West Virginia Department of Education
Innovation Zone and Drop-Out Prevention Grant
Section 1- Applicant Information
Name of entity applying: Union Elementary School
County: Upshur
Principal: Dr. Sara Stankus
Contact Name & Title: Dr. Sara Stankus, Principal
Phone: 304.472.1394
Email: sstankus@access.k12.wv.us
Number of students served/affected by plan:
Number of teachers involved/affected by plan:
Number of service personnel involved/affected by plan:
Please place a check beside the appropriate entity(ies) applying for innovation zone designation
___x___School
______Department or Subdivision of School
______Coalition of Schools (fill out multiple listings below)
______Higher Education Institution (*must check another entity)
______Feeder System of Schools
______ District Application
Please place a check beside the appropriate grant for which you are applying
___x____ Innovation Zone Grant
_______ Drop-Out Prevention Grant (must include community partners and three year budget proposal)
LEADERSHIP TEAM MEMBERS
Identify the school or consortium’s leadership team. For dropout prevention grants, the leadership team
should include community partners (add additional lines as necessary).
Name
Title
Signature
Susan Long
5th grade teacher
Katie Veazy-Keener
1st grade teacher
Megan A. Bacorn
4th grade teacher
Sara Stankus
Principal
Marcy Rainey
Community Partner/Parent
Please ensure you have all of the supporting documents required completed and attached to the end
of this application
___x___ Record of Commitment from Staff, Parent, and LSIC Council
___x___ Local Educational Agency Report of Support or Concerns
______ Multiple Community Partner Records of Commitment for Dropout Grants
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Section 2- Abstract and Waiver Requests
Provide a project summary that briefly describes the project’s vision, goals, activities, and key
features for student success that will be addressed. Please limit the length of the abstract to
the text box found on this page only.
Union Elementary is a rural school nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains of Upshur
County. In 2010, Union School engaged students in a creative literacy journey through a genre study to
improve reading comprehension. Our innovation was so effective we plan to expand it beyond the walls
of Union Elementary. Our innovation is based on close evaluation of our data trends that indicates an
achievement gap between our special education/ low SES groups. Our vision is to extend and deepen
personalized student learning and community partnerships using Union PRIDE (Professional
Development, Real- World focused learning, Integrity first, Develop dispositions of cultural awareness,
responsibility and citizenship, Expect Excellence in all we do). Our vision expands to include partnering
with middle and high school students, service learning projects, immersion in the Arts. During this time
we will be providing meaningful professional development for our staff. Our current Reading Buddies
program fosters relationships between grade levels. We envision creating a living bridge between
emergent readers and seasoned readers that extends outside the walls of Union Elementary. This bridge
would be modeled after our current Reading Buddies program, but would be expanded to utilize our
middle and high school students. Research supports the idea that high school and middle school age
students long for meaningful, real world, service experiences. This endeavor would dovetail with our
current county dropout prevention initiative. Union currently enlists the help of WVWC Bonner scholars,
grandparents and community members. This program would promote and extend their participation.
Our goals include providing professional development designed to meet and exceed WV next generation
standards; providing service learning opportunities and encouraging community stewardship; to use
literature as our pathway for personalized learning.
PRIDE activities will spark learner enthusiasm through relationships and experiences. All students at
Union elementary will have a buddy with whom to read and write. Service learning projects such as
collecting oral histories and reading to local seniors in the community, partnering with local newspapers
to write profiles of our veterans, and to produce puppet plays for our local preschools and child
development centers. Involving our students in performing and visual arts to include photojournalism,
dulcimer ensemble, puppet creation, poetry players, dance troupes, and drama groups.
Key Features For student success include embedded and sustained professional development.
Teachers will be trained to engage students in authentic learning experiences. Union students will
develop cultural awareness and community connections developed through intergenerational activities
and service learning opportunities. Staff agrees to work to develop flexible scheduling which allows for
PLCs and student enrichment. Through professional learning communities, teachers will analyze data
and discuss student progress in order to develop personal Learning Pathways with each student. We
understand the importance of integration of arts into the curriculum in order to develop
Today’s readers become tomorrow’s leaders. It is a wise teacher who gives their students both roots and
wings.
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Waiver Requests
Indicate the specific type(s) of policy or code that prohibit or constrain the design that you wish to
request a waiver from:
____ Specific waiver requested of county policy
__x__ Specific waiver requested of WVBOE policy
____ Specific waiver requested of WV code/statute
WV Code Waiver Request
(Specify section and
article)
WVBOE Policy Waiver Request
(specify section and article)
WVBE-Policy 2445.44
Impact of the waiver – What will the
waiver enable the school to do
differently?
Allow flexibility regarding adopted
textbooks to implement this program
utilizing other resources.
Section 3- Vision and Needs Assessment
Creative Vision for the Project
1. What is the vision for the purpose and outcome of this project?
The vision for the Union PRIDE will include creation of a high performing learning community.
With a culture of high expectations, use of 21st Century skills, opportunities with “depth of
knowledge” will deepen personalized student learning and community partnerships. Using Union
PRIDE (Professional Development, Real- World focused learning, Integrity first, Develop dispositions
of cultural awareness, responsibility and citizenship, Expect Excellence in all we do) our current
reading program will expand to include integration of the arts. Students from Union Elementary
will partner with a volunteer, using middle and high school students, WVWC students,
grandparents, parents and community members, as “Buddies.” This relationship will have a “winwin” effect for students. Service learning projects will provide opportunities for our students to
practice good citizenship. Students will organize ways to improve the community through
programs such as the Parish House, can food/coat/toy drives. These projects will be implemented
school-wide. Students will organize service, publish plans and collect donations. Other service
learning opportunities will include activities such as collecting oral histories. Union Elementary is
a Gilder Lehrman Affiliate School, which allows access to many supports that encourage the
importance of oral tradition. Students will learn how to collect oral histories from family and
community members. Additionally, plans include reading to local seniors in the community.
Union is right next door to Serenity Nursing Home, where we will expand our activities with
seniors to include read aloud and letter writing. Patriotism is an important character trait at
Union, partnering with local newspapers to write profiles of our veterans, students will value
service to country. Our local preschool and child development centers will benefit from puppet
plays through the innovative UNION PRIDE puppetry program. Involvement in the arts is
associated with gains in math, reading, cognitive ability, critical thinking, and verbal skill
(Schwartz, 2011). This program will involve creative and experiential learning while increasing
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communication skills. Finally, the PRIDE program will involve our students in performing and
visual arts to include photojournalism, dulcimer ensemble, poetry players, dance troupes, and
drama groups. Research indicates involvement in the arts is linked to almost everything that we
as a nation say we want for our children and demand from our schools: academic achievement,
social and emotional development, civic engagement, and equitable opportunity (Smith, 2011).
2. How is this vision linked to the school or consortium’s five-year strategic plan?
The five year plan for Union Elementary School includes goals and objectives to personalize the
education of every child in our school in order to meet the needs of the 21st Century learner. Based on
the formative assessments, we will tailor a plan to address the individual needs of each student in order
to improve their academic achievement. Teachers will receive professional development to assure that
multiple teaching methodologies aimed at differentiating instruction, developing higher-order thinking
skills and developing the whole child are used. Our five year plan was focused on our previous
IGLOBE innovation zone grant. Through faculty discussions and analysis of data, it has been
determined that we need to expand the programs available to students at Union Elementary. It is our
hope to continue and expand upon the work that our staff has begun. We need time to further implement
and take our work to the next level. Our staff has worked diligently in developing genre units, now it is
our desire to make the plan UNION PRIDE. Our five year plan involves sustained and focused
professional learning communities where teachers are trained to engage students in authentic
learning experiences, as well as develop personal learning pathways for each student. As the only
school in the state to ever receive designation as a NATIONAL SCHOOL OF CHARACTER, we value
character education, cultural awareness and community connections developed through
intergenerational activities and service learning opportunities. All of the goals of Union PRIDE are
tied to these core values.
3. How is the school or consortium’s vision connected to best practice and current research in
reference to raising student achievement and/or dropout prevention?
Service Learning Opportunities
Research shows that students that participate in high quality service-learning experiences
become more engaged in learning as shown by increased attendance and motivation to learn. (
servicelearning.org) Participation in service learning opportunities allow students to bridge the
gap between classroom learning and real world application (Hedin, 1989). Studies show that
when students participate in service opportunities within the community they gain a greater
sense of belonging in the classroom, develop a sense of efficacy, or the belief that they can make a
difference. Students improve in their ability to work together, and accept differences. Student
verbal literacy as evidenced in discussion skills also improved. Teachers report academic gains in
two specific areas – writing and literacy. Students gain skills in persuasive writing, critical
thinking and problem solving skills (Research for Action report, NID newsletter).
Hedin, Diane P. (1989), The Power of Community Service. The Power of Community Service. 32.
Need in Deed Newsletter, “Teachers and students learning through service,” Vol. 10, No. 2.
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Reading Buddy Mentoring Program
Research shows that oral vocabulary plays a powerful role in determining a student’s
academic success. The size of a first grader’s oral vocabulary is a reliable predictor of that
student’s eleventh grade reading comprehension (Cunningham and Stanovich 1998). Students
from low income families have a much small vocabulary than their peers from high income
families. This lack of vocabulary development pushes the achievement gap and literacy gap
further and further apart. (Snow, Burns, and Griffin 1998). Pairing young emergent readers with
older experienced readers increases fluency and comprehension (Althaide-Shannon, 2005).
“Effective fluency instruction should serve as a modeling component – helping students see (and
hear) what fluent reading of a targeted text is like (Rasinski, 2003). Through cross-age tutoring
and mentoring partnerships, students improve their reading and fluency skills as well as gain
broader literacy and social skills. Teachers report that students gain in their reading rate,
expression and comprehension as evidenced by such assessments as DIBELS.
Rasinski, T. (2003, November/December). Fluency is fundamental. Instructor, 16-20.
Althaide-Shannon, T. (2005). Beginning reading, bilingually. Teaching PreK-8, 36(2), 50-51.
Cunningham, A.E., and K.E. Stanovich, 1998. The impact of print exposure on word recognition. In
Word Recognition in beginning literacy, ed. J. Metsala and L. Ehri, 235-2.
Snow, C.E., M.S. Burns, and P. Griffin, eds. 1998. Preventing reading difficulties in young children.
Washington D.C., National Academy Press.
Art Integration
Decades of research indicate that there exists a strong and consistent link between
integration of the arts in education and a wide range of educational outcomes. Arts integration
models in which the practice of teaching across classroom subjects in tandem with the arts yield
impressive results in closing the achievement gap. Recent cutting-edge studies in neuroscience
have further developed and reinforced understanding of how art integration supports important
brain development in learning (President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, 2011). The
emerging field of neuroeducation explores how children learn and what practices promote and
sustain the learning process. The Dana Arts and Cognition Consortium report, released in March
2008, reports that researchers found “tight correlations” between arts training and improvements
in cognition, attention, and learning. Classroom experience of arts integration suggests that such
carefully constructed pedagogy can improve students’ learning and academic experiences
resulting in deeper engagement in subject matter and better retention of content, greater
emotional involvement in the learning process and deeper social awareness. Students also are
able to apply what they are learning across disciplines (Hardiman, Magsamen, McKhann, and
Eilber, 2009).
Hardiman, M., Magsamen, S., McKhann, G., Eilber, J., 2009. Neuroeducation: learning, arts, and the
brain. Dana Press, Washington, D.C.
Personal Pathways to Learning
The definition of intelligence highlights problem solving and product making as the most
problems and creating products. Student paths for learning are as diverse as a students’ multiple
intelligences as proven by brain research and intelligence theories. A one size fits all approach to
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education is no longer applicable. In our global society, the need for personalized education
provides enhances the speed and efficiency of learning. Personal pathways to learning are based
upon individual student learning styles, and are built upon student strengths. Pathways to
learning take into account as well, interpersonal skills, and civic responsibility (Garnder, 2009).
According to Gardner “…human intellectual competence must entail a set of skills for problem
solving, enabling the individual to resolve genuine problems that he or she encounters and when
appropriate, to create an effective product – must also entail the potential for finding or creating
problems, thereby laying the groundwork for the acquisition of new knowledge…(Gardner, 1983).
Gardner, H. 2009. The next big thing: Personalized education; Foreign Policy, May/June 2009.
Gardner, H. 1983. Frames of mind. New York, Basics Books.
4. How has the school or consortium’s current data influenced the creative vision described in
question one?
Based on our school data, learning needs to be more experiential and student centered with the
teacher as the facilitator of the new information. We are seeing achievement gaps in our special
education and poverty students. Additionally, our scores have declined in fourth grade math
indicating a need to employ a wide range of techniques using differentiated instruction. Our
school has a large number of special education students and the most severe and profound
special elementary students in the county. This data indicates a need to use a variety of teaching
strategies in order to reach diverse populations, addressing individual needs. Additionally, we
must have an environment that is respectful, supportive, inclusive and flexible in order to
maintain a high performing learning culture. Union teachers understand the importance of the
next generation standards and the urgency to develop instructional designs that foster the growth
of students as socially responsible, self-directed, life-long learners.
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Section 4- Goals, Objectives, Evaluation, Timeline
GOALS:
Our goals include:
SMART Goal. 1-providing professional development designed to meet and exceed WV next generation standards
SMART Goal.2-providing service learning opportunities and encouraging community stewardship
SMART Goal.3-to use literature and the Arts as our pathway for personalized learning.
Objectives
Activities
Personnel
Timeline
Budget
Identify the measureable
objectives that will be used to
determine success in achieving
these goals
Develop activities for each objective that are: Creative
and innovative; Impact student success; Allow for
greater flexibility; change the way the
school(s)/district currently operate
Indicate the name and
title of personnel that
will be responsible for
the activities.
Identify the
timeline for the
activities (include
month/year)
(Must be specific, measurable,
attainable, relevant, and timely goals
(SMART )
Educators and stakeholders will
collaborate during PLC’s,
professional development
seminars and instruction
enhancement sessions to
increase student success
achieving mastery in academic
areas.
Indicate budget
requirements
(include formulas used
to derive totals in budget
sections e.g. 3 subs
@$143/day=total)
Model Schools Conference-Five educators will
attend and report back on best practices being used
to enhance and support instruction using 21st
Century skills at a Model Schools Conference. We
will use flexible scheduling so educators can meet in
PLC’s routinely to collaborate, support studentcentered success, participate in book studies, and
utilize data to guide instruction.
Teachers and County
representatives
June 2012 and
June 2013
$13,894.00
Professional Learning Communities- We will use
flexible scheduling so educators can meet in
sustained and embedded professional development.
PLC’s routinely meet to collaborate, support studentcentered success, participate in book studies, and
utilize data to guide instruction.
Teachers, math and
reading coaches,
experts in field, data
analysis coordinators
Bi-weekly for
PLC’s/2012-2014
$16,500.00
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Buddy/Mentor Training- Mentors will participate
in training hours on how to read with students and
prepare activities. A handbook will be developed
that will include: policies, procedures, confidentiality
and attendance. Different types of reading will be
explained such as: shared, choral and buddy reading.
Students and stakeholders will
participate in community
partnerships to foster a positive
relationship including service
learning modules where
students learn to be stewards of
the community and their
environment.
Students will increase
success and/or achieving
mastery or benchmark on
the WESTEST2/DIBELS
fluency assessment, with
immersion in the Arts, by
participating in a reading
and math literacy mentoring
program.
Teachers, Read Aloud
Trainer WVDE, Mary
Kay Bond
August/September $1,500.00
2012 and bimonthly 20122014
Reading Buddies- Students will participate in a
Teachers, School
weekly mentoring relationship with middle and high Counselor,
school students. The mentoring will occur with
bussing to/from the middle and high school.
Students will collect oral histories from Serenity Care
Home residents during our Traditional Literature
genre and create biographical profiles of our
Veterans.
Weekly
$4, 240.00
Oral Histories-Students will collect oral histories
from Serenity Care Home residents during our
Traditional Literature genre and create biographical
profiles of our Veterans.
Teachers, multigenerational
participants, Veterans
Once a
month/2012-2014
$4,240.00
Arts Integration-Students will be active participants
in puppet performances, robotic workshops and
performing arts groups. Students will be immersed
in cultural awareness. Educators will partner with
math and reading literacy coaches to enhance
instruction.
Teachers, math and
literacy coaches,
Presenters
Monthly
2012/2014
$8,480.00
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Section 5- Project Evaluation and Sustainability
1. How will you evaluate and report the impact this innovation has on increasing student success and/or other stated goals
and objectives?
There will be a variety of assessment measures used to determine the effectiveness of professional development and student
engagement. Examples include pre-tests, post-tests, questionnaires, check lists, portfolio assessments and rubrics. Data will be collect
from student performances on authentic, formative and summative assessments. While incorporating dramatic arts, mentoring and
collaboration, our ultimate test of success is the results on the WESTEST2. Educators will use qualitative and quantitative evaluations
to assess student success. Our current county literacy assessments for fluency and comprehension (RIGBY, DIBELS, Fontas and Pinnell,
etc) will be used to indicate gains in reading achievement.
2. How will this innovation be sustained beyond the initial funding period?
Ultimately, the staff, parents, teachers, students and community stakeholders will sustain the programs at Union Elementary. Without
adequate time and resources to evolve, our innovation at Union Elementary will suffer and our current initiatives may weaken. To
ensure sustainability, we will continue embedded professional development. We anticipate a high turnover due to retirements during
the next five years. Innovation zone embraces seamless professional development activities where learning outcomes are clearly
articulated and carefully monitored. We expect this project to be impactful at our school and plan to share with our county and state in
order for others to use and replicate our model. However, we have committed teachers and community who have demonstrated the
long-term commitment to our teaching philosophy, practices and values. The financial support of the current innovation zone grant
has provided a “breath of fresh air” at Union; we need time and resources to sustain this momentum. Union Elementary staff is
committed to this innovative change. The school family has proven an integral part of the development and implementation of this
program. They are devoted to the students of Union Elementary School. The community and stakeholders have also been involved in
the development of the Union PRIDE program and all are committed to the success of creating a high performing school that focuses on
integrity, service and excellence in all we do. The funding from Title II, STEP VII and our county LEVY will assist in sustaining our
program initiatives.
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Section 6- Budget Justification
The Innovation Zone allocation for FY 2012 is approximately $435,000. Applicants should prepare proposals and accompanying budgets
for no more than two school years. The budget should support the activities described in the above application. Major item requests must
be supported with activities within in the application. You may request up to $50,000.
*Regular IZ applicants need to only fill in the FY 2012 budget.
The Dropout Prevention Innovation Zone allocation is $2,200,000. These funds will be awarded in one competitive grant process and
applicants must prepare proposals and accompanying budgets for three school years. The budget should support the activities described in
the above application. Major item requests must be supported with activities within in the application. The budget range for each proposal
is $50,000 to $100,000 for each of the three years (total 3 year award range $150,000 to $300,000).
Because the proposed projects will not be funded until January 2011, the operating costs for year one will not be for a full school year.
Applicants should consider the following as they develop the Year One Budget: 1) more funds may be allocated to program planning and
professional development in year one and 2) counties will be able to carry over each year of grant funding for one additional year.
Budget Justification:
To complete the arts portion of our Innovation Zone we would need a set of twelve Friendly Dulcimers and a Dulcimer teacher to
instruct the students who will bring with her two volunteers to aid in the instruction. This will cost $1,700.00 with $1,500 in volunteer
salary. Also within the arts portion of our proposal are dance troupe, poetry players, and puppeteers with a puppet stage. These students
will need costumes and supplies as well as instructors with the support of the teachers. These supplies will cost $6,000.00 with $200.00 in
kind from volunteer carpenters.
The equipment portion was decided upon by what would most adequately enable the students to take oral histories from seniors, be
photojournalist for the veterans for the local paper, and document the arts integration for our school history. The equipment needed would
be ipods, cameras, and printing fees, this would cost $4,350.00.
Travel is an essential portion of our proposal due to the reading buddies program and the ability to bus students from the high
school and middle school to our school and back twice a week for the next two years. The portion allotted to this was $5,500.00. Another
fraction of our travel cost was the cost to travel to the Model schools conference. For five educators to attend the Model schools conference
in Kissimmee Fla, we would need to fly from Pittsburg Pa, to Orlando Fl, and then rent a car to Kissimmee, Fla. The hotel stay was also
included at the conference hotel this totaled $7,114.00
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The Professional Development budget was decided by the registration of 5 educators going to the model schools conference. A book study
was decided upon and the cost of Professional Learning Communities added in giving us a total of 18,000.00.
For our consultant/contract piece we have asked a renowned Puppeteer to come and bring her grad students to engage our students in
developing their own puppets, puppet theater and stories. She would conduct a workshop for all grades as well as Teachers. This may take
several days. There will also be resource books made available costing $14,000.00 .
FY 2012
Expenditure
Professional Salaries
Amount Requested
In-Kind (Optional)
Total
$6,000.00
$4,000.00 Title II
$10,000.00
Equipment
$4,350.00
$2,000.00 County Levy
$6, 350.00
Supplies
$7,050.00
$4,000.00 School Levy
$11,050.00
Fringe Benefits
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Professional Development
$12,000.00
Travel
$7,614.00
Contracts/Consultants
$6,340.00
Other (TransportationBusing)
$5,500.00
Total
$48,854.00
$3,000.00 STEP VII
$15,000.00
$7,614.00
$2,300.00 Consultants
and Specialists
$8,640.00
$5,500.00
$15,300.00
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$64,154.00
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