COON RAPIDS-BAYARD SCHOOLWIDE TITLE PROGRAM
1) TEN COMPONENTS:
1. A comprehensive needs assessment of the entire school
Coon Rapids-Bayard School completed its comprehensive needs assessment through a process of surveys and professional discussions. The following needs were identified:
1) CR-B has a gap of abilities coming into kindergarten due to different programs and family preparations.
2) CR-B has low math computation scores.
3) We are still seeing some low reading scores.
4) We have different views and beliefs in grade levels concerning reading.
5) We have fragmented reading and math assessments through the grades.
6) We have lack of continual assessment data being explained and shared by teachers and staff.
7) We have different views and beliefs on using data and assessments.
8) We have lack of training and knowledge of English Language Learners.
9) Early childhood programs have transportation needs and waiting lists for Head Start.
2. Schoolwide reform strategies
Services to students are accomplished through a variety of methods in our Schoolwide Title I model. The Title I teachers and classroom teachers work closely together to determine what methods best meet students’ needs. The Title I teachers and associates work in the following ways:
· The Title I teacher will do a pull-out/push in program. The Title I teacher and classroom teacher will communicate regularly to jointly plan to meet the needs of their students (students who score in the bottom 20 % of district assessments will be given first priority to receive extra assistance). Communication will take place via e-mail or meetings. Title teachers will keep a log on these interactions.
· Title I teachers and associates time will be prioritized (lower elementary, then up)
· Associates may work with students in groups, no larger than 5, outside of the classroom under coordination between the Title and classroom teacher.
· The elementary K-3 will coordinate the services of an associate that will assist classrooms and Title classes daily with reading and math activities, assessments, and progress monitoring. Associates will be trained in appropriate measures and monitored by the Title Coordinator.
· Title I teachers will assist in direct reading instruction in the classroom for students in grades Pre Kindergarten through third. This will include forming smaller groups for more individualized instruction in current reading programs. Title teachers will also offer pull-out programs where they will utilize scientific-researched based instruction. This will correlate closely with classroom curriculum, but will specifically include use of Phonics for Reading, Read Naturally, Read Well, Great Leaps, and Quick Read programs.
· Title I teachers will communicate with general classroom teachers on a regular basis to discuss student needs and progress. Title teachers will keep a log of these interactions.
· Title I teachers and classroom teachers will hold joint parent/teacher conferences with parents.
· The elementary Title teacher will offer ESL class to eligible students. State guidelines will be followed to assess and document academic improvement in ELL students. Two CR-B teachers will serve on the Coon Rapids Diversity committee for the town to ensure communication and opportunities for migrant and resident Latino needs.
· CR-B classroom and Title teachers will meet annually to review student academic data. Help will be given by AEA staff to notice trend line and set goals for student improvement. Benchmarks set up by state and local data will be used to determine if student needs are being met, and improvement is being made. The Coon Rapids-Bayard CSIP goals will be reviewed by teachers annually. This is a living document in our school. The CR-B Title Schoolwide plan is meant to complement this document.
3. Instruction by highly qualified teachers
All staff members are qualified to teach in the areas they are working, and we will give parents teacher credentials in annual brochures given out to parents, and published annually in a parent newsletter. In #4 you will find a list of professional development activities we are engaged in currently, or have recently been involved in.
4. High quality, ongoing, professional development based on scientifically based research
Our teachers have completed the following professional development. All are backed by a sound research base.
Academy of Reading
ESL endorsement classes
Technology classes
Guided Reading
Assessment/Stiggins
Reading and Math Strategies
E.L.P. Strategies
P.A.L.S. K-3
Reading Conference
6 Traits of Writing
Read Well
Brain-Based Research Strategies
B.E.S.T. and P.E.P. Mentoring Training
Phonemic Awareness
Learning Centers
Early Intervention Strategies for Grades PK-3
Summer Institute
Running Records
Autism Classes
Literature Circles
Teaching Reading in the Content Areas
Kindergarten Conference
LETRS training
Paraprofessionals are also required to attend classes to gain a certification. Title funding will pay for classes. All of our paraprofessionals have currently obtained their certificate.
5. Strategies to attract high-quality, highly qualified teachers
In order to attract highly qualified teachers, we use the Des Moines Register, Omaha Herald, and local papers when advertising positions in our district. We advertise to employ only certified staff members. We offer a competitive salary and benefits package. Our interview process involves our current teaching staff in the selection of the best candidate to join our team. We gather extensive background information prior to employment.
Coon Rapids-Bayard has a strong mentoring program designed to support new staff members during the first years of teaching. This includes BEST and PEP training.
6. Strategies to increase parent involvement
It is the policy of Coon Rapids-Bayard Community Schools that parents shall have the opportunity to be involved jointly in the development of the district plan and in the district review process for the purpose of school improvement. Recognizing that parental involvement is the key to academic achievement, we seek to involve parents in an effective home-school partnership that will provide the best possible education for our students. The district provides coordination, technical assistance and other supports necessary to aid in the planning and implementation of parent involvement activities. The district encourages parent involvement and supports this partnership through providing information about standards and assessments; providing training and materials for parents to help their children; educating school personnel about involving parents and the value of parent contributions; and developing roles for community organizations and businesses to work with parents and schools. Title teachers will be directly involved in Parent Open House, Early Childhood Parent meetings, and will plan Family Reading Nights.
Our Schoolwide Partnership Policy states:
1) This jointly developed and agreed upon written policy is distributed to parents at the beginning of each school year by sending it home with the child.
2) An open house for all parents of elementary children will be held in September of each school year. Notification of the meeting will be sent to parents through school notes.
3) Parents are given assistance in understanding the requirements of Title 1 law, content standards, and district assessments. Assistance will be given at open houses, parent-teacher conferences, and through publications.
4) Student assessment results will be sent home three to four times a year, as well as, on request in their native language.
5) Parents are informed of curriculum, instructional objectives and methods of the educational programming through various parent-teacher conferences, open house, phone calls, notes, and classroom visits.
6) Parents receive timely responses to all parents’ recommendations, concerns, and questions.
7) A School/Parent Partnership Policy outlines how parents, the entire school staff, and students share the responsibility for improved student achievement and the means by which the school and parents continue to build and develop partnerships to help children achieve the local high standards. Parents, teachers, and students will be given the opportunity every year to sign this. This plan will be found in each school building on a poster for all to sign. The plan will be customized to meet the varying needs of elementary, middle school, and high school students.
8) The Schoolwide program provides opportunities for parents to become partners with the school in promoting the education of their children at home and at school. Parents are given help monitoring their child’s progress. The school provides assistance to parents on how they can participate in decisions related to their child’s education. The school provides reasonable support for parental involvement activities, as requested by parents. Opportunities for parents include open house, parent-teacher conferences, publications, volunteer opportunities, phone calls, and Family Reading Night.
9) The school coordinates and integrates parent involvement programs and activities with other programs as appropriate.
10) An annual evaluation of this parental involvement policy and schoolwide plan shall be conducted to determine the effectiveness of them. Policy evaluation findings shall be used in designing strategies for school improvement and increasing parent involvement. Surveys will be distributed prior to the end of each school year to staff members. Periodically, family surveys will be conducted. A Schoolwide team will review these and our plan revised if applicable.
11) In order to ensure the plan succeeds, there must be a sense of commitment from all involved. Therefore, all participants will have the following obligations:
Parents:
¨ There are a total of two conferences scheduled for this school year. Parents are expected to attend both during this year.
¨ Parents are invited to the open house in September.
¨ Parents are invited to observe their child in class.
¨ Parents are expected to monitor their children’s reading at home, and work sent home.
Teachers:
¨ Teachers will be available at all stated meeting times to consult with parents.
¨ Teachers will initiate a minimum of one home contact a month (telephone class, newsletters, notes, meetings, etc.)
¨ Classroom teachers will keep information on the progress, or lack thereof, and coordinate an effort to meet student needs.
Students:
¨ Students are expected to be responsible, do their best, and practice good Character.
¨ Students will complete and return homework assignments
Home-School Partnership Policy
As a Teacher, I, _________________________, will
¨ Believe that each student can learn;
¨ Help each child grow to his/her fullest potential;
¨ Encourage students and parents by providing information about student progress;
¨ Provide meaningful and appropriate classroom and homework activities;
¨ Endorse school and classroom rules fairly and consistently;
¨ Seek ways to involve parents in the school program;
¨ Demonstrate professional behavior and a positive attitude.
As a Student, I, _________________________, will
¨ Attend school regularly and on time;
¨ Do my best;
¨ Be responsible;
¨ Treat others the way I want to be treated;
¨ Observe regular study hours;
¨ Read or read to 20 minutes a night;
¨ Believe that I can learn and will learn.
As a Parent/Guardian, I __________________________, will
¨ See that my children attend school regularly and on time;
¨ Work with the school in its efforts to maintain proper discipline;
¨ Monitor leisure time, in order to establish a time for homework and insist that all homework assignments are completed;
¨ Communicate regularly with my children’s teacher;
¨ Talk with my children about their school activities every day;
¨ Show respect and support for my children, their teachers, and the school;
¨ Have my children read or be read to 20 minutes a day.
Hand in hand, we will work together to carry out the agreement of the partnership.
Teacher __________________________________________________
Student __________________________________________________
Parent ___________________________________________________
Date: ____________________________________________________
7. Plans for assisting preschool children in the transition from early childhood programs
Coon Rapids-Bayard currently has a combined Head Start/Pre Kindergarten in their elementary building. We believe that this will help in the transition of students into the kindergarten program. Early Childhood Parent meetings will be held yearly to discuss standards and expectations of our programs. Staff will administer Early Childhood assessments 3 times a year in Pre Kindergarten and Head Start to help identify needs and inform parents of progress. Results will be shared with parents in a format they can understand. Title and Early Intervention teachers will conduct interventions with students in need of additional assistance in Head Start and Pre Kindergarten. Title staff will collaborate with Pre Kindergarten and Kindergarten teachers weekly.
8. Measures to include teachers in decisions regarding the use of academic assessments
Students will be assessed in K-6 in areas of phonemic awareness and oral reading fluency using the Dibels tests. Students in grades 2-11 will also be tested in areas of comprehension. All testing will be diagnostic in nature. Teachers will then be involved in articulation meetings to discuss data and use it to make decisions on necessary interventions. Assessment information will be shared with next year’s teachers to inform their decision making too. It is CR-B’s expectation that this will take place annually.
9. Activities to ensure that students having difficulty mastering the proficient and advanced levels of academic achievement standards shall be provided with effective, timely, additional assistance.
When data from district and classroom assessments is collected, classroom teachers, collaboratively with Title and Early Intervention teachers, and families will determine if any additional assistance is necessary. Listed below are some of the programs or assistance that might be utilized in interventions for a child who is having difficulty:
Ø ESL class
Ø Summer school
Ø Peer tutoring
Ø Adjusted curriculum
Ø Building Assistance Team meetings
Ø Extended learning
Ø IEP
Ø Title I
Ø School Counseling
Ø Associate Time
Ø Private Tutoring
Ø Boys and Girls Home
Ø Parental Interventions
Ø Health Interventions
Ø Preferential Seating
Ø Homework Folders
Ø Speech
10.Coordination and integration of federal, state, and local services and programs
We integrate Title I, Title II, and Title III funds to employ highly qualified staff members, fund researched-based staff development, and purchase quality materials for the children of our district. Our consolidated resources are used to fund all of our programs as outlined in our comprehensive school improvement plan (CSIP). In addition, Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) funding will also be used for parent involvement on Family Reading Night.
2) A LIST OF RELATED STATE AND FEDERAL PROGRAMS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE SWP.
§ Title I funding
§ Title II funding
§ Title III funding
§ Early Intervention State Funding
§ Head Start
§ School nutrition program
§ Title IV funding, Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities
§ ESL program
§ RIF (Reading Is Fundamental)
§ Migrant Education Funding & Grants
3) A DESCRIPTION OF HOW THE SCHOOL WILL USE ITS CONSOLIDATED RESOURCES TO IMPLEMENT THE SWP COMPONENTS
We will integrate our funds and resources to employ highly qualified teachers and aides in our schoolwide program. We will use our resources to purchase quality materials for the children of our district, and carry out our school programs outlined in our CSIP.
We will place a full time Title Reading teacher at Deal Elementary School this year to service PreK-3 students. In the past, we have only had a half-time teacher. We will also help fund an Early Interventionist at Deal Elementary to service PreK-3 in Reading and Math. CR-B will also offer services to the combined PreK/ Head Start. At our 4-6 building, we will employ a half-time Title Reading Teacher. We will coordinate the services of a PreK-3 aide. Title and Migrant funding will help support the ESL teacher salary also.
CR-B will use additional consolidated resources to offer professional development in the areas of most need for our school. We will further carry out school improvement in offering collaborative opportunities for staff to meet together and discuss ways to defragment our services.
We will use our funding to support Parent Involvement activities in our school district. We plan to help with Parent Open House and Family Reading Nights.
CR-B will continue to operate a Summer Academic Program for identified elementary students to help struggling students maintain skills. We will use funding to also buy materials for use PreK-12. Finally, funding will be used to purchase necessary visual aides and resources for ESL students, their classrooms, and our libraries.
4) A DESCRIPTION OF HOW THE SCHOOL WILL PROVIDE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT ASSESSMENT RESULTS TO PARENTS IN A LANGUAGE AND FORMAT THE PARENTS CAN UNDERSTAND
Coon Rapids-Bayard grade spans have developed assessment forms used to show parents their student’s individual assessment results. Results are reported out to parents two to three times a year. If requested, results will be provided in their native language. CR-B subscribes to a translation library to help with this. We also use services of local translators of Spanish.
Title Instructors will fill out “Individual Intervention Plans” for students they see. These will describe interventions their students are involved in. These forms will accompany quarterly Progress Reports.
5) DESCRIPTION OF ANNUAL EVALUATION PROCESS
The CR-B Schoolwide plan will be evaluated annually by the Schoolwide committee. The committee will be made up of a representation of teachers, administrators, parents, community members, and all Title teachers. The committee will meet for an afternoon in May. An invitation and agenda will be sent out at least 2 weeks in advance of the meeting date. Before the meeting, short surveys will be sent out to all parents and CR-B staff. Results will be compiled and shared at the meeting. Title teachers will explain their programs, share materials, and professional development opportunities they have partaken in. Comments and reflections will be accepted at this meeting. Two main questions will be addressed: Is our program being implemented correctly? Is it effective? Schoolwide data will be reviewed at this meeting. Annual priorities and goals will be made for the following year for our Title Schoolwide program. Criteria for success will be set also.