HAMBURG CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
Charlotte Avenue Elementary SchoolSchool Improvement Plan
September 2011
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PURPOSE OF THE SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN
The school improvement process requires a systematic review of current data/information, the analysis of current initiatives, and the understanding of student needs in order to determine how instruction and academic achievement can be improved. The process of developing a School Improvement Plan allows the School Improvement Team an opportunity to review current student achievement data, research and assess the effectiveness of the current improvement plan and instructional programs, discuss proposed modifications and adjustments to the plan goals, and create action plans that will translate into observable, effective strategies to improve student achievement. These strategies are to include effective research-based methods for the delivery of high quality instruction to ALL students, including disaggregated subgroups, accelerated students, Academic Intervention Services (AIS) for students who score below the State designated performance level on State assessments and/or who are identified as at-risk of not achieving the State standards based on local assessments. Finally, the School Improvement Team will develop a monitoring component to assess implementation and whether the proposed goals, strategies, and activities have resulted in improved student performance.
This plan should be a product of the collaborative analysis and effort for all stakeholders: staff, parents, administrators, and students (if appropriate). Once the School Improvement Plan is approved, it must serve as an on-going focus for implementing instructional strategies, professional development, systems change, and parent involvement activities for the 2010- 11 school year.
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BUILDING LEADERSHIP TEAM
School Name: Charlotte Avenue Elementary / Grade Level: Pre K - 5POSITION / NAME / SIGNATURE
Principal / Trena Mooar
Assistant Principal / NA
Assistant Principal / NA
HTA Representative * / Noreen McAllister
Parent Representative * / Cindy Edie
Student Representative * / NA
Board Liaison * / Matt Dils
Assistant Superintendent * / Gregg Davis
Superintendent of Schools * / Steve Achramovitch
* School Improvement Plan has been reviewed
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School Improvement Team
School Improvement Team participants should be representatives of the various constituencies involved in the school improvement process. You may choose to include participants from outside of the school community who are regularly involved in school improvement initiatives serving as community members and higher education. You may also invite other school improvement partners to consult with you through part or all of the process.
NAME / POSITION / SIGNATUREKristy Brayman / Classroom Teacher
Nancy Dennis / Classroom Teacher
Cindy Edie / Parent
Lisa Fiore / Special Education Teacher
Cheryl Langendorfer / Classroom Teacher
Noreen McAllister / Classroom Teacher
John McFall / Classroom Teacher
Trena Mooar / Principal
Katheleen Ziemer / Classroom Aide
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Charlotte Avenue Elementary School
VISION, MISSION, COLLECTIVE BELIEFS
Each school is expected to utilize our district Mission and Collective Beliefs to either review and revise your school’s current vision or to create the vision for your school community. Upon completion of your school’s vision, develop your mission and core beliefs that reflect your intent to achieve the vision.
VisionThe Charlotte Avenue School community will continue to be recognized as a top achieving school. / Mission / Beliefs
Collaboration
Community
Cooperation
Endurance
Lifelong Learning
Motivation
Pride
Respect
Responsibility
The children of Charlotte Avenue School
will be
C confident, creative citizens
who
A achieve academic excellence
By being
S strong, self-motivated students!
*Artwork designed by Mackenzie Steffen Grade 4
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
SCHOOL PROFILE AND NARRATIVE DESCRIPTION
OF RELEVANT SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY DATA
The narrative description should provide a “snapshot” of the school and contain an accurate overview of the school’s current educational program and the significant changes that will be implemented for the 2010-11 school year. It must contain the following:
· Student and staff demographics, including issues such as attendance, suspensions, ethnic diversity and other issues that impact the school; provide an analysis of student achievement trends in ELA and mathematics for at least the last three years;
· A description of instructional programs and school-wide educational initiatives, including accelerated and/or enriched curriculum offerings, Academic Intervention Services, programs for English language learners and special education students that support rigorous learning for all students. Indicate the grade levels and number of students served for each initiative and, in instances where participation is mandatory (such as AIS) indicate how that requirement is met;
· An overview of focused intervention(s) to address the needs of specific student subgroups that have not met the Annual Measurable Objective (AMO), Safe Harbor target, and/or 95% participation rate requirement;
· A detailed description of existing collaborations with community-based organizations (CBOs), universities, and corporations, including how they are integrated into your planning process and how their services support and align with your goals.
Charlotte Avenue Elementary is one of four elementary schools in the Hamburg Central School District. At present we have 251 students K- 5, with 163 PreK students. The PreK program is a district program housed at Charlotte Avenue. Charlotte Avenue has now met the regulations for becoming a Title one school, with 15.6 % economically disadvantaged. Our ethnic diversity is almost non-existent.
Charlotte Avenue at this time has two sections of grades one through five and three sections of kindergarten. Enrollment continued to climb at the kindergarten level throughout the summer, causing the need for a third section. Charlotte Avenue is following an integrated co-teaching model, with all but one level working with a special education teacher. This is our first year for having a student speaking another language at the PreK level, who is being serviced by our ESL teacher. This student will be a UPES a student next year in kindergarten. PreK is capped at 18 students, as required by the grant; kindergarten was capped at 20, with the rest of the building at 24. At this time one second grade has a population of 25, one above the suggested district guidelines. All teachers on staff are fully licensed and certified, with all aides meeting the district’s requirement for course work.
Our staff is actively involved in the district’s new push towards the writing process, a balanced literacy program, aligning our current curriculum with the new state standards, and student preparation for assessments. Each grade level has a representative in Cohort 1. This Cohort will begin to study Reading Workshop throughout the year. Within the building we have an active Student Support Team, Core Team, Data Team and a Technology Liaison. Due to Charlotte’s small size, many of our staff members serve on several committees.
Charlotte is fortunate to have an active PTSA (Parent Teacher Student Association), which raises thousands of dollars yearly to provide enrichment through assemblies and field trips. We have family involvement through parent volunteers and events sponsored through the PTSA. Each September, Charlotte has a “Welcome Back Picnic” for families and staff. This is an opportunity to renew friendships and to meet the staff. As the year goes on, several other events are sponsored by the PTSA: Halloween Party, Bingo Night, Dance through the Ages, Field Day, Cast Party for our musical, Picture Day and Year Book. An offshoot of this organization is the 5th grade parent support group, which helps fundraise and plan activities for our oldest grade level (5th) in the school.
Academically, Charlotte has focused on the district’s initiatives, implementing new reading and math programs over the last seven years. The reading program, Scott Foresman Reading Street, has been used as the district’s anchor program, providing a balanced approach. Within this series, students have the opportunity to read both instructional and independent text. As the year moves on, a new Balanced Literacy Cohort will begin using Lucy Calkins’ kit to support this endeavor. As part of a balanced literacy approach, we will revisit successes (independent reading, guided reading, literature circles and read alouds) and focus on strengthening vocabulary and spelling development. Several Charlotte Avenue staff members currently on the district’s cohort one group, are exploring an effective, research-based writing program. Our goal is to identify best practices to integrate both the reading and writing process across the curriculum. Several staff members were involved in the district assessment committee, but the committee has been put on hold, as we need further investigation and understanding of the CCSS and the alignment of the curriculum.
The district math program, Macmillan/McGraw-Hill, has been in existence since 2002 with students showing continued success on state and local assessments. Upon further understanding of the CCSS and the new rigor of the State assessments, the district will make decisions in regard to this program. Our part-time intervention teacher supports students through knowledge gained from unit assessments.
The district has taken advantage of BOCES elementary science kits. Teachers are trained on kits designed for their particular level. Dates for each kit are coordinated with BOCES in the spring of the previous year. Kits align with the state standards and follow a progression of information, and they help to prepare students for the Fourth Grade State Assessment.
The Social Studies curriculum is aligned with the NYS Social Studies Standards and Performance Indicators. Teachers embed student learning through our Scott Foresman reading program as well as with supplemental materials. Last year new social studies textbooks were purchased for grades 3-5.
Prior to the change in state assessments, Charlotte Avenue students consistently performed well. The latest trend data for grade 3-5 ELA assessments reveals a need to drill down to specific skills in order for students to meet the more rigorous assessments from the state. Students have been invited to participate in before-school literacy and math programs in order to provide additional academic support. Students in grades 3-5 also visited their assessment from the previous year to review and discuss prior to taking the state assessments.
Academic Intervention Services include part-time reading and math intervention specialists. Within these programs we have 31-35 students being seen to support and improve student understanding of curriculum. Pull out and push in support is applied throughout the school day. Several classroom teachers support students after school with review of concepts previously taught. Currently we have enrolled 24 students who are classified by the Committee on Special Education. These students are serviced by two full-time special education teachers. The services each student receives are mandated by the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP). Services provided to students include resource room, integrated co-teaching, and consultant teacher. Classrooms with identified students also receive additional support from classroom aides. Special education students are exposed to the general education curriculum and receive supplemental materials, interventions and strategies to address academic and behavioral needs. Students who qualify may receive additional help, including Speech and Language Services, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Vision and Hearing Instruction, and Adaptive Physical Education. All support staff meet weekly with classroom teachers to align the students’ support in all academic areas.
A continued emphasis on technology instruction, acquisition of additional hardware, and staff development is needed within the building. We currently have Smart Boards available in several of our classrooms, and hope to infuse other classrooms and special areas with this form of interactive instruction. The use of this technology has resulted in increased student engagement and motivation. It is our hope that through the use of moneys from the capital improvement proposition we will be able to purchase additional current technology that will help our students be competitive in future endeavors.
Our newly formed Data Team/CORE/Grade Levels will continue to identify common needs through review of the information found in the data warehouse. Staff will select appropriate research-based strategies to address the identified needs. Action research has been put into place school wide by having students identify a particular paragraph/sentence that supports their answer choice on benchmark and selection assessments. Professional development for staff in the areas of researched strategies will be ongoing.
Students in fifth grade are given many leadership opportunities. Students selected as Peer Helpers welcome and assist new students, help in kindergarten classrooms, and serve as babysitters for PTSA functions. Those participating in Safety Patrol assist daily at arrival and dismissal, ensuring safety for all students.
At Charlotte Avenue School, we have strong connections with our local community. Our connection with the community will once again be supported through our Builders Club. We are looking forward to participating in community-run projects throughout the year. Charlotte Avenue is a caring, giving school. Weekly staff dress down days has collected money for numerous charities. At Thanksgiving and Christmas, students and staff participate in food drives and purchase holiday gifts for needy local families. Additionally, the Charlotte Avenue community is quick to respond to local and worldwide needs such as Warm the Children and the Japanese earthquake relief effort.
The staff at Charlotte has participated in a variety of professional development opportunities provided at the district level as well as the building level. A literature circle was run to explore of Deb Miller’s, Reading with Meaning. As a staff we imbedded the 12 Powerful Words from Larry Bell in our morning announcements. Grade levels were assigned specific words to explain over the morning announcements. Teachers reinforced these words throughout the week. As we develop our School Improvement Plan, it will become clear where we will need to go next. Many staff members have taken the opportunity to participate in CSLO courses and classes offered by the Teachers’ Center.
ELA and Math Trends for 2010-11 State Assessments
Upon review of the data provided from the Assistant Superintendent for Information in regard to both the ELA and Math state assessments for 2009-10 and 2010-11, several conclusions were evident. In the previous year (the year of the new cut scores) student success in most areas met state standards. As we review the item analysis of last year’s testing, areas of concern begin to appear in all grade levels on the ELA. Although unable to visit the exact questions in the multiple choice section of the assessment, several general statements can be assumed using present and new CCSS. Based on this information, summary questions are discussed in the narrative response.