2010 - Blue Ribbon Schools Program
Type of School: (Check all that apply) / []Charter / []Title I / []Magnet / []Choice
Name of Principal: Ms. Katharine Pence
Official School Name: Kennebunkport Consolidated School
School Mailing Address:
25 School Street
Kennebunkport , ME 04046-6135
County: York State School Code Number*: 1786
Telephone: (207) 967-5998 Fax: (207) 967-5179
Web site/URL: http://kport.rsu21.net/E-mail:
I have reviewed the information in this application, including the eligibility requirements on page 2 (Part I - Eligibility Certification), and certify that to the best of my knowledge all information is accurate.
Date
(Principal‘s Signature)
Name of Superintendent*: Mr. Andrew Dolloff
District Name: RSU 21 Tel: (207) 985-1100
I have reviewed the information in this application, including the eligibility requirements on page 2 (Part I - Eligibility Certification), and certify that to the best of my knowledge it is accurate.
Date
(Superintendent‘s Signature)
Name of School Board President/Chairperson: Ms. Maureen King
I have reviewed the information in this application, including the eligibility requirements on page 2 (Part I - Eligibility Certification), and certify that to the best of my knowledge it is accurate.
Date
(School Board President‘s/Chairperson‘s Signature)
*Private Schools: If the information requested is not applicable, write N/A in the space.
The original signed cover sheet only should be converted to a PDF file and emailed to Aba Kumi, Blue Ribbon Schools Project Manager () or mailed by expedited mail or a courier mail service (such as Express Mail, FedEx or UPS) to Aba Kumi, Director, Blue Ribbon Schools Program, Office of Communications and Outreach, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW, Room 5E103, Washington, DC 20202-8173
The signatures on the first page of this application certify that each of the statements below concerning the school‘s eligibility and compliance with U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR) requirements is true and correct.
1. The school has some configuration that includes one or more of grades K-12. (Schools on the same campus with one principal, even K-12 schools, must apply as an entire school.)
2. The school has made adequate yearly progress each year for the past two years and has not been identified by the state as “persistently dangerous” within the last two years.
3. To meet final eligibility, the school must meet the state’s Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) requirement in the 2009-2010 school year. AYP must be certified by the state and all appeals resolved at least two weeks before the awards ceremony for the school to receive the award.
4. If the school includes grades 7 or higher, the school must have foreign language as a part of its curriculum and a significant number of students in grades 7 and higher must take the course.
5. The school has been in existence for five full years, that is, from at least September 2003.
6. The nominated school has not received the Blue Ribbon Schools award in the past five years, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 or 2009.
7. The nominated school or district is not refusing OCR access to information necessary to investigate a civil rights complaint or to conduct a district-wide compliance review.
8. OCR has not issued a violation letter of findings to the school district concluding that the nominated school or the district as a whole has violated one or more of the civil rights statutes. A violation letter of findings will not be considered outstanding if OCR has accepted a corrective action plan from the district to remedy the violation.
9. The U.S. Department of Justice does not have a pending suit alleging that the nominated school or the school district as a whole has violated one or more of the civil rights statutes or the Constitution‘s equal protection clause.
10. There are no findings of violations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in a U.S. Department of Education monitoring report that apply to the school or school district in question; or if there are such findings, the state or district has corrected, or agreed to correct, the findings.
PART II - DEMOGRAPHIC DATAAll data are the most recent year available.
DISTRICT (Questions 1-2 not applicable to private schools)
1. Number of schools in the district: (per district designation) / 4 / Elementary schools (includes K-8)1 / Middle/Junior high schools
1 / High schools
0 / K-12 schools
6 / TOTAL
2. District Per Pupil Expenditure: 10596
SCHOOL (To be completed by all schools)
3. Category that best describes the area where the school is located:
[ ] Urban or large central city
[ ] Suburban school with characteristics typical of an urban area
[ ] Suburban
[ X ] Small city or town in a rural area
[ ] Rural
4. 20 Number of years the principal has been in her/his position at this school.
5. Number of students as of October 1 enrolled at each grade level or its equivalent in applying school only:
Grade / # of Males / # of Females / Grade Total / Grade / # of Males / # of Females / Grade TotalPreK / 0 / 0 / 0 / 6 / 0
K / 17 / 17 / 34 / 7 / 0
1 / 15 / 18 / 33 / 8 / 0
2 / 23 / 16 / 39 / 9 / 0
3 / 17 / 12 / 29 / 10 / 0
4 / 15 / 18 / 33 / 11 / 0
5 / 12 / 17 / 29 / 12 / 0
TOTAL STUDENTS IN THE APPLYING SCHOOL / 197
6. Racial/ethnic composition of the school: / 0 / % American Indian or Alaska Native
0 / % Asian
0 / % Black or African American
0 / % Hispanic or Latino
0 / % Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
97 / % White
3 / % Two or more races
100 / % Total
Only the seven standard categories should be used in reporting the racial/ethnic composition of your school. The final Guidance on Maintaining, Collecting, and Reporting Racial and Ethnic data to the U.S. Department of Education published in the October 19, 2007 Federal Register provides definitions for each of the seven categories.
7. Student turnover, or mobility rate, during the past year: 11%
This rate is calculated using the grid below. The answer to (6) is the mobility rate.
(1) / Number of students who transferred to the school after October 1 until theend of the year. / 12
(2) / Number of students who transferred from the school after October 1 until the end of the year. / 10
(3) / Total of all transferred students [sum of rows (1) and (2)]. / 22
(4) / Total number of students in the school as of October 1. / 197
(5) / Total transferred students in row (3)
divided by total students in row (4). / 0.112
(6) / Amount in row (5) multiplied by 100. / 11.168
8. Limited English proficient students in the school: 1%
Total number limited English proficient 2
Number of languages represented: 1
Specify languages:
French
9. Students eligible for free/reduced-priced meals: 18%
Total number students who qualify: 36
If this method does not produce an accurate estimate of the percentage of students from low-income families, or the school does not participate in the free and reduced-price school meals program, specify a more accurate estimate, tell why the school chose it, and explain how it arrived at this estimate.
10. Students receiving special education services: 23%
Total Number of Students Served: 46
Indicate below the number of students with disabilities according to conditions designated in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Do not add additional categories.
5 / Autism / 0 / Orthopedic Impairment0 / Deafness / 2 / Other Health Impaired
0 / Deaf-Blindness / 12 / Specific Learning Disability
1 / Emotional Disturbance / 20 / Speech or Language Impairment
1 / Hearing Impairment / 0 / Traumatic Brain Injury
5 / Mental Retardation / 0 / Visual Impairment Including Blindness
0 / Multiple Disabilities / 0 / Developmentally Delayed
11. Indicate number of full-time and part-time staff members in each of the categories below:
Number of StaffFull-Time / Part-Time
Administrator(s) / 1 / 0
Classroom teachers / 11 / 0
Special resource teachers/specialists / 3 / 9
Paraprofessionals / 12 / 0
Support staff / 7 / 9
Total number / 34 / 18
12. Average school student-classroom teacher ratio, that is, the number of students in the school divided by the Full Time Equivalent of classroom teachers, e.g., 22:1 17 :1
13. Show the attendance patterns of teachers and students as a percentage. Only middle and high schools need to supply dropout rates. Briefly explain in the Notes section any attendance rates under 95%, teacher turnover rates over 12%, or student dropout rates over 5%.
2008-2009 / 2007-2008 / 2006-2007 / 2005-2006 / 2004-2005Daily student attendance / 95% / 97% / 96% / 96% / 98%
Daily teacher attendance / 95% / 96% / 95% / 95% / 96%
Teacher turnover rate / 2% / 2% / 0% / 0% / 2%
Student dropout rate / 0% / 0% / 0% / 0% / 0%
Please provide all explanations below.
14. For schools ending in grade 12 (high schools).
Show what the students who graduated in Spring 2009 are doing as of the Fall 2009.
Graduating class size / 0Enrolled in a 4-year college or university / 0 / %
Enrolled in a community college / 0 / %
Enrolled in vocational training / 0 / %
Found employment / 0 / %
Military service / 0 / %
Other (travel, staying home, etc.) / 0 / %
Unknown / 0 / %
Total / %
PART III - SUMMARY
“The mission of Kennebunkport Consolidated School is to provide a quality, caring and supportive educational community in which our students reach their full potential as independent, responsible learners and citizens.”
Kennebunkport Consolidated School (KCS) believes strongly in the importance of community, both within and beyond the walls of our building. Our mission statement, which was created as part of our re-accreditation process through the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), is reflective of the beliefs of the wider school community. KCS is a small school, personal in nature, and strongly committed to the Kindergarten through grade five structure and design. Communication, collaboration, high academic standards and service to the community have long been hallmarks of the school.
Once a K-8 school, with the opening of the Middle School of the Kennebunks, KCS became a K through grade five school. This restructuring opportunity offered the faculty a chance to rethink the teaming concept, refocus curricula areas, reorganize the facility, and generally reinvent ourselves. Our NEASC initial accreditation in 1998 provided a positive base for this work, and re-accreditation in 2008 not only supported the work we had accomplished but also has provided an effective blueprint for future change and growth.
As the only school in Kennebunkport, KCS enjoys strong parent as well as community support. Both the town and the school are small and tightly knit. The school is a vitally important component for the town as a whole, although approximately 80% of citizens do not have direct contact through enrolled students. Community connections are encouraged, sought and celebrated on both sides. The Trust in Our Children Program, which connects the school to the local land trust, and the school-wide Go Green initiative, are two excellent examples of these connections. Go Green would not exist without the monetary and in-kind donations of our parents, former parents and the community as a whole.
Our students are engaged, involved, articulate and happy. They strive to do well in a supportive and encouraging atmosphere, where every child is expected to progress and mistakes are seen as learning opportunities. Our weekly Friday Morning Meeting showcases specific student as well as classroom accomplishments, and highlights our school wide community service component, which last year totaled almost one thousand hours. Our students are greatly supported by parents who believe in education, who are active in the school community, and who effectively work with the staff as partners.
Although KCS is fortunate to have many strengths and accomplishments, perhaps our greatest asset is the quality of our staff. Through their work we have created a supportive and positive climate for teaching and learning. We have developed a strong and rigorous curriculum with instructional strategies that are engaging, individualized and effective, and use authentic assessment as the basis for instruction. While we recognize that resources in this current economic crisis are limited, we do have effective programs for our struggling learners, a good base of technology to support instruction, and reasonable fiscal support for our classrooms. An additional strength is that we know ourselves as a school fairly well, both the positive as well as the negative. Embracing the process of accreditation, both in 1998 and again in 2008, required us to take a comprehensive and detailed look at all aspects of the school through our eighteen month self-study. Our conversations were deep and insightful, and we became much more knowledgeable about the school and each other as a result.
We believe that KCS is a unique and special place for teachers and for students. Our high scores on the Maine Educational Assessment are but one example of the success of our school. The “story behind the numbers” would convey the oversight and leadership of our district, the dedication and commitment of our teachers, the support and involvement of our parents, the hard work of our students and the community’s belief in our school as a quality institution deserving of the phrase “Pride of the Port”.