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School Improvement Plan |
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A. Introduction Located in District Heights, MD, Concord Elementary School is a Title I, comprehensive school. Concord was identified as a Local Reconstitution School in January 2002 due to continually declining test scores as measured by the Maryland School Performance Assessment Program (MSPAP). According to the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) guidelines for Schools In Improvement, after two consecutive years of making AYP, Concord is no longer a School in Improvement Year Three, Corrective Action status. The mission of the school is to provide a quality educational experience that will serve as the students’ foundation for reaching high levels of achievement and becoming successful citizens of the twenty-first century. All PreK -3 classes are self-contained; limited departmentalization occurs at grades 4 through 6. Through a plan of intensive professional development, rigorous interdisciplinary instruction, close monitoring of the School Improvement Plan (SIP), and the establishment and maintenance of a diagnostic prescriptive learning environment, we anticipate significant academic growth. During the 2006-2007 school year, Concord Elementary School made overall gains in the areas of Reading and Mathematics, but slightly declined in the sub groups. As a result, AYP has been met in the overall categories by meeting the acceptable score rang and making Safe Harbor in Reading African American, Reading SPED and Math SPED.
B. School Demographics
Concord’s current enrollment is 357 students. There are 192 males and 165 females. Ninety two point five percent 92.5% of the students are African American (348). There are two (2) Asian students, one (5) Caucasians, and two (2) Hispanic. Sixty-seven (70%) of the student body participates in the Free and Reduced Meals program. Twenty (18) students receive special education services. The professional staff consists of a principal, an assistant principal, 1 reading specialist, 1 reading coach, 1 reading intervention teacher, 1guidance counselor, 2 special educators 2 Para-educators, 1 math resource teachers,1 music teacher, 1 physical education teacher, sixteen(19) classroom teachers and a media specialist . Seven staff members hold Advanced Professional Certificates; and 15 hold Standard Professional Certificates.
C. Major initiatives and how these efforts will improve student performance.
Concord Elementary made a 3.3 gain in reading and declined 3.3 points in mathematics for the 2007 MSA examination and attendance at this time was 94.3%. Limited English Proficient is not a sub group for Concord Elementary. Reading and mathematics will continue to be the school’s instructional priorities. The master schedule will continue to ensure that the time allotments and common planning times for reading and mathematics are as mandated by Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS). For the 2007-08 academic year, Concord will continue to be as a pilot school for the Reading First program in grades K – 3. All teachers will continue to participate in professional development activities on instructional strategies and best practices for increasing student comprehension in reading and writing. In the intermediate grades, reading proficiency and written communication will be improved through full implementation of the Balanced Reading Program, supplemented by Wild Cats, and Write Traits Writing Program. Following this program will enable students to concentrate on reading to be informed and enhance their performance in comprehension across the curriculum/content areas. Monthly reading goals and writing prompts will be analyzed and used to prioritize lessons and flexible groupings. The use of all steps of the writing process, writing strategies and systematic modeling of how to answer open-ended questions will be emphasized.
Our major mathematics initiative is to improve students’ skills by aligning instruction with the PGCPS mathematics curriculum frameworks and the quarterly benchmark assessment program. There will be pre and post-tests and chapter tests with item analysis. Student performance will be monitored at weekly grade level meetings and teachers will collaborate to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their students in order to adjust instruction to achieve mastery of skills. All students will be afforded the opportunity to use manipulatives on a daily basis. Teachers will be in-serviced and monitored to ensure that differentiated instruction will occur through the use of learning centers and flexible grouping strategies. Teachers will use the 5E lesson format for mathematics as indicated in the Standards for Excellence to provide students with daily opportunities to write in journals, use reasoning and critical /thinking skill, and make real world connections.
Our major science initiative is to improve students’ skills by aligning science instruction with the PGCPS science curriculum frameworks, the VSCs, and the quarterly benchmark assessment program. All Students will be introduced to the scientific process the first month of school, have quarterly science projects in grades 3 through 6, participate in PGCPS’s Science Bowl, partner with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and continue to be a member of the Channel 4 school weather program. Teacher s will use the science leveled readers to reinforce reading strategies taught in the Reading/ Language Arts program. Additionally, progress will be monitored through weekly science assessment in the form of BCR/ECRs. Teachers will use the 5E lesson format as indicated in the curriculum frameworks. Student performance will be monitored at weekly grade level meetings and teachers will collaborate to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their students to adjust instruction in order for students to achieve mastery of skills.
D. Subgroups
African American
African American- Students in 3rd grade showed a decrease their proficiency rate for both reading and mathematics from the previous year, 4th and 5th grades showed a significant growth in reading and slight decrease in mathematics. 6th grade proficiency rate increased in both reading and mathematics. .
FARMS – Students met AYP due to Confidence Interval. Grades 3 – 6 scored below the AMO in the areas of Reading and Mathematics.
Special Education Concord’s Special Education goals are to improve student achievement in the areas of reading, writing, math, and science Our data revealed those students who were below basic improved to basic and the students who were basic improved to low proficient levels students from the 2006-2007 SRI and Benchmark administration. The students declined on the MSA in mathematics by 4.2 points this year and declined in reading by 14.7 points. A compilation of the school system’s curriculum, the instructional frameworks and voluntary state curriculum will be implemented in order to experience continual improvement in Math and Reading. Collaboration with parents, community stakeholders, and regional and central office personnel will be on-going in order that the IEP goals for each student are met. Currently, there are 18 students with IEP’s. Students with 504 plans will be serviced by members of the in-house school instructional team. Bi-weekly meetings with the SIT team and administration will be held to discuss student data for academics and behavior progress. Special educators will plan collaboratively with classroom teachers, reading and mathematics teacher in order to deliver lessons effectively.
E. Safe and Orderly Environment In an effort to ensure the consistent and equitable implementation of the Code of Student Conduct and the availability of appropriate alternatives for addressing student behavior, Concord has implemented a school-wide behavior management program. Both the Faculty and Student/Parent Handbooks have been revised. The guidance counselor will provide classroom guidance lessons on social skills in order to inform students on how to handle conflict without violence. Students are mandated to wear uniforms. An on-going Behavior Intervention Program coordinated by the counselor and principal as well as staff development in classroom management will be enhanced. Students are mandated to wear uniforms. Various student service programs have been initiated such as peer mediation and student government. Parental involvement will be increased through workshops, incentives, and other strategies designed by the PTA. The Parent Liaison will encourage parent involvement through a variety of parent and parent-student activities. Activities will be offered to strengthen parental skills and support student academic achievement and growth. Parents will partner with the school to facilitate a shared decision-making arena and to implement the School Improvement Plan. The PTA will work collaboratively with the school to identify and encourage community and business members to support our instructional program. During the 2006/2007 school year parent and community volunteer membership increased from 14 volunteer participants to 25 volunteer participants. We will try to increase this number from 25 to 35 volunteer participants for the 2007/2008.
F. Parental Involvement Involving parents in the education of their children is one of the most effective avenues of school reform. Parental involvement with the PTA increased from 89 active parents to 110 paid active members. This resulted in 1.2% increase. Parents will continue to be afforded opportunities to participate in parenting workshops, academic workshops and leadership trainings. Quarterly programs and activities will be held on MSA, parent conferencing and homework support. Parents will participate in school Improvement team meetings quarterly during the 1st and 2nd semester. There will participate in professional development conferences such as Comer, MAG, MICA and other school system sponsored parent activities. A quarterly newsletter, sync mail and the school web page will be on-going forms of communications. Together we will connect families, communities and school personnel to assist with student success in order that the learner becomes a life-long productive member of society.
Parents will be notified of the school status in school improvement at Back to School Night on September 13, 2007 and through an announcement using the School Communication Phone System, school website, and written notice.
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Executive Summary |
