The Single Plan for Student Achievement

School: Merle L Fuller Elementary

District: Chowchilla Elementary School District

County-District School (CDS) Code: 60-23881

Principal: Dr. Sandra Frisby

Date of this revision: June 2016

The Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) is a plan of actions to raise the academic performance of all students. California Education Code sections 41507, 41572, and 64001 and the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) require each school to consolidate all school plans for programs funded through the ConApp and ESEA Program Improvement into the SPSA.

For additional information on school programs and how you may become involved locally, please contact the following person:

Contact Person: Dr. Sandra Frisby

Position: Principal

Telephone Number: 559-665-8050

Address: 1101 Monterey Avenue

Chowchilla, CA 93610

E-mail Address:

The District Governing Board approved this revision of the SPSA on June 2016.

Table of Contents
Single Plan for Student Achievement
School Vision / Mission
School Profile and Description
School Accountability Report Card
Analysis of Current Educational Practice
Chowchilla Elementary School District 2014-2017 LCAP Goals
Student Safety (Goal #1)
Student Engagement (Goal #2)
Writing (Goal #3)
Reading (Goal #4)
Math (Goal #5)
Parent Participation (Goal #6) / 3
3
3
4
9
10
11
12
15
17
20
Centralized Services for Planned Improvements in Student Performance / 21
Programs Included in This Plan / 22
School Site Council Membership / 25
Recommendations and Assurances / 26
Single Plan for Student Achievement Annual Evaluation
Appendix A: Data
Parent Involvement
Parent Compact / 27
29
39
42

School Vision and Mission

The mission of the Chowchilla Elementary School District is to provide each student a superior education in a safe and positive climate that promotes high academic performance, personal responsibility and respect for self and others.

School Profile and Description Merle L. Fuller School is located in the City of Chowchilla. Merle L. Fuller was built during the 1948-1949 school year and had a complete remodeling of the original classrooms, the restrooms and office during the 1987-1999 school years. Merle L. Fuller School consists of twenty-five teachers in a unique configuration of 515 first through second grade students; including 11 first grade teachers, 11 second grade teachers, 1 part time resource teacher, a Title I specialist and 2 Special Day Class Teachers.

A computer lab is available to all Merle L. Fuller students. Each classroom at Merle L. Fuller is scheduled for approximately forty minutes of Computer Lab time to reinforce reading, writing and math standards that are taught in the regular classroom. The instruction in the lab is also geared to meet the technology curriculum requirements for first and second grade students.

Merle L. Fuller School students also have access to the school Library that is managed by two part time Library Aides. Students in each classroom have a designated one half hour each week to visit the library. The Library Aides reinforce the love of reading by reading selected stories to each class. The Library Aides introduce basic library skills that are reinforced in the classroom. Readers may also participate in an Accelerated Reader computer-assisted program designed to allow individual pacing. In addition to the classrooms, the Library and Computer Lab have designated computers to allow students to test in the Library and Computer lab on Accelerated Reader Program and computer designed assessments. Under the direction of the principal, the Library Aides run a successful volunteer Reading Program, pairing community members with students for 30 minutes per week in the Library.

Merle L. Fuller School has fourteen Instructional Aides who provide reinforcement and support for at risk students. Each Instructional Aide has received individual and group training from our teachers, principal, Title I Teacher, district personnel and regional staff.

In addition to our teaching staff, we have others who support our school. The office houses one full time secretary and one clerk. An Opportunity Room is setup to support on-site suspension and a place where students can be sent for serious infractions in the classroom and on the playground.

Great emphasis is placed upon merging the parents and students into a learning partnership with the school. Strong emphasis is placed upon early literacy skills in reading and language arts.

Instructional aides provide support for “at risk” students and are an integral part of the literacy program.

The SPSA is a plan which is designed to focus implementation efforts aimed at raising student achievement and improving the school’s academic programs. This plan outlines activities, strategies and approaches implemented at Merle L. Fuller Elementary School.

ANALYSIS OF CURRENT EDUCATIONAL PRACTICE

The following statements characterize educational practice at this school:

1.  Alignment of curriculum, instruction and materials to content and performance standards:

·  Curriculum Guide

·  State adopted core curriculum

The Board of Trustees has formally adopted the state standards in the core subject groups. The district adopts materials from the state approved adoption lists in these core subjects. The materials are aligned with the standards at each grade level and in each subject. In 2008-2009 Chowchilla Elementary School District adopted a new math series, HSP (Harcourt School Publishers) for K-6. The district has since adopted teacher made, student centered materials.

·  Merle L. Fuller Elementary School has aligned the curriculum, instruction and materials to content and performance standards by implementing state adopted core materials and board approved programs. Teachers have been provided Staff Development opportunities and grade level articulation time weekly to focus on the California State Content and Performance Standards, adopted core materials, and the opportunity to share and discuss best teaching practices and strategies. Weekly, dedicated Staff Development time has equipped the staff with skills to effectively integrate the standards and adopted text materials throughout the lesson planning and delivery process. Student performance and progress is assessed and recorded on a trimester basis. Assessment is ongoing, with the results reported each trimester on an assessment composite. Teachers have created and implemented pacing guides for use in language arts and mathematics. The pacing guides are another measurement to help ensure the alignment of curriculum, instruction and materials to the content and performance standards.

2.  Availability of standards-based instructional materials appropriate to all student groups:

·  Chowchilla Elementary School District supports a rigorous plan for English Language Learners. The program is based on the state grade level English Development Standards. The program offerings include structured English immersion, transitional programs, mainstreaming and alternative programs.

·  Good-first teaching has become a focus within the District. Ongoing staff trainings in the areas of writing, Cognitively Guided Instruction and Kagan Structures are in place to support staff in developing a wider repertoire of instructional strategies. Implementing strategies that best meet the needs of every student is our goal.

·  Adopted state material and supplemental materials in all classrooms

·  Additional materials available

·  All students are access to sufficient and appropriate textbooks and instructional materials in the core subjects of Reading Language Arts (Houghton Mifflin), Mathematics (Harcourt), Science (Harcourt), and Social Studies (McMillan Mc Graw-Hill) consistent with the content and cycles of the curriculum frameworks adopted by the state and local board of education.

3.  Alignment of staff development to standards, assessed student performance and professional needs:

·  Student data analysis

·  Grade level collaboration meetings

·  Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)

·  Trainings on Kagan Structures began in 2012-2013, with the entire district receiving trainings at the start of the 2013-2014 school year.

·  Cognitively Guided Instruction began in 2007-2008 is the current focus of the campus

·  Writing Trainings came about as a result of members of the District Assessment Team (two teachers representing each grade level and site admin make up the team) expressing a desire to access trainings to improve their instructional strategies in the teaching of writing. Units of Study by Lucy Caulkins was chosen as the model to implement at the site. The initial trainings ranged from 30-45 hours of class time and reflections. Ongoing review of focus student writing samples and videotaped lessons were two ways to monitor the effectiveness of the classroom application of the instructional strategies used.

Staff development is central to our efforts to increase academic achievement for all students. Regularly scheduled minimum days allow for staff development to take place and also promote opportunities for teachers to work collaboratively on ensuring all students meet the grade level standards.

4.  Services provided by the regular program to enable underperforming students to meet standards:

·  Student Study Team Meetings

·  Comprehensive Student Reviews (CSR’S) 2 times per year

·  Universal Access/ELD Instruction

·  Small group instruction in classroom setting

·  After school reading & math intervention (Fall & Spring Sessions)

·  Accelerated Reader

·  Fuller After School Program

·  CAST (Site based Review team for struggling students)

·  SST (Student Study Team - Special Education Review of Students progress)

·  Comprehensive Data Reviews Twice Per Trimester (Principal, Title 1 Teacher, RSP Teacher)

All students at Merle L. Fuller Elementary School participate in core instruction and take part in supplemental activities to support the core program. All teachers implement the standards-based instructional materials described above in coordination with good-first teaching. The district adopted materials and instructional strategies address the needs of all students, including underperforming students. During initial instruction, teachers use explicit instructional strategies and techniques to address the needs of the underperforming students.

Merle L. Fuller Elementary School has a Student Study Team process for students who are showing either academic or social difficulties. Two times each year a Comprehensive Student Review is conducted to pinpoint the student needs of every student. At this time students are provided an intervention matching the concern. Timely monitoring of student progress is used to determine if the intervention remains in place, or if the child requires a different level of service. Services may be discontinued at this time, or bumped up to a more supportive service. Students can be referred for an SST where a team, which includes the School Psychologist, Resource Program Specialist, Speech Therapist (if necessary), the classroom teacher, parents, and principal, meets and discusses the needs of the student. This team works together to create accommodations, modifications, goals and a plan for the student. Follow-up meetings and conferences are conducted to ensure the student is making adequate progress and/or to rewrite the goals if necessary.

Chowchilla School students have the opportunity to attend the Fuller After School program. The Fuller After School program provides instructional learning activities as well as some enrichment activities. The Fuller After School program is offered to the students 5 days a week for 3 hours each day. The students that attend are the Fuller after school program are instructed and supported by specially trained paraprofessionals and high school students.

5.  Services provided by categorical funds to enable underperforming students to meet standards:

·  Supplemental support services

·  After school interventions provided by general education teacher

·  Writing Instruction

·  English Learner Language Development Strategies

·  Instructional Aides

Categorical funds are used to strengthen and support the core curriculum program.

·  Title I funds are used to provide programs and materials for at-risk students in the District such as Rigby Readers which are used in a pull-out Reading Lab

·  Title II Part A funds are used to provide quality staff development for all teachers such as peer coaching to enhance the Writing and EDI trainings.

·  Title II Part D funds are used to enhance the existing technology in the District such as the promethean boards which are used in every classroom.

·  Title III funds are used to provide programs and materials for the EL students in the District such as writing training materials

·  There are instructional materials provided for these ELL classrooms which are funded throughout EIA/LEP monies. These monies also help fund the Instructional Assistants that are assigned to these classrooms.

6.  Use of state and local assessments to modify instruction and improve student achievement:

·  Computer data system (Data Driven Classroom )

Analysis of student data (grades, reading levels, benchmarks, other classroom assessments) is used to judge the overall achievement of the school and the subgroups. All test results and achievement data is disaggregated to identify student needs.

A variety of standards-based assessments are administered and used throughout the year to modify instruction and improve student achievement. Local assessments consist of pre/post benchmark assessments for English Language Arts and mathematics.

The California English Language Development Test (CELDT) is administered to English Learners in the beginning of the school year. This assessment is analyzed by the curriculum office, and Fuller Staff, to facilitate student instruction.

Fuller School is in Year 3 of Program Improvement. To address the needs of those student groups who have not achieved the established Annual Measureable Objectives (AMO), the School Site Council has adopted a school Restructuring Action Plan (see Attachment A). Implementation of the Plan will be monitored by an Alternative Governance Board.

7.  Number and percentage of teachers in academic areas experiencing low student performance:

·  Student Study Team

·  As noted by teacher trimester data to Principal

All teachers at Merle L. Fuller Elementary School have some students with low student performance as well as students with superior performance. Efforts to meet the needs of the students not meeting standards are continual throughout the year.

8.  Family, school, district and community resources available to assist these students:

·  ELAC

·  Family Club

·  School Site Council

·  DELAC

·  District Advisory Council

·  Fuller After School program

·  After school intervention (Fall and Spring sessions)

·  Nonprofit organizations that provide rich educational experiences

There are a variety of resources available to assist students in reaching their potential. There are frequent teacher-home communication, parent conferences twice a year, and referrals to outside agencies (counseling, medical needs). The district also has a variety of educational placements available to assist these students (on site intervention, Independent Studies, Home Hospital, RSP and SDC options).