Achieving School Improvement
with the Three R’s:
Rigor, Relevance, and
Relationships
Elms Road Elementary
Swartz Creek Community Schools
2010-2011
Elms Road Elementary School
Mission Statement
At Elms Road Elementary we will commit
ourselves to learning and respecting others.
Everyone will be responsible, safe and kind.
C ommit to Learning
R especting Others
E veryone Is Responsible
E veryone is Safe
K indness Counts
Vision Statement
The Elms Road Elementary Staff is dedicated to educating all children
in a positive learning environment to achieve lifelong success. The
educational staff will provide an atmosphere which fosters a love of
learning while promoting children’s increased self-esteem, selfrespect and mutual respect of others. While promoting a clean, safe,
and healthy environment for all to enjoy, the employees will
provide the tools for students to become productive, responsible
citizens.
The educational team strives to address each student’s individual
learning style through differentiated instruction and curriculum.
The staff promptly addresses concerns of students and parents.
The employees encourage and foster open communications between
school and home.
Educational Beliefs
Learning is our highest priority.
Each child has worth and is capable of learning
at higher levels.
Family and community involvement is essential
for student learning.
Diversity is considered a strength.
Education is a life-long process.
Teachers are committed to prepare students for
success in the 21st century.
Each child has a right to a quality education.
Demographics
Swartz Creek City
Population: 5,100
96 % Caucasian
1% African-American
3% Native American, Asian and other races
Elms Road Elementary
K-5 Building
Population: 412
80% Caucasian
14% African-American
6% Native American, Asian, and other races
2% of Elms Road Elementary students are from non-English speaking homes
47% Free and Reduced Lunch rate
2008-2009 Targeted Title I School
2009-2010 Schoolwide Title I School
2010-2011 Schoolwide Title I School
Enrollment Data
Spring
2006
Spring
2007
Spring
2008
Spring
2009
Spring
2010
Kindergarten
85
71
87
63
70
Contained
Special Ed
12
0
0
0
0
1
80
92
80
75
64
2
74
87
88
70
67
3
78
80
74
85
59
4
75
83
86
72
87
5
79
77
88
76
57
Total
483
490
503
441
404 (-37)
Percent of Students Receiving
Free or Reduced Lunch
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
2006-2007
2007-2008
2008-2009
2009-2010
Differentiated Instruction Specialist
Model
Work with students
– Push in intervention groups
– Ketchup room
– Response to Intervention groups: 90:30:30
Model instruction/provide coverage while staff
observe peers
Resource gathering
Professional development for staff
Support for staff
Child studies
Data analysis
Research of best practices
“If special education is the only significant
intervention tool available in a school, it is
inevitable that the school will come to rely upon
that intervention too frequently. A school with a
multi-step system of interventions arms itself
with a variety of tools for meeting the needs of
its students and thus is more likely to find the
appropriate strategy”
- Taken from Whatever it takes: How a professional learning
community responds when kids don’t learn
Response to Intervention Model- Criteria
Special
Education
Evaluation
Final Child Study
After School and
Before School Tutoring
90 Minute ELA
•90 minute uninterrupted English
Language Arts block all grade levels
•30 minute additional ELA
intervention all students
•30 minute direct instruction
intervention for all Special Education
students-implementation Fall 2010
•DRA/MLPP
•Report Cards
•Teacher Referral
•DIBELS
Child Study
Fast Forward
AM//PM
Tutoring
On-site Tutoring
Tier Review
Response to Intervention
90:30:30
Ketchup Lunch
Grades 1,2,3,4,5
Incomplete assignments
Classroom Intervention Plan
Positive Behavior Support Pyramid
Expulsion
Indefinite
Suspension
Zero Tolerance
Suspension
Quiet Lunch
By Referral Only
Behavior Plan- Parents,
Teacher/Student Success Coordinator
Child Study Team
Parent Phone Calls (logged)
Classroom Interventions
MEAP Reading Totals
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
3rd
90
96
87
83
88
4th
95
90
86
85
88
5th
91
92
84
86
93
Reading Goal
Elms Road Elementary students will
increase their MEAP scores by 3% on the
reading portion of the 2010-2011 MEAP
test
90:30:30 Response to Intervention Strategies
Data Analysis
Implementation of MEAP toolbox items
MEAP Writing Totals
2005
2006
2007
2008 2009
3rd
51
60
50
4th
51
43
36
45
N/A
5th
70
51
54
68
N/A
52
N/A
Writing Goal
Elms Road Elementary students will increase
their MEAP writing scores by 3% on the writing
portion of the 2010-2011 MEAP test
Implementation of common writing process K-5
Implementation of writing process specific to assisting males
Guided Study Groups
Modeling by Differentiated Instruction Specialist
Response to Intervention (RtI)
Implementation of MEAP toolbox items
MEAP Math Totals
2005
2006
2007
2008 2009
3rd
93
95
95
88
98
4th
93
86
87
85
91
5th
83
82
80
71
83
Math Goal
Elms Road Elementary students will
increase their MEAP scores by 3% on the
math portion of the MEAP test.
Response to Intervention (RtI)
Implementation of MEAP toolbox items
Implementation of concrete and virtual
manipulatives focusing on problem solving
3rd Grade MEAP Data
Analysis
3rd Grade Data: Comparison of Data from 2005-2009
Reading: Student achievement increased by 5% in
reading.
Mathematics: Student achievement increased by 10% in
mathematics.
4th Grade MEAP Data Analysis
4th Grade Data: Comparison of Data from 2005-2009
Reading: Student achievement increased by 3% in
reading.
Mathematics: Student achievement increased by 6% in
mathematics.
5th Grade MEAP Data Analysis
5th Grade Data: Comparison of Data from 2005 to 2009
Reading: Student achievement increased by 7% in
reading.
Mathematics: Student achievement increased by 12% in
mathematics.
Keys to Creating Change
Getting started:
• Collaborative Culture
• Degrees of Change
• Emphasis on Learning
• Essential Learning's
• Assessments
• Belief shift
• ‘Must do’ list
• WE WILL!
*Supporting the Under Supported…
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Identify needs
Define goals
Create intervention
Non-negotiables
Defining the system
Identify discussions
Identify roles
Develop timeline
Public relations
Response to Intervention
Positive Behavior Support
* Taken from Gayle Karhanek 2007
Standards-Based Report
Cards
Implementation of Standards-based report
cards in Kindergarten –Fifth grades
– English Language Arts content area
– Math content area
What is a standards-based report
card?
A standards-based report card sets
expectations and communicates student
progress toward meeting specific
academic standards to parents and
students.
How does a student benefit from a
standards-based report card?
Students and parents will have additional
information on what students should know, do
and understand to help them be successful in a
rigorous academic program.
Standards-based report cards help ensure
students have mastered specific content and
provide information on areas of strengths and
weaknesses allowing for acceleration and
remediation opportunities.
What performance indicators will be used on
this report card?
SCCS teachers decided to utilize a 4, 3, 2, 1
performance scale to communicate the
level of mastery for each descriptor on the
report card where a “3” indicates a
student consistently meets a standard, a
“2” indicates a students is progressing
toward meeting a standard, and a “1”
indicates the student is not meeting the
standard.
How does a teacher know when a student has
met a standard ?
Criteria for determining performance are
outlined in teacher developed rubrics for
each descriptor on the report card.
Teachers are in the process of developing
multiple assessments for each element. A
student has not met a standard until they
have consistently provided evidence in a
variety of assessments.
Professional Development
Ron Ritchhart: Project Zero, Harvard Intellectual
Character
Dr. Rod Rock and Geralyn Myczkowiak: Cultures
of Thinking
Dr. Muhammad: Achieving School Improvement
Through PLC’s
Gayle Karhanek: How Professional Learning
Communities Respond when Kids Don’t Learn
Ruth Culham, 6 + 1 Writing Traits
Gail Boushey & Joan Moser, The Daily 5 & Daily
Café
Otter Creek Math, Rocket Math
Elms Road Elementary
School Improvement Team
Cook, Sandy
Deschaine, Mary Ann
Harnden, Terrianne
McGrady, Laura
Love, Jeremy
McCullough, Kay
Stewart, Tracy
Schultz, Susan
Tylus, Valerie
Vanderlip, Michael
Vander Laan, Jennifer
West, Kevin
Wood, Jamie
Ray, Paul
Smith, Lois
Differentiated Instructional Specialist
Principal
1st grade Teacher
Building Secretary
3rd grade Teacher
4th grade Teacher
Special Education Teacher
Speech Pathologist
Title I Para-professional
Title I Coordinator
Kindergarten Teacher
5th grade Teacher
Student Success Coordinator
Parent
Parent
Bibliography
DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., & Karhanek, G. (2004). Whatever it takes: How a
professional learning community responds when kids don’t learn. Bloomington, IN:
Solution Tree (formerly National Educational Service
DuFour, R., DuFour, R., & Eaker, R (1998) Professional Learning Communities at Work:
Best practices for enhancing student achievement. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree
DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., & Many, T. (2006) Learning by Doing. Bloomington,
IN: Solution Tree (formerly National Educational Service
Eaker, R., DuFour, R., & DuFour, R. (2002). Getting started: Reculturing schools to
become professional learning communities. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree (formerly
National Educational Service).
Reeves, D. (2004) Accountability for Learning: How teachers and school leaders can take
charge. Alexandria, VA: ASCD
Ritchhart, Ron (2002) Intellectual Character: What it is, Why it Matters, and How to Get it.
San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass
Marzano, Robert (2009) Getting Serious about School Reform Conference. Genesee
Intermediate School District, Flint