Eastern GreeneMiddle School
PL 221
School Improvement Plan
March 2008
Table of Contents
Section 1Summary
Section 2Mission and Belief Statements
Section 3School/Community Profile
Section 4Eastern GreeneMiddle School, Staff, and Students
Section 5Titles and Descriptions of Assessment Instruments in Addition to ISTEP+
Section 6Summary of School Data – ISTEP + and Other Data
Section 7Educational Programs and Curriculum
Section 8Technology Integration
Section 9Parent Participation and Involvement
Section 10Safe and Disciplined Learning Environment
Section 11Professional Development
Section 12Attendance Data and Information
Section 13School Improvement Goals
*Attendance Goal
*Parent Involvement Goal
*Math Improvement Goal
*Reading Comprehension Goal
Summary (2007-2008)
In September 2007, the steering committee began the process of developing a school improvement plan for the new EasternGreeneMiddle School. The process of developing the new plan involved collecting, analyzing, and preparing data to determine the students’ strengths and needs. In the course of analyzing the data, it was determined that we have three general areas of need: general improvement in math understanding, improvement in reading comprehension, and greater completion of student work. Over the life of this improvement plan it will be continually re-evaluated to ensure that we are best meeting the needs of our student population.
Mission Statement
EasternGreeneMiddle School provides a supportive and challenging environment that creates opportunities necessary to become life-long learners in a diverse society. Our programs promote the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional growth of each student in an atmosphere that values hard work, respect, and accountability.
Belief Statements
1)Our school provides an inviting, supportive, and safe learning environment that promotes a sense of pride, purpose, place, and belonging.
2)Strong partnerships between parents and school create an atmosphere in which students can become productive citizens and positive contributors to society.
3)Well trained, collaborative groups of teachers value working with middle-level students and provide a challenging curriculum in core areas.
4)A committed staff participates in on-going professional development to stay current with best practices in middle-level education.
5)Varied student-centered teaching approaches accommodate students’ diverse skills, abilities, and individual learning styles.
6)Adult advocates, in conjunction with guidance services, provide crucial support for every student.
7)Academic development is enhanced through a variety of social, physical, and extra-curricular activities.
8)Daily attendance and active participation are important to overall student success.
9) Students are expected to exhibit self-discipline, as well as respect for themselves,
others,and property.
School/Community Profile - Eastern Greene Schools
EasternGreeneSchool District is a rural district serving Beech Creek, Center, and Jackson townships, covering a total area of 144 square miles. Within the school’s population there is little ethnic diversity. 99% of the school population is white; approximately 1% is African-American or Hispanic. Many churches and civic groups function throughout the district, and two branches of the Bloomfield-Eastern Public Library are located there. The schools are located fifteen miles from Bloomington and IndianaUniversity, which offer several opportunities for students.
GreeneCounty, encompassing an area of 546 square miles, is the third-largest county in the state. The county seat is Bloomfield, population 2,500. According to the State of Indiana, the population of GreeneCounty in 2006 was 33,360. The racial makeup of the population is 98.5% white, with the remaining 1.5% claimed by those of Hispanic, American Indian, Asian, and African-American descent. In 2004 the overall poverty rate of the county was 11.6%, while the poverty rate among children under 18 was 17.4%. There are five school districts that serve GreeneCounty: Shakamak, Linton, White RiverValley, Bloomfield, and Eastern Greene.
The workforce of the EasternGreeneSchool District faces many challenges in obtaining employment within the district. Situated mainly in an agricultural setting, the district has few private businesses and practically no industrial development to support its population locally. Retail jobs are generally limited to gas stations, convenience stores, and diners. Jobs available in service areas include automobile repair, home maintenance and repair, and daycare services. Construction comprises only a small portion of the district’s employment opportunities, and most firms located in the district are very small companies with few employees. Agriculture is a significant source of economic activity, but not economic prosperity. The school corporation is one of the main employers in our school district.
Because of the limited employment opportunities offered in the school district, many of its residents commute to urban areas such as Bloomington, Spencer, and Bedford, or to DaviessCounty and the CraneNavalSurfaceWarfareCenter to find gainful employment. However the school district does not enjoy an equitable exchange of labor between surrounding counties, as very few people commute into the district for employment. This exodus of workforce creates a community that is unified by only a few touchstones, particularly the school itself and the larger local churches.
Despite the lack of commercial and industrial interests in the EasternGreeneSchool District, population growth continues. The economic opportunities offered by Bloomington and the relatively low property tax rate of GreeneCounty attract a highly mobile population to the district. This high mobility rate presents several unique challenges to the students and staff of EasternGreeneMiddle School. These students are more likely to miss large amounts of the curriculum, affect the cohesiveness of the school culture, and the instruction of the classroom teacher. The district’s large number of mobile households affects the school’s ability to improve attendance rates, in-school performance, and standardized test performance.
Eastern Greene Schools is unique in that there is not a centralized town that hosts community activities. Instead, the school serves as the center of activity for the three townships that comprise Eastern Greene Schools. Whether it be a varsity basketball game, a winter music concert, or summer league baseball games, the school is the central component of life in our district. Through such programs as Harmony (an internet-based system that tracks students’ academic progress, attendance, and behavior), Homework Hotline, voicemail, parent-teacher conferences, and school newsletters, communication between the school and the community further enhances the overall importance of the school district to the community as a whole. It is commonplace to see the Boy and Girl Scouts meeting at the school, political functions taking place, wedding receptions, anniversaries, and reunions. Each of these activities further exemplifies the importance of the school in our community.
Eastern GreeneMiddle School, Staff, and Students
EasternGreeneMiddle School is the only middle school in the EasternGreeneSchool District. Prior to the 2007-2008 school year, Eastern Greene Elementary and Eastern Greene Jr./Sr. High School were housed in the same facility. Due to the construction of a new high school building, the corporation now includes an elementary,a middle, and a high school. EasternGreeneMiddle School is located at Rural Route 4, Box 623,Bloomfield, Indiana at the corner of Highway 43 and Highway 54 which is in CenterTownship, GreeneCounty in southwestern Indiana. It serves approximately 432 students in fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. The 2007-2008 academic year represents EasternGreeneMiddle School’s first year of independent operation. During the current school year the administration, faculty, staff, and students have worked to incorporate middle school concepts and philosophies to better meet the needs of our adolescent students. The concepts outlined in the National Middle School Association’s “This We Believe” have been a driving force in the move towards a middle school culture and belief. Finally, the school year is made up of 180 days consisting of four nine week grading periods.
The middle school facilities include 17 classrooms for general education, an art room, two computer labs, a multi-purpose science lab, three music/band rooms, a family and consumer science room, an agriculture room/shop, and an industrial technology shop. The athletic facilities include a main gymnasium, a shared gymnasium with the elementary school, a baseball diamond and softball diamond both used by the varsity teams and the community leagues, a weight room, four inside locker rooms, and a coach’s office/meeting area. The building also consists of a library, multipurpose room, two stages (including elementary gymnasium), a cafeteria, eight student restrooms, and a teachers’ lounge. The guidance office area includes a conference room, three offices, the middle school/elementary server and technology office, and a receptionist desk. The administrative offices house three offices, an ISS room, a teacher workroom, a teacher mail room, and the front office reception area. The school nurse/clinic is located in the elementary portion of the building but is available to all of our students. The custodial area consists of an office, a shop, and four utility/storage closets.
The middle school consists of one team of teachers per grade level with 4-5 teachers per team (grades 5, 7, and 8 each have four teachers; grade 6 has five). In grade five each teacher teaches multiple disciplines and the students change teachers for math. Grade 6 has five teachers:Mathematics, Reading, Writing/Grammar, Science/Health, and Social Studies. Grades 7 and 8 have four teachers each:Mathematics, Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies. Each teacher has a personal planning period, and teams are required to meet at various times each week for team collaboration. 7th and 8th grade teachers also teach a teacher designed elective that each student rotates through during the school year. At the end of each day students attend an advisory period where teachers work on skills such as organization, SSR (sustained silent reading), character education, and general team building activities.
Our special education staff consists of three teachers. One teacher works with grades 5/6, one with grades 7/8, and one has a self-contained room serving grades 5-8. Each grade level follows an inclusion model with a limited pullout program when needed. In addition, Eastern Greene Schools is a member of the Bedford Co-op which assists with our students’ special education needs and services. We also have a High Ability teacher/coordinator that services students in grades K-12 and assists the general education classroom teachers.
There are also a number of “specials” or elective teachers who we share with both the elementary and the high school. This group of teachers provides students with an opportunity to explore and develop their skills and interests in other areas. The courses currently in the curriculum include: art, band, choir, orchestra, family and consumer science, computers, physical education, and general teacher designed electives.
The EasternGreeneMiddle School provides numerous extra-curricular activities. Students are encouraged to participate in extra-curricular activities and are given equal opportunity to do so. The athletic opportunities offered include: volleyball, basketball, baseball, track and field, cross-country, cheerleading, football, and golf. Various academic clubs are also offered. These include Scrabble Club, Art Challenge, Science Club, Math Club, Nature Club, Fitness Club, FFA, Spelling Bee, Students Against Violence Everywhere (S.A.V.E.), and Student Council. Students are offered academic help from community members, many of whom are retired professionals. Tutors from the CraneNavalSurfaceWarfareCenter offer math and science help on a weekly basis. In addition to the above listed activities, Eastern Greene Middle School also offers opportunities for students to participate in 21st Century Scholars, 6th Grade Science Fair, 8th Grade Reality Store and Career Fair, Buddy Programs with the elementary, various academic competitions, Riley Hospital Fundraising Activities, Various Community Service Projects, Job Shadowing, spirit week activities, and Red Ribbon Week.
The teaching staff at EasternGreeneMiddle Schoolconsists of 31 teachers, each of whombrings a high level of expertise and knowledge to the classroom. Nine of the 31 teachers split time with either the elementary or the high school. The graphs below further illustrate the strengths of the teaching staff.
The graph below illustrates the educational level of EasternGreeneMiddle Schoolteachers. 55% of our staff have a masters degree or higher.
The graph below illustrates the teaching experience of EasternGreeneMiddle School teachers. 58% of our teachers have five or more years teaching experience.
In addition, the middle school administrative staff consistsof a principal, assistant principal/athletic director, and one guidance counselor. Assisting with the special education students aresix instructional assistants who work in an inclusion capacity. There are also three instructional assistants that work with students on a one-to-one basis. The rest of the staff consists of one principal’s secretary/front office receptionist, an ECA treasurer who is shared with the elementary, a librarian/guidance secretary, and seven custodial/maintenance staff whoare shared with the elementary/high school.
Of our 432 middle school students, 201 are female and 231 are male. About 99% of our students are white. The students at EasternGreeneMiddle School come from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds, but 40% qualify for the free/reduced lunch program.
The graph below illustrates the percent of students receiving free/reduced lunch. 40% of our students qualify for the free/reduced lunch program.
About 15% of our students receive special services as designated by their Individualized Education Plan (I.E.P.) and about 3% are designated as high ability. Only two students were retained during the 2007-2008 school year.
Titles and Descriptions of Assessment Instruments in Addition to ISTEP+
As a newly formed school we are still developing assessment instruments to use in addition to the ISTEP+ data. We are currently using classroom grades to assist in the overall assessment of student performance as outlined in our third school improvement goal of greater completion of student school work. In addition, we have begun developing several school created assessments to measure student growth and understanding. Beginning in the spring of 2008, in both math and language arts we will utilize an end of the year assessment to determine a student’s placement for the next school year and a math performance test will be administered three times yearly to assess student growth and drive instruction. During remediation classes or summer school in math and language arts, students will be given a pre- and post-test to assess student growth and evaluate the instructional methods and activities. Finally, Eastern Greene Schools is currently formulating a comprehensive K-12 plan of assessment in addition to ISTEP+ results.
Eastern GreeneMiddle School
ISTEP+ and Other Data
2007-2008
Data Sources: Indiana Department of Education Website
Special Education Co-op: Orange-Lawrence-Jackson-Martin Joint Services
The following section contains a variety of data in relation to EasternGreeneMiddle School (grades 5-8), Eastern Greene Elementary (grades K-6), and EasternGreeneJunior-SeniorHigh School (grades 7-12).
Attendance Rate - This rate has remained fairly steady.
Eastern GreeneElementary School / Eastern Greene
Jr.-Sr.High School / Eastern Greene
Middle School
2004-2005 / 95.4% / 95.3% / N/A
2005-2006 / 95.9% / 95.3% / N/A
2006-2007 / 95.8% (Prelim.) / 94.8% (Prelim.) / N/A
2007-2008 / N/A / N/A / 95.96%
Free and Reduced Lunch Rate – This percentage has steadily increased every year.
Eastern GreeneElementary School / Eastern Greene
Jr.-Sr.High School / Eastern Greene
Middle School
2004-2005 / 27 % / 27 % / N/A
2005-2006 / 31 % / 30 % / N/A
2006-2007 / 49% / 32% / N/A
2007-2008 / N/A / N/A / 45%
Total Enrollment of Students – Enrollment continues to be steady.
Eastern GreeneElementary School / Eastern Greene
Jr.-Sr.High School / Eastern Greene
Middle School
2004-2005 / 762 / 644 / N/A
2005-2006 / 756 / 659 / N/A
2006-2007 / 749 / 662 / N/A
2007-2008 / N/A / N/A / 432
Number of Students Suspended - The number of junior-senior high school students has steadily increased.
Eastern GreeneElementary School / Eastern Greene
Jr.- Sr. High School / Eastern Greene
Middle School
2004-2005 / 12 / 52 / N/A
2005-2006 / 16 / 69 / N/A
2006-2007 / 11 / 86 / N/A
2007-2008 / N/A / N/A / 52 (as of 4/03/08)
Number of Students Expelled
Eastern GreeneElementary School / Eastern Greene
Jr.-Sr.High School / Eastern Greene
Middle School
2004-2005 / 0 / 4 / N/A
2005-2006 / 1 / 8 / N/A
2006-2007 / 0 / 2 / N/A
2007-2008 / N/A / N/A / 0 (as of 4/03/08)
Number of Explusions and Suspensions Involving Drugs, Weapons, or Alcohol
Eastern GreeneElementary School / Eastern Greene
Jr.-Sr.High School / Eastern Greene
Middle School
2004-2005 / 0 / 4 / N/A
2005-2006 / 4 / 7 / N/A
2006-2007 / 3 / 1 / N/A
2007-2008 / N/A / N/A / 0 (as of 4/03/08)
Number of Special Education Referrals (grades K-12) - We consistently have a high percentage of students referred for testing who actually qualify for services.
# of Students Referred for Special Education Testing / # of Students who Qualified for Special Education Services2004-2005 / 19 / 14
2005-2006 / 20 / 17
2006-2007 / 15 / 13
2007-2008 (as of 1/7/08) / 13 / 8
Percent of Students in Special Education (not including students with communication disorders) - The percentage of our students identified as having special needs remains fairly consistent.
Grade 5 / Grade 6 / Grade 7 / Grade 8 / Grade 92004-2005 / 18% / 14% / 19% / 15% / 14%
2005-2006 / 16% / 21% / 17% / 22% / 21%
2006-2007 / 11% / 15% / 25% / 15% / 25%
2007-2008 / 8% / 14% / 15% / 21% / 13%
ISTEP+ Data
Percentage of Our Students Passing ISTEP+
2004-2005 / 2005-2006 / 2006-2007 / 2007-2008L.A. / Math / Sci / L. A. / Math / Sci / L.A. / Math / Sci / L.A. / Math / Sci.
Grade 5 / 77% / 75% / 71% / 77% / 71% / 75% / 75% / 71% / 72% / 74% / 72% / 68%
Grade 6 / 79% / 91% / 69% / 79% / 77% / 87% / 72% / 77%
Grade 7 / 62% / 63% / 67% / 77% / 66% / 63% / 70% / 54% / 67% / 77% / 58%
Grade 8 / 64% / 67% / 67% / 67% / 67% / 74% / 66% / 75%
Grade 9 / 71% / 76% / 60% / 68% / 64% / 64% / 70% / 70%
Our 5th grade students typically are very close to the state average each year in language arts – sometimes above, sometimes below. In math, they are typically under the state average.
Our 6th grade students are sometimes way above and sometimes right at or under the state average in both languagearts or math. This seems to vary by year, which could probably be attributed to the fact that each group ofstudents has a varying ability level as a whole.