Paul C. Garrison Elementary School Improvement Plan

Paul C. Garrison Elementary School Improvement Plan /
NCA Standards Assessment Report /
Mrs. Kelly Andrews, Principal /
9/15/2011 /

Table of Contents

I.INTRODUCTION

Narrative description of the community and school

The Community
The School

Description and location of the school’s curriculum

C.Titles, descriptions, and plan for implementation of

assessment instruments

1. Assessment tools

2.Impact of assessment program

3. Implementation plan

D.Opportunities for teachers to be included in decision-making

related to the use of academic assessment results

E.Commitment to highly qualified teachers in all core content areas

II.STATEMENT OF VISION, MISSION, AND BELIEFS

Richmond Community Schools
Paul C. Garrison Elementary School
School Mission
School Vision
School Belief Statements

III.SUMMARY OF DATA

A.Analysis of data from the Annual Performance Report

B.Attendance rate

C.ISTEP+ Performance

D.Data related to other performance indicators

1. Acuity

2. Fountes and Pinnell Reading

3. School Stakeholder Summary

E.The Learning Environment

1.Safe and disciplined learning environment

a. Positive Behavior Intervention Support

b. Disciplinary Procedures and Documentation

c. School Safety Committee

2.Implementation of school-wide reform strategies that

provide opportunities for all children to meet proficient

and advanced levels of academic achievement and which

use effective scientifically based research methods and

instructional practices

3.Educational programs, increasing the amount of learning

time, and activities to ensure that students having difficult

mastering proficient and advanced academic achievement

are provided with effective, timely additional assistance

Students with Special Needs
Response to Intervention
Language Arts for High Ability Students
Elementary Math for High Ability Students
Elementary LOGOS

Transitions
Preschool to Elementary School Transition
Elementary to Middle School Transition

IV.SUMMARY OF COMPREHENSIVE NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND GOALS

A.Focus Area 1: Language Arts - Strengths and challenge noted from comprehensive needs assessment, including information about how

the school’scurriculum and instructional strategies support theachievement of Indiana’s academic standards

B.Focus Area 2: Mathematics - Strengths and challenges noted from

comprehensive needs assessment, including information about howthe school’s curriculum and instructional strategies support the achievement of Indiana’s academic standards

C. Focus Area 3: Behavior - Strengths and challenges noted from

comprehensive needs assessment, including information about how

the school’s curriculum and instructional strategies support the

achievement of Indiana’s academic standards

D.Parental involvement

1.Strategies to increase parental involvement

2.Provision of individual academic results to parents

3.Strategies to involve parents in planning, review, and

improvement of school-wide plan

E. Analysis of Student Achievement

F.Technology as a learning tool

1. Technology Integration

2. Technology Assessment and Evaluation

G.Impact of professional development

H.Cultural competency

V.STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT OBJECTIVES

A.Attendance rate

B.ISTEP+ Performance

Language Arts
Mathematics
Behavior

VI.BENCHMARKS FOR PROGRESS

VII.PROPOSED INTERVENTIONS BASED ON SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT GOALS

VIII.PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN

IX. AREAS WHERE IMPROVEMENT IS NEEDED IMMEDIATELY

X.SUBMISSION OF SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN TO GOVERNING BODY

A.Statutes and rules the school wishes to have suspended

from operation

B.Coordination and integration of federal, state, and local funds

C.A list of programs that will be consolidated under school-wide plan

XI. APPENDICES

Richmond Community Schools Vision, Goals, Practice, and Mission
NCA Standards Report
Title 1 Parent Involvement Policy
Parent Involvement Evaluation Form
School-Parent Compact
School Improvement Teams Roster
Title 1 Plan and Budget
School Improvement Team Sign Off
District Assessment Calendar
Supporting data – Comprehensive Needs Assessment

*An item in italics indicates a Title I School-wide Plan/School Improvement Plan requirement

iii

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Narrative Description of the Community and School

1. The Community

Based on the census of 2010 there are 42,104 people residing within the boundaries of the Richmond Community Schools district. The racial makeup of the city is 88% white, 8% Black or African American, <1% American Indian and Alaskan Native, 1% Asian, <1% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, 1.8% Some Other Race, with 3.8% of the population identifying with more than one race.

There is a wide variety of housing in the district, ranging from small studio apartments to grand single-family homes. Of the 15,511 households in Richmond, 28% have children under the age of 18. Within these households, 39% have married couples living together, 15% have a female household with no husband present, and 39% are non-families. Thirty-three percent of all households are made up of individuals and 15% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.25 and the average family size is 2.85.

In Richmond, the age of the population is spread out with 33% under the age of 18. The median age in Richmond is 38.5 years.

The median income for a household in the district is $34,971, and the median income for a family is $42,885. The per capita income for the city is $21,263. Nineteen percent of the population and 16% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 28% of those under the age of 18 and 11% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

2. The School

Paul C. Garrison Elementary is a K-6 school in Richmond, Indiana in the rural southeast corner of WayneCounty outside of the Richmond city limits. It serves students who live in single family homes, both in a rural setting outside of the city and in neighborhoods inside the city, as well as three large income dependent apartment complexes located in the far corners of the district. Garrison’s school district covers the largest square mileage of all the elementary schools.Regularly, families join us from distant parts of the world: China, South Africa, India, Japan, and Mexico, to name a few, which adds to our diversity. Opened in 1972 with an “open concept” design, the facility is in need of upgrades and repairs with a design that will promote academic success. Garrison is scheduled to undergo a major renovation to be completed at a time to be later determined. The Townsend Cabin, that features a delightful local history, was relocated to the Garrison property in 1976. It is the centerpiece of “Cabin Days” each fall when school-wide activities are planned around one of three historical themes.

The school certified staff includes:

One principal,
Fifteen grade-level teachers for grades K-6
Two special education resource teachers,
One part-time social worker,
One Interventionist
One Literacy Coach
a part-time Speech/Language Pathologist,
a full-time Library Media Specialist,
a 3/5 part-time art teacher,
a 3/5 part-time music teacher,
a 3/5 part-time physical education teacher.

The average class size at Garrison Elementary is 20 students per classroom. Fourteen of 15 classroom teachers work with 43 students with special needs. Garrison Elementary is currently a School Wide School for Title I.

Garrison employs highly qualified teachers in all core content area classes. A letter is sent at the beginning of each school year describing this information for all parents. The teaching staff is dedicated and experienced, modeling lifelong learning by engaging in professional development, applying it in their own classrooms, and then reflecting on the impact on student achievement. A little more than 50% of the teaching staff has 10 or more years of experience and 25% of the staff are or will be eligible for retirement within the next few years. Teacher recruitment is coordinated at the district level. Richmond Community Schools will employ a number of strategies to attract and retain highly qualified teachers, including: visiting university job fairs; posting open positions on the Department of Education website, advertising with university education departments; and providing student teaching opportunities for pre-service teachers.

When a new teacher comes to Garrison Elementary, they are partnered with an experienced teacher who serves as his/her mentor to assist them in getting acclimated to the school. The Literacy coach provides additional training to support them. Additional support is also provided in Positive Behavior Support and Second Steps by the building’s PBIS Team. All teachers are evaluated on a regular basis to provide additional support by the principal. Novice teachers are evaluated annually and tenured teachers are evaluated on a three year cycle until 2012 when all teachers will be on an annual evaluation cycle. All teachers are evaluated utilizing a research based rubric (Danielson).

Non-certified staff members in the building include:

Three full time instructional assistants for Special Education
Two full time instructional assistants for Kindergarten.
All instructional paraprofessionals meet NCLB requirements to be considered highly qualified
Two and a half custodians,
One clerical/health assistant,
One secretary.

All support staff are evaluated annually by the principal.

Volunteers are present regularly and help in the classrooms, library and office.

Factors determining socio-economic status include a 55% rate of students (183 students) who receive free or reduced lunch in the current 2010-2011 school year. Approximately 162 (49%) are on free lunch while approximately 21 (6%) are on reduced lunch. This has increasedfrom 53% reported in the 2009-2010 school year.

In addition to regular core subjects, fine arts, music, physical education, library, and special needs classes, the following programs and/or services are provided: nursing services, a high ability program, YMCA after school program, Boys and Girls Club after school care and counseling groups facilitated by the school social worker. Various academic and sport-related activities are offered after school and Girl Scouts meet monthly. Breakfast and lunch are served daily.

Technology at Garrison Elementary School is providing its students with up-to-date technological opportunities; which engage students in the instructional process and allow them to become a global learning community. Garrison has an interactive website that provides information on school events, accomplishments, links to individual teacher websites, and other school information. The learning center in the library has a scan/computer software system that effectively monitors all book check in/checks out procedures and provides web contacts for book related subjects. In 2011-2012, SmartBoard technology systems will be installed in seven classrooms to enhance the digital part of the new reading and math curriculum. Two of the systems are courtesy of the school PTO. Eight Netbooks will be in use for assessment and progress monitoring. Currently each classroom has 2-4 PC workstations connected to the network, with some classrooms having five. Other technology at Garrison includes: TV’s, telephones, 2 LCD projectors, VCR/DVDplayers connected to TV’s in every room, access to overhead projectors, 3 I-PADS, and Internet access in every room. Software is continuously updated to support curriculum. The computer lab currently has a 30-station PC computer lab equipped with a portable Smart Board. Richmond Community Schools has also purchased student licenses for SuccessMaker to be used to supplement instruction in grades K-6, and Rosetta Stone is available for our ESL population.

B. Description and Location of the Curriculum

Richmond Community Schools’ written curriculum is based on the Indiana Academic Standards. Each teacher has a copy of the standards in their classroom. Additionally, instruction is aligned with the Indiana Department of Education Curriculum Maps. The Indiana Academic Standards and the IDOE Curriculum Maps are available in the Garrison Elementary School office, and can be accessed online at the Richmond Community Schools website at

Curriculum in the Richmond Community Schools will be:

Aligned with State and National Standards: As the state curriculum maps are updated to reflect the transition to the National Core Standards, instruction will be aligned to ensure consistency with the curriculum maps. Building administrators will take an active role in communicating with teachers, parents, and students in explaining the curriculum and how curriculum objectives are being met in their schools. They will observe instruction to ensure that the curriculum is being implemented and that learning is evident by reviewing student work, classroom displays, and assessment data.

Aligned with Instruction and Assessment: Curriculum will drive instruction and assessment, and all will be in alignment.

Rigorous and Challenging for all Students: In all content areas and grade levels, the curriculum will go beyond basic skills and reflect higher order thinking.

Relevant and Meaningful to Students: In all content areas and grade levels of instruction, the curriculum will be relevant and meaningful to the lives of the students. Teachers and students will be encouraged to make connections to other disciplines and to real life. Students will be expected to be able to explain what they are learning and why it is important to learn that particular skill or concept.

Appropriate to the Learner: In all content areas and at all levels of instruction, curriculum will be instructed to accommodate the diverse groups of learners who have different readiness levels, learning styles, and interests. Teachers will implement a variety of instructional strategies, assessments, resources, and flexible grouping patterns to meet the needs of all learners.

C. Titles, Descriptions, and Plan for Implementation of Assessment Instruments

Assessing the progress of students is a major priority in Richmond Community Schools. The comprehensive assessment plan is designed for four purposes:

Outcome measures are used to measure growth over time and to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the instructional program.

Diagnosticmeasures help teachers plan instruction and provide in-depth information about student skill levels and needs.

Screening measures provide information to determine which students are at risk and in need of intervention.

Progress monitoring measures help determine if students receiving additional support and interventions are making adequate progress or in need of more intensive or different support or interventions.

Many assessment tools fill more than one purpose, and RCS has developed and implemented an assessment plan that is carried out district-wide. For the 2011-2012 school year, m-Class Reading and m-Class Math will be added at the kindergarten through second grade. The following chart portrays the Assessment Plan. A copy of the District Assessment Calendar for the upcoming school year is included as an appendix to this plan.

Richmond Community Schools
Assessment Plan
Grade
Levels / Screening / Formative / Progress Monitoring / Summative / Schedule
Pre-LAS Test / K-12 /  /  / Enrollment
Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test / K /  / 1 x year
mClass Reading 3D / K-2 /  /  /  / 3 x year
mClass Math / K-2 /  /  /  / 3 x year
Writing Assessments / K-8 /  /  / 2-3 x year
Acuity Predictive / 3-8 /  / 3 x year
Acuity Diagnostic (Fairview) / 3-6 /  /  / 4 x year
IREAD / K-3 /  / 1 x year
LAS Links / K-12 /  / 1 x year
ISTEP+ / 3-8 /  / 1 x year
End of Course Assessments / 9-12 /  / 3 x year
Scholastic Reading Inventory / 7-8 /  /  / 1 x year
Common Core Assessments (Algebra) / 7-12 /  / 4 x year
Common Core Assessments (English) / 9-12 /  / 4 x year

D. Opportunities for Teachers to Be Included in Decision-making Related to the Use of Academic Assessment Results

Every teacher uses data from the district assessments, as well as a variety of classroom assessments to evaluate the learning growth of his/her students. The information gleaned from careful analysis of the assessments guides instruction. Teachers receive training on accessing and interpreting the data through their Tuesday afternoon professional development; and grade level teams meet monthly to review the data and plan their instructional response. Aside from ISTEP+, the assessment tools provide real-time data, and all teachers have access to the data from their teacher workstations. Assessment results are used to create data walls to ensure that every student’s progress is tracked, and appropriate instructional strategies are implemented. Through a process of tiered interventions, teachers are intensely involved in the decision-making process related to the use of assessment data.

E. Commitment to Highly Qualified Teachers and Paraprofessionals

All Garrison Elementary teachers are deemed to be highly qualified, and all paraprofessionals in Title I buildings are deemed to be highly qualified. Teachers may be highly qualified as demonstrated by successful completion of the National Teacher Examination or the HOUSSE Rubric, while paraprofessionals may be deemed highly qualified through completion of 60 college credit hours or successful completion of the PRAXIS Examination. All staff credentials are available in the Human Resources Office of Richmond Community Schools.

Richmond Community Schools is fortunate to attract and hire the very best professionals available to staff our schools. Richmond Community Schools, along with Garrison Elementary School, have many strategies in place to ensure that highly qualified individuals are employed. Human resources personnel and school administrators visit college recruitment days, and maintain direct contact with local colleges and universities. Richmond Community Schools maintains an attractive and user-friendly website where vacancies are publicized and applications can be completed online. Employment opportunities are also posted on the Indiana Department of Education website ( Additionally, Richmond Community Schools works closely with colleges and universities in the placement and supervision of student teachers, where potential employees can be observed over a period of time.

II. STATEMENT OF MISSION, VISION, AND BELIEFS

A. Richmond Community Schools

Garrison Elementary School is a part of the Richmond Community Schools Corporation. As a member school, it is aligned with the district’s Vision Statement, Mission Statement and Goals, which are included in the Appendix to this plan.

B. Paul C. Garrison Elementary School

1. School Mission

Building Knowledge, One Log at a Time.

2. School Vision

Connections to the real world
Achievement for ALL
Best practice instruction
Inquiring minds for lifelong learning in a
Nurturing, caring, creative community

3. School Belief Statements: