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Title I School Plan

2014-2015

Independence Elementary School

Introduction

I.Comprehensive Needs Assessment

II.School Wide Reform Approaches

III.Highly Qualified Professional Staff

IV.Professional Development for All Professional and

Paraprofessional Staff

V.Strategies to Attract Highly Qualified Teachers

VI.Strategies to Increase Parental Involvement

VII.Strategies to Assist Preschoolers in Making the Transitioninto Elementary School

VIII.Teachers as Decision Makers in Using Assessments

IX.Timely and Effective Educational Support

  1. Coordination and Integration of Federal, State, and Local Services and Programs
  1. Planning Team Members

Title I School Plan

2014-2015

Independence Elementary School

This initial Title-I SchoolPlan was developed during the 2007-2008 school year through a process that included all stakeholders. The report will be evaluated and reviewed annually and will be revised as required. The plan is available to the public, and it is written in an understandable and uniform format.

  1. Comprehensive Needs Assessment

Assessment Tool / Description / Desired Outcome / 2012-2013 / 2013-2014
Virginia Standards of Learning / English
Grades Three, Four, and Five / 80% of students will score pass proficient or advanced / 63% / 73%
Virginia Standards of Learning / Mathematics
Grades Three, Four, and Five / 70% of students will score pass proficient or advanced / 46% / 75%
SOLAR / Reading and Math
Grades 2-5
9 week assessments / 75%of students will score 60% or better on spring benchmark / Reading – 67.8%
Math –
62.15% / Reading-
73.5%
Math-
72.9%
PALS / Spelling/Reading Level
Grades K -3
Fall, Mid-year, Spring / 85 % of students meeting spring benchmark / 86% / 85%
Metropolitan Readiness / Pre–reading /Quantitative
Kindergarten
Spring / 75 % of students scoring a stanine of
5 or above / 89% / 76%
Attendance / Percent of Attendance / 97% average / 97% / 97%
Istation Reading / English
Screening & Progress Monitoring / 80% of students will score in Tier I for the April or May Testing Session / 60.9% / 62.8%

Student Needs

During the month of August 2014, Independence Elementary School (IES) had an enrollment of 233students. IES recognizes good behavior of students with notes home, good listener awards, and school wide Good Citizen Awards. Four parent conference nights are scheduled during the year to discuss students’ academic, social, and emotional growth and monthly PTO student parent activities are also scheduled. At this time, IES has no significant disciplinary or transient student issues.

Measurable goals for student achievement are made known to:

  • Parents-through classroom newsletters, school-wide bulletins, newspapers, progress reports, and access to state web site.
  • Teachers-through county-wide pacing guides for math, English, science and social studies; SOLAR testing; SOL tests; PALS testing and Istation assessments.
  • Students-through posting of SOL objectives in classrooms and checklists sent home twice per year to indicate mastery/non-mastery of SOL.

For the 2013-2014Standards of Learning assessments, Independence Elementary Schoolhad apass rate of 77.44% for all students in the area of English (reading and writing) and a pass rate of 70.45% for all students in the area of math.

Individual student needs are identified by the following:

  • Student Performance by Question on Standards of Learning Tests:Individual student results are examined to inform instructional practice.
  • Istation Reading Assessments: Individual student results are examined on a monthly basis for students in Tier II and Tier III.
  • SOLAR Benchmark Test Data:Individual student performance is examined each nine weeks.
  • I.E.P and 504 Plans: Accommodations for students with special needs are followed.
  • Lesson Plans: Differentiated instruction and strategies are documented.
  • Teacher Observation: Teachers observe and assess student mastery.

Interventions in place to ensure students’ educational needs are met include the following:

  • Child Study Committees-meet and review student referrals;
  • County Wide Pacing Guides-ensure all students are learning the same material;
  • SOLAR Testing-benchmark testing in the fall, mid-year, and spring, which assesses students in essential knowledge and skills of Standards of Learning so that teachers can make specific interventions;
  • Progress Reports-sent home on the fifteenth day of each six weeks;
  • Report Cards-sent home at the end of each six week period;
  • Remediation – for which a student log of daily intervention is kept by all teachers;
  • Tiered System of Support– targeted instruction for students needing additional support

Curriculum and Instruction

As with all Grayson County Public Schools, the IES curriculum is aligned with Virginia’s SOL objectives. Curriculum Resource Guides, which include pacing guidelines, blueprints, curriculum framework, scope and sequence, and enhanced scope and sequence, are used in the school. Teachers are involved in the process through revisions and updates as necessary.

Independence Elementary School also sets high expectations in the areas of music and physical education. Students are encouraged to participate in musical programs and physical fitness challenges.

Staff members express high expectations for student achievement through the following:

  • progress reports, report cards, SOL Checklists, newsletters, and individual notes
  • daily objectives listed on the board, in lesson plans, and on assignments
  • student writing portfolios
  • webpages
  • honor rolls and academic awards

Instructional materialsat Independence Elementary are up-to-date and reflect Virginia’s SOL objectives. In 2014 Grayson County Public Schools adopted the Scott Foresman Reading Program for grades first through fifth and the Letterland reading program for Kindergarten.

EnVision Math was adopted in 2012. It will be utilized in kindergarten through fifth grade. It provides thorough coverage of state standards and is designed according to the body of scientific research around effective math instruction.

Student achievement is routinely measured and examined at Independence Elementary School. Student data from the following measures are analyzed to inform instruction: Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) Tests in grades 3-5, Brigance testing in Kindergarten, Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening (PALS) tests in grades K-3, Istation Reading in grades K - 5,the Metropolitan Readiness Tests, and teacher made formative tests. Faculty will use the Standards of Learning Assessment Resource (SOLAR) benchmark tests at nine week intervals to measure student mastery and retention of SOL objectives in grades 2-5. The results of these tests are used in a prescriptive manner to inform instruction and remediation.SOL Summary reports, Student Performance by Question (SPBQ) reports are reviewed by the principal and faculty. The faculty discusses and analyzes the data by subject, reporting categories, and specific descriptors. Results are used to examine our teaching methods, pacing guides, and remediation programs.

Individual student SPBQ information, classroom formative assessments, and SOLAR benchmark data are used to focus remediation efforts to meet individual student's needs. Title I, Intervention Paraprofessionals, and classroom teachers collaborate frequently to determine the specific skills requiring remediation for individual students.

Professional Development

All classroom teachers and paraprofessionals at Independence Elementary are highly qualified. A Consolidated Needs Assessment Survey is used yearly by Grayson County to determine professional development needs.

Grayson County provides each teacher with onemandatory day of technology instruction and data analysis. New teachersparticipate in Pathwise Mentoring and receive instruction on Marzano’s research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Additional workshops and conferences are teacher-chosen and must be geared toward research-based instruction. Follow-up activities include sharing of new information in grade level meetings, faculty meetings, and curriculum meetings.

Teachers have the opportunities to collaborate as team members and/or mentorsduring lunch, before or after school, or during common planning times. Grade-level teams have common planning throughout the week and minutes are recorded and turned into the office weekly. Teachers are encouraged to collaborate with members of their grade level team as well as teachers at other grade levels.

Family and Community Involvement

Independence Elementary School communicates with parents about students’ academic progress every three weeks with a progress report, every six weeks with a report card, every nine weeks with a SOLAR Student Profile Report (grades 2-5), and parent conferences as needed. Weekly and daily communications include weekly classroom newsletters, behavior updates, work folders, and daily communication folders. A translator is available to assist in communication with Hispanic families.

Parents have the opportunity to serve on the Title I Parental Advisory Committee, Technology Committee, and Annual School Plan Committee. Parents also participate in the annual NCLB needs assessment, the Grayson County School Health Advisory Board, and the Grayson County Schools Six-Year Planning Committee. Parent and community involvement includes monthly PTO newsletters, PTO meetings, parent volunteers, Title I Parent Involvement Meetings, Building Better Readers newsletters, and County-Wide Title I parent meetings. This year IES is planning special events before each PTO meeting to encourage more parental involvement.

The students and staff at Independence Elementary are involved in many community activities and organizations. Activities occur through the Grayson County Recreation Department, 4-H, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Brownies, Church Groups, Volunteer Rescue Squad, and through the work of various community organizations. School business partners include Food City Apples for the Students Program, Grayson National Bank, Children’s, Inc., Walmart, Pack the Bus (Q99), Backpack Buddies and Box Tops for Education.

School Context and Organization

Independence Elementary School Vision/Mission Statement: Independence Elementary School is an active partnership where students, staff, faculty, parents, and the community are committed to developing life-long enthusiastic learners in a positive and safe environment. Our collaborative learning community strives to promote the individual physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development of all students.

Independence Elementary School’s student/teacher ratios for 2014-2015 school year are:

Kindergarten – 15:1

First Grade – 21:1

Second Grade – 15:1

Third Grade – 19:1

Fourth Grade – 22:1

Fifth Grade – 19:1

Part-time resource personnel include the following positions: guidance counselor, physical education teacher, music teacher, ESL teacher, ESL paraprofessional, speech teacher, occupational therapist, physical therapist, and a special education teacher. Full-time resource personnel include the following positions: special education teacher, librarian,Title I teachers,one paraprofessional Title I aide, and three paraprofessional special education aides.

The faculty and staff are involved in most of the decisions about operations at the school level. Each year the faculty sets goals and develops an Annual Plan. Committee and faculty meetings are held to discuss issues, and everyone is encouraged to give input. Although teachers are assigned to committees, all committees are open to anyone who would like to join.

IES is a safe and orderly school with common expectations for student behavior reinforced by all school personnel. Parents are advised of disciplinary policies through the Grayson County Code of Conduct, Independence Elementary School Student Handbook, and classroom discipline plans. The school crisis planhas been developedand emergency “Go Kits”have been created for the school and classrooms. Various emergency drills are practiced throughout the year. Extensive school security and crisis management plans have been implemented through the division’s Emergency Response and Crisis Management Grant.

II. School-wide reform approaches

As a result of the needs identified in section I, the school-wide reform program for 2014-2015 will consist of the following:

  • Scott Foresman Reading Street Reading Program
  • Letterland Reading Program
  • Istation Reading Program
  • EnVision Math
  • Units of Study for Primary Writing and Teaching Writing Grades 3-5

In 2014 Grayson County Schools adopted the Scott Foresman Reading Street © 2011 reading program for grades kindergarten through fifth grade. Scott Foresman Reading Street © 2011 is a comprehensive Reading and Language Arts series that delivers classic and soon-to-be classic literature, scientifically research-based instruction, and a wealth of groundbreaking online experiences for high student engagement. Its intervention program has a strong core emphasis on ongoing progress-monitoring and an explicit plan for managing small groups of students. The Understanding by Design component accelerates all learners, especially English language learners, toward greater proficiency with a sustained Unit focus on concepts and language. Letterland uses multi-sensory friendly letter characters to provide strong mnemonics so children learn and retain phoneme/grapheme correspondences. The program also uses built-in visual and verbal clues ensure correct letter formation and daily blending and segmenting activities to make word-building fast and effective.

All students in kindergarten through fifth grade will participate in the Istation Reading Program which utilizes technology to monitor progress of reading skills as well as serves as a screening tool to identify students in need of additional services. All students in grades kindergarten through grade five are evaluated using the is

Istation Reading Program to find their reading level. Istation Reading accurately determines ability level in the essential reading areas of phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Once reading level has been determined, Istation provides research-based effective reading instruction which integrates subject-area content with strategic reading skills. The five key reading areas are threaded carefully throughout with explicit, direct and systematic instruction.

EnVision Math will be utilized in kindergarten through fifth grade. This research based math series was co-authored by prominent mathematicians, researchers and educators. EnVision math provides for visual learning, procedural development and conceptual understanding. Intervention will be provided daily based on data and ongoing diagnosis of skill mastery. Students review previously taught skills before entering new content presented through guided practice and independent practice. Differentiated centers and assessment are built into the program as well.

The Units of Study for Primary Writing and for Teaching Writing Grades 3-5 will be utilized in kindergarten through fifth grade. The series centers around reading and writing workshops and grows out of decades of think tanks and in-school research and practice that hasspread throughout the country and world. This work, spearheaded by the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project (TCRWP), has included developing, piloting, revising, and implementing state-ofthe-art curriculumin teaching writing.

The Effective Use of the Reading Curriculum

Since reading/language arts was identified as an area of need, successful research based strategies

will be employed. Practices include the following:

  • Ongoing professional development with classroom monitoring and support
  • Research-based program implementation
  • Use of rigorous assessments to inform instruction and determine student progress
  • Focus on explicit and systematic instruction in the five essential components of reading
  • Core, supplemental, and intervention reading programs and materials grounded in scientifically based reading research
  • Alignment to established grade-level standards and benchmarks
  • Differentiated instruction to meet the needs of individuals and groups of students utilizing a three-tiered reading model
  • Minimum of 90 minutes protected, uninterrupted core reading instruction
  • Additional instructional time for intervention

The Effective Use of the Math Curriculum

The school system currently utilizes the enVision MATH program, which is based on scientific research.

Research-based instructional strategies include the following:

  • Problem-based interactive lessons
  • Visual instruction for in depth understanding of math concepts
  • Data-driven differentiated instruction
  • Ongoing assessment, diagnosis, and intervention

Independence Elementary School will continue the math team that was created in 2013 to improve math instruction. The team will meet monthly and examine data, discuss progress, plan for professional development, and set goals for math instruction at IES. The team will consist of one teacher per grade level, the principal, and the Title I math teacher. The Math Team will examine assessments from the current math program, enVision Math. The team will devise a plan for utilizing these assessments with all grade levels. The objective of this plan is to utilize the enVision math resources to get informative baseline data and then track student growth and mastery of skills throughout the year.

Independence Elementary School will provide math instruction to meet the needs of all learners. All math teachers will utilize the envision Math Online program. Each classroom teacher will formulate topic tests using the enVision program as they progress throughout the Grayson County Pacing Guides. The tests will be built using the VA Standards question bank. Also, placement tests will be given at each grade level at the beginning and the end of the year to monitor student growth. Common mathematics terms/strategies will be created for all teachers to utilize for math instruction.

The Continued Use of Data Analysis to Drive Instruction

Independence Elementary School will continue to utilize data analysis to inform instruction. Phonemic Awareness Literacy Screening (PALS) will be administered to students in Kindergarten through third grade, and remediation will be provided for students who do not meet the benchmarks set by the PALS program. Those students identified will be screened in mid-year and again in spring to see if they meet the benchmarks. All students will participate in the Accelerated Reader program, a reading comprehension program that utilizes technology and which matches the reading task to student reading level. To motivate students to read, incentives will be provided for the students meet their goal in the program. SOLAR Benchmark Testing will be utilized to measure student progress in math, English, science, and social studies in grades 2-5 every nine weeks. Students who do not meet the benchmarks will undergo remediation. Kindergarten students will be assessed by the Brigance Inventory, given in the fall, and by the Metropolitan Readiness tests, given in the spring. Istation Reading assessment data will be analyzed and differentiated instruction will be provided based on the results. Third through fifth graders will take the Virginia Standards of Learning tests in the spring. Teachers will plan instruction based on the findings of these assessments and formative assessments.