May 1, 2009

Strategic and Continuous

Title I Schoolwide Program

School Improvement and Achievement Plan

2009-2012

School Name / Henry S. Evans
School Address / 2915 E. 35th Ave. Lake Station 46405
School Telephone Number / (219)- 962-1608
School Fax Number / (219)- 962 1643
School Number / 3797
School Corporation Number / 4590

Robert Koval

Principal

James Rice

Superintendent

Richard Arnold

School Board President

Table of Contents

School Improvement Team Members (PL 221)
Schoolwide Program Leadership Team Members / 3-4
Part 1 – Introduction / 5
Component 1 – Comprehensive Needs Assessment / 8
Component 2 – Implementation of Reform Strategies / 21-24
Component 3 – Instruction by Highly Qualified
Teachers / 25
Component 4 – Professional Development / 26-27
Component 5 – Highly Qualified Teachers to High
Needs Schools / 28
Component 6 – Parental Involvement / 28-30
Component 7 – Preschool Transitioning / 31
Component 8 – Teacher Decision Making Using
Academic Assessment Results / 32
Component 9 – Effective, Timely Assistance / 33-34
Component 10 – Program Coordination and/or Consolidation of
Funds / 34
Part 2 – Appendix A – Summary of Goals, Strategies
and Professional Development
Appendix B – Parent Involvement Documents
Appendix C – School Improvement Checklists / 36-55

School Improvement Committee Members

Member’s Name / Affiliation / Signature
Ava Lynn Kazonis / Reading Team
Denise Wrolen / Reading Team
Diane Nabhan / Reading Team
Stacy Witt / Reading Team
Vicki Rankin / Reading Team
Rich Baez / Reading Team
Lori Stanners / Writing Team
Judy Briggs / Writing Team
Joan McKay / Writing Team
Jacquelynn Paradis / Writing Team
Tina Choncoff / Writing Team
Keith Hyden / Math Team
Kris Chavez / Math Team
Jim Witt / Math Team
Kara Pope / Math Team
Anna Miller / Math Team
Jonathan Frey / Math Team
Chris Childs / Science Team
Maria Cruz / Science Team
Mike McLain / Science Team
Kim Mimnaugh / Science Team
Brianne Horn / Science Team
Susie Thompson / Science Team

Title I Schoolwide Planning Team

Name / Position / Signature
Robert Koval / Principal/Chair
Keith Hyden / Title 1 Personnel
Lori Stanners / Curriculum
Ava Lynn Kazonis / Primary
James Witt / Intermediate
Michelle Moreno / Parent Representative

Part 1 - Introduction

1. Describe your school’s educational program plan. Include information regarding grade level composition and the school’s mission, vision and core beliefs. Identify the racial, ethnic, language minority, cultural, exceptional learning and socio-economic groups that are included in the school’s student population (demographics). (PL221) (SWP-CNA) (Current Reality)

Henry S. Evans Elementary is a K-5 building (two sections of each grade level) located on the fringe of Gary, IN. The school is situated on the extreme west side of

Lake Station, Indiana, but receives government services from (4) different municipalities. This bedroom community is composed of primarily of low-cost housing. The largest tax-paying entities are a supermarket and an auto dealership. The per capita income is less than $15,000, tenth from the lowest among all Indiana school corporations. The percentage of families below the poverty level is nearly 20% and adults with less than a high school education is over 29%. Evans provides a Title I Targeted Assistance Program and is NCA accredited.

The school’s mission and vision serve as the foundation for the school’s school improvement efforts.

  • Mission- To provide a safe and structured environment while teaching to the unique needs of the students while preparing them for life’s future challenges.
  • Vision- All students will complete their education by receiving a high school diploma and go on to post high school education. We believe that all of our students will become active members of society and know how to work together with people of different backgrounds.

The 2008-2009 student population reflects the following demographics

  • Total student population 296
  • White Students 158/296 (53%)
  • Hispanic students 93/297 (31%)
  • Free/Reduced Lunch students 246/296 (83%)

Governance and Leadership

Evans Elementary has a structure in place to provide for teacher input and shared leadership opportunities. The principal works in conjunction with district administration and members of the Schoolwide Program Leadership Team to help identify, develop and implement school improvement initiatives. Additionally, all classroom teachers are assigned to one of the following focus teams (Reading, Writing, Math or Science) for the purpose of improving test scores and providing all staff with new, researched based materials, strategies, and ideas. These groups meet quarterly to review content information and share resources and strategies and then present semiannually.

2. Include summary information regarding the school’s Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies program offerings. Describe how the school’s curriculum and instructional strategies support and are aligned to the Indiana Academic Standards.
(PL 221)/ (SI – Component # 1) (Current Reality)

Evans Elementary teachers use basal textbooks adopted by the corporation as the basis for teaching and learning in Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. All of these textbooks are aligned with the Indiana Academic Standards.

  • Language Arts – MacMillan/McGraw-Hill (K-5)
  • Mathematics- Saxon (K), Houghton/Mifflin (1-5)
  • Science- Scott Foresman, FOSS Kits (1-5)
  • Social Studies- Harcourt Horizons (3-5)

Teachers use the computer lab and the portable laptop carts to support the classroom instruction across curriculum. Social Studies and Science DVD’s and videos have been purchased for supplementary resources. Evans also has a newly furnished Science Lab that teachers use to actively engage students and provide for hands-on experiments. Teachers may also use the school’s “Award Winning Courtyard” which is designated as an outdoor science lab.

The school provides a variety of field trips that give the students a real-life experience to use as background knowledge. The staff has worked on putting together several experiences that allow the students to enhance their life experiences. Some of the trips include County Line Orchard, Fair Oaks Farm, Purdue Challenger Center, Buckley Homestead, Indiana Dunes, and the Chicago Museums.Evans also belongs to the Northwest Indiana Educational Service Center which provides additional educational programs and opportunities for teachers and students.

Additional Programs and Services
Discuss additional program offerings, services and resources available at the school. Identify the location of a copy of the curriculum available for public inspection. (PL221)

Henry S. Evans provides the following additional services and resources beyond the regular school curriculum.

  • Title I Services (instructional support in English/Language Arts & Mathematics)
  • Title III Services (Bilingual)
  • After School Remediation
  • Title I After School Program
  • Summer School- is offered to all students who are
  • Jumpstart Program-students in the primary grades
  • Special Needs Program-provided with all identified students either through resource time or with paraprofessionals working in the general education classroom.
  • Speech Therapy-given to those students in need weekly.
  • Guidance Service-services are provided to all students on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
  • Accelerated Reader Program-all students have been assessed and designated with a reading level that they will use to get books from the library.
  • Extra-Curricular Activities-students in grades 3-5 are able to participate in softball, basketball, cross-country, and track.
  • Math-A-Thon-put together through the student council to raise money for St. Jude Research Hospital.
  • Spell Bowl-students from grades 4 and 5 are challenged to study difficult words and compete against other Indiana schools.
  • Student Council-students are chosen from grades 3-5 to participate in fundraising activities and school projects.

A copy of the school curriculum is located in the office of the school principal and is made available for public inspection.

Safe and Disciplined Learning Environment

Describe what your school is doing to ensure a safe learning environment. Include a description of how you annually review and revise your Student Discipline Code and Safe Schools Plan. (PL221) (Current Reality & Proposed Plan)

Current Reality

Providing a safe learning environment for staff and students is part of the school’s mission statement. A number of policies and procedures have been put into place to help ensure the safety of all students.

All visitors must use the front doors, stop in the office to sign in and receive a name tag.

Video cameras are placed at each entrance and an observation monitor is located in the office. All doors are locked following student arrivals each morning and visitors are required to use the intercom/door bell to access the building.

Another safety precaution is the identification of teachers placed in charge of the loading and unloading of students on/off school buses. The buses are required to use off street loading areas and bus patrol teachers take part in periodic bus evacuation drills. Other teachers assume responsibility for students waiting in the gym for buses and those walking home/crossing streets. According to AAA of Illinois, Evans has had 20 years of accident free days.

In 2006 the school obtained a grant to conduct a security and vulnerability assessment which was performed by a team of experts. As a result of that audit, changes were implemented that addressed concerns such as perimeter fencing, adequate lighting, best procedures for emergency drills and communications systems. The Lake Station Fire Department conducts various and periodic safety drills providing the school with suggestions for implementation

A school crisis response team is in place and a variety of drills (fire, tornado, lock down, etc) are scheduled and conducted as required throughout the school year. This year, the school brought in an expert on lockdown drills to provide suggestions which resulted in improved lockdown drill procedures.

The school’s student discipline code, student handbook and safety plan are reviewed , revised and updated revised annually as deemed necessary.

Proposed Plan

The school will continue to bring in school safety specialists and fire department officials to assist in providing the most current information regarding best practices in school safety.

Component 1 – Comprehensive Needs Assessment

1. Identify the titles and descriptions of assessment instruments to be used in addition to Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress Plus (ISTEP+) in order to generate data for your review of student achievement. (Must include a minimum of three benchmark assessments.) (PL221) / (SI - Component #1) / (SWP - Component #1) (Current Reality)
Grade Level / Assessments
Preschool / N/A
Kindergarten /
  • Indiana Reading Assessment, Corporation Writing Benchmark, Corporation Math Benchmark

First Grade /
  • MacMillan/McGraw Hill Reading Benchmark, Corporation Writing Benchmark, Corporation Math Benchmark

Second Grade /
  • MacMillan/McGraw Hill Reading Benchmark, Corporation Writing Benchmark, Corporation Math Benchmark

Third Grade /
  • ISTEP+ Language Arts and Math, MacMillan/McGraw Hill Reading Benchmark, Corporation Writing Benchmark, Corporation Math Benchmark

Fourth Grade /
  • ISTEP+ Language Arts and Math, MacMillan/McGraw Hill Reading Benchmark, Corporation Writing Benchmark, Corporation Math Benchmark

Fifth Grade /
  • ISTEP+ Language Arts, Math, and Science, MacMillan/McGraw Hill Reading Benchmark, Corporation Writing Benchmark, Corporation Math Benchmark

2. Include a description of district wide assessments.(Current Reality)

ISTEP+

ISTEP+ assessments measure the academic performance of students in English/Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. In addition to individual student data, disaggregated ISTEP+ student results are used as primary performance indicators for continuous school improvement.

ISTAR

ISTAR is an individual student assessment administered by staff members who work directly with eligible special education students

Accelerated Reader Program

The accelerated reader program is administered through the computer and can give the classroom teacher an accurate account of each student’s reading level. This program is used to determine what level books students should be reading from the library.

Terra Nova - High/Ability (H/A) Testing

H/A testing is an individual student assessment that measures the academic performance of selected students in a variety of subjects. These results will be used to determine how to best instruct those students with high abilities.

LAS-LINKS

LAS-LINKS is an individual student assessment administered by the bilingual staff to identify student language levels (oral, reading, and writing) and to determine if additional language support services are required.

MACMILLAN/MCGRAW HILL READING BENCHMARK

The reading assessment that is given throughout the district is aligned to our reading series and allows students to be tested in a way that is formatted similar to the ISTEP+. The test includes multiple choice questions, open-ended questions, and writing prompts to allow students to be tested over the Indiana State Standards.

DISTRICT WRITING BENCHMARK

The writing benchmark that is given throughout the district is given three times a year according to the three predetermined prompts. The prompts cover the same genre at each grade level, which align with the state standards.

DISTRICT MATH BENCHMARK

The math assessment that is given throughout the district is given at the end of the year and was co-written by Bob Trammel who aligned the test to the Indiana State Standards. The assessment has both multiple choice and open-ended questions that are similar to the ISTEP+ test.

3. Include a description of formative (benchmark assessments) and summative assessments specific to the school. (Current Reality)

Other school based assessments that are given include:

  • Macmillan / McGraw Hill Fluency Tests
  • Macmillan / McGraw Hill Weekly Unit Test
  • Macmillan / McGraw Hill Weekly Selection Test
  • Macmillan / McGraw Hill End of Unit Test

ISTEP+ Trend Data

1. Analyze student achievement data based on the percentage of students meeting academic standards under the ISTEP + Program. (PL221) (Current Reality)

Note:This information reflects student performance for different groups of grade level students and is not reflective of cohort data.

A review and comparison of Fall 2007 and Fall 2008 ISTEP+ data in the area of E/LA reflects the following information. Third grade scores indicate increases in both the General Education and Hispanic subgroups (81%-87%). While two subgroups, Free/Reduced Lunch (78%-77%) and White Students (76%-70%) showed slight declines.

Fourth grade student scores reflect significant increases from one year to the next both overall in each subgroup.

Fourth Grade / Percent of students passing / + or - (increase or decrease)
General Ed / 60% to 82% / +22
LEP / 50% to 75% / +25
Free/Reduced Lunch / 53% to 77% / +24
White / 59% to 70% / +21
Hispanic / 41% to 83% / +42

Conversely, student scores for fifth grade students illustrate substantial decreases in the overall category and in each subgroup.

Fifth Grade / Percent of students passing / + or – (increase or decrease)
General Ed / 82% to 67% / -15
LEP / NA / NA
Free/Reduced Lunch / 77% to 55% / -22
White / 65% to 64% / -1
Hispanic / 79% to 48 % / -31

A review and comparison of Fall 2007 and Fall 2008 ISTEP+ data in the area of Math revealed the following information.

  1. A slight decline in the overall percentage of third grade students passing the math portion of the ISTEP+ assessment (69%-68%), and a greater decrease in scores in the Hispanic subgroup category (62%-50%). Student scores reflect an increase among Free and Reduced and White students subgroups (67%-69%) and (64%-70%) respectively.
  2. The percentage of fourth grade students passing the ISTEP+ assessment decreased slightly (69%-67%), while increases were reflected in the identified subgroups: LEP (57%-67%), Free/Reduced (59%-66%), White students (63%-67%) and Hispanic students (50%-61%).
  3. Fifth grade ISTEP+ scores exhibited decreases across the board in each category : Overall (86%-75%), Free/Reduced (81%-62%), White students (70%-65%) and Hispanic (89%-71%). Also, the differential between boys passing (90%) and girls passing (42%) deserves comment. The unusual 5th grade scores have been tracked with the cohort group for several years, and despite numerous interventions this group continues to show amazing results.

Conclusions

A further review ISTEP + data identifying specific areas of concern suggests the need for continued professional development across grade levels in five major areas.

English Language Arts

  1. Reading Comprehension
  2. Writing Applications

Math

  1. Problem Solving
  2. Number Sense
  3. Computation

2. Use the chart below to identify the current AYP status of all groups and disaggregated subgroups in both English/Language Arts and Mathematics (derived from an assessment of the current status of educational programming). (SI Component #5)(Current Reality)
ISTEP+ (AYP status) / Fall 2007 / Fall 2008 / Spring 09
PRIMARY INDICATORS
Grade 3 Percent Passing ISTEP+ (LA) / 78% / 80%
Percent Hispanic Students / 81% / 70%
Percent White Students / 76% / 87%
Percent LEP / 79% / N/A
Grade 3 Percent Passing ISTEP+ (Math) / 62% / 66%
Percent Hispanic Students / 62% / 50%
Percent White Students / 64% / 70%
Percent LEP / 57% / N/A
Percent Special Education / N/A / N/A
Grade 3 Passing Both Tests / 47% / 73%
Grade 4 Percent Passing ISTEP+ (LA) / 52% / 77%
Percent Hispanic Students / 41% / 83%
Percent White Students / 59% / 70%
Percent LEP / 50% / 75%
Percent Special Education / 25% / N/A
Grade 4 Percent Passing ISTEP+ (Math) / 61% / 66%
Percent Hispanic Students / 50% / 61%
Percent White Students / 63% / 67%
Percent LEP / 63% / 67%
Percent Special Education / 33% / N/A
Grade 4 Passing Both Tests / 41% / 71%
Grade 5 Percent Passing ISTEP+ (LA) / 73% / 58%
Percent Hispanic Students / 79% / 48%
Percent White Students / 65% / 64%
Percent LEP / N/A / 40%
Percent Special Education / N/A / N/A
Grade 5 Percent Passing ISTEP+ (Math) / 82% / 65%
Percent Hispanic Students / 89% / 71%
Percent White Students / 70% / 55%
Percent LEP / N/A / 67%
Percent Special Education / N/A / N/A
Grade 5 Percent Passing Both Tests / 69% / 61%
Grade 5 Percent Passing Science / 47% / 55%
Grade 6 Percent Passing ISTEP+ (LA) / 70% / 56%
Percent Hispanic Students / N/A / 64%
Percent White Students / N/A / 67%
Percent LEP / N/A / N/A
Percent Special Education / N/A / N/A
Grade 6 Percent Passing ISTEP+ (Math) / 81% / 82%
Percent Hispanic Students / N/A / 100%
Percent White Students / N/A / 73%
Percent LEP / N/A / N/A
Percent Special Education / N/A / N/A
Grade 6 Percent Passing Both Tests / 76% / 69%

School Attendance Rate

/ 96% / 97.3%
SECONDARY INDICATORS / Fall 07 / Fall 08 / Spring 09
Enrollment / 297 / 296
% Students Free/Reduced Lunch / 80% / 83%
% Students Special Education / 11% / 9%
% Students Receiving Remediation / 40%
% Students ESOL / 32%
Student Mobility Rate / 14.6% / 16.1%
Student Stability Rate / 88% / 86%
Student/Teacher Ratio / 23 to 1 / 22 to 1
Certified Staff Attendance Rate
Number of Suspensions (Out of School) / 45
Number of Suspensions (In School) / 58
Number of Expulsions / 0 / 0
Number of Expulsions and Suspensions Involving Drugs, Weapons, or Alcohol / 0 / 0
  1. Identify specific and measurable objectives for meeting AYP overall and by disaggregated subgroups.(PL221) / (SI - Component #5) / (SWP – Component #1)

The school will use A+ Learning System assessments for reading and mathematics and district writing benchmarks to identify individual students and/or subgroups failing to attain identified proficiency levels. Appropriate classroom instructional support and/or interventions will then be provided to assist students in meeting Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) targets on the ISTEP+ assessment.