U.S. Department of Education
2003-2004 No Child Left Behind—Blue Ribbon Schools Program
Cover Sheet
Name of Principal: Dunya Shaw
(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other) (As it should appear in the official records)
Official School Name Our Savior’s Lutheran School
(As it should appear in the official records)
School Mailing Address 200 E. Ave. San Pablo______
(If address is P.O. Box, also include street address
San Clemente CA 92672-3236
City State Zip Code+4 (9 digits total)
Tel. ( 949 )492-6165Fax ( 949 )492-6132______
Website/URLwww.oursaviorsonline.com E-mail
I have reviewed the information in this application, including the eligibility requirements on page 2, and certify that to the best of my knowledge all information is accurate.
______Date January 29, 2004______
(Principal’s Signature)
Name of Superintendent* N/A
(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other)
District NameN/ATel. ( )
I have reviewed the information in this application, including the eligibility requirements on page 2, and certify that to the best of my knowledge it is accurate.
Date______(Superintendent’s Signature)
Name of School Board
President/Chairperson
(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other)
I have reviewed the information in this package, including the eligibility requirements on page 2, and certify that to the best of my knowledge it is accurate.
______Date_January 29, 2004______
(School Board President’s/Chairperson’s Signature)
*Private Schools: If the information requested is not applicable, write N/A in the space.
PART I ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATION
[Include this page in the school’s application as page 2.]
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 of Civil Rights (OCR) requirements is true and correct.
- The school has some configuration that includes grades K-12. (Schools with one principal, even K-12 schools, must apply as an entire school.)
- The school has not been in school improvement status or been identified by the state as "persistently dangerous" within the last two years. To meet final eligibility, the school must meet the state’s adequate yearly progress requirement in the 2003-2004 school year.
- If the school includes grades 7 or higher, it has foreign language as a part of its core curriculum.
- The school has been in existence for five full years, that is, from at least September 1998.
- The nominated school or district is not refusing the OCR access to information necessary to investigate a civil rights complaint or to conduct a districtwide compliance review.
- The 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 the OCR has accepted a corrective action plan from the district to remedy the violation.
- 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.
- 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 DATA
All data are the most recent year available.
DISTRICT (Questions 12 not applicable to private schools)
1.Number of schools in the district: ______Elementary schools
______Middle schools
N/A ______Junior high schools
______High schools
______Other (Briefly explain)
______TOTAL
2.District Per Pupil Expenditure: ______N/A_____
Average State Per Pupil Expenditure: ______
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
[X ]Suburban
[ ]Small city or town in a rural area
[ ]Rural
4.____4 Number of years the principal has been in her/his position at this school.
If fewer than three years, how long was the previous principal at this school?
5.Number of students enrolled at each grade level or its equivalent in applying school:
Grade / # of Males / # of Females / Grade Total / Grade / # of Males / # of Females / Grade TotalK / 20 / 16 / 36 / 7
1 / 12 / 11 / 23 / 8
2 / 11 / 12 / 23 / 9
3 / 10 / 12 / 22 / 10
4 / 11 / 10 / 21 / 11
5 / 6 / 5 / 11 / 12
6 / Other
TOTAL STUDENTS IN THE APPLYING SCHOOL / 136
6.Racial/ethnic composition of 92% White
the students in the school: 0 % Black or African American
6 % Hispanic or Latino
2 % Asian/Pacific Islander
0 % American Indian/Alaskan Native
100% Total
7.Student turnover, or mobility rate, during the past year: ___2.17391%
(This rate includes the total number of students who transferred to or from different schools between October 1 and the end of the school year, divided by the total number of students in the school as of October 1, multiplied by 100.)
(1) / Number of students who transferred to the school after October 1 until the end of the year. / 2(2) / Number of students who transferred from the school after October 1 until the end of the year. / 3
(3) / Subtotal of all transferred students [sum of rows (1) and (2)] / 5
(4) / Total number of students in the school as of October 1 / 138
(5) / Subtotal in row (3) divided by total in row (4) / .0217391
(6) / Amount in row (5) multiplied by 100 / 2.17391
8.Limited English Proficient students in the school: ____0___%
______Total Number Limited English Proficient
Number of languages represented: ______
Specify languages:
9.Students eligible for free/reduced-priced meals: _____0___%
______Total Number Students Who Qualify
If this method does not produce a reasonably accurate estimate of the percentage of students from lowincome families or the school does not participate in the federallysupported lunch 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: __1.45985%
____2___Total Number of Students Served
Indicate below the number of students with disabilities according to conditions designated in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
____Autism____Orthopedic Impairment
____Deafness____Other Health Impaired
____Deaf-Blindness_1__Specific Learning Disability
____Hearing Impairment_1__Speech or Language Impairment
____Mental Retardation____Traumatic Brain Injury
____Multiple Disabilities____Visual Impairment Including Blindness
- Indicate number of fulltime and parttime staff members in each of the categories below:
Number of Staff
Full-timePart-Time
Administrator(s)___1______
Classroom teachers___8______
Special resource teachers/specialists______4____
Paraprofessionals___2______
Support staff______2___
Total number__11______6___
12.Average school student-“classroom teacher” ratio:___17.1____
13.Show the attendance patterns of teachers and students as a percentage. The student dropout rate is defined by the state. The student drop-off rate is the difference between the number of entering students and the number of exiting students from the same cohort. (From the same cohort, subtract the number of exiting students from the number of entering students; divide that number by the number of entering students; multiply by 100 to get the percentage drop-off rate.) Briefly explain in 100 words or fewer any major discrepancy between the dropout rate and the drop-off rate. (Only middle and high schools need to supply dropout rates and only high schools need to supply drop-off rates.)
2002-2003 / 2001-2002 / 2000-2001 / 1999-2000 / 1998-1999Daily student attendance / 93 / 89 / 90 / N/A* / N/A*
Daily teacher attendance / 94 / 99.5 / 87 / N/A* / N/A*
Teacher turnover rate / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2 / 3
Student drop-off rate
*Not Available
Our Savior’s Lutheran School
Blue Ribbon Application 2003
PART III SUMMARY
Provide a brief, coherent narrative snapshot of the school in one page. Include at least a summary of the school’s mission or vision in the statement.
Our Savior’s Lutheran School began to minister to children and their families as a ministry of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church almost fifty years ago. In September of 1956 the preschool opened and in September 1961, the elementary school started. With a love for the Lord Jesus Christ, a desire and commitment to minister to children and their families, a limited budget and much creativity and prayers, the school used the countless donations of time, materials, and money given by many of the church families. Today, with a well developed, quality program, an expanding facility and a dedicated, professional staff, the school continues to be run with the same high standards and spirit.
Located in the city of San Clemente in Orange County, California, Our Savior’s finds itself peacefully perched on a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean while surrounded by constant development and busy streets. In a fast paced lifestyle area, where many parents find themselves working long hours to make ends meet and children grow up much too fast, Our Savior’s offers a unique alternative. It offers a safe, family oriented program where everyone knows your name and children are encouraged to be children. Yes, the pressures for academic and social success are many on the students at this school, yet students quickly come to realize that they are loved and respected for their individuality and soul. Standing out in the parking lot, a visitor would quickly be struck by the numerous conversations and hugs between parents, parents and children, teachers and parents, and so on.
Our Savior’s students consistently score inthe75th – 95th percentile of national school percentiles and the school finds itself in the top 10% of all schools in the nation. Our Savior’s Lutheran School includes a 94 student preschool, 2 full day kindergarten classes, 2 first grades, 1 second, 1 third, 1 fourth and 1 fifth grade. The school serves approximately 250 children. Our Savior’s teachers consistently return from year to year with teacher’s tenure ranging from 3-13 years.
Our Savior’s Lutheran School is an extension of the Christian home established to instruct each student in the knowledge of God and the Christian way of life. Our Savior’s goal is to provide an instructional program of the highest quality that facilitates the development of the whole child: spiritually, intellectually, socially, emotionally, and physically both inside and outside of school. Educators, parents, church and community members form a partnership that support and share this mission. At Our Savior’s, the greatest priority is placed on children, curriculum excellence, character development, communication, community, and caring for others. The school’s Mission Statement is simple but powerful: “Growing children God’s way by training each student to develop a lifelong love for the pursuit of knowledge, love of God, and service to others.” The following goals and vision are set out as key areas of emphasis for students attending Our Savior’s:
- LOVE OF GOD- Developing the realization of Christ’s message through planned religious experiences.
- LOVE OF SELF- Encouraging and motivating students toward a positive mental attitude by giving the child a sense of belonging and by showing that staff really cares.
- LOVE OF NEIGHBOR- Providing experiences that facilitate opportunities of Christian service and acknowledging family importance as a partner in education.
- QUALITY EDUCATION- Preparing students educationally for the purpose of becoming contributing members of society.
PART IV – INDICATORS OF ACADEMIC SUCCESS
1. Describe in one page the meaning of the school’s assessment results in reading, language arts and mathematics.
Our Savior’s Lutheran School is proud of its students’ continued high level of student achievement. Our Savior’s students consistently score inthe75th – 95th percentile of national school percentiles and finds itself in the top 7% of all schools in the nation. As can be derived from the attached data sheets, although students are already scoring in the top national percentiles in reading, language and math, they continue to make improvements from year to year at Our Savior’s.
In reading for example, in 2001, fourth grade students scored in the 77th percentile, then moved to the 83rd percentile the following year and reached the 93rd percentile in the spring of 2003. In language usage, students continue to show growth from year to year. For example, in 2001, second graders scored in the 87th percentile in language usage, the 89th percentile in 2002 as third graders, and the 93rd percentile as fourth graders in 2003. This continued improvement in student achievement motivates and inspires Our Savior’s teachers to raise their expectations of what students can achieve in reading and writing from year to year.
In math, the fifth grade scores started high at the 80th percentile in 2001, improved to the 84th percentile the next year and were at the 91st percentile in 2003. Another way of looking at the data is to follow the same group of students through three consecutive years at Our Savior’s. The first graders in 2001 scored in the 89th percentile and as second graders scored in the 82nd percentile. In 2003, as third graders, this group of students scored in the 90th percentile after receiving a challenging and data driven math curriculum. To keep students achieving at the highest level possible, teachers decided to offer an after school pre-algebra class for students who score in the 90% and above. This enrichment class is an opportunity for advanced students to sharpen their skills and learn new concepts with other students with advanced abilities.
Another way to view the data is to look at how many times students at a specific grade level are scoring at or above the 85th percentile in reading, language usage, or math. For example, over the past three years, first grade students have scored at or above the 85th percentile in 8 out of 9 exams (i.e. reading, math, language tests for three consecutive years). In second grade, students scored above the 85th percentile in 7 out of 9 exams. In third grade, students achieving at or above the 85th percentile in 6 out of 9 exams.
The data reported here illuminates a school where high expectations are held for student achievement yet also shows that even once students score well into the top 10 percent in the nation, improvement and growth is still demanded. It is exactly this level of rigor and expectation that makes Our Savior’s one of the premier smaller private schools in the nation.
2. Show in one-half page how the school uses assessment data to understand and improve student and school performance.
Assessment results offer a critical look into how students are achieving at Our Savior’s and what needs should be focused upon. Various pieces of assessment data are studied by the staff to identify needs and allocate resources. The Stanford-9, given to all students in grades 1-5 each spring, offers valuable data on the overall achievement level of the school. This also provides information on areas that might need to be strengthened within the curriculum from the school level.
Classroom based assessments are given frequently and include writing assignments, end of unit exams, projects, and tests covering a topic recently studied. Teachers use this formative assessment to monitor student growth and identify areas of need in each student. An example of how teachers and administrators use data to drive instruction was found recently when staff became aware that students’ spelling scores were not increasing at the same rate as reading, language usage, and mathematics. As teachers began to analyze the data and look at classroom instruction, they decided to make a change in the way spelling was taught. Using a wider variety of instructional techniques and a more in depth review of spelling rules and word patterns, teachers now differentiate their spelling instruction to better meet the needs of individual students. As a result, spelling scores have dramatically improved over the past few years. For example, fourth graders in 2002 scored in the 66th percentile in spelling and the following year as fifth graders, scored in the 83rd percentile.
- Describe in one-half page how the school communicates student performance, including assessment data, to parents, students, and the community.
Allfamilies at Our Savor’s are informed of their child’s performance and results on an ongoing basis. Each fall, parents are welcomed to a Back to School Night to learn more about their child’s curriculum and class expectations. They then attend fall parent conferences to receive feedback on student performance. Parents also receive the results of spring’s standardized assessment results before the summer vacation and are encouraged to make appointments with the principal or teacher to discuss any concerns or answer questions. Staff provides an evening presentation to parents that provides them with information about the standardized testing process and how to interpret their child’s assessment results. General information on how the school is scoring is provided to parents in this meeting as well.
Our Savior’s has a seven person School Board who are highly involved in the school. They share the successes of Our Savior’s at all opportunities in their interaction with other schools and community members. The Parent Teacher Fellowship (PTF) which meets monthly receives information about how students are doing from the principal of the school and are provided with opportunities to ask questions or make comments about the school’s progress.
Students receive ongoing and frequent information about their performance in all areas of the curriculum and are well aware that their parents are receiving similar information. Students are challenged to take responsibility for their own learning and use their teacher’s feedback to guide their effort. The San Clemente community which surrounds the school receives frequent updates on the school’s progress through the local newspaper which runs an article about Our Savior’s at least once a month. Although there are approximately 15 other schools in this growing beach town, Our Savior’s tops the newspapers coverage of school activities and community members feel in touch with how the school is doing.
- Describe in one-half page how the school will share its successes with other schools.
Our Savior’s has worked collaboratively with all private schools in the area as well as the public school system for years. Regularly featured in local newspapers for its innovative and rigorous educational programs, Our Savior’s already holds a high reputation for success in this area. Several private schools which offer middle school programs actively recruit Our Savior’s students due to the reputation of the challenging program and student preparation. Staff members regularly attend the South Orange County Association of Private Schools (SOCAPS) meetings and are able to share the successes of the program with other private schools. SOCAPS was formed three years ago by private schools who wanted to share their successes, resources, and ideas with one another. Principals meet four times a year to share and plan, and several times a year all teachers involved with SOCAPS attend training together. For example, Dr. Allen Beane, a nationally recognized speaker, visited SOCAPS to provide an intensive training on bullying. Teachers left with ideas on how to recognize and deal with bullies. SOCAPS shares marketing ideas, admission policies, and how NCLB funds are spent. This organization offers Our Savior’s a wonderful way to share successes with other private schools in the region.