REVISED 3/17/05
2004-2005 No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon Schools Program
U.S. Department of Education
Cover Sheet Type of School: X Elementary __ Middle __ High __ K-12
Name of Principal Mr. G. Edward Fearer
(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other) (As it should appear in the official records)
OfficialSchool Name MarclaySchool
(As it should appear in the official records)
School Mailing Address_____111 Bruceton Road______
(If address is P.O. Box, also include street address)
___Markleysburg PA 15459-9615______City State Zip Code+4 (9 digits total)
County ______Fayette______School Code Number*__101268003-000002137______
Telephone ( 724 ) 329-4248Fax ( 724 )329-5237
Website/URL 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______
(Principal’s Signature)
Name of Superintendent* Dr. Charles D. Machesky
(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other)
District NameUniontownAreaSchool DistrictTel.( 724 ) 438-4501 xt. 206
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 Mr. Harry J. Kaufman (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______
(School Board President’s/Chairperson’s Signature)
PART I ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATION
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 2004-2005 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 1999 and has not received the 2003 or 2004 No Child Left Behind – Blue Ribbon Schools Award.
- 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: __4__ Elementary schools
__1__ Middle schools
_____ Junior high schools
__1___ High schools
__2___ Other Elementary/Jr. High
__8___ TOTAL
2.District Per Pupil Expenditure: __4,933.53 ___
AverageState Per Pupil Expenditure: __9,602.57 ___
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
[ ]Small city or town in a rural area
[X ]Rural
4.8 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 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 / 7
K / 17 / 11 / 28 / 8
1 / 11 / 7 / 18 / 9
2 / 14 / 13 / 27 / 10
3 / 7 / 7 / 14 / 11
4 / 17 / 10 / 27 / 12
5 / 9 / 16 / 25 / Other
6
TOTAL STUDENTS IN THE APPLYING SCHOOL / 139
6.Racial/ethnic composition of100% White
the students in the school:% Black or African American
% Hispanic or Latino
% Asian/Pacific Islander
% American Indian/Alaskan Native
100% Total
Use only the five standard categories in reporting the racial/ethnic composition of the school.
7.Student turnover, or mobility rate, during the past year: ____26____%
(This rate should be 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 the end of the year. / 20(2) / Number of students who transferred from the school after October 1 until the end of the year. / 16
(3) / Subtotal of all transferred students [sum of rows (1) and (2)] / 36
(4) / Total number of students in the school as of October 1 / 139
(5) / Subtotal in row (3) divided by total in row (4) / 0.26
(6) / Amount in row (5) multiplied by 100 / 26
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: ___57_____%
Total number students who qualify:___77_____
If this method does not produce an 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: ___10___%
___14___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____Specific Learning Disability
____Emotional Disturbance_14_Speech or Language Impairment
____Hearing Impairment____Traumatic Brain Injury
____Mental Retardation____Visual Impairment Including Blindness
____Multiple Disabilities
- Indicate number of fulltime and parttime staff members in each of the categories below:
Number of Staff
Full-timePart-Time
Administrator(s)______2___
Classroom teachers___6______
Special resource teachers/specialists______6___
Paraprofessionals______
Support staff___5______1___
Total number___11______9___
12.Average school student-“classroom teacher” ratio:_20:1__
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.)
2003-2004 / 2002-2003 / 2001-2002 / 2000-2001 / 1999-2000Daily student attendance / 95% / 95% / 95% / 95% / 95%
Daily teacher attendance / 94% / 95% / 95% / 95% / 94%
Teacher turnover rate / 15% / 10% / 20% / 0% / 10%
Student dropout rate (middle/high) / % / % / % / % / %
Student drop-off rate (high school) / % / % / % / % / %
PART III SUMMARY
MarclaySchool is a kindergarten through fifth grade elementary school in the UniontownAreaSchool District. It is located in the small rural community of Markleysburg, Pennsylvania, which is in the mountainous area of the southwestern part of the state. Marclay’s mission is to provide sufficient resources, experiences and opportunities to permit all of its students to achieve their fullest potential. Marclay’s successes over the last three years can be attributed to the implementation of several educational programs that have led to effective classroom instruction, meaningful learning experiences for students and greater involvement by parents and community members.
Upon receipt of the Spring 2001 PSSA results, Marclay’s professional staff agreed that changes were necessary to produce consistent growth relative to student achievement. Up to this time, each year’s assessment scores had indicated mixed results and inconsistent progress. Of great concern was the number of students (especially special education students) performing at the basic and below basic levels on the state assessments. This information was essential in the development of an Action Plan that combines planning, implementation, assessment instruction, and student performance to form an effective systematic approach to improve student achievement.
With one classroom at each grade level, MarclaySchool’s 130 students receive instruction using a differentiated approach. In this small setting, teachers have an in-depth understanding of their students’ abilities and needs through the use of various formal and informal assessments. Based on the results, students’ instructional levels are determined. For much of each day, students are actively engaged in small groups. Classroom teachers, Title I teachers and instructional aides work simultaneously with students at various levels, providing instruction and support to promote student success. This teaching strategy is producing impressive results. Not only are students at lower levels making significant progress, but students at higher levels are accelerated, resulting in impressive gains.
It is the desire of Marclay’s staff to accentuate the positive. Student recognition programs are conducted at the end of each nine-week grading period. Students are rewarded for effort, attendance and citizenship. An Honor Roll system recognizes academic achievement in grades four and five. At the end of each year parents are invited to attend an Awards Program where trophies are presented for academic achievement throughout the year.
MarclaySchool has always enjoyed a high level of parent support. This support has increased to even higher levels as student achievement has risen. The Marclay staff recognizes the need for parents and community members to better understand recent changes in education relative to NCLB, State Standards and PSSA and how these have impacted the local school and their children. In addition to regular communication from classroom teachers, monthly newsletters are issued to inform parents of school events and strategies they can use at home to help and enhance their children’s educational experiences. Parent-teacher conferences are scheduled at the conclusion of each grading period. “Explore and Educate Workshops” are planned by an active Principal’s Advisory Council, comprised of the principal, teachers, parents and community representative. In these workshops, parents are exposed to various teaching strategies, classroom assessments, rubrics, learning styles and parenting skills to name a few. The school is reaping the benefits of these parent involvement efforts as with greater understanding comes more effective support for our students.
Marclay school has become a special place in the community where learning is exciting and meaningful, and where parents and community members can come to celebrate the success of our children.
PART IV – INDICATORS OF ACADEMIC SUCCESS
Interpretation of Reading /Mathematics Assessment Results
The reading and math Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) is administered to students in grade five at the elementary level each April. Performance levels, designated as advanced, proficient, basic and below basic, are criterion based measures that represent how well astudent is achieving in a particular area of Pennsylvania’s academic standards. Below are brief descriptions of each performance level.
Advanced: Superior academic performance indicating an in-depth understanding and exemplary
display of skills.
Proficient: Satisfactory academic performance indicating a solid understanding and adequate display
of skills.
Basic: Marginal academic performance, work approaching, but not yet reaching satisfactory
performance. This level indicates a partial understanding and limited display of skills.
Below Basic: inadequate academic performance that indicates little understanding and minimal
display of skills.
Additional information on the state assessment system may be found at
Performance level results are presented as a percent of all tested students scoring at each
performance level. Additionally, disaggregated results are presented when the total number of students in each subgroup is at least ten. Reported subgroups for MarclaySchool in most years include
economically disadvantaged , non-IEP, male and female.
Students performing at the proficient level on the PSSA meet the standard. Beginning with April
2002 assessment results, Marclay students have shown consistent significant improvement with
students achieving proficiency levels in both reading and math. April 2004 results show that with
100% participation, all fifth-grade students performed at or above the proficiency level. Furthermore,
no significant disparities existed between the subgroups with equally consistent improvement from
April 2002 through April 2004.
The Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) is a norm-referenced achievement battery composed of tests
in several subject areas. Results of ITBS assessment in reading and math are represented in this report. Tests are administered under uniform conditions at each grade level. Score distributions obtained from
the national standardization program are the norms that provide a basis for interpreting student
performance. Norms also enable a school to look at the achievement levels of its students in relation to
a nationally representative student group.
NCE scores are presented in this report as it is appropriate to average NCE’s when reporting growth
of group performance.
ITBS testing in the fall of each year provides valuable information relative to the strengths and needs of groups of students. More importantly, teachers at Marclay use individual ITBS results along
with individual PSSA results and local assessment results to properly group students for differentiated
instruction. Even when a student performs at very high levels, breakdowns of composite scores indicate
specific strengths and needs that are useful in developing learning activities that are appropriate for
each student.
Use of Assessment Data to Improve Student/School Performance
Students at MarclaySchool are assessed at each grade level using the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS). These assessments measure achievement in reading, language, math, social studies and science and are administered each year in October and April. Results are used to determine individual and group academic growth from the beginning to the end of each year and in comparison between years.
The PSSA assessments are administered in April of each year to students in grade five. Results are provided to the school the following July with individual students reports issued in September.
Reading and math achievement is reported for each student as well as grade level information for the
school and district.
A district-wide Local Assessment Program is a performance based assessment measuring
achievement based on the state’s standards in reading, writing and math at each grade level. These
assessments are administered three times each year. The results of these indicate growth and need on
an individual and whole class basis.
Teachers administer classroom assessments regularly to measure individual achievement based on
state standards. The results of these evaluations are used to drive classroom instruction.
The results of the various assessments described above are presented to the professional staff at the
beginning of each school year. The information gathered from these assessment reports is essential in
preparing each year’s School Action Plan. Decisions are made regarding the effectiveness of teaching
strategies utilized at each grade level. Changes are made in curricula and/or instructional delivery
when scores indicate insufficient progress with a particular skill or standard. Local and classroom
assessment results allow teachers to adjust instruction and provide alternative learning
experiences to meet students needs throughout the school year.
Communication of Assessment Data
Various approaches are used to disseminate assessment data to students, parents, and the community. Teachers meet with students individually to discuss classroom and local assessment results. Teachers also share this information at parent-teacher conferences held at the end of each nine-week grading period.
ITBS scores are distributed to parents in written reports that describe each tested skill area along
with the interpretation of presented scores. These results are also discussed with students and parents
during conferences.
Individual and school reports are provided by PDE for PSSA assessments. School results are
posted on the district’s website as part of the published “District Report Card”. School results are also
presented at a scheduled PTO meeting each fall. Detailed school information is shared at “Explore and
Educate” parent workshops in presentations that explain State Standards and methods of assessing
proficiency. Individual student reports are distributed to students in a special assembly with an
overview presented by the principal. This is followed by classroom teachers conferencing with
students regarding each one’s specific strengths and needs.
Opportunities to Share Successes
Marclay’s teaching staff enjoys sharing the school’s success story. The continued progress in student achievement has given them confidence in knowing that the educational strategies they are using in their classrooms produce positive results. Opportunities have come to share these experiences with other educators.
The first such opportunity came when the district’s curriculum coordinator recognized that new educational approaches being used at Marclay school were yielding significantly higher student
achievement. A team of teachers was asked to present the benefits of flexible grouping and
differentiated instruction to teachers at the other elementary and middle schools in the district. This
opened doors of communication between schools and has helped all involved as effective teaching
strategies are shared among staff.