K-2 Attendance Centers
Central Elementary
Garfield Elementary
Lincoln Elementary
Dianne Fatka, Principal
Garfield Elementary 505 E. Walsh
641-856-0759 Centerville, Iowa 52544
Dear Parents:
Many of you are aware of the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, which requires schools to assess students annually and to meet student achievement goals. If a school does not meet those assessment and achievement goals (termed “adequate yearly progress” or AYP) for two consecutive years, and if the school receives federal Title I funds, then it is placed on a federal “Schools in Need of Assistance (SINA)” list and subjected to federal sanctions. Schools or districts are cited if they a) donot meet 95% participation rate for assessments, b) do not meet student achievement goals, or c) do not meet attendance rate for elementary and middle schools or graduation rate for high school.
I am writing to inform you that Garfield, Lincoln, Central, and the Preschool has been designated as a “School in Need of Assistance,” or SINA, under these federal guidelines because a portion of our students did not reach their reading goals for two consecutive years. As a result, our district is required by law to offer your student school choice to transfer to another school within the district that has not been designated as a school in need of assistance. We also will be offering supplemental educational services, such as tutoring, to eligible students. A list of approved supplemental educational service providers is on the Iowa Department of Education Website.
Please know that the SINA designation refers to federal criteria. We remain a fully accredited school in complete compliance with State of Iowa regulations.
WHY THE SCHOOL DIDNOT MAKE AYP:
Schools donot make AYP when they donot achieve one of the measures listed above.
*A subgroup did not meet their target in reading and math.
HOW THE SCHOOLS WILL IMPROVE:
We know that continuous improvement is important to ensure all of our students are reaching their highest potential. Using data about the students and their achievement, our staff already has begun to identify areas for improvement.
- The teachers meet every Wednesday to analyze student data and determine what type of intervention is needed for our students who are not proficient.
- Professional Development is in place for the staff regarding best practices in Literacy and Math.
Some student groups may require additional instructional interventions, pending a review of our current programs and services. In addition, the Iowa Department of Education and the Centerville School District already have begun providing technical assistance required by the NCLB law.
HOW PARENTS CAN HELP:
Parent support is essential to help your student reach his or her highest academic success, but parents may need ideas about the best way to be involved. A few suggestions include:
- Communicate regularly with your child’s teachers about overall goals for the year and your child’s progress toward those goals.
- Make sure your child attends school regularly. Attendance is important at every grade level. When your child must be absent, please talk with the teacher to coordinate make-up work and assignments.
- Help your child with his or her homework. If you are unable to help, contact the school to request a tutor.
- Volunteer at the school. Every teacher needs volunteers to help in the classroom, or even with projects that can be done in your home. Other areas in the school, such as the office or cafeteria, also need volunteers.
HOW TO REQUEST SCHOOL CHOICE:
You may apply for a school choice. If you wish for your child to remain in Centerville no action on your part is required.
HOW TO REQUEST SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL SERVICES:
We will offer supplemental education services, such as tutoring before or after school, for eligible students. Research for the federal government has shown that students who participated in supplemental educational services made significant gains in student achievement, and students who participated in multiple years did even better. The district is not required to provide transportation to off-site supplemental educational service locations. Transportation to these sites will be the responsibility of the parent.
As parents, you can be assured your student will continue to receive a high quality education. The assessment results cited by NCLB are one useful measurement for us, but we also have many other indicators to demonstrate our students’ achievement.
We are very proud of our students and of the education they receive from the PK-2 staff. We also are committed to continuous improvement, and will continue to seek new data and make any changes necessary to benefit student learning. We appreciate and depend on your ongoing support and assistance, and welcome your suggestions.
Sincerely,
Dianne Fatka
Principal
Iowa Department of Education
Approved Supplemental Educational Services Providers
AEA267 – “Ladders to Learning”
Subject Areas Covered: Math and reading
Grade Level to be Served: 1-8
Cost: $383/student/minimum of six hours
Contact Information:
Larry Erion
909 South 12th Street
Marshalltown, IA 50158
(641) 844-2475
Cedar Rapids Community School District –Cedar Rapids District
Subject Areas Covered: Reading and mathematics
Grade Levels to be Served: K-5
Cost: $875/year
Contact Information:
Mary Ellen Maske
907 15th St., SW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
(319) 558-2247
EduCare Learning Centers, Inc.
Subject Areas Covered: Remedial reading, writing and math
Grade Levels to be Served: K-12
Cost: Subject to applicable Title I Funding
Contact Information:
Kevin J McCarville, Ph.D.
1965 51st St., NE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
(319) 832-1965
Educarelearning.com
“Keys to Learning” –Keystone AEA 1
Subject Areas Covered: Reading and mathematics
Grade Levels to be Served: K-6
Cost: $250/student
Contact Information:
Sue Daker
Keystone AEA 1
1400 2nd Steet NW
Elkader, IA 52043
(563) 245-1480
Sylvan Learning Center
Subject Areas Covered: Reading, Math, Advanced Math, Writing, Study Skills, State Test prep College Prep, SAT/ACT prep
Grade Levels to be Served: PreK-12
Cost: Covered by Title I funding
Contact Information:
Jody Shaver
2963 100th St.
Urbandale, IA 50322
(515) 669-2060
Sylvan Learning Center of the Cedar Valley
Subject Areas Covered: Reading, Writing, Study Skills, Math Essentials, College prep, SAT/ACT prep
Grade Levels to be Served: K-12 for Reading, K-8 for math (including Algebra and Integrated Math)
Cost: $20-$49/hour/depending on size of group
Contact Information:
Ryan Thyer
4728 University Avenue
Cedar Falls, IA 50613
(319) 268-7333
Sylvan Learning Center/Sylvan Online of North Iowa (In Sylvan Center and Online)
Subject Areas Covered: Reading and mathematics
Grade Levels to be Served: K-12 for reading, K-8 for math including upper level courses in algebra and geometry
Cost: $25-$47/student/hour session
Contact Information:
James Mills, Director
1314 4th St. SW, Suite 203
Mason City, IA 50401
(641) 422-992