“We Open Tomorrow’s Eyes” “Soaring into the 21st Century”

435 Monticello Road, Statesville, NC28677

Phone: 704-872-7488 Fax: 704-924-8814

May 17, 2012

Dear Parent or Guardian:

Iredell-Statesville Schools along with other public North Carolina school systems has been governed by the No Child Left Behind federal legislation since its passage in 2002. Under this legislation every subgroup of students had to make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). If all subgroups in a school did not make AYP in the same subject for two consecutive years, it was designated as a federal school in improvement. All subgroups then had to make AYP goals for two consecutive years in order for the school to no longer be designated a federal school in improvement.

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) submitted an ESEA Flexibility Request to the United States Department of Education (USED) on February 27, 2012. The request was essentially to ask for a waiver from the AYP sanctions of No Child Left Behind. North Carolina is waiting to hear if its waivers will be approved, but Iredell-Statesville Schools wants to make parents aware of some changes that will occur if they are. With approved waivers under North Carolina’s ESEA Flexibility Request, schools will no longer be identified for improvement, corrective action, and restructuring. NCDPI has established new school designations; Priority, Focus, and Reward schools.

Monticello has been designated a Title I Priority school. Priority schools have a less than 50% proficiency rate and/or have a graduation rate of less than 60%.

Monticello has already planned these things to help students:

  • SAVE drop-in program, an afternoon credit recovery program for Monticello students
  • Weekly teacher professional learning community to address student concerns
  • FA (future absences) – a way for Monticello students with too many absences can make up their time

The school is planning other ways to meet students’ academic needs and would like stakeholder input from you. Please complete and return the questionnaire enclosed with this letter. This is your opportunity to provide direct input as to how the school sets a course direction for the 2012-2013 school year. Questionnaires can be returned to your child’s teacher or the front office. Responses will be forwarded to the members of the School Improvement Team for consideration at the next meeting.

Monticello remains committed to promoting parent involvement in their child’s education. The school will maintain a highly qualified teaching staff which will receive research-based professional development to improve the academic achievement of students.

If you have any questions about this letter, please call Principal Beth Bradleyat 704-872-5297.

Sincerely,

Beth Bradley

Principal

MonticelloSchool

PrioritySchool Stakeholder Input Form

Please list any ideas or suggestions you have to improve student academic performance.

List ideas that you have to improve or increase parent involvement at MonticelloSchool (What kinds of activities will bring parents into the school?)

Please provide ideas as to how the school can improve communication between the home and school.