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Title I Schoolwide Plan Wythe County Public Schools Title I SCHOOLWIDE PLAN School District Name: School Name: School Address: Building Principal: E­mail Address: Phone: Title I­A Coordinator Phone: E­Mail Address: Superintendent: Phone: E­Mail Address: Address: Wythe County Public Schools Jackson Memorial Elementary School 4424 Fort Chiswell Road, Austinville, VA 24312 Mrs. Tammy Watson [email protected] 276­699­0160
FAX: 276­699­9650 Beth W. Cochran 276­228­5411 FAX: 276­228­9192 [email protected] Dr. W. Lee Brannon 276­228­5411
FAX: 276­228­9192 [email protected] 1570 West Reservoir Street, Wytheville, VA 24382 School Enrollment 223 Free/Reduced % 56% Wythe County Public Schools
Page 1 of 20 Title I Schoolwide Plan Assurance Agreement for Schoolwide Planning The school has completed the schoolwide planning process and has met the requirements of the Title I legislation relating to schoolwide planning and criteria as outlined in section 1114 of the NCLB Act. The district has worked in consultation with the school as the school developed the schoolwide plan and will continue to assist the school in implementing, evaluating, and revising the plan annually. Dr. W. Lee Brannon
Printed Name of Superintendent
Tammy J. Watson
Printed Name of Principal ______________________________________ ___________________________________ Signature of Superintendent
date
Signature of Principal
date Schoolwide Program Planning Team Name Roles/Responsibilities Principal: Tammy Watson Principal Teachers: Jennifer Phillips Reading Recovery/Title I Reading Teacher Barbara Grubb Title I Math Teacher Carey Stevens Guidance Counselor Kasey Crockett 4th
Paraprofessionals: Kim Caudle Paraprofessional Parents & Community: Mrs. Melissa Austin Parent Rev. Eddie Dalton Parent Mrs. Barbara Dalton Parent Administrators: Beth Cochran Coordinator of Federal Programs/Director of Testing ITRT: Charlie Odum Instructional Technology Resource Teacher Grade Teacher Wythe County Public Schools
Page 2 of 20 Title I Schoolwide Plan School Profile One page data­driven description of school’s student, staff, and community demographics, programs and missions.
Jackson Memorial Elementary School is located in a rural community in the eastern end of Wythe County, Virginia. The Jackson campus has seen several changes throughout the years. Jackson was
originally built in 1935 and served as our high school in this area. With the completion of Fort Chiswell
High School in 1960, Jackson then became a special education elementary school. In 1976, its role again changed when children in grades K­3 attended the general education elementary school. In 2002, Jackson’s most recent change has been the addition of grades 4 and 5 and renovation with the
closure of Austinville Elementary School. There are 22 teachers, 1 principal, and 3 professional aides at Jackson Memorial Elementary School.
82% of our professional staff has a bachelors degree while 14% hold a masters and one teacher has
completed her doctorate degree. All of our professional aides are highly­qualified by state standards and have passed the ParaPro standardizes test. There are small self­employment businesses speckled throughout the community. The majority of our
residents that live in this area find employment outside of our community. Twenty­nine percent of our
populations are employed in services, twenty percent have manufacturing positions, and nineteen­percent are employed through trade. We are fortunate to have a positive support line from the
local businesses and churches. In our school community, 56% of our clientele are disadvantaged and 7% are identified through special education criteria. We employ two remediation tutors from October to May to assist our teachers in meeting the specific needs of our children in order for them to be successful. Our resource
program is essential to the success of our children. It is here where our professionals target children,
identify needs, and follow through with an individualized plan for success. Our theme for this school year centers on setting the stage for our children to be successful. Regardless of need, we try to assist children, within our means, for them to be successful. Programs: *Phonological Awareness and Literacy Screening (PALS): an individualized or small group intervention for students in Kindergarten through third grades to develop language, pre­reading, and grade level reading skills. *Reading Recovery­ a thirty­minute individualized early intervention program taught by a trained Reading Recovery teacher for the lowest achieving students in reading in first grade. *Literacy Groups in Reading­ a small­group early intervention program for lower achieving students in
reading *Title I Reading­ a daily intervention program for lower achieving students in kindergarten through fifth
grades. *Music­all students participate in at least one 40­minute session with the music teacher each week. *Physical Education­ all students have two 40­minute periods with the physical education teacher each
Wythe County Public Schools
Page 3 of 20 Title I Schoolwide Plan week. The classroom teacher supervises physical education activities for the remaining days. *Library­all students have 40­minute library period per week. *Guidance­students in all grades have one 40­minute period of guidance each week. The focus in guidance remains character education. *4­H­students in fourth and fifth grades have a 40­minute program each month. *Family Life Education­an optional program for students in the fifth grade. Students are taught in two
gender­specific classes for 45 minutes. *Special Education, and Speech Programs­ students who are identified as needing these services participate according to the student’s Individualized Education Program. *Mount Rogers provides emotional support for our student to be successful students *Type to Learn program is provided for third to fifth grade students to provide support in the skill of typing *PR sessions for prekindergarten through fifth grade students *Building Bridges for prekindergarten through fifth grade parents to visit their child’s classroom and learn about their child’s activities and curriculum H.O.T Kids is a opportunity for all students in grades Pre­K through fifth to learn together in small groups for 30 minutes once a week during the school year. Wythe County Public Schools
Page 4 of 20 Title I Schoolwide Plan WYTHE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS Jackson Memorial Elementary School School Improvement Plan 2014 ­ 2015 District Goal 1:All Wythe County Schools will meet or exceed federal and state accreditation standards. AdvancEdIndicator 5.2 Professional and support staff continuously collect, analyze and apply learning from
range of data sources, including comparison and trend data about student learning,
instruction, program evaluation and organizational conditions that support learning. OBJECTIVE A:Professional staff will collect, analyze and apply data from summative and formative assessments to
drive and improve instruction. Strategies: 1. Provide professional development to strengthen teachers’ understanding and practice of how to formative assessment data to daily instruction. ­ PD opportunities provided by JMES to faculty in reading and math. Teachers can choose from the following
book discussions: ­ Reading – Strategies that Work by Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis ­ Math – Number Talks by Sherry Parrish ­ Vocabulary Plan per classroom teacher 2. Increase opportunities for 1:1 Student Teacher conferences to teach student how to be responsible for their own
progress and learning. (i.e. charting progress, discussing areas of strengths and weaknesses.) ­ Homeroom teacher will meet with each student at the end of each nine weeks on the provided 1/2 day. ­ Teachers will discuss each students’ strengths, areas of needed improvement, and progress. Indicators: Attendance Log Reflection / Self­evaluation of Activities Student Progress Charts Wythe County Public Schools
Page 5 of 20 Title I Schoolwide Plan AdvancEdIndicator 3.7 Mentoring, coaching and induction programs support instructional improvement consistent with the system’s values and beliefs about teaching and learning. OBJECTIVE B: Enhancement of a mentoring program for personnel that strives to provide instructional support with values and
beliefs about learning and teaching. . Strategies: 1. Train additional teachers in the Path­Wise Mentoring program so that each school has at least two teachers who can serve as formal mentors. ­ A JMES teacher will be provided training. 2. Assign both a Path­Wise mentor to new teachers and a colleague mentor who teaches the same subject/grade level. ­ The team member of the new teacher will also provide mentoring on specific grade level information. 3. Provide continued mentoring for teachers beyond their first year as appropriate. ­ Team member will provide support of new teachers as needed. Indicators: Record(s) of mentorship activities Attendance/observation log AdvancEdIndicator 3.9 The system designs and evaluates structures in all schools whereby each student is well­known by at least one adult advocate in the student’s school who supports that student’s educational experience. OBJECTIVE C: School personnel will extend beyond the classroom experience to ensure that every student in the building is well
known in the building. Strategies: 1. Assign an adult mentor for identified at­risk students who will be responsible for daily interaction with students. ­ Teachers will identify at­risk students. Students will be assigned a mentor to check up on the student(s) daily. 2. Continue school­level initiatives that encourage positive interpersonal communication. ­ Teachers will provide positive feedback to parents at least once per nine weeks with a phone call or post card. ­ Newsletter of events will be posted on Moodle. Indicators: Record(s) of identified students and mentor Mentorship/Contact Log Positive contact log Wythe County Public Schools
Page 6 of 20 Title I Schoolwide Plan District Goal 2:Wythe County Schools will increase two­way stakeholder communication AdvanceEd Indicator 3.5 The system operates as a collaborative learning organization through structures that support improved instruction and student learning at all levels.
AdvancEd Indicator 5.5 System and school leaders monitor and communicate comprehensive information about student learning, school performance and the achievement
of system and school improvement goals to stakeholders. OBJECTIVE A: Create more opportunities for stakeholder involvement for student success. Strategies: 1. Continue Family Nights that emphasize literacy and math home activities that support students’ daily learning.
­ Opportunities are provided to emphasize literacy and math at JMES with the following before school activities:
Muffins for Mom’s and Doughnuts for Dad’s 2. Increase opportunities for family involvement in the school community. ­ Building Bridges program will provide opportunities for parents to learn with their child in the classroom setting a
least two times per year. JMES utilizes this time for children to teach parents what they are learning in the classroom.
Indicators: Record(s) of activities – newsletters, pictures Attendance Log OBJECTIVE B: Create more transition opportunities that include parent involvement. Strategies: 1. Increase participation in transition programs between grade levels with step­up days within the schools, Kindergarten orientation, and 6th grade orientation. ­ Kindergarten Camp with Kindergarten Orientation for upcoming Kindergarteners ­ Step­up day provided for PK – 4th grade students 2. Add screening component for Pre­K assessment prior to entry into the program. Indicators: Record and examples of step­up activities PK Screening Log 2014­2015 SCHOOL GOALS for Wythe County Public Schools
Page 7 of 20 Title I Schoolwide Plan Jackson Memorial Elementary School 2014 SOL Scores English/Reading Math Social Studies Science Writing All 76 76 90 87 61 Sped 62.5 40 < < < 73.5 65.3 < < < Economically Disadvantaged Other Goals should be chosen to target specific areas in need of improvement. They should be realistic and attainable
Wythe County Public Schools
Page 8 of 20 Title I Schoolwide Plan 1. Comprehensive Needs Assessment Include student and teacher data, parent and community needs, existing improvement efforts and activities. 1.1­1.2—See Attachment 2 and charts below; for additional information see School Report Card on VDOE: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/reportcard/ School­Summary This table provides summary information on enrollment. The Commonwealth of Virginia accredits schools based on the overall achievement of students on Standards of Learning (SOL) tests and approved substitute assessments in English, mathematics, history/social science, and science. Accreditation ratings are based on student achievement during the most recent completed school year or on average achievement during the three most recent school years — whichever is higher. Adjusted pass rates represent achievement in all tested grade levels and allowances made for transfer students and limited English proficient students and credit awarded schools for the successful remediation of students. 2010­2011 2011­2012 2012­2013 2013­2014 2014­2015 Student Population 247 235 222 217 223 Based on the reading data gathered in the Comprehensive Needs Assessment, Jackson Memorial Elementary will continue the quality reading instructional practices currently in place with the goal of surpassing the 75% reading pass rate expected for the 2013­2014 school year. The economically disadvantaged subgroup will require ongoing progress monitoring and research­based intervention/remediation to reach that goal. A reading instructional plan for identifying and serving Benchmark, Strategic and Intensive Learners is listed on page 9. Based on the math data gathered in the Comprehensive Needs Assessment, Jackson Memorial Elementary will strengthen the quality math instructional practices currently in place and will increase the focus on the White, Students with Disabilities and Economically Disadvantaged subgroups in order to reach the 70% math pass rate goal for the 2013­2014 school year. Strategies planned to address the instructional improvement are outlined in Measurable Objective 1. Accreditation Adjusted Pass Rates The Commonwealth of Virginia accredits schools based on the overall achievement of students on Standards of Learning tests and approved substitute assessments in English, mathematics, history/social science, and science. Adjusted pass rates represent achievement in all tested grade levels and allowances made for transfer students and limited English proficient students and credit awarded schools for the successful remediation of students. Subject Grade 3­5 English Mathematics Grade 3 History History Grade 3 Science Science 2010 90 85 91 87 89 97 2011 88 90 85 87 91 94 2012 74 83 94 85 92 91 2013 75 70 70 70 70 70 2014 76 76 90 90 87 87 1.3 List/Attach Staff Qualifications of Principal(s), Teachers, Paraprofessionals. Wythe County Public Schools
Page 9 of 20 Title I Schoolwide Plan ●
Include Staff data on attendance and participation in professional development activities related to plan.
Jackson Memorial Elementary School has a total of 22teachers, 1 principal, and 3instructional aides. All members of our faculty are highly qualified according to state standards. Six teachers has been fully
trained and/or taken the Reading Recovery class. The instructional aides have met the state­mandated
requirements and are deemed “highly qualified” by state standards. All faculty members are required to
complete a minimum of 20 hours of professional development per year. Records of faculty attendance
and participation in school­based Professional Development activities are kept on file in our principal’s office. Records of faculty attendance and participation in county­wide Professional Development activities are kept on file at the Central Office. 1.4a Parent & Community Needs The following parent/community surveys were utilized in the Jackson Memorial Elementary School Improvement Plan: NSSE (National Study of School Evaluation) Title I Parent Survey Strengths found were: ● Cheating is strongly discouraged throughout our school. ● Facilities are adequate and well maintained. ● Physical education is well taught. ● The school is a safe and orderly environment. ● School is a welcoming, friendly place. ● Students are treated fairly. Areas of need were: ● Students need to see a relationship between learning and their lives. ● Preparing students to deal with issues and problems of the future is needed. ● Increased involvement in decision making is suggested. ● Bullying behaviors are a concern. Wythe County Public Schools
Page 10 of 20 Title I Schoolwide Plan Components Benchmark Learners Focus K­5 Students at Jackson Elementary Students are identified as needing Intervention based on PALS, HM benchmark Grades 3­5 IA 9 week benchmark K­3 DRA/RR Text Levels every 9 weeks. Teacher observation Flanagan and Mott – Tests for Higher Standards Houghton Mifflin Core Reading H.M. Core H.M. Leveled Readers H.M. Extra Support Houghton Mifflin textbook H.M. Leveled Readers K­Has workbooks PALS – one session per day (K­2) Use of manipulatives Flexible grouping according to Homogeneous small groups Instructional needs 120 minutes per day: 120 minutes per day: whole group 30­40 min. whole group 30­40 min small group 15­30 min. 20­30 min small group 60 min. PALS tutor per classroom in When students are not engaged in Kg and 1st whole or small group instructions they will be working independently 40 min. PALS tutor X 2 support in at Literacy Workstations 2nd grade 60 min. PALS tutor per classroom in Kg and 1st 40 min. PALS tutor X 2 support in 2nd grade Benchmark assessments in fall, Benchmark assessments in fall, winter, & winter, & Spring HM benchmark Spring HM benchmark assessments, PALS; informal assessments, PALS; informal teacher assessments as needed teacher assessments as needed Grades 3­5 IA 9 week benchmark Grades 3­5 IA 9 week benchmark K­3 DRA/RR Text Levels every 9 K­3 DRA/RR Text Levels every 9 weeks. weeks. Observation Observation Classroom Teacher Classroom Teachers, Resource Teacher, PALS Tutor Classroom Classroom Program/Materials Grouping Time Assessment Provider Setting Strategic Learners Intensive Learners Students identified as needing significant intervention added both in the classroom and during an additional block of time. Small group or individual instruction H.M. Core H.M. Level Readers H.M. Extra Support PALS­ 1 hour support per grade level in Kg, 1st , 30 min. support in 2nd grade per day Homogeneous small groups 120 minutes per day whole group 30­40 min. 20­30 min small group (except K­15 min.) 2 hours per day support from resource teacher in Kg. 1 hour support in 1st grade from resource teacher 40 min. support in 2nd grade from resource teacher 60 min. PALS tutor per classroom in Kg and 1st 40 min. PALS tutor X 2 support in 2nd grade Special Ed. where appropriate Benchmark assessments in fall, winter, & Spring HM benchmark assessments, PALS; informal teacher assessments as needed Grades 3­5 IA 9 week benchmark K­3 DRA/RR Text Levels every 9 weeks. Observation Classroom Teachers, Resource Teacher, Sp. Ed. Teacher Resource Room (k­3) 2. Schoolwide Reform Strategies Scientifically­based research strategies are based on identified needs and designed to raise the achievement level of all students on content standards and address how the school will determine how such needs have been met. Jackson Memorial Elementary School has identified the following measurable objectives to raise the achievement level of all Wythe County Public Schools
Page 11 of 20 Title I Schoolwide Plan students, including targeted subgroups, students failing to make progress, students at risk of failing to make progress on SOL, and students at risk of not moving toward advanced levels. Annual Measurable Objectives Measurable Objective 1: for 2014­2015 school year many programs and activities will support math advancement Research­based services and activities implemented to meet objective Houghton Mifflin Math assessment is administered 2 times per year (fall and spring) for all children Interactive Achievement Math benchmark testing every 9 weeks in third through fifth grades I tests during the nine weeks to determine objective mastery in third through fifth grades A specific example of how our staff will work to address weaknesses and achieve our measurable goals is below. This example is a second grade math student and the process our classroom, resource, and remediation teachers will follow to meet the needs of this particular student who has been identified with a weakness in counting money. The following programs provide remediation and practice in this area: ● Skills Tutor (online practice that can be accessed from home if necessary) ● Resource I instruction (small group and one­on­one) ● Parent Volunteer (extra practice small group and one­on­one) ● Peer Tutoring ● Extra practice packet for home use after conferring with the parent regarding the weakness ● Teacher created test along with teacher observation. Assessment data will be used to determine additional instruction needed for students. ● Students who fall well below grade level will receive intensive instruction outside of the regular classroom instruction to increase achievement levels.
● Students who fall slightly below grade level will receive additional small group instruction within the regular classroom instruction.
● Small group instruction will also be provided for students throughout the year as specific skills/strategies need to be addressed.
Measurable Objective 2: By the end of the 2014­2015 school year many programs and activities will support our reading program PALS assessment given 3 times per year in grades kindergarten through fifth grade K­3 grades test text levels every nine weeks using the DRA. Interactive Achievement Reading benchmark testing in 3rd through 5th grades every 9 weeks I tests during the nine weeks in third through fifth grades to determine objective mastery High frequency word knowledge assessment Fall for grades 1 through 3. Words needing remediation are retested every two weeks and new words added This example is a third grade reading student and the process our classroom, resource, and remediation teachers will follow to meet the needs of this particular student. Example: A student in third grade at our school has trouble finding the main idea of passages and individual paragraphs. This student has trouble summarizing the main idea and identifying it from a list of possible choices. At JMES, we will use the following strategies to help this student feel more comfortable completing these assignments and become successful. 1. PALS tutors who work daily with these students focusing part of their allotted time on main idea/summarizing of passages and paragraphs. 2. Skills Tutor assignments focused on main idea 3. Leveled Readers with Houghton Mifflin Reading series or from leveled texts in the JMES bookroom 4. Small group with the Resource Reading teacher 5. Benchmark and weekly assessments through the HM reading series 6. Weekly computer based I­Tests for reading with a focus on main idea questions 7. Literacy Workstations 8. Small group work or one on one work with the classroom teacher 9. A work station in the classroom directed for remediation for this particular student Wythe County Public Schools
Page 12 of 20 Title I Schoolwide Plan Measurable Objective 3: By the end of the 2014­2015 school year, three parental involvement activities will be provided to the parents. Measurable Objective 4: By the end of the 2014­2015 school year, three school­based professional development activities will be provided for the teachers to broaden student perspectives throughout the school. These are the three widely promoted activities at JMES where we encourage parent/child/teacher communication and involvement. Building Bridges: Prekindergarten and kindergarten parents were invited to attend their child’s classroom during October 2014 to experience the activities and skills required of kindergarten students. Parents are shown how to help their child learn essential skills during their kindergarten year. Morning “Muffins with Mom” on October 17, 2014 parental involvement activity Doughnuts for Dad’s Morning on November 21, 2014 parental involvement activity Our morning reading activities with mom and dad have been very successful. We have over 150 parents visiting our library to reading books with their children. This promotes an approachable and positive atmosphere to encourage further communication throughout the school year. Building Bridges: Students are more successful learners when parents and teachers work together to encourage them. Building Bridges is a program to promote a partnership between parents/guardians and teachers to encourage life long learning. Parents are invited into the classroom to share learning experiences with their child. Teachers share ideas on how to help children study at home, review information, and be an active part of the learning process. Parents can see how information is taught and are able to connect better with their child at home during homework time, etc. Students who can see the bridge being built to include their families in the learning process are more excited to share what they are learning at home. Parents have been a more active part of their child’s education after attending these sessions. The students are also more engaged during school because they know their parents are able to discuss everyday classroom happenings with them. H.O.T. Kids­ To help strengthen our foundation, Jackson Elementary is pairing teachers across grade levels together to work weekly on one activity in reading and math for one semester. It is essential to understand the progression each grade level goes through to accomplish their goals. For. Example: We have paired 3rd, 4th and 5th grade teachers with Kindergarten and first grade teachers so they can better understand that before they can say a word or read a sentence, there is a process of learning letters and sounds. In the other aspect, Kindergarten and first grade teachers have the opportunity to see the complex material for mastery in the upper grades. Higher thinking skills (Bloom’s Taxonomy)­ are utilized by the Jackson Memorial teaching staff to promote higher level thinking skills by our students The Title I teachers will be providing professional development book studies using two content specific books. Strategies that Work and Number Talks 3. Instruction by Highly Qualified Teachers Describe efforts to retain highly qualified staff to better meet the individual needs of all students. 3.1 List/Attach Highly Qualified Teacher documentation All teachers at Jackson Elementary are deemed highly qualified by state standards. All teachers are endorsed in the areas in which they teach and are placed in specific instructional areas for maximum student benefit. 82% percent of teachers at JMES have Bachelor’s degrees, 14% percent of teachers at JMES have Master’s degrees and one teacher has her doctoral degree. All teachers who are hired in the future will be highly qualified at time of hire. 3.2 List/Attach Highly Qualified Paraprofessional documentation ● Include NCLB requirements – participation in ongoing training specifically designed for paraprofessionals Beginning in the 2008­2009 school year, six additional days were added to instructional paraprofessional contracts for the purpose of ongoing professional development. Professional development sessions have included the Paraeducators: Lifelines in the Classroom series, Working with Autistic Students Training, and Using Evidence­based Instructional Practices. During the 2012­2013 school year, paraprofessionals will build on the foundation of the previous years’ training by participating Wythe County Public Schools
Page 13 of 20 Title I Schoolwide Plan in school level professional development as outlined in Section 5: High Quality and Ongoing Professional Development. During the sessions, each paraprofessional will be teamed with the supervising classroom teacher. All Wythe County paraprofessionals will continue to keep a portfolio of work experience and professional development to document participation. During the 2010­2011 school year, all Wythe County instructional paraprofessionals participated in preparation classes for the ParaPro Assessment. After successfully completing the classes and achieving a score of 455 or higher on the assessment, each paraprofessional is certified as a highly qualified paraprofessional For the 2011­2012 school year, all instructional paraprofessionals will be certified as highly qualified. Any paraprofessionals contracted for the 2012­2013 and beyond will be required to be highly qualified. 4. Strategies to attract Highly Qualified Teachers Describe efforts to recruit highly qualified staff to better meet the individual needs of all students. 4. List strategies used to attract highly qualified teachers ● Include Training and Mentoring for staff members ● Include Training and pd opportunities for new staff ● Include Active mentoring for new staff Wythe County Public Schools hire only Highly Qualified Teachers or teachers that are within one year of obtaining highly qualified status. Teachers working to obtain highly qualified status are supported by Title II, Part A funds that are available to pay for necessary coursework, Praxis test fees or for Praxis test­prep materials/workshops. Wythe County will continue to aggressively recruit highly qualified applicants by participating in area job fairs, maintaining close contact with local colleges and university placement offices, offering competitive salary and benefits packages and providing financial support for those working toward highly qualified status. 5. High quality and ongoing professional development Ongoing professional development plan that supports administration, teachers, and paraprofessionals to serve children and their needs. 5.1 Describe how entire school community participates in highly qualified professional development with focus on effective strategies supporting increased student performance on content assessments. All faculty members are required by the Central Office to complete a minimum of 20 hours of professional development per year. Records of faculty attendance and participation in school­based Professional Development activities are kept on file in our principal’s office. Records of faculty attendance and participation in county­wide Professional Development activities are kept on file at the Central Office. Teachers are required to seek Professional Development activities and events related to their field of teaching. Teachers confer with the principal throughout the year to ensure that PD requirements are being met, and at the end of the school year, the principal evaluates each teacher’s PD record and approves the teacher’s PD selections. Professional development Wednesdays at Jackson Elementary have always been an engaging and active hour. In previous years, we have targeted areas such as learning styles, their importance, and how to engage learners with different styles. This year the faculty will receive hour sessions on writing once a month for five months. We have focused on higher­order thinking skills and activities to engage and motivate our learners. Another focus has been positive and supportive communication throughout each six weeks with our parents. For the 2014­2015 school year, our focus has been on engaging the students in learning throughout the school day. 6. Strategies to increase parental involvement Parent/community involvement; compact development and implementation; parent policy and other required activities to Wythe County Public Schools
Page 14 of 20 Title I Schoolwide Plan involve parents. 6.1 – 6.4 Parents and community members are involved in developing and implementing our Title I School­Wide plan through parent surveys and Parental Advisory Committee. Parent surveys are sent home at the end of each year, and parents are invited to share their opinions, concerns and ideas concerning their child’s resource instruction. The faculty and staff value parent input concerning our Title I School­Wide plan. Surveys are returned to our school and items that relate to our school’s resource program are implemented at the school level. Other items are referred to the district level Title I Coordinator. During the school year, Beth Cochran, Coordinator of Testing and Federal Programs for Wythe County Schools, organizes a Parent Advisory Board Committee. The committee meets once per year. Parents from each elementary school serve on the committee with teachers from their home school. During the meetings, all paperwork is reviewed, including Wythe County’s Parent Policy. Parents are encouraged to discuss areas of the policy that were unclear, need improvement, or are outdated. The policy will be updated annually according to parent suggestions, and the revised policy will be available for the 2014­2015 school year. The district/school PAC committee will meet at the School Board Office on October 21, 2014 at 9:00 A.M. to discuss the county’s Title 1 Plan. Jackson’s Title 1 parents will attend this planning meeting. Jackson Memorial Elementary School works with parents and all stakeholders to provide quality education to all students. The school solicits the knowledge and skill of its stakeholders through formal and informal partnerships with local businesses, parents, grandparents, and volunteers. Some examples of these partnerships include guest speakers, field trips, and participation in the Parent Teacher Organization. Jackson Memorial Elementary School has formal and informal channels to listen to and communicate with stakeholders. There is a school website which contains information for students, teachers, staff, parents, and community members. Teachers and administrators throughout the school have email accounts, which they can use to communicate with stakeholders. Student report cards are sent home every six weeks. Many teachers also send home a mid­six weeks report as well. A school newsletter is included with the report cards. PreK through fifth grade students use communicator folders as a means to communicate between school and home. Kindergarten, first, and second grade students have a daily reading and homework log that goes home every day. At least one faculty member from Jackson Memorial Elementary School serves as an officer on the PTO board and meets with them on a regular basis. A student handbook is issued at the beginning of the school year. It serves as a guideline for students, parents, teachers and administrators in regard to student learning and development. Teachers reinforce learning expectations and goals for improvement through parent teacher conferences. Another significant means of assessing student learning and to set goals for improvement occurs with the midyear benchmark testing. This allows all stakeholders to assess levels of progress and determine areas of improvement for the second semester of the year. Ongoing communication is provided specifically for students receiving resource support throughout the year as well, in addition to the regular classroom activities mentioned above. At the beginning of each year, parents receive informational letters explaining the resource program, as well as contact information for the child’s resource teacher. A Parental Involvement Policy and Partnership Agreement will be included. Parents will be invited to attend our Open House, usually held in September. 7. Transition Plan The school assists and supports children and students from one educational experience to another through activities that are planned, implemented, and assessed. 7.1 Create Transition Plan The community of Austinville, Virginia, works in conjunction with the state­funded Head Start program located in Max Meadows, Virginia, and one private day care center. These providers are invited to attend an orientation day prior to the kindergarten orientation offered to the public. Jackson Memorial Elementary School has one Pre­Kindergarten class funded by Virginia’s Preschool Initiative Program. These students and their parents/guardians are invited to participate in all school activities. Communication with Pre­K parents/guardians includes yearly home visits by the Pre­k teacher and paraprofessional, classroom newsletters, and parent Wythe County Public Schools
Page 15 of 20 Title I Schoolwide Plan involvement activities such as, a Mother’s Day Picnic and Flying Kites with Dad. Upcoming kindergarten students and their parents participate in the school’s annual Kindergarten Camp. The parents and students are introduced to the teachers and staff with whom they will be interacting throughout their years at Jackson Memorial. Kindergarten through fourth grade Jackson Memorial students participate in an annual “Step Up” day. While “stepping up,” students experience a variety of activities characteristic of the grade they will be entering in the fall. Fifth grade students attend the Step Up day at Fort Chiswell Middle School. At Fort Chiswell Middle School, students take a tour of the school and visit many of the classes they will be involved with in the fall. Parents and students also attend an evening orientation in the spring. 7.2 Transition activities ●
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Fall open house/ parent –teacher visitation PTO meetings Title I School­Wide Reading and Math family involvement activities Pre­K home visits Head start visit Kindergarten Orientation Step­up Day Classroom newsletters JMES newsletters JMES website Wythe County Public Schools Websites Classroom based parent involvement activities ●
Kindergarten Summer Camp ●
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7.3 Orientation program Our families and students are invited to attend a spring orientation program and/or Step­up Day. Each grade “steps up” to the next grade level for a portion of the day. Our fifth graders ride the bus to FCMS to spend time touring the school and becoming familiar with middle school procedures. All students and parents are encouraged to participate in a county­wide open house at the beginning of each school year where they will meet new teachers, tour the school, if necessary, and become familiar with policies and procedures for the year. 7.4 Transition plan includes cultural needs JMES is sensitive to the needs of culturally diverse students and strives to meet their needs and provide them with a quality education. Wythe County Public Schools
Page 16 of 20 Title I Schoolwide Plan 8. Teacher participation in assessment decisions The role and activities of teachers, administrators, and the parents in the decision regarding the use of academic assessments in order to provide information on, and to improve, the achievement of individual students and the overall instructional program is described. The student advisory committee meets when needed to discuss a child’s specific educational plan. This committee also meets to consider the educational plan of transferring students to Jackson Memorial and Wythe County. The committee is made up of the principal, teachers, and the guidance counselor. 8.1 Team of administrators, teachers and parents develop assessment matrix. Assessment results are used to determine remediation needs at each grade level. Teachers and administrators collaborate to develop and plan instructional activities which will offer the best opportunity for student mastery of essential skills. Grade level meetings, faculty meetings, and common planning times are regularly scheduled to reassess student evaluations and to adjust accommodations to meet the needs of all students at JMES. Stakeholders are continuously informed of student and school performance. Parents are provided website addresses for JMES, Wythe County Public Schools and the Virginia Department of Education website where standards are explained for each grade level. Parents also have access to student achievement and accountability ratings by viewing the school’s report card on the VDOE website. Student performance is communicated via report cards, mid­term reports (grades 2­5), homework and communication logs, homework assignments, graded assignments and daily planners and/or folders. The Power School Parent Portal is an online tool which allows parents to monitor their child’s progress at their convenience. Parents may access previous and current grades, attendance records, teacher comments, complete/incomplete assignments and missing assignments. JMES has a scheduled parent­teacher conference twice each year. Students are dismissed early to allow parents a range of conference times from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 and 4:30 until 7:00 p.m. These times should accommodate most parents’ work schedules. Teachers also work with parents to arrange additional conferences as necessary. Phone conferences are often held for those parents who are unable to physically come to the school. The JMES stakeholders are a very important part of our school family. Teachers strive to have at least six positive contacts with each parent during the school year. We strive to maintain open lines of communication with them throughout the school year. The success of our students is dependent upon the partnership created with our stakeholders. 9. Strategies to address areas of need Activities to ensure that students who experience difficulty mastering the proficient of advanced levels of academic achievement standards shall be provided with effective, timely additional assistance. 9.1 Plan addresses how all staff and personnel support implementation of plan The teachers at JMES will work together to implement the plan. The teachers have input working on the objectives of the plan. The teachers at JMES discuss how they constantly monitor, assess, and reteach based on student performance. The assessments teachers use provide a description of individual student and group achievement, which reveals strengths and weaknesses. Each grade level administers and uses assessment results and reports as decision makers for remediation and improvement of teaching and learning processes to better influence student mastery of standards. Teachers and administrators assemble to discuss results throughout the school year during the following times: grade level meetings, common planning time, and faculty meetings. Constant reevaluations and accommodations will be made to meet the needs of our students. Jackson Memorial Elementary School currently uses the following assessment results and reports to enhance student achievement in the mastery of standards and plans to continue using these resources in 2014­2015: ● Benchmark skills reading assessments Wythe County Public Schools
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SOL released tests iTests Interactive Achievement Teacher­made tests PALS Fall, Mid­year and Spring for kindergarten through fifth grades Informal Observations Oral Assessments ●
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9.2 Multiple opportunities to extend or increase learning time within and beyond instructional day The district provides several interventions to assist in supporting student instructional needs. Remediation is available to students during and after school. PALS is available to students working below grade level in reading. Resource classes are provided for students with IEP’s. Math and Reading resource services will be offered to qualifying students having difficulties in these areas. In addition, instructors will also provide numerous opportunities to address student weaknesses through individual and small group instruction. All these components working together will be successful in improving student learning. 10. Coordination and integration of Federal, State and local services and programs Federal, State, and local funding sources are used to support and implement the plan. Resources, such as programs and material, human resources, time, and community are used to meet the need of staff and students. Please indicate the programs included in this application: Title I, Part A: Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Education Agencies Title II, Part A: Teacher and Principal Training and Recruiting Fund Title II, Part D: Enhancing Education Through Technology State Funds – VPI, PALS Local Funds ­ Instructional Other Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 10.1 Identify how funds from local, state, Title I and all other federal programs support plan Funds from the Title I, Part A, Title II, Parts A and D are used in the following ways: Title I, Part A – Salaries for Title I Reading and Math Teachers serving disadvantaged population Title I, Part A – Parental Involvement Resources and Activities Title I, Part A – Materials and Supplies for Targeted Reading and Math Instruction Title I, Part A – Professional development for improved reading and math instruction Title II, Part A – Funding for Praxis test fees, test prep, and required coursework for teachers working toward highly qualified status; Professional development to continue growth of highly qualified staff in specific instructional areas Title II, Part D – Technology resources and professional development to support reading and math instruction Funds from State and Local budgets are allocated for schools in the following areas to enhance the total instructional program: Wythe County Public Schools
Page 18 of 20 Title I Schoolwide Plan Instructional Supplies Remedial Education Gifted Education Library Material and Supplies Early Intervention Reading Initiative – PALS program Textbook Purchase Foundation for Excellence Classroom Grants Wal­mart Pack­the­Bus Jackson Memorial School’s Parent­Teacher­Organization Local community member and local business donations 10.3 Identify means of coordination of school and community as partners to support high achievement for all students. Jackson Memorial Elementary School works with the stakeholders to provide quality education to all its students. The school solicits the knowledge and skills of its stakeholders through formal and informal partnerships with local businesses, parents, grandparents, and volunteers. Some examples of these partnerships include guest speakers, field trips, and participation in the Parent Teacher Organization. Jackson Memorial Elementary School has formal and informal channels to listen to and communicate with stakeholders. Jackson Memorial Elementary School has a website which contains information for students, teachers, staff, parents, and community members. Teachers and administrators throughout the school have active email accounts, which they can use to communicate with stakeholders. Student progress reports (Report Cards) are sent home every six weeks. Many teachers also send home a mid­nine weeks report as well. Newsletters are sent home weekly or monthly in many homerooms. Upper grade students use planners as a means to communicate between school and home. Menus are sent home monthly and school­wide newsletters are sent home with report cards. Jackson Memorial Elementary School faculty members also serve on the PTO board and meet regularly with them. The faculty at Jackson Memorial Elementary School uses the talents, knowledge, and skills of stakeholders to enhance the learning process. For example, master naturalists have been utilized in helping to create an outdoor classroom. Parents, businesses, and community members are asked to showcase their talents and use them in a way that helps students understand specific concepts. Learning expectations are introduced at the beginning of the year when parents are given a list of the Virginia Standards of Learning for their child’s grade level. A student handbook is issued as well. Both of these references serve as a yearly guideline for students, parents, teachers, and administration in regard to student learning and development. Many teachers communicate learning expectations through daily, weekly, or monthly correspondences with parents. Report cards allow students, parents, teachers, and administration to gauge student development and assess areas for improvement. Teachers reinforce learning expectations and goals for improvement through parent­teacher conferences. Another significant means to assess student learning and to formulate goals for improvement occurs with the mid year SOL benchmark testing. This battery of testing allows all stakeholders to assess levels of progress and determine areas of improvement for the second half of the year. Members of all stakeholder groups participate in the school’s PTO. This organization serves as a structured means of stakeholder participation in student learning and development. Jackson Memorial Elementary School provides stakeholders with information concerning: ­Student Achievement ­Instructional Resources Wythe County Public Schools
Page 19 of 20 Title I Schoolwide Plan ­Policies and Procedures ­Menus ­Classroom activities ­Safety Awareness ­Emergency Planning Jackson Memorial’s Title I School­Wide Plan was developed with the involvement of school and community stakeholders. This plan will be reviewed and revised annually to provide the best instructional learning environment for all students. A copy will be available for the public to view electronically on the school’s website and in paper form in the school’s office. Wythe County Public Schools
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