come to learn the game of chess once a week, for several months.
SCHOOL MUSICAL
Valley View Elementary performs an annual school-wide musical with an original script and score. Students sing, act, and participate in creating scenery for the musical. A committee of parents and community members facilitate this program.
GRADE LEVEL ACTIVITIES
Valley View students participate in various activities at each grade level. All grade level programs feature the curriculum of that particular grade level. Some of the programs noted are Kindergarten Seasons, First Grade Mother’s Day, Second Grade Readers Theater, Third Grade Environment Program, Fourth Grade Utah History, Fifth Grade Patriotic and State Fair, and sixth Grade World’s Fair and Graduation. Third Grade Spectrum offers an opera in which the students write, produce, perform and create the scenery. The grade levels do many exciting activities including plays, fairs, etc.
NEEDS ANALYSIS
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
· 2013-2014 SAGE 77% Language Arts Proficiency 3-6
· 2013-2014 SAGE 66% Math Proficiency 3-6
· 2013-2014 SAGE 72% Science Proficiency 3-6
· 2013-2014 CRT 84% Language Arts Proficiency 1st Grade
· 2013-2014 CRT 87% Math Proficiency 1st Grade
· 2013-2014 CRT 82.5% Language Arts Proficiency 2nd Grade
· 2013-2014 CRT 85% Math Proficiency 2nd Grade
· 96.1% Average Daily Attendance
AREAS OF RECENT IMPROVEMENT
· 5% increase in total Language Arts Proficiency Grades 1-2
· 8% increase in total Math Proficiency Grades 1-2
· Science Achievement above district average
· 80% of students tutored by AmeriCorps increased reading fluency
· Whole school growth as evidenced by earning 225 out of 300 points
AREAS OF NEEDED IMPROVEMENT
· Increase Math proficiency of non-Spectrum 3-6 grade students by 4%
· Decrease tardies and early check outs by 3%
· Reduce number of chronic absenteeism from 4% to 2%
PROGRESS REPORT
REPORT PROGRESS ON PRIOR YEAR (2013-14) SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN
Goal #1:
All students K-6 will show progress toward or maintain proficiency on DIBELS benchmarks in the area of Language Arts (fluency and comprehension).
Met Goal (comments optional)
Did Not Meet Goal (comments required)
Comments: 88% Kindergarten students, 78% 1st grade students, 94% 2nd grade students, and 93% 3rd grade students were reading at or above benchmark.
Goal #2:
All students in grades K-6 will maintain or show progress toward math proficiency on DIBELS benchmarks that are assessed three times a year.
Met Goal (comments optional)
Did Not Meet Goal (comments required)
Comments: 88% of 1st grade students, 85% of 2nd grade students, 68% of 3rd grade students, 79% of 4th grade students, 63 % of 5th grade students, and 56% of 6 grade students were proficient on the standard Math assessments. DIBELs Math was not used this year.
Goal #3:
We will provide a Spanish instructor to teach Spanish to the Advanced Learner population at Valley View Elementary. The instructor will cover the foreign language curriculum mandated by the program. Students will master the curriculum at 85% mastery for their grade level.
Met Goal (comments optional)
Did Not Meet Goal (comments required)
Comments: Although the Spanish teacher provided lessons to the 3-6 grade Spectrum students, there was no formal data collected to show evidence of growth or achievement.
REPORT PROGRESS ON CURRENT YEAR (2014-15) SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN
Goal #1 (Literacy):
• 90% of students will show progress toward or exceed benchmark in reading by the end of 2014-2015 as determined by DIBELs Next and the Language Arts CRT and SAGE testing.
• 90% students will show progress toward or exceed their grade level priority skill in writing by the end of 2014-2015 as determined by grade level writing rubrics, Language Arts CRTs, and SAGE.
Progressing according to plan
Not progressing according to plan
Comments: As of February 2015, MOY benchmarks showed 60% of Kindergarten students, 69% of 1st grade students, 83% of 2nd grade students, and 90% of 3rd grade students are at or above benchmark in reading fluency.
Goal #2 (Readiness):
• 90% of students will make progress toward or exceed benchmark in math fact fluency by the end of 2014-2015 based upon SAGE scores and school-wide math probes.
• 90% of students will make progress toward or exceed mastery of grade level science vocabulary and concepts by the end of 2014‐2015 as determined by grade level science assessments, and SAGE Science test.
• Spectrum students will be provided enrichment through learning Spanish. Students will make progress toward and show mastery of Spanish language vocabulary and concepts as determined by pre and post-tests assessments.
Progressing according to plan
Not progressing according to plan
Comments:
As of January 2015, 75% of 1st graders, 42% of 2nd graders, 76% of 3rd graders, 70% of 4th graders, 79% of 5th graders, and 48% of 6th graders have mastered their math fact fluency priority skill.
As of January 2015, 85% of 2nd graders, 80% of 3rd graders, 84% of 4th graders, 83% of 5th graders, and 86% of 6th graders have mastered their priority skill in science vocabulary.
Students are demonstrating progress toward mastery of simple Spanish words and phrases such as colors, days, months, animals, singing simple songs, and using simple conversational speech.
Goal #3 (Quality Staffing):
• We will improve hands-on science instruction by providing vocabulary instruction, materials and staff development as determined by the DESK Standards and materials needed by each grade level. We will organize the Science cupboards by grade level. We will support science curriculum and instruction by funding field trips that provide this enrichment.
• Students will be exposed to and familiar with great artists and their individual technique. Students will create their own masterpieces based on the style of that artist. Students’ artwork will be displayed and shared with the school and community. Funds will be used to purchase curriculum and art materials. Program is run by parent volunteers.