PASSION, PERSISTANCE AND PIZAZZ:

THE PAGE 1 EXPERIENCE

PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOLCOLUMBIA BOROUGH SCHOOL DISTRICT

DR. P. DIANE FREY

PENNSYLVANIA HAS ONE OF THE LARGEST

ACHIEVEMENT GAPS IN THE COUNTRY.

ACHIEVEMENT GAPS BETWEEN:

GIRLS AND BOYS

STUDENTS ABOVE AND BELOW THE POVERTY LINE

STUDENTS WITH AND WITHOUT DISABILITIES

BETWEEN STUDENTS OF DIFFERENT ETHNIC GROUPS

DATA SHOWS THAT THERE ARE

SCHOOLS WITH HIGH PERCENTAGES OF

LOW-INCOME AND/OR MINORITY

CHILDREN THAT HAVE CLOSED THE

ACHIEVEMENT GAP AMONG GROUPS

OF STUDENTS

THROUGH PAGE 1, THE STATE BOARD OF

EDUCATION BROUGHT TO LIGHT THE

SUCCESSES WITHIN PENNSYLVANIA THAT SCHOOL

DISTRICTS, EDUCATORS, CITIZENS AND THE

BUSINESS COMMUNITY ACROSS THE STATE CAN

LOOK TO AS HAVING MET THE CHALLENGE.

THESE ARE SCHOOLS WHERE THE STRATEGIES FOR

SUCCESS ARE PUT IN PLACE AND ARE ON TARGET TO CLOSE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP.

PAGE 1 ACTIVITIES:

SCHOOLS PUT TOGETHER A SCHOOL/COMMUNITY TEAM

THESE SCHOOL/COMMUNITY TEAMS ATTENDED SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS

THESE SCHOOL/COMMUNITY TEAMS MADE A SITE VISIT TO A SCHOOL THAT HAS HAD DOCUMENTED SUCCESSIN CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP.

THESE SCHOOL/COMMUNITY TEAMS DEVELOPED GOALS AND AN ACTION PLANFOR CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAPIN THEIR SCHOOL.

THESE SCHOOL/COMMUNITY TEAMS WILL SERVE AS A HOST FOR OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE REGION AND WILL SHARE THEIR EXPERTISE ANDTHE LESSONS THEY HAVE LEARNED.

SCHOOL VISIT

LINCOLN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

MOUNT VERNON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK

WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THE SCHOOLVISIT:

GREAT EMPHASIS ON WRITING AND ORAL LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

SCHOOL CULTURE/BELIEF SYSTEM

CONSISTENT AND PERVASIVE PRACTICES

TEACHER TALK VS. STUDENT TALK

INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP

TEACHER QUALITY

PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 2003 2008TOTAL ENROLLMENT 477 470

GRADES K-6 K-6

LOW INCOME 61.7% 80%

HISPANIC 19% 21%

AFRICAN AMERICA 12.5% 12%

SPECIAL EDUCATION 13%% 11%

OUR REALITY

DISTRICT

Tax base

23% of the students in our district receive special education services

54% of the students in our district receivefree or reduced lunch

Students from generational poverty

OUR REALITY IN 2003

IDENTIFIED SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS

TRANSIENCY

STUDENTS WHO DID NOT HAVE THE BENEFIT OFA COMPREHENSIVE BALANCED LITERACY PROGRAM BEGINNING IN KINDERGARTEN

LARGE PERCENTAGE OF ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS (GENERATIONAL POVERTY)

LACK OF FINANCIAL RESOURCES

OUR REALITY IN 2003

49% OF ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS WERE

PROFICIENT IN READING

48% OF ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGEDFIFTH GRADE STUDENTS WERE PROFICIENT IN MATH

OUR CHALLENGES

HOW DO WE PREPARE OUR TEACHERS TO WORK WITH OUR STUDENT POPULATION?

WHAT INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT PRACTICES NEED TO BE ADDED, MODIFIED, DELETED?

HOW CAN WE GET ALL OF OUR STUDENTS TO THE PROFICIENT LEVEL?

HOW WE MET OUR CHALLENGES!

ALIGNED CURRICULUM WITH STATE ANCHORS USING LEARNING FOCUSED SCHOOLS CURRICULUM MAPPING ONLINE TOOL

INSTITUTED DATA DRIVEN INTERVENTIONS AND GROUPING OF STUDENTS

DEVELOPED A CONSISTENT ASSESSMENT PLAN

INSTITUTED GRADE LEVEL DATA MEETINGS

FOCUSED ON SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTION/ DIFFERENTIATION

INSTITUTED GRADE LEVEL MEETINGS ACROSS ELEMENTARY BUILDINGS TO BRING CONSISTENCY TO EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM

PROVIDED FOCUSED, INTENSIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN LITERACY

FOCUSED ON CONSISTENT AND PERVASIVE EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES

INSTITUTED LITERACY COACHES

CREATED PROFESSIONAL BOOK STUDY GROUPS

PROVIDED AN ADDITIONAL MATH CLASS FOR EVERY ELEMENTARY STUDENT

PROVIDED AN EXTENDED LEARNING PROGRAM(TUTORING) FOR STUDENTS

THE RESULTS!

PARK ELEMENTARY READING DATA FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS PROFICIENT 2003/2007

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

2003 2007

All Students

EconomicallyDisadvantagedStudents

PARK ELEMENTARY MATH DATAFIFTH GRADE STUDENTS PROFICIENT 2003/2007

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

2003 2007

All Students

EconomicallyDisadvantagedStudents

WE BELIEVE!