1
13 SCHOOLS OF EXCELLENCE
2012
RECOGNITION PROGRAM
ti
1
FOR
LEARNING
Application Cover Page
Type of School
1
RESA
RESAt
3
Primary K
2
Elemenlery SUiaol MiEEIe c
o01 Junlo H
Oc
ool Xip Sc
ool o Vo
s4onel
4 5 fi
1 B
If Previous School of Excellence Indicate Year
s of Recognitian
Name of
mme
spacnyms
Email Address
Mrs Lori Gibson Comer
Principal
us
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kl2
IcomerQaccess
iremm
mmaarcmi
Irvemeasyouwunu
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Principal Home Address
133 Rosewootl Drive
1559
425
304
Princeton
VJV
24739
LM
Stefe
lip
Princeton
WV
24740
304 487
3904
pgy
Srare
ZlpCOtle
ieleplione
Official School Name
Hame Nep
one
GaEe
Princeton Primary School
n y
o wi
n n o na oni
i nwm
i
School Address
County
I have
219 B Old Bluefield Rd
Paz
Mercer
reviawetlp
ihe applic q
inclutling
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G
304 48Z2649
ihe eliglbility requlrements on page
aDe
i
LoYrvn
s SgneNre
Pnncipel
Name of Superintendent
enG certity all informatlon ta Ee accurate
Dr Deborah Akers
BOecllp Me Miss M
s Ur M
DistrictName MercerCounry
DistrictAddress
1403HonakerAve
Princeton
WV
24740
1551
487
304
cb
srere
z
rereonone
I have revlewehe applicatlon Inclutli ihe aligiblllty roquirements on page an0 certiy all infortnation lo be accurate
a
iQ
I
s
z
re
77
L
re
o
s
Mr Greg Prudich
Name of School Board President
Bpectly Ma Miss Mrs Or Mr
I havg ri etl e a pllcation incluOing ihe ellgibility requiremants on paga 4 anC ce
y all Intormation ta be accunte
i
d7
12
6rdaaeoaNPresbenYSSipneNre
wte
Preparation of Application
Listthe name position
title of representative
relevant stakeholdergroups including administrators
teachers other school staff students parents and the community involved in the Schools of
Excellence application process and obtain their signature
Name
PositionlTitle
Ashley Roberts
Kindergarten Teacher
Step Sh
Kindergarten Teacher
Kendra Ke
lly
Kindergarten Teacher
Christina Kinder
Kindergarten Teacher
Debra Hubbard
Kindergarten Teacher
Samantha Duncan
irga
K
e
d
rten
n Teac
Nicole Davis
Kindergarten Teacher
Janet Weaver
Kindergarten Teacher
ChervlThomas
First Grade Teacher
Weena A
First Grade Teacher
Ange ury
hrewsb
S
First Grade Teacher
Pamela Clark
First G Tea
Melanie Basham
First Grade Teacher
Tresa Gr
aham
First Grade Teacher
Brandon Ba
First Grade Teacher
Connie Myers
First Grade Teacher
Heather Steele
Second Gratle Teacher
nthia Dame
Cy
Second Grade Teacher
Karen Buckner
Secontl Grade Teacher
Angela Walker
Second Gratle Teacher
Jil DeVa
Seco Grade Tea
Joy Kinser
Secontl Grade Teacher
Missy M
oulder
Second Gratle Teacher
Jane Eg
Title I Teacher
Beverly Coz
Title I Teacher
Daniel McKeown
Critical Skills Interventionist
Mary Odle
Autism Teacher
Donna Belcher
Autism Teacher
Timothy Carter
MOMI Teacher
lynn Fetlele
Caro
SPMI Teacher
Mary Lilly
LD Teacher
rJ
Preparation of Application
Listthe name positionttitle of representative
relevant stakeholder gmups including administrators
teachers other school staff studenis parents and the community involved in the Schools ot
Excellence application pmcess and obtain their signaWre
PositionlTitle
Name
Lisa Home
Second Grade 7eacher
Timot Wood
LD Teacher
Tam Argy
Guidance Counselor
Santlre F
Alternative Ed Teacher
Pam Smith
Aide
Ronda Thorn
on
Aide
Mike Barton
Aide
lyn Brown
Caro
Secretary
Susan Kelle
Aide
Secretary
Jacind Smith
ParenVPTOLSIC
Jim W
orley
ParenUPTOILSIC
Abir Aboulhosn
ParenULSIC
Gina Mullens
Reatl Aloud
Parent
Melissa Powell
ParentlClothes Closet
tor
rdina
Coo
Dawn Staten
Title I Supe
Lori Comer
Principal
f
I
2
v
PART i
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Schools of Excellence Recognition Program for 21 Century earning
Please check the appropriate space for each of ihe eligibility criteria statements below
1 The school has been in existence for five full years
True
False
2 The schooi has not received recognition as a School of Excellence for 21 Century Learning
in the past five years
True
3
False
The school has current full accreditation status
True
False
4 The school has madeAdequate Yearly Progress AYP underthe No Child Left Behind NCLB
Implementation plan for the past two years
True
False
5 The school has not been identified as a
persistently dangerous school within the last two
years
True
False
6 2011 WESTEST 2 data for the all student subgroup meet the required annual measurable
objective academic indicators for reading
language arts and mathematics
Mathematics
Reatling
NIA
NIAI
True
False
7 The student attendance rate for elementary and middle schools is at or above 93 percent
True
False
NA
8 The high school student graduation rate is at or above 80 percent
True
False
NA
K7
PART II BACKGROUND AND DEMOGRAPHIC DATA
District
1
12 students enrolled in the district
K
Total number of Pre
2
Number of schools in the distrid
963a
18
Elementary Schools
High Schaals
0
Middle Schools
3
High Schools
4
Juniar
25
TOTAL
School
the school built
2000
3
When
4
Date of any
5
If the school has been renovated briefly describe the nature of the renovation
6
Total number of classrooms in the school
7
8
was
major renovations
NONE
38
2
Number of years the principal has been In his
her position at this school
3
If less than lhree years how long was the previous principal at this school
Number of students as of October 1 enrolled at each grade level or its equivalent
K
Pre
201
3
q
5
K
BZ
196
9
10
2n
or
12
Other
S79
Total
Alaskan Native
American Indian
ethnic composition of students
Racial
Student turnover
9
n
10
11
6
7
8
a
0
Pacific Islander
Asian
23
1
Black or African American
Hispanic or Latino
4
5
8
70
0
mobility rate during the past year
White
49
93
Total
100h
09
17
Note This rete should include the total number of students who transferred to or from different
schools between October
I and the end of the school year divided by the total number of students
in your school as of October 1 multiplied by 100
4
PART II BACKGROUND AND DEMOGRAPHIC DATA Continued
11
Students eligible for free
priced
reduced
402
56
69
meals
Total Number
If this is not a reasonably acwrate estimate of the percentage of students from low
income
families or if your school does not participate in the federally supported lunch program specify a
more accurate estimate tell why you chose it and explain how you arrived at this estimate
12
Students
receiving special education
90
54
15
services
Number Served
Indicate below the number of students with disabilities according to special education categories
designated in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act
Orthopedic Impairment
Autism
8
6
Deafness
Blindness
Deaf
11
Emotional Dislurbance
48
1
Hearing Impairment
16
Mental Retardation
Other Health Impaired
Specifc Learning Disability
Speech orLanguagelmpairment
Traumatic Brain Injury
Vi s ual I m pairmenUBli nd
Multiple Disabilities
13 Describeanysignifcantchangesinthedatareportedinitems
the past fve years and explain why the changes occurred
14
Indicate the full
time and part
time staff members in each of the categories below
Number of Staff
Time
Full
Time
Part
s
Administrator
Classroom Teachers
26
Special Resources Teachers
Specialists
12
4
Paraprofessionals
14
1
9
3
62
S
Support Staff
Total Number
15 Averege school student
classroom teacher ratio that is lhe number of students in
the school divided
by
1
the FTE of classroom teachers e
g 22
5
1
z2
PART III
SUMMARY STATEMENT imited to two pages
Provide a brief but coherent snapshot of the school to be used primarily as a public relations
document If the school is recognized the summary statementwill be made available to the press
The summary statement will not be reted by the Review Panel but itwill provide them with important
backgroundinformationforunderstandingtheschool Limitthesummarystatementtotwopagesor
less
Describe the school highlighting the mission the school culture and traditions the nature of the
community and students served and the school
s facilities Summarize the strengths and
accomplishments focusing on what makes the school a unique and successful place for leaming
and worthy of state recognition Using the main wtegories in Section V as a general guide
selectively emphasize the key initiatives that distinguish the school
Please include the school name city and state in the first sentence
Princeton Primary is a K
2 facility located in Mercer County in the heart of Princeton West Virginia Our
motto is Princeton Primary
Where Learning is our Primary Focus The school is a central huh for
beginning educational activities Almost 600 stutlents begin their educational joumey in this learning
centered environment The school which opened in August 2000 is located on a beautiful campus
adjoining the Hunnicut sporting complexes and Princeton Senior High SchooL A focus is set on learning
and building a strong foundation for future leaming
The mission of Princeton Primary is to collaborate behveen school home and the communiry to
ensure optimal development of educational skills and values that will promote successful life
long learning
in the 21st century This mission is accomplished by incorporating parent and community involvement in
our school setting high standards for educational skills and values and encouraging students to pursue
long learning Our goal is to care about the child and all of their needs educational physical social
life
and emotional Over the past 11 years the underlying schoal culture has become an environment of
compassionate individuals who care about each other and the children that they teach We believe that
caring about a child
s learning is crucial to being able to teach the child If a teacher really cares about the
s progress the teacher can then teach what is necessary to help that stutlent achieve
child
Even though the doors of the school have only been open for the past 11 years the school is already
rich culture and traditions The environment is nurturing and wring Many wontlertW traditions have
evolved over years Each August families look forward to the Annual Meet the Teacher Day where each
child has the opportuniry to come to the school and meet his teacher and see his classroom A tradition
that continues to warm the heads of children and atlults alike would be Annual GrandparenYS Day Activity
Numerous grantlparents come antl spend time with their grandchild at school For children that do not
have a grandparent present a teacher will step in and become that foster grandparent for the activiTy In
Octoher the entire community enjoys the little ones as PPS hosts the annual Halloween Parade This
tradition began the year that the school opened and has continued every year since Student antl staff
may dress up for the occasion and huge numbers of spectators come to watch the stutlents parade
around the bus loop The staff of PPS enjoy a lovely catered Christmas dinner each Christmas This is a
festivity that is looked forward to by all Any retirees from the previous year are invitetl back antl
presented with gifls and this time allows for fellowship and reminiscing
Princeton Primary studen
s have set the standard by each year participating in the county level Young
Writers Competition Many years PPS has boasted the winning entries for the county antl sent students
on to the state level The National Read to Me Day has become quite the tradition in the communiry
Leaders fmm all walks of life from the Princeton community are invited to reatl lo our students and
discuss his chosen pmFession and why reading is important in that particularjob The Read Aloud
program is coordinated by a parent volunteer and is growing steadily each year The principal maintains a
bulletin board and when a child reads ro the principal his name is placed on the boardtheThis board is
proudly displayed
when you enter the
builtling
antl children
constantly
want to read to
principal
Princeton Primary is fortunate to have an amazing gmup of parents in our PTO This group of hard
working parents is willing to provide whatever is needed to help the school The PTO maintains a large list
of volunteers that assist in many ways around the school from changing the marquee sigq helping out on
picture day organizing GrandparenTs Day organizing Veteren
s Appreciation Day assisting with
Kindergarten Registration assisting with the first week of school arrival and dismissal to funtlreising for
needed projects volunteering for Fun Day volunteering for Clean
up day and keeping the Clothes Closet
and the Snack Closet well stocked The PTO has also been instrumental in assisting our students to
attend some outstanding productions at the Chuck Mathena Center The PTO has worketl with our school
business partner to secure funds for needed projects such as the clothes closet
Princeton is a community in southern West Virginia with a population of about 7
000 The per capita
income is about 00
300 less than the state average of 32
2
00 Princeton is well equipped with
080
health care and local businesses Nearhy one can find Concord University Bluefeltl State College and
New River Community and Technical College Just across the state line on the Virginia side is Bluefield
College We are fortunate to have these schools nearby We have heen able to tlevelop partnerships
with CU BSC and BC Our classrooms are constantly being o6served hy future teachers We have
Professional Development School Relationships with both BSC and CU In addition to developing the
partnership with the local colleges antl university we have been blessed to have a partnership with
Princeton Senior High School With our campuses is such close proximity we have been a61e to have
high school tutors that use one class period a day from their block schedule to walk to our school and tutor
in our classrooms This has certainly been a win situation for all involved
The student population at PPS is culturally and economically diverse With approximately 400
students receiving free and reduced lunch PPS has students that certainty fall on the other end of the
spectrum The beauty of this is especially at this age a
class system does not exist Children at this age
are typically oblivious to social groups
The facility was opened in August of 2000 with Joanna Fredeking being the first principal The building
is a block wnstmction that is tastefully decoratetl in primary colors The building is bright and colortul
The campus is well
maintained and the playground areas are handicap accessible nicely manicured and
safe for all There are 38 classmoms and 3 computer labs The office spaces are inviting and spacious
The school has ample cafeteria space and a large gym The school is serviced by both a bus loop and a
separate parent loop for ease at arrival and dismissal time To further assist with the large numbers at
these times there is kindergarten parking lot for parent pick
ups in the aftemoon
Some strong innovations that PPS is exceptionally proud of include our Second Grade Show Choir
nametl Second to None our Library Page program where students are selected to stay after school and
help in the media center to learn about cataloging etc our Boys and Gids Tiger Tales After School Book
Club antl our pilot pmgram Keystone Alternative Education The Keystone Atl Ed program is being
piloted at PPS this year through a grant from the WVDE Mercer Counry was awarded the grant and PPS
is one oFthree schools in Mercer County implementing the program The program is designed to be used
in lieu of suspensions but the best part is that in atldition to the academic work that is accomplished the
students receive support and strategies to adtlress the unwanted behavior This is all done in a very
supportive environment
Thus
far
we are
seeing huge
success
with this program
PART IV
MISSION STATEMENT imited to one page
Successful organizations have a clearly articulated and commonly understood mission Provide a
brief statement of your school missioq how it was developed how it d rives improvement planning in
yourschoolandhowitfocuseson2l Limityourstatementtoonepageor
less Your mission statement will not be rated separately but it will provide the Review Panel with a
context for rating your responses in Part V
The mission of Princeton Primary School is to collaborete belween the school home antl communiry to
ensure optimal development of educational skills and values that will promote successful life
lonq learning
in the 21 st century
Princeton Primary
Where Learning is Our Primary Focus is our motto The staff teachers parents
and community members of Princeton Primary school believe that primary school education is the
foundational building blocks required for all future learning With a strong well
rounded curriculum rich in
Reading Language and Math concepts sprinkled well with technology skills our children can continue to
learn in the future We are to prepare them for the next level of etlucation But we do not look to just the
grades 3
5 which will ocwr nezt We are looking into the future to teach children the skills needed for jobs
that do not even exist yet We teach social skills technology skills physical skills and the foundational
intellectual skills Our mission statement and Five Year Strategic Plan are developed with many
stakeholders such as staff teachers parents and community members We are constantly looking at our
data and our goals We are changing as our data changes In order to provide the best for our students
we have to define best What do our students need What can we pravide for our stutlents These are
questions t
at are before us all the time We model life
long learning for our students through
professional development and advanced degrees We promote 21st century skills in a variety of ways
And we feel that all of these can be accomplished with input from school parents and the community It
tloes take
a
village
to etlucate
a
child
A Student Focus and Suppurt
Al How does your school assure that all students receive the academic support they need
to achieve at high levels How is your school structured to meet the varied needs of your
student population
Princeton P
imary uses the Multi
level Instruction Approach to ensure that all students
receive the academic support they need to maximize achievement All students receive core
instmetion in both reading and math with scie
ce and social studies integrated throughou the
curticulum Teachers embed 21 century skills in their everyday instructioa Title I and regulaz
teachers deliver arge
ed ins
mction in reading and math to meet individual student needs
Students comprising a small group who need even more support receive intensive instruction
deliveced by the regular instructor oc a critical skills intecventionist
A2 What wmprehensive student support system is available for addressing student
physical social and emotional needs How does the school intervene when student
personal needs are preventing academic suceess
The schoo curriculum includes developmen
al guidance on a regular basis In addition
o this whole group instruction the guidance counselor allo
s time for small group and individual
counseling PPS faculty embraced the Cap
uring Kids Hearts program as a model for our
school In eaeh classroom students create a soeial eontract they will folluw
Our school nurse ensures that our studen
s physicttl needs are met 1
eachers and
administrators work with social service agencies ike Child Protective Services CPS the
Department of Health xnd Human Resouices DHHR Child Protect and the bc
al judieial
system to meet physical social and emotional needs Mercer Counry has recendy adopted the
Judges 1ruancy Program where parents of chronically truan K
5s
udents are referzed o DHHR
for in
ervention A school team in couperation with the agencies develops an improvement
plan so that children can be in school and on time for school each day Teachers and
istrators complete periodic updates on the status of he youngsters
admi
Walmart our school business par
ner also helps us meet our students needs The srore
reeently donated 1
000 to restock the P
f0 clo
hes closet so tha when childcen have aecidents
they can clean up and receive new clo
hes to wear without having tu be sent home
A3 How has your school demonstrated a commitment to addressing the accessibility of its
facilities and programs to students with disabilities
Accessibilitv of
Facilities
Princeton Primary School mee
s he Seven Principles of Universal Design Equitxble use
Flexibility in use Simple and intuitive Perceptible information Tolerance for error Low
physical effort and Size and space for approach and use Yrinceton Primary SchooPs
environment is designed for equitable use for all Che school structure is located on evel ground
with paved sud
aces I
he parking area provides handicap
accessible pazking and the sidewalk
has
a
ramp
access
to
the
building The main
entrance into the school is
equipped
with
a
push
ch that opens the double dooc The school has wide in
swi
erior doors hallways and alcoves
h tuming space at doors and dead
wi
ends 1
he entrance o each hallway opens
cbses with
push safety doors Nl classroom doors are equipped wi
latch
h lever handles for ease of use All
rooms in the building aze clearly marked with large signs with light
dark visual con
on
rast and
Bcaille inscrip
ions The building is well lit tluoughout and each wing of the school is wlor
coded
Most of the school is located on ground level The second grade upstairs wing is accessible by
elevator Ihe kindergarten wing classrooms are eyuipped with emergency exi doors nnd sinks
hin the rooms Restrooms throughout the building are wheelchair accessible 1
wi
he outdoor
play azea is eyuipped with an access ramq and the play equipment is designed for students with
mobility challenges
AccessibiliN of Proerams
The programs at Princeton Primary School offer a wide vaziety of settings and
opportunities for all smdents regardless of exceptionaliTy or ability Many students with special
needs are able to have Iheir needs met in an inclusive setting among typically developing peers
h monitoring services Some s
wi
uden reccive pull
out scrvices as well as other services such
as speech vision ocwpational therapy and physical therapy For students who are no able to
participate in an inclusive setting we have four different classroom desig
s to meet their needs
PPS utlers self
ained setlings lor studenls with special needs We have programs for
con
studen with Low Fu
s
etioning Autism High Functioning Autism
s Mildly and
Asperger
Moderately Impaired and Severe
Profound llisabilities These structured environments provide
consistent routines and visual schedules for tcansitions and planning The students receive
modified instruction and assessments to meet their individual educational needs such xs one on
one teaching small group ins
ion and independent work areas Special Needs teachers
mc
modify stra
egies in various ways to maximize learning presenting instruc
ions visually
verbally a
d kinetically and including fun a
d socialization in the curriculum Some of these
classrooms aze equipped with swings and all have innovative materials to provide sensory input
All students participate in resource classes with their typically
developing peers PPS also ofters
same age peer Wtoring and high schoo student tutors who come from theic adjacent eampus by
prearrangemen
To ensure 21 century education each special education classroom is equipped wi
ha
SmartBoard an Elmo projector Hatch Touch Screen Computers aptop computers and various
computer applications ln addition each teacher has been trained how to e
opera and promote
21 Century Education through project based learning using technology and hand
on leaming
techniques
B Schuul Culturc
61 What is the schooPs underlying norms values beliefs traditiuns and rituals that have
built up over time as people work togetheq sulve problems and wnTront challenges How
does the school culture enhance school improvement efforfs
10
Princeton Yrimary K
2 School which opened in 200Q is a product of consolidation of five
schools Straley Meroer Silver Springs Thorn xnd Knob elementaries Our ociginal faculty
was drawn from these five sites Si
ce 2000 five principals have steered the schooL Re
irement
and transfers have al
ered he composition of the original staff Ovet he past 11 yeazs the
underlying school culture has become an environment of wmpassionate i
dividuals who care
about each other and the children hat thev each Staff inembers pitch in to help each o
her
when crisis occurs in a colleague
s ife When a new staff inember comes aboazd the principa
and staff try to make that person feel welcome and needed Student teachers and observers aze
welcomed with open arms Over time our emphasis has become ever more focused on da
a
driven instruction and learning
centered approaches Staff and administration analy
e data a
d
an how to best Sdd
pl
ess de
cies While this is a large school the student teacher catio is no
higher than that of an average
sized school We believe that carine about a child
s leamina is
ecucial to being able ro teach the ehild If a teaehe really caces about the child
s pcogress the
teacher can then teach wha is ecessary o help that student achieve The Capturing Kids Heart
prograrn has been instrumental in bringing this level of care tu he surface for so many staff
membe As the folks from the Flippen Group ell us once you capture a child
s
s henrt you
can capture their mind
B2 What intentional initiatives have taken place to create centered
learning culture
a
within the achool
Our school motto Princeton Primary
where learning is our primarv focus reflects the
importauce of academics We tolerate minimal interruptions of instruction Field trips aod
activities are educational and closely tied to the curriculum This learning centered culture is
modeled from the principal
s ofFce dovm to the custodial staff who knows when certain jobs can
be completed without disturbing instruction
a How does the academic success of all students remain a day
to priority7
Student work is proudly displayed throughout the building Each week students receive
awazds for pariicipating in he Accelerated Reader program in the Media Centec 1
he principal
has a bulletin boazd captioned 9 Love to Read to my PrincipalP by her office door where
students names aze posted after hey have read to the principaL Students are also recognized
over the PA system
b What kinds of activitics
celehrations etc are sustained to build positive
relations between and among staTf students parents and the community
he school Y
7
O spo
I
sors our Hirthday Book and Badge celebratioa Each day
s birthday
boys and gids receive a special 6irthday Bouk and Badge to celebrate their big day Weekend
d summer birthdays are always remembered too The PTO thanks every teacher for attending
a
O by placing a candy baz in their mailbox afrer the PTO mceting The principal places w
I
P
ten
i
s on special paper in staff mailboxes forjobs well
matio
affi
done The adminis
atoi is
generous with Good Job sticky notes on bulletin boards and student work oo Parents and
volunteers say they appreciate receiving thank you notes for their contributions to our school
11
Teachers greet heir students at he classroom door each moming with a handshake high
five or
hug This personal greeting has carried over to school
wide activities When an event is
planned we have student greeters stand at the front doors and shake hands wi
h guests coming to
our building 7
eachers allot time each day for good things an opportunity foe students to talk
abou the happy events iu their lives and Ihe principal frequently stans faculty meetings with
good things hat have been happening luoughout the building G
andparents Celebratioo Day
and Veteren
s Appceciation Day are additional opportunities fo positive rela
ions with he
community
B3 How does your school fuster a sense of cooperation and collaboration among adults
and studentsY
a What opportunities do students have tu build suppartive und caring
relationships with teachers and uther adults
At the beginning of the 2011
12 school term each YPS family received Jane Cowen
s book t Tukes u Vi
Fletcher
luge Parents were encouraged to read this book to their child
before the first day of school Teachers also read the book to the students and reviewed wi
h
them that our school was like a village fhe message was that it takes everyone to educa
e the
child 7
he parent teaeher principal secretary eustodian cook sehool nurse bus driver and
every resource person are all vital parts of each child
s education Whereas departmentalization
is the norm wi
h older children primary students need the tradi
ional home
base classroom
wheee their teacher greets them eac6 morning o feel safe and nurtured Following the
uring Kids I
Cap
earts prog
am adults involve each child in developing the social contract loi
hat class and share in he exchange of good things ideas Teachers give affirmxtions to theic
udents just as he principal gives affirmations to her s
s
aff Students receive guidance lessons
and know that the guidance counselor is available to meet their needs Many eachers reward
heir students by inviting hem to have lunch with them in their classroom This is a favorite
reward for many PPS students
b How does your school promote positive student interaction und prepare students
to suceeed in a culturally and sociully diverse environment
By participating in the Cap
uring Kids Hearts prograrn students are learning to self
manage
by cheeking each other and calling fouls when uffeuded Granted these studen
s are s
ill
quite young but they are learning social skills With ESI and Special Needs students in our
school population our students are accustomed to behaviors that may be difficult to understand
Teachers and staff model appropriate interaction and our students share resource classes lunch
and recess with studems of all abilities
C Challenging 21 Century Curriculum Standxrds
Cl Successful schools establish rigorous curriculum standards for all shdents How does
your schoul establish high expectations fur all students and ensure that students achieve at
high levels in the core subjects
12
Yrinceton Primazy School sets high standazds to our tiny studen
s but we also help hem reach
those standards by tailoring our instruction to the needs of individual eamers We emphasize
reading and math the basic building blocks of learning fhe adopted reading series is reseazch
based and aligned with the WV Content Standards and Objectives CSO
s Additionally
Ashlock models and Lesson Maps supplement and enhance the reading series Science and
social studies co
t is integcated throughout he eurciculum by menos of leveled readers
te
weekly selec
ions special pmjects writing and hands
on learning Teachers teach mathema
ics
using the Everyday Math series which takes a kinesthetic approach through hands
on
experiences and explora
ions Co meet the individunl needs of all students a Multi
level
Instructional approach is implemented All students ceceive core instruction in math and
reading A modified walk o intervention model provides targeted reading instruction Within
this modified walk
to model ihe entire school participates in Writing Wednesdays and Fluency
Fridays Students performing below mastery par
icipate in IPAY Numbei Worlds and other
forms of differentiated instructioa A Critical Skills IntervenGOnist provides intensive ins
mction
beyond the Core a
d Turgeted levels to
tfia mall group of students requiring additional
ion
interven
C2 How does your curriculum address 21 century wntenk civic literacy financial
economic and business literacy global awareness and health and wellness awareness
What emphasis do you place on these content areas in your curriculum7
Health and Wellness Prince
on Primary places great emphasis on civic literacy As a
foundation to further educational pursuits and social
emotional development character educa
ion
is of vi
al importarice Capturing Kids I learts a program designed to capture the hearts and
minds of studenPs through positive intcrac
ions and feedback is key Che progeam designed
by Flip Flippen of the Flippin Grouq trains all staff members to follow the EXCEL Model
Engage X
plore Communica
e Empower and Launch Whole group Developmental
Guidance is offeced to all students every othec week to reinfocce positive chazacter traits The
guidance counselor also meets with s
uden in small groups or individually to address specific
concems and needs In he primary setting the program specifically aims at decreasing
classroom interrup
ions through increasing pusitive chazacter traits Students identitied or ex
ra
support receive supplemental lessons on kindness courage self
control forgiveness respect
diligence loyalty honesTy and confidence
Democratic Values Each morning a second
grade s
udent leaders
Ihe Pledge to he American
Flag ovec the PA system lu Novembec the school hos
ed a huge Ve
s Appreciation llay
eran
Celebration for students and staff Ihe students wore red whi
e and blue wrote abou the flag
and our country lis
ened to veterans who were guest speakers and leamed about flag etiquette
Students designed aztwork with x patriotic theme decorated he school and wxs ater mailed W
soldiers overseas
Global Awareness Studen
s and staff at Princeton Primary participate in various community
service projec
s hroughout he school year Canned food drives walk
thons Yennies for
a
ients Jump Rope for Heart and support for cancer patients receiving treatment through the
Pa
Jonathan Powell Hope Foundatiun The Mercer County Vocational Technical Education Cen
er
built a stepping stone sidewalk at PPS for ease of wheelchaic access directly into the classroom
Princeton Senior High smdents come to our school m tutor primary children in their classroom
13
h acid Wellness Awareness School breakfast and lunches meet state nutri
Heal
iona guidelines
Staff provides healthy snacks for celebrations hroughout the year and daily snack times Schoo
o
c
ials and commu
iTy representatives muti
ely visit our students to each the importance of
al scrce
den
ings school bus satety fire safeTy and hand washing Students leam the
importance ofphysical ac
ivity through daily recess wice
week physical education classes
a
and special events like Jump Rope foc Heart In January the whole school partieipated in 30
minutes of active dancing to celeb
ate he state
s first
ever Physical Activiry Day Our students
were featured in local publications and websites
C3 How do you ensure that diverse leamers e
g students with disabilities students
identified as gitted und talented students with limited English proficiency students
ed as migrant students placed at risk all have the upportunity to leam challenging
identi
content uud achieve at high levels
Students at PPS all heve the opportunity to leum challenging content end achieve a high levels
Because high expectations are set for all s
udents every child has the opportunity to learn and
achieve a a high level Students with special needs aze always placed in the least restrictive
environment and assigned to lunch and resource classes with similaz
aged peers To those
eligible available resources include auditory Irainers speech therapists occupational therapists
physical theiapists ESL instructor eaeher of the gifted Title l ceading teache
sC
itical Skills
interventionists for Intensive instruction Targe
ed reading and math time and core instruction
YPS is also a school
wide 7
itle I school All of these services ue crucial to ensure that all
students have an equitable opportunity to leam
C4 What wrriculum offerings provide rigurous educational oppurtunities that transition
students to postsecundary education and
ur careers7
To prepare smdents for the nex endeavor in their academic life beyond the primary school is
to successfully transi
iuo them to intermediate school Upon collaboration with receiving
teachecs in grades 3
5 he staff a PPS discovered that writing was a weakness reflected i
WBSTES scores PPS staff sought training on the 4
1
Syuare Writing Model that our students
wil use when they arrive in grade 3 By implementing this model in the K
2 school we are
eparing our children foc their next level of education but also for the real wocld where good
p
writing skills aze essential Princeton Yrimazy also seeks oppoRunities o prepaze children for
their adult lives Fox the pas two yeazs on National Read to Me Day the studen
s from Princeton
Yrimary have been treated to wonderful readers from many different cazeers Readers wme to
read but are also prepazed to explain tu thcir young listeners the importance of reading in their
particulaz profession
D Engaging Instruction
Dl How is the developmeot of core literacy skills an integral part uf instruction across all
grades and subjects
14
Because reading is foundational it is important that students develop eady literacy skills
in primary school Our master schedule reveals our sfrong commitment to reading A
ifically reseazch
scien
based reading series supplemented by the Ashbck Mode with Lesson
Maps Accelerated Readec Read Naturally and Odyssey Reading underpin he strong reading
foundation tha we want our studen
s to acquire Our boys and girls even have aftervschool book
clubs called Tiger Tales where hey get together once a week to talk about genderinterest books
D2 W hat school
wide practices or processes are used to aecelerate the learning of
students wha fall below mastery
Teachers and administra
ors use data from vazious assessmen
sf
or placing students in
targeted groupings DIBELS QPS Quick Phonics Screener Weekly Assessment frequent
progress monitoring Number Wodds and math assessments Once teachers identify students
who aze pe
forming below mastery they place them in appropriate groups for SFR Small
Flexible Readi
g Gmups Focus Groupings and Pargeted Reading time During all of these
times instrucrors address individual needs with differentiated strategies
ll3 What research
based instructional strategies and organizational methods do teachers
use to actively engage students at high levels and assure etudents deep understanding of
content rether than coverage of materials
7
A large portion of the PPS eachers have received training in the Ashlock model This
explicit model keeps students engaged aud the repetition helps young stude
ts master vitel
reading skills For math teachers have online access through Odyssey to the Informal Math
Assessment The data is readily available to eachers so they can quickly assess studenPs
ery of particulaz conteot The online veesion also di
mas
ects a student to a
9earning path for
material ot yet mastered
D4 W hat processes
stretegies and
or management systems are used to assure a safe and
orderly schooUclassroom environment
Universal signals hat correspond to Capturing Kids Hear
s direct students as they move
through the building Fire drills are conducted on a schedule approved by the State Fire
MarshalPs Office In addition to regular tire drills s
uden rehearse other emergency
procedures Once each yeu we practice evacuation to our altemate location
At the end of each day PPS uses a staggered dismissal procedure that starts wi
h our
youngest students The strategy alleviates tcaffics snads and mFilces sum tha there is adequa
e
supervision for each group of students Bus end parent pick
up occur in two separate areas to
minimize safety hazards to s
udents
Duri he regular school dny Princeton Yrimary keeps children safe by having access
g
hrough a single door hat is visible to office staff and by requiring all visitors to report directly
to the oftice ro receive a tag
15
D5 Demands of the 21 century require that students be proficient in a variety of learning
skills and adept at using 21 century technology tools How does classroom instruction
prepare students for success in the 21 century
All PPS students complete I
echSteps to gain proficiency in 21 Century skills
Teachers use compute
s and laptops on a regulac basis Tech time is part of each teachec
s
schedule so that she allots class time foc 21 skill prepaza
ioa Teacheis at PPS implemen
echnology by integrating SmartBoards In
eractive Whiteboards PALMS ELMOS and vazious
other forms of technology into daily lessons
D6 How du teachers differentiate the instructional process to meet the varied needs of
learcers
To meet the individual needs of all studen
s a Mul
leve Instcuc
i
ional approach is
implemented All students receive core instruction in math and reading A modified walk o
interventio model provides tazgeted eading i
struction Within this modified walk
to model
the entire school participates in Writing Wednesdays and Fluency Fridays Students performing
below mas
ery participate in IPAP Number Worlds and o
her forms of
ferentiated
dif
instruction A Critical Skills Interven
ionist provides intensive instruction beyond the Core and
Tacgeted levels to the small gcoup of students requiring addi
iona intervention
Differentiation is further achieved hrough the use of leveled readers and workbooks
Approuchin On und Beyond Sma Group lessons vazied assiguments based upo evel end
Number Worlds Teachers prepare to meet individual needs through intensive collaboration and
data analysis using Smart Goals Review of Teaching Practices SPL Support for Personalized
Learning data DIBELS probing QPS data and Odyssey ceporis Cri
ical Skills aud
le I
Pi
teachers provide invaluable help to students who need for intervention
D7 What opportunities do students have to apply learning to real world situations
The Everyduy Muthemu7ics series provides inquiry
based leazning for real
world application
For example Math problems might entail running a store adding up purchases making change
and even computing sale percentages Children also have the opportuniTy to set personal goals
for their reading achievement Students recued their uwn grow
h foc example the number of
sight words learned by designing creative charts or maps One such map is a flower the center
showing their reading goal and the petals labeled with the action steps they will take o achieve
that goal whether iPs studying sight words reading nightly or reading to an adult Many
stories in the reading series lend hemselves to real
life projects such as fire safety weather
science social studies etc
E Professional Learning Communities
El What opportunities do teachers and other staft have to participate in professional
learning
eommunities
Teachers and other staff at Princeton Primary have opportunity to participate in
professional leaming communities Within the work day teachers have collaboration times to
work with grade
level peers and meet in grade
level teams Othec staffjoin these mee
ings
cluding the principal Title I teaehers and other support staff A
i
endas typically include
analysis of UIBELS data und QPS scores to enable teachers o identify student deficie
cies and
plan corrective in
ervention Scheduling special even
s and any staff issues also find voice
during these meetings
Momuve bi
monthly collaboration
training seminars Collabocation Wednesdays
address a
eas of need and interest to the faculty promoling a sense of globa responsibility for
student leaming and offering collegial support for trying ou new ideas and solving collective
problems Our seasoned teachers offer guidance and assistance to our novice teachers rbr
everyone the seminazs offer a chance to share and reflect within arid accoss grade levels
The PPS staff also wllaborates with intermediate feeder schools to review test data and
target the areas of weakness for wri
ing assessment and PEST2
WES Grade level smart goals
are developed based on data analysis wi
h the objective of driving and differentiating instruction
aceording to stude
t needs
Professional development is further advanced by our collaboration as a Professional
Developmen School with Conco
d Univecsity and Hluefield Sta
e College We partner with
dU
Conco
iversity in he EPA
I Program Gducational Psychology Assessment and
I
e
chnology which combines three education classes and provides grant money for our school
Through the EPAT Program we place college observers who gues
teach lessons using new
techniques and strategies
We aze also very fortunate to work wi
h the Chuck Mathena Center a local wltural
performing arts center where stude
s can attend professional performances of children
s
classics such as Junie B Jones and if You Give a Moose a Muffin
E2 How does a coherent approach to professiunal development ensure ongoing leaming
for stafT How do organizational arrangements such as time and teaching assignments
make professional develupment a prioriTy7 Is thcre a long
term plan
I
h
e PPS faculty has more professional developmen opportunities than they can take
advantage of 4uring
ration Wednesdays Ihe administration has provided s
Collab
af7
development in Ashlock Lesson Maps WV Writes Accelerated Reading Read Naturally and
Effective Pa
ent Involvement
all reseamh
based stcategies foc improving student performance
Staff development is govemed by Prince
on Yrimazy
s Five
Year Strategic Plan the goals of
which aze w iue
ease achievement in reading and math In keeping with these goals gcade level
teams each develop their own Smart goals At the school level the administrator has also
facilitated haining in SmadBoard use mobile presenters
iechSteps Ed
line Web
oq Odyssey
IMA Accelerated Reader Program Instmctional software Everyday Math a
d Read Natucally
PPS also enjoys the embedded staff development provided by a part
time Technology Integration
Specialist
17
Beyond the school level he district offers yearvround staff development One innovative
approaeh to t
aining now iu its fifth yeai is Ueek Week ve duys of technology sessions
during the summer and open to all county educa
offered
ors
Many of our fawlty members are involved in the Mercer County Education Association
WVEA and NEA which offer opportunities to collaborate with other teachers across the cou
ty
and s
e as well as training on a variety of topics such as classroom management and
a
technology Four of our teachers and our principal attended the Ceacher I
eadership Institute in
gantowri Wes Virginia which focused on next genera
Mo
ion CSO
s project
based learning
and inquiry science Our new teachers with three or ess yeazs of experience par
icipate in the
New Teacher Seminar offered by Mercer County Schools Some PPS teachers have enrolled in
leaming courses and last year we had 3 teachers who completed Master
e
s Degrees in
Reading We curren
ly have wo eachers enrolled thruugh the Marshell Univecsity Master
s Co
hort program in Mercer County One teacher is finishing a Master
s degree from Co
cord
University in May 2012 in Educational Administration Our principal is in her final year of
doctoral coursework in Educational Leadership a Marshall University
E3 How has teacher professional development improved teaching
Ashlock reading strategies have dramatically improved reading instruction by making it
more explicit sys
ic and student
ema
ed Classroom ma
orien
agement trainings on small
groups and how to reach the unmotivated disruptive and defiant students have also helped to
keep students safe and engaged in learning fechnology training is making is possible o better
meet 21 century leaming CSO
s The Capturing Kids Hearts Program fosters a classroom
environment based on the team theory which allows students to leam self
maoagemen skills
and other positive behaviors Professional development has supported us as we have moved
toward data
driven instruction o mee the needs of all students including the use of small
groups focused groupings targeted reading and targeted ma
h groups
F Leadership and Educational Vitalily
Fl How does thc instructional Icader develop a school
wide focus on teaching and
learoing How does the iostructional leader work with teachers to impruve curriculum
instruction and studeut engagemenP How do school leaders work with teachers to
improve their insMuctional skills
The principal conduc
s observations and evaluations as required by W V Policy 5310 but she
also does frequent walk
throughs and has a presence through
out the building She keeps her
ger on che pulse of instruction and student achievement by making it a priority to attend grade
fi
level team mee
ings She periodically monitors dal
a not just ouce a yea and takes the lead in
discussions about student achievement She has an unders
anding of he curriculum and
instructioa She is willing to give feedback through walkthrough observa
s and evaluations
io
She is also open with teachers end willi
g to model in the classroom She also mainteins a
er schedule that eflects an importance on instruction Insfructional time is protected and
mas
no easily intermpted The principal works with tbe teachers to improve their instructional skills
18
by attending professiona development with he teachers and then following up in the classroom
to ensure that it is being implemented
F2 How is the principal a
9eader of learning How does the principal model lifelong
learning
The principal at Prineeton Primary is the leadec of leazning She ensuies tha time is
allotted foc professional leaming eomm
nities PLC
s through creative dury scheduling and
er scheduling She sets prioriTy for data analysis and time for teachers to collaborate She
mas
has instituted embedded professiona developmenY wi
hin he schuol Phe priocipa was able o
secure substitutes to cover classes so hat teacher would have the uppoau
ity to go elsewhere in
the building and see other teachers teach She is a Nationally Board Certified Teacher and holds
a Mastec of Arfs in Education in Curciculum aod Inshuc
ioo She is also in her as year of
co work in doctoral studies at Marshall University She stays informed about the latest
rse
research and shares her knowledge with staff members She works to incorporate data collection
and dala a
alysis o improve various componen
s of the school including but no limited to
cursiculum ius
ruction student achievement schoo cul
uee and school safety
F3 How does the principal organize and lead the school toward cullaborative continuous
improvement processes How is the school improvement process organized and managed
to ensure the school is always moving forward
The principal uses data analysis and goal
setting to keep the school moving towards
continuous improvement The faculty de
ermines school goals collaboratively and together they
make upda
es as goals aze met especially afrer benchmazking periods foi UIBELS 7he
principal leads grade eve meetings and bi
monthly collaborative meetings She creates a
monthly calendar that keeps assessments and groupings on track She arranges and
or provides
professional development based upon need for studen achievement and teacher in
erest She
communicates with staff faculty Central Office staff pxrents and communiTy members to
ensure that the school is moving in a positive dieeetion The principa initiated this application
for W V School of Excellence as a way o bolh shuwcase Ihe schooPs achievements and engage
in self
examination toward improvement
F4 How is the Five
Strategic Plan develaped and how does it drive and target schuol
Year
improvement efforts
Yrinceton Primazy
s Yeaz
ive Strategic Plan is the product of many stakeholders
P
I
h
rough the process below teachers and staff have many opportunities to provide input into the
Plan We also encourage input from pazen
s business members support personnel and
specialists withi the building At the end of each school yeaz teachers analyze the end
the
of
year data in depth Both DIBELS and IMA scores are analyzed We hen write Smart Goals and
action steps to addiess identified weaknesses Once the goa
s aze writteq they ace shazed with
the next grade level i
e 1 grade teachers share weaknesses and goals wi
h 2 grade teachers
Our teachecs are able to begin eaeh new school yeaz with weeknesses identified and with a
written plan to address Ihose weaknesses At each P
aculry Sena
e mee
ing the principal and
faculTy revisit the plan discuss objectives met and sugges revisions The same process uccurs at
19
LSIC meetings At the first P70 meeting of the year the principal presents the schooPs goals
but makes it cleac that the plan is still open to revision and amendment Teachers indicate that
since they had such a stake in writing of the smaz goals end enaly
ing heir own data Ihat it is
now more reaP for them Ihey lmow exactly what they need to teach whe
e the weaknesses
e and what deficiencies need to be addressed
a
F5 How does the principal
s mudel the use of 21 ceotury tools and application in the
role of manager and leader What processes are io place for integrating technology into
the schooVclassrooms and how is staTf trained How is technology used to analyze school
data
The principal models the use o 21 ce
tury tools and application in the role of manager
and leader She forwards important e
mails from the Central Office to all of her staff inembers
She seuds out intemal ts
nounceme urid reminders Ihrough e
n
maiL The principa utilizes the
e Walk sys
em on an iPad to complete observations and evaluations for all staff members The
template now standard in the counry is one she created She also holds professional development
sessions for others administrators on how to create their own walk
through templates She is the
county e Walk contact person for all administrators and provides professional development for
other adminis
rators in RESA I on the eWalk system
Princeron Primary
s principal is adept at dealing with DIBELS and the hand
held Palms
on which the da
a is collected She attends techuology trainiog with her teache
s so she is
proficien in prograrns ike TechSteps WV Wcites EdLine Odyssey Read Na
ucally
Accelerated Reader and mClass Through daily walk
throughs the principal ensures that
technology in
ion is occurring
egra
Finally the school administrator uses technology to analyze da
a from vazious sources
WVEIS for items sueh as attendance discipline and enrollment DIBELS for reading and
IMA foc math Last year the prineipal transcribed IMA results from Odyssey ioto Excel to
piovide statistica ceports needed to wci
e smart goais
F6 What do you consider the major educational challenges your school must face over the
next ive years and how do you plan to address them
The mujo educatiunal challenges thut our schou must lace over the next five yeazs will be
keeping up with the eveo
changing technology while ensuring that students receive the basic
foundational education in reading and math to adequately prepare them for the rest of their
educational journey To address this need we hope to keep learning about new echnology as i
becomes available and be open
minded about incorporating it into our daily teaching We shall
move forward with this by keeping abreas of all new technology and providing ongoing
ufessio developmen and technical assistance to the teachers as hey implement new
p
al
g stcategies and techniques
teachi
Another edueational challenge that has been identified is how we will instill love and
oc
respect for education in children who come from homes where education may not be a prioriTy
fo compound this issue many children live in families impacted by addictions and some live in
foster homes or with gra
dparents To address this concem ebou pazenting and lack of
20
educational support at home we will continue o work on Yaren Involvement and Education
through our Title I services Areas such as attendance reading with your child and valuing
education will all be addcessed Collaboration has already taken place with the K
4 Early
Leaming Centers as eachers from that site have been observing our Kindergarte classrooms
We will continue o offer parents early registration for Kindergarten where they have access to
teachers xnd resource materials Students from the early leaming centers and local day cares are
invited o come and visit our school in the spring prior to their entrance into kindergarten We
will strive to make K
2 a place where learning is not only our primary focus but children will
love to leam
G School Family and CommuniTy Partnerships
Gl What community collaboration and partnerships are in place at your school How
are these partnerships and relationships mutually beneficial resulting in the school being a
respected and valued partner
Princeton Primary School has established many formal and informal partnerships with
the community Formally Princeton Walmart is our Partner in Education Mutually beneficial
partnerships have also developed with business and foundations such as Martin Dental
Associates Jonathan Powell Hope Foundatioq Dr Todd Smith Veterinary Associates WVVA
television station Little Buddy Radio Chuck Mathena Center American Elechic Powet and
Princeton Public Lib
azy Representatives from severa of these businesses secve on our Local
School Improvement Cou
ci and
or Parent Advisory Committee The Five Year Strategic Plan
is reviewed by all stakeholders annually and is available in the school office at all imes In
addition to helping us set and implement goals volun
eeis from these businesses and agencies
donate time to read to our children During our annual Read to Me Day guest readers discuss
how important reading is to their chosen careers
As previously discussed our collaboration as a Professional Development School wi
h
Conco University and B1ueHeld S
d
ate College provides benefits to us es well as o theic
education programs and pre
service eachers We par
ner with Concord ilniversity in the EPAT
Program Educational Psychology Assessment and Technology which combines hree
education classes and provides grant money for our schooL In tum we welcome college
observers who guest
teach lessons using new techniyues and shategies
Our collaboration with neighboring Princeton High School also benefits both institutions
Their students in human services
ion career paths can gun practical classroom experience
educa
by reading ro and tutoring our youngsters Our children benefit from seeing older students as
role models
We are also very fortunate to partner with the Chuck Mathena Center a local cultural
performing arts center where students can attend pmfessional performances of childreds
classics such as Junie B Jones and if
Yuu Give a Moose a Muft3n In rcturn Mercer County
Schools helps sus
ain their perf
orming arts program and inform their choice of programming
each year
21
G2 How does your school environment welcome and respect families from all walks of life
solicit and value their meaningful input find multiple ways to invite and involve them in
school initiatives and build a shared commitment ta student success
At Ycinccton Pcimazy
s wel
stocked pare
t resource center pazents cau find information
about homework helps reedi
g strategies math strategies parenting tips a
d communiry
resources Parent Involvement activities indude ALL parents We try to send home
correspondence hat is clear and Cree uf educational jaegon A home lauguage sucvey is sen
home a the beginning of each year so tha students and
or paren
s requiring the assis
ance of
translated materials can receive hose
The school uses TRANSACT an on
line translation
service o print signs in different languages to place in the school office and elsewhere for
pazents end students for whom English is a second anguage lhe
IKANSAC7 program also
translates standard forms and letters into multiple a
guages School Messenger a robotic
calling sys
em purchased by the county for every school also has a language translation
function Through multiple means ot commu
ion pazents and graudparents from all
ica
backgrounds are invited to volunteer at the school attend P
O and participate in Grandparents
I
Day and Veterans Day celebrations
G3 How does your school involve families in their childreds education and student
support programs7
ihe school in partnership wi
h families suppoRS and enhances parenting through
communication be
ween teacher and home lhe teachers send home weekly homework
assignments and include activities that pazents and children can complete together Our Title I
Parent Involvement Activities also focus on ways that parents can be involved i their children
s
leaming Princeton Primazy has a lazge number of parent wWnteers who help with Mee the
feaeher Uay the fi
st week of
school Picmre Day Gcandpacents Day Annual Halloween
Parade holiday parties Veterans Day Celebrution Read Noud clothes eloset snack closet
yearbook Fun Day field trips show choir and classroom activities Phe Parent Advisory Board
meets twice each year to fo
mulate the
itle I Yare
I
USchooUStudent compaet and the Parent
Involvement Policy for our school Parents also serve on the Local School Improvement
Council
Our schoo wunselor regularly refers pa
ents to agencies within the community foi help with
on neeHsfood and She has wotked with parents in obtaining physical
transportat
and mental health caze for children The school schedules Parent Involvemen activities
mee and conf
ings
erences with pazents demnnding mutines in mind e
1
achers are flexible in
scheduling parent conferences before school after school during the teacher
s planning period
and on the Instructional Support days
H Indicatars of Success
22
Hl Research indicates that highly effective schouls ure data driven What evidence do you
regularly collect and analyze to judge the effectiveness of your schuol
In a K
2 school eazly literary skills are vitally important Dynamic Indicators of Basic
Early Litecacy Skills DIBELS is an efficient way to moni
oc al of ou students individually on
these early literacy skills DIRF
LS data tell us which students need additional support and which
udents need enrichment
s
Princeton Primary
sK
2 students are assessed wmerous times a yeaz hrough DIBELS
benchmark assessments and progress monitoring The benchmark assessments give teachers a
apshot of where the student is in a particular literacy skill such as letter naming fluency
s
phoneme segmentation fluency ini
ial sou
d flue
cy oral reading Fluency etc Teachers use
this data ro group students for small group and targeted instruction Phe data give eachers rapid
frequent feedback on a studenYs progress so they can adapt their instruction to reach the needs of
every child For example if a student is consistently missing rcon
rolled words in an oral
reading fluency passage the teacher can focus on rolled
con words in her small group
r
instructioa Furthermore if the data indicates an entice class is deficient in a acea the teacher
can adjus his
her whole group instruction to meet the needs of the group
For example here is a classroom summazy for a DIBELS beginning
of year benchmark
assessment for Kindergarten The teacher identifies which students need addi
ional support in
etter naming and ini
ial sounds and which students need enrichment The studen
s classified as
lotensive will ceceive intensive small group instruction on skills such as etter identification and
sounds initial sound produetion and idcotification 7
hc students in the St
ategic group will
receive additional instruction on letters and sounds but will also begin to identify initial medial
and ending sounds in words The studen
s in the benchmark group will begin to iden
ify initial
medial and ending sounds in words as well as begin blending these sounds to form words As a
resul all stude
ts grow and aIl stude
ts learn Ihis benchmark assessme not only guides
small group targeted skill instmctioq but also molds the teacher
s whole group instruction At a
gluice the teucher cxn see about half of the s
uden either did not benchmazk oo e
er naming
fluency or only benchmarked by a few letters Phis informs the teacher to target whole group
instruction on letter identifica
ion
A difterent type of data is collected at the beginning of each school yeaz A sucvey of he
anguage spoken in the home helps eachers identify SL students and make appropriate referrals
and accommodations
H2 Describe the data manugement syetem
s used to summarize analyze and report
assessment results What assessment data are communicated to students educators
parents and the community about student school and system performance
mClass is the database used to store llIBELS data The database allows teachers and
administrarors o access benchmark and progress moni
oring resul
s on an individual subgrouq
school and dis
rict level Each child is identified as Intensive Strategiq or Benehmazk Each
child has an aim line and a goal All benchmark and progress monitoring results are organized in
23
chart and list format
In addi
ion instructional recommendations aze also available on mClass
for each i
dividual s
udent Teachers can easily upload their data through syncing their palm
and probe student iesults om any computec with intemet access
The Informal Ma
h Assessment QMA is administered through Odyssey IMA results
can be viewed through compass learning by teachers and admi
ors Resul
isVa
s can be
analyzed on a class or individual IeveL For each below
ery content standard a s
mas
udent
demonstcates Odyssey generates an appcop
iate learning path lu addition this program guides
educators in modifying their instruction to student needs
DIBELS data is communicated to students in a developmentally appropriate way For
example las year first and seco
d graders were bo
h working towards Oral Reading Fluency
ORF goals The studen
s knew their ORf score and designed a plan to achieve their goal
They even charted their progress
Read Na
urally data is communicated to he student at the conclusion of each story Read
Naturally allows stude
ts to set a goal aud work to achieve that goal Last year Princeron
s Critical Skills In
Primary
ionist elaborated on Read Na
erven
urally to make it more exciting
and motiva
ing for the students Each child was given a star reader chart For every passage
passed the child earned a staz Children received bonus stars f
or aking the passage home a
d
g it Once studen
readi
s earned ten stazs they received a special reward
Educators have access to all of the da
a pertaining to their classroom at home via mClass
for DIBELS Compass Leami
gf
or Ihe progress reports for Informal Math Assessme
t data
Read Naturally classroom
individual and Aceclerated Reader repor
s
A the beginning middle and end of the year paren
s receive the students DIBELS
Benchmark results The progress of benchmark esting is discussed during principal comments a
Y meetings Yarents also receive results from Accelerated Keader giving them a detailed
O
1
summary of the comprehension questions asked the number of attempts and the percent correct
Additionally parents receive detailed progress reports from Read Naturally including fluency
comprehension specific frequent word e
rors and retell
Princeton Primazy communicates its progress o the communiTy hrough LSIC team
reports The LSIC team composed of teachers parents communiTy members and faculty work
ogether to address the needs of the school Annually the eam provides the county Board of
ion a detailed report about the schooPs growth assessment data and achievements
Educa
Finally Princeton Primazy
sS
rategic Five Year Plan including goals objectives current
and trend data is available to the public
H3 How do you use assessment results tu understand and improve student and school
performance How does your use of assessment data contribute to making issues of quality
and eyuity part of the everyday conversation at your school How du data influence
decisioo maldng
As discussed in H
l and H2 Princeron Primazy uses assessment data to drive our
iostruction Tluough iden
g weeknesses and shengths in the a
yi
if
eas of ceading and math we
24
understand where our students need additional differentiated instruction and how to improve our
overall curriculum and operation
In a K
2 school eazly liteiacy skills are vitally importac
t DIBELS is an ef
ficient way to
monitor all of our students individually on these eady literacy skills UIBELS data el us which
students need additiona support and which students need enrichment
Princeton Primazy
s K
2 students are assessed numerous times a yeaz through benchmazk
assessments and progress monitoring l
hc benchmazk assessments give teachers a snapshot of
where the student is in a partiwlaz li
eracy skill such as letter naming tluency phoneme
segmentation fluency initial sound fluency oral readin tluency eta Teachers use this data ro
group students foc small gioup aud targeted iostruction The data give teachers capid frequent
feedback on a studenYs progress so they can adapt heir instruction to reach the needs of every
ehild Por example if a student is consistently missing rvcontrolled words in an oral reading
fluency passage the eacher ca f
ocus on olled
con words i he small gmup ins
r
metion
hermore if the data indica
Fur
es an en
ire class is deficient in an area the teacher can adjust
her whole group instruc
his
ion to meet he needs of the group
For example here is a classroom summary for a DIBELS beginning
of yeaz benchmazk
assessment for Kindergarten lhe teacher identifies which students need additional suppoR in
letter naming and initial sounds and which s
udents need enrichment Phe studen
s classified as
Intensive will receive intensive small group instruc
ion on skills such as letter identification and
sounds initixl sound production and identi5cetion The students in the Strategie gioup will
receive additional instmetion on le
tecs and sounds but wil elso begin to identify initial medial
and ending sounds in words The s
udents in the benchmark group will begin to iden
ify initial
medial and ending sounds in words as well as begin blending these sounds o form words As a
resul all students grow and all students leam This benchmazk assessment mt only guides
small group targeted skill instruction but also molds the teacher
s whole group instruction At a
glance he teacher can see about half of he students either did no benchmark on letter naming
fluency or only benchmarked by a few lettcrs I
his informs the teacher ro tazget whole group
instmction on lettec identification
Princeton Primazy u
ilizes learning
focused groups for small group reading instmction
and tazgeted ceading instruction Learning focus groups combine elassroom unit test data
llIBELS data a
d classroom pe
formxnce to place students in
o a specialized group to targe the
individual skills hey need more help with They also allow us to identify the studen
s whu are
benchmark or above and provide them wi
h high quality instructiun to encourage their
acceleratio
Yrinceton Primary also uses targeted skill groups for small group math instruc
ion
Number Worlds assessment data identify students who need additiunal mathema
ical foundatio
mctioa Coupling Number Worlds assessment data wi
ins
h informal math assessment data
allows the teacher m target certain skills and deficiencies the individual students need
7
H4 Describe your schuoPs balanced assessment system
approach that includes high
quality summative benchmark and furmative classroom assessments used to improve
teaching and leaming Note H4a is not applicable for K
2 schouls however H4b and c
need to be answered
Benchmark assessment results
Princeton Primary
sK
2 students are assessed numerous times a year tluough DIBELS
benchmark assessmen
s and progress monitoring i
he benchmark assessments give teachers a
snapshot of where the student is in a particular literacy skil such as letter naming fluency
phoneme segme
tation fluency initial sound fluency oral reading fluency etc Teachers use
this data to roup students for small group and tazgeted instruc
ion I
he data give teachers rapid
frequent feedback un a student
s progress so hey can adapt their instruction to reach the needs of
every child For example if a student is consistently missing r
controlled words in an oral
reading fluency passage the teacher can focus on o
controlled words in her small group
instmctioa Furthermore if the data i
dicates an entire elass is deficient in an area the teacher
can adjust his
her whole group instruction to meet the needs of the group
UIBELS provides benchmark assessments that show indications students are not master
oft
early literacy skills The beginning oFthe year benchmark is completed at the beginning
academic year this gives the teacher a
starting poinP f
or each child It allows the teacher to
easily target students who need more intensive instruction on a skill as well as guides the whole
group instruction through skills that the whole group needs addi
ional practice on The middle of
the yeaz benchmark allows teachers to see studen grow
h as well as inform the teaeher about
her instruc
his
ion f
or the duration of the yeaz 1
he end
year benchmark is a summative test
of
showing student growth from the beginning of the year to the end of the year The results from
this assessment allow teachers o reflect on their teaching practices and make plans o
revise their instruclional methods DIBELS progress monitoring charts progmss foc the
improve
students in between be
chmazk tests fhe tests aze reported utilizing the mCluss home database
After administering the assessments the results are immediately uploaded to the site and become
evailable for viewing by teachers and administrators
As x result of DIBE
LS data Yri
ceton pcimary has implemented seve
al high
yield
instmc practices For example after probing first and second grade Oral Reading Fluency
ional
passages sight word knowledge became an area of weakness for our firs and second graders
7
h
erefore as paR of first and second grade smart goals the teachers indicated a need for more
focus on sight word exposure in first and second grade curriculum fhe Critical Skills
ionis had s
Interven
udents make sight word goals on how many sight words they wanted to
learn by he end of the year By the conclusion of the year all 21 students me their individua
sight word goals many surpassing their original goals and movi
g o to second and third grade
sight words Another weakness visible in DIBELS assessments was reading fluency students
were having ditticulty meeting fluency and retell leaming goals fherefore stude
ts set fluency
goals and designed plans to achieve that goal
Teachers u
ilize DIBELS assessments W inl
urm their instmc
ion tluoughout the academic
yeaz Teachers aze given immediate access to each student
s resul
s and can design instruction
accordingly for that individual student DIBELS results also provide a valuable resource for
pazents Pazen
s are given a summazy uf their child
s pro
rzess towacds leaming goals
3j
ormal Math Assessment also provides informa
Inf
ion for teachers to redirec their
instmction lnformal Math Assessment aligns with W V sta
e conten standards and allows us to
identify weaknesses in our students ma
ical knowledge and adap our instruction
hema
dingly
acco
Formative Assessments
ive Assessments are used I between Benchmark Assessments In addition to
Forma
frequent progress monitor via llIB
LS and QPS teacher incorporate lessons on smartboazds
weekly assessments based upon assigned readings Writing Wednesday assignments wi
h verbal
and written feedback and Learning Paths from I MA to provide data eeded to change
instruction Ihis regular data collectiun is used to drive he instruction and fluenUy move
students and out of targeted groups Other forms of informa assessments that teacher regularly
employ aze e
suring that all children are called on in class i
e popsicle s
icks to call on kids
cazds jig
sawing choral response thumbs up
thumb down and teacher observation
H5 FOR HIGH SCHOOLS ONLY How have your students perFormed on YSAT PLAN
SAT and
or ACT wllege entruoce examioatioos over the past three years
H6 What specific impruvements have been made in school procedures and practices as a
result of your analysis and use of assessment data7
Writing Wednesdays implemen
ed last year began when teachers and administers
discovered a weakness in writing In working with our 3
5 receiving schools we became aware
ha intermediate students were struggling with ing
wri tasks so we got professional
development in 4
Squaze Writing and began to teach it in our classrooms
When the West Virginia llepartment of Education no longer reyuired an additional 30
minutes of reading instruction Princeton Primary re
ained that cxtra period based solely on
assessmeot inf
ormation that indicated reading deficieneies During this combined 150 min
tes
of reading ou students receive appropriate services based again on he data abou each
individuaPs progress 1
hrough UIBtLS QYS Unit Assessments and Weekly Assessments our
eachers gather information to identify student needs for Small group and targeted reading
instruction At the kinderger
en eachers cross
examine DIDELS data Benchmazk
Progress
Monitoring Unit Assessment data very 3 weeks and QPS data evecy 4
5 weeks to tazget
each individua studenYs learning needs whether the need imolves letter recognitioq etter
sounds segmen
ing words ble
ding cv
cvc words blending cvcc words 1 st and 2nd grade
teams use llIBELS data Benchmack
ess Monitoring Weekly assessment da
Yrog
a and QPS
data in order o azget skills like segmenting words blending cv
cvdcvcc words digraphs
blends fluency comprehension arid grammar
At the end of each schoo year teachers analyze he he
of data in depth Both
d
e
year
DIBELS and IMA scores aze analyzed We then write Smart Goals and action steps to address
identified weaknesses Once the goals aze written they nre shazed with the next grade leve i
e
1 grade teachers share weaknesses and goals with 2 grade teachers
27
Princeton Primary provides teachers ime to collaborate once a week wi
h their grade
level teachers Teachers have designated time to discuss assessment findings and design
inshueAOO accordingly In addition Princeton Primary conducts professional development foc
all of its teachers twice a mon
h alter school during Collabora
ive Wednesdays
H7 What evideoce ie available of effective overall school performance
a What was your schooPs record for the past three years in the Tollowing area which
may
serve as
indicators of school climate and
engagement
b What was your schuols record Tor the past three years in the area at school saTety
discipline and drug prevention
Discipline Data
09
2008
10
2009
11
2010
A30 1 bus offense
142
147
138
A31 2 bus offense
73
112
69
A323 busoffense
42
60
38
A33 4th bus affense
27
34
16
A34
off bus
6
1
5
A02
off Conf w studem
45
rest
ofyear
100
47
A03 ca0 parent
6
0
15
A04 Icttcr
0
1
0
0
0
3
0
0
2
A07 detention
72
95
23
A09 limit activities
0
0
2
A27
1
0
0
12
9
0
ISS in schaol suspension
51
49
0
OSS
61
38
6C
593
593
422
Iu
parent
A05 parent canference
studentend
A06confw
teacher
class exclusion
by
eacher
EXC exdusian Gom
classmom
Tota
oW
ofschool susp
28
With he implementation of the Cap
uring Kids Hearts program i the 2010
11 school
term Y
iuceto Pcimary saw a decrease in thc overall number of discipline referrals Even the
bus referrals dropped significantly By using the Social Coutract i the classroom the students
and teachers knew hat if serious referral was made ro the office for fighting severe disruption
or disrespect that severe eonsequences would resulL There would be no sitting in the office all
day in an in
school suspension setting
We are excited to be one of only a few schools selected o pilot he Keystone Project an
innova altemative education program fu
ive
ded through a grant from the W V llepartment of
ion and developed expressly o mee the needs of K
Educa
2 students Assignment o the
Keystone classroom supplants out
school suspension During the Keystone placements
of
students not only continue their academic lessons but also partieipate in explicit cha
aetec
education aclivities and strategies The studen
sa
tend the Keystone AEP in our building for 4
days afrer thcy aze referred The activities include a lessoq story application prac
ice and role
playing On day 5 the student retums to his regular academic setting The Keystone eacher
observes he student in their classroom meets with parents and eachers to share successful
strategies and observes up
coming studen
s for the next week Thus far we are experiencing
positive results We look forward to analyzing end of year data
on Primary conducts saf
ce
Pri
eTy trainings for s
udents in the areas of fire safety body safety
school bus safety and intemet safety The schoo has security guazds who assist with the flow of
traffic and ample supervision at arrival and dismissal times All visitors must report ro the main
office upon arrival There is only one entraeice open during the school day and it is easily
accessible from the office area Video surveillarice camecas aze available in the hallways and
high traffic areas 1
he school counselor coordinates Red Ribbon Week which focuses on Drug
Prevention Since we do not have a problem with drugs in our schoo a this age level we do
fee tha it is impor
ant to make students even at this eazly age aware of drug abuse so that good
choices can be made in the fu
ure The counselor uses themcd days much like a Spirit Week to
raise awaze
ess
H8 Which awards received by your school staff ur students are most indicative of school
success
Title I Distinguished School
Yrinceto Primary has been named a West Virginia Tide I
distinguished school for the pas 8 years A Wes Virginia Title I Distinguished Schoo must
Be in operxtion for at least three or more co
secutive yeazs
Participated in le
Ii I program for three or more consecutive yeazs
a
Acquire ful West Virginia accredita
ion status
Achieved AYP sepazately in reading and math for three or more consecutive years
K Title I schools must make AYP for hree or more consecutive years as determined by the
2
West Virginia Office of Perfortnance Audits
29
e 60 proficien for the all subgroup in both reading
Demonstra
language arts and
hematics based on 10 or more studen
ma
s tested n count for reporting assessment data N
A
foi K
2 schools
Coolest Card Campaign Winnerv I
he Mercer CounTy Princeton Public Library held a card
campaign contesL Pcinceto Primary won the con
est by having the most number of students
and Ihe hi
hest percentage of s
udent apply for and receive a library card Students were
enwuraged by teachers and s
aff to apply for a library card and use the librazy on a regulaz basis
The interes in the library was sparked afrer classroom field trips o the librazy
West Virginia Young Writers Princeton Yrimazy School has proudly has consistently had
y eve winners in the Young Writer
cou
s Competitioa Last year our school had the couuty
winners for both Firs and Second Urade smdents In additioq a Yrince
on Primary student came
in the second place position for the second grade level Our first place county winner in second
gcade represen
ed Meccec County in Division I at the state leve competitio
W VVA Student of the Month
The WWNCoIe Chevrolet Student of the Month for
December 20ll was Sadie Boggess a second grade student a Yrince
on Yrimazy School Sadie
was chosen for this award because of her hard work great attendance and her degree of kindness
aud wurtesy to other students
TLI In
eam July 20 l a team of five teachers and the school administrator attended the
7
Teacher Leadership InstiWte in Morgantown W V This eore group of teachers and the pcincipal
worked diligently to gain new u
derstanding of 21 Century Leeming They brought back
valuable informa
ion to the s
aff at YYS They have developed throughout the year as true
leaders in our school
Keystone ProjecbAlternative Education Program
Mercer County was one of five coun
ies
to receive grant funding from the WVDE for elementary elternative education Princeton
Primary was one ol
only hree schools in Meroer County chosen to be a part of his pilot
program F
xplained in mure detail in Sec
ion H 7 Yri
on Primary is proud to say that the
ce
program has been successful based upon data collection thus far
Mercer County Schools 110 Club
Our guidance counselor Mrs Tammy Argyrakis was
nominated for and received the Meccer County Schools 110
a Club awazd Her ex
mile
ra
devotion and commitment to children and their needs certainly makes her a worthy recipient of
this
prestigious
award