Center Grove Elementary School
A Four Star School
North Central Association
and Indiana PL 221
School Improvement Plan
2008-2012
Updated July, 2010
2455 S. Morgantown Road
Greenwood, IN 46143
(317) 881-1720
Fax (317) 885-4535
www.centergrove.k12.in.us
Bruce Haddix, Principal
haddixb@centergrove.k12.in.us
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
Committee Members
Mission Statement
Belief Statements
Attendance
Profile – Unique Local Insights
i. School Distinctions
ii. Staffing
iii. Diversity
iv. Socio-Economic Status
v. Special Education
vi. Community Demographics
vii. Parent Involvement
viii. Community Involvement
ix. Technology
x. Professional Development
xi. Safe and Disciplined Schools
xii. Suspensions
xiii. Title I
xiv. English as a New Language
xv. Curriculum Location
xvi. Cultural Competency
xvii. Interventions
xviii. Student involvement
xix. High Ability Students
xx. Statutes and Rules
Presentation of Data
Goal Selection
Action Plans
i. Center Grove Community School Corporation
ii. Center Grove Elementary School
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Page 3
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5
6
7
8
8
8
9
10
10
11
12
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16
18
18
18
18
18
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19
19
20
20
22
24
25
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COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Mission/Belief Statements
Connie Allen
Debbie Harty
Dwayne Marshall
Karol Mullen
Becky Pennington
Stacey Raftery
Bekah Smith
Dana Thompson
School Improvement Team
Malia Casper
Melody Cragen
Jennifer Hueston
Karen Isenhour
Andrea Jahnke
Karol Mullen
Carol Stahl
John Voelz
Kristi Watters
School Profile
Elijah Adams
Amanda Ardizzone
Susan Campbell
Malia Casper
Melody Cragen
Kim King
Carol Stahl
Pam Vawter
Kristi Watters
Professional Development Team
Connie Allen
Jamie Bender
Jeannine Browning
Marcia Boehning
Susan Campbell
Debbie Harty
Carol Stahl
Dana Thompson
Peggy Young
Data Collection
Jeannine Browning
Nicole DeKemper
Jennifer Hueston
Karen Isenhour
LeAnne Matthews
Eric Long
Peggy Young
Technology Team
Elijah Adams
Marcia Boehning
Karen Isenhour
Eric Long
Becky Pennington
Jon Rugenstein
Bekah Smith
John Voelz
Kristi Watters
Goal Selection
Michelle Allen
Jamie Bender
Andrea Jahnke
Megan McKinney
Shannon Nunnelly
Jon Rugenstein
John Voelz
Parent/Community
Kim Kovacs
Angie Cox
Phil Chamberlin
Rick Kovacs
Kip Kelly
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CENTER GROVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
MISSION STATEMENT
Center Grove Elementary is a dynamic and caring school that prepares students to
become productive, responsible citizens. We strive to prepare our students for their
next level of learning by:



Implementing mandated curriculum standards,
Encouraging each student to reach his/her potential by providing meaningful
instructional activities, materials, programs, and assessments, and
Challenging each student to become a critical, independent thinker.
Our school is a family that cultivates the love of learning through strong home/school
partnerships.
Revised, January, 2010
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BELIEF STATEMENTS
T
he Center Grove Elementary Team believes . . .

All children can learn when varied and multiple opportunities are offered to
meet their individual needs.

Children learn best with clear expectations in a safe environment.
Revised January, 2010
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CENTER GROVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
ATTENDANCE RATES 1992-2007
Attendance Rate
Year
1992-93
1993-94
1994-95
1995-96
1996-97
1997-98
1998-99
1999-00
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
95th Percentile
97.4
97.6
97.5
97.5
97.5
97.5
97.6
97.7
97.6
97.6
97.5
97.8
97.7
98.2
97.7
State Average
95.4
95.4
95.4
95.5
95.6
95.7
95.7
95.9
95.7
95.7
95.8
95.9
95.9
96.0
95.8
95.9
96.1
CGES
97.0
97.1
96.9
96.7
96.7
97.1
97.0
97.3
97.2
97.2
96.4
97.4
97.1
97.1
97.2
96.7
97.3
In the fifteen years of collected data above, Center Grove Elementary School has been
above the state average every year. Although we have never met the 95th percentile
ranking, we have come within 0.4% of reaching that goal six times.
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Center Grove Elementary School
Profile – Unique Local Insights
Center Grove Elementary School is located at 2455 S. Morgantown Road in
Greenwood, Indiana. One of five elementary schools in the Center Grove Community
School Corporation, Center Grove Elementary School enjoys success on a variety of
levels which are a great source of pride for our staff and community. As of this writing,
our current enrollment is 650 wonderful students. Nine percent of our students come
from ethnicities other than Caucasian and eight percent of our students receive free or
reduced lunch. The Center Grove community, in general, is an area of affluence with
families of highly educated professionals. Center Grove Elementary is unique among our
six elementary schools in that we are the only school that is not a part of the Title I
program.
In the fall of 2001, the Center Grove Community School Corporation began the
school improvement process utilizing the North Central Accreditation model. Multiple
committees were formed at Center Grove Elementary School to identify goals, research
best practice strategies, and implement data-driven decision-making. Our data indicated
that we needed to focus on increasing reading comprehension and math computation
skills across every grade level. With the combined efforts of each committee, the Center
Grove School Improvement Plan came into existence and has been fully implemented.
Over the past six years, the plan has been reviewed, refined and revised as staff members
explored new best strategies to address the needs of our changing student population, and
our study of the data has directed our efforts to achieve these two goals at new levels.
Over the course of the past seven years, both our school and corporation have
utilized a variety of assessment methods to collect data. At the district level, locally
developed criterion-referenced assessments (CRA) were developed for use as consistent
tools among all schools. This effort ultimately failed to produce reliable data, though,
and was discontinued in 2004. In place of this, our district used Scantron testing in
grades 2 through 5, along with ISTEP+, and InView testing to determine CSI scores in
grades 3 and 5. We now use Acuity. At the building level, students in grades K and 1 are
given the DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) assessments. A
new assessment as of 2005, STEEP (Screening to Enhance Education Performance), was
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given to all students in Grades 1-5 to quickly assess reading fluency and math
computation accuracy. They now take AIMSWEB. Students in grades 3, 4 and 5
participate in the ISTEP+ testing each fall. Along with other building-based common
assessments in grade levels and unit assessments in subject areas, we have gathered data
for this report to show our student performance is consistently improving.
Individually, as funds are available, teachers are encouraged to attend workshops
and trainings that they feel will enhance the excellence of their teaching. Examples of
these can be found in the Professional Development section that follows. Our community
of learners celebrates the many accomplishments our students make academically. This
is a source of pride among the students, parents, patrons and staff of our school.
i. School Distinctions:
Center Grove Elementary School is consistently named an Exemplary School for
No Child Left Behind and Indiana rankings. We have been named an Indiana Four Star
School for eight of the last nine years, missing one year only by attendance. Our teachers
have been Golden Apple nominees, Disney Hand Award nominees, Meijer Teacher of the
Month winners, elected to Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers, and many have
facilitated and state, local and national conferences. Our principal is the 2004 Indiana
Elementary Principal of the Year and a 2005 National Distinguished Principal. He has
edited books for Corwin Press and is published in USA Today and Educational
Leadership.
ii. Staffing:
Center Grove Elementary School staff members include a principal, a counselor,
twenty-seven regular education certified classroom teachers, two certified special
education teachers, a music teacher, an art teacher, a physical education teacher, a media
specialist, and ten assistants. We have a literacy lab assistant, a technology assistant, a
media assistant, three custodians and seven cafeteria employees. A Speech and Language
specialist is also an integral part of our staff on a daily basis. We have three sections of
full day Kindergarten. Our school provides and before- and after-care program through
Honey Grove Educational Services.
iii. Diversity:
Center Grove Community Schools as a whole has typically lacked significant
ethnic diversity throughout the community. However, that is beginning to change.
During the 2006-07 school year, Center Grove Elementary School hosted the district’s
English as a New Language (ENL) program and welcomed 11 students from a wide
range of nationalities, including Japanese, Hispanic, Turkish, Indian and a student from
Holland. In 2007, the program was relocated to another school, but has returned to us
from the 2010-2011 school year. Six ENL students elected to remain at Center Grove
Elementary and forfeit services at the new site. We are blessed to have two students of
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Russian origin, three from Japan and one Hindi Indian student. We are also seeing a
slight increase in our African-American population, yet this represents only 2% of our
total population. The multi-racial students make up 2% of our enrollment. Contrary to
what many neighboring school districts are seeing, our Hispanic population remains at
2%. Our Asian population is the highest ethnicity at 4%, with the balance of our
enrollment representing Caucasian students at 91% in the 2009-2010 school year.
Ethnicity 2007-08
Ethnicities
5
4
3
Series1
2
1
0
20
40
60
80
100
Total Student Enrollment
93% White
3% Asian
2% Multiracial
1% Hispanic
1% African-American
iv. Socio-Economic Status:
Center Grove Elementary School is seeing a very gradual increase in the number
of students receiving free and reduced lunch and book rental over previous years. It is
worth noting that when we began our association with North Central in 2000-2001, we
had 100 percent paid lunch (see chart below and pie graph above). Since then, our
free/reduced total has wavered in the 3 percent to 9 percent range. For 2010-2011, it is
projected at this writing to be near 12%.
Free
3
2
Paid
Reduced
Free Lunch 2007-08
1
Series1
0
20
40
60
Percent
9
80
100
v. Special Education:
The Special Education population of Center Grove Elementary School has been
steadily growing over the past seven years. Additional personnel and services have been
added to meet the needs of these awesome children. Currently, our school’s special
education population includes children with Learning Disabilities, Mild and Moderate,
emotional handicaps, and communications disorders. Our staff includes two certified
teachers, one speech specialist and six assistants. These incredible staff members modify
work, personalize student schedules, collaborate with regular education teachers, develop
visual reminders, support adult parent volunteers, partner with other classrooms, set up
and manage individual work stations for students, provide small group and individual
remediation time, write and implement behavior plans, communicate regularly with
parents, coordinate supportive computer software, provide peer tutoring with upper grade
students, differentiate assignments, homework and grading, adjust goals for Accelerated
Reading, partner with a Big Brother-Big Sister or Dad’s Club mentor, assess through
ISTAR, provide instruction in resource rooms, adapt special class lessons for the
physically challenged, and meet the needs of often complicated and extensive IEP’s.
The results of this work with special education students can be seen in the chart
below. A respectable percentage of our special education students do indeed pass
ISTEP+ and some have even Pass+ed in some areas. Center Grove Elementary does
have a subgroup with more than 30 special education students for AYP, and we are proud
to say that our students contribute to our making AYP each year by passing at a strong
rate.
vi. Community Demographics:
Subtle changes have taken place in the Center Grove community in the past ten
years. We are seeing many more transient families, notably those who reside in the
apartment complexes our school now serves through enrollment management procedures.
Although not a large number, we also are experiencing an increase in the number of
single-parent families and divorce. This has been uncommon in our school community.
We’ve also noticed changes in the levels of educational backgrounds of parents not
previously present- still parents with strong educational and professional backgrounds,
but increasingly more blue-collar families. Parental involvement has always been a
marked strength of our school, but though still very strong, even that seems to be
changing somewhat. We believe that there are more instances of both parents now
needing to be employed to maintain the standard of living in this community.
In the Center Grove area in general, business has boomed over the past ten years.
There are a significantly increased number of retailers, restaurants, medical/dental
offices, and large so-called “big-box” chain stores such as Target, Menards, Home Depot,
and Meijer. Housing starts also have increased both in starter homes and those appraised
at a quarter of a million dollars and above. What was once mostly a rural area is now
becoming a residential and business area. However, the area served by Center Grove
Elementary remains relatively stable as there is not much land left on which to build
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homes in our immediate school area. Most of our new students come to us from areas
served by other schools that are overcrowded through enrollment management processes.
vii. Parental Involvement
If asked about the unique major strengths of Center Grove Elementary School,
most would answer immediately that we enjoy an exceptional amount of parental support
and participation – so much so that it is envied by most. We enjoy a PTO that is active,
progressive and generous in supplementing the needs of our building. The PTO parents
fund mini-grants to teachers for materials and supplies that enhance the educational
opportunities of our students. PTO also sponsors Family Fun Nights, a Spring Carnival,
holiday classroom parties, Santa Shop, Career Day, Book Fairs, Market Day, Math
Pentathlon, Spiritwear Sales and Staff Appreciation recognitions.
Unique to us in many ways is the existence and strength of our Dads Club – about
50 fathers who meet monthly to support the efforts of the school. Their goal is to provide
enrichment for students through extracurricular activities, which include a Robotics Club,
Science Fair, after- school Movie Nights and tutoring mentorships. They have also
generously provided physical improvements to the school such as purchasing and
installing a new mailbox, framing our student picture composites, sponsoring the painting
and redecoration of our dining room and playground equipment. They recently completed
painting the gym to coordinate it with the cafeteria – a huge and costly undertaking. In
addition, the Dad’s Club caters and runs the kitchen for Family Fun Night and Carnival.
It’s quite a sight to see all the Dads cooking for and serving more than 800 people.
During school hours, it is very common to see many parents volunteering in
classrooms throughout every grade level. In many instances, there are so many volunteers
that many teachers have to schedule parents on a calendar to make sure they all get a turn.
Parents run a mini-economy, help with special projects in every grade level, help in field
trips, serve as guest experts for Career Day, read to students, mentor and remediate in
small groups, help at stations, and gladly do the menial tasks to make the teacher’s time
with students more productive. They work with special class teachers with Jump Rope
for Heart, Art Club, Student Council, and music programs. As of this writing, a team of
parents is transforming our school into farm and State Fair decorations in support of our
all-school thematic unit on Charlotte’s Web.
Parents tell us they feel welcome and vital to the success of the school and
teachers realize the value of their involvement in making special things happen for our
children. At fall conferences, we took a parent survey of “how we are doing at CGES”
and 99% of parents reported feeling welcome in our school and overwhelmingly happy
with the education their children are receiving. Center Grove Elementary School is truly
blessed by the involvement of our parents in every aspect of their children’s education.
They are, indeed, our strongest and most positive advocates. Among the opportunities
parents have for participation are:
PTO
Dad’s Club
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Classroom volunteers
OASIS tutoring
Breakfast with Santa
Santa Shop
Spring Carnival
Fall Festival
Room parents
Parent/Teacher Conferences
Open House
Annual parent surveys on our performance
All-School Thematic Units
Field Trips
Volunteer Dinner
Career Day
All-Pro Dads Club
viii. Community Involvement:
Our school has created partnerships with many local businesses and
organizations, including,
McDonalds
Chick-Fil-A
Marsh Supermarkets
Target
Golden Corral
Texas Roadhouse
Fazolis
Ambassadors for Children in Jamaica
Heifer International
Special Olympics
Riley Hospital for Children
Johnson County Waste Management
Dairy Queen
Country Charm Nursing Home
The Hearth at Stones Crossing
ix. Technology
Center Grove Elementary School has seen some major improvements in the
quality of technology available for both staff and students in recent years. We now enjoy
two full computer labs; four computers and a teacher computer in every classroom;
scanners, printers, LCD projectors in the lab and LGI; and recently installed new teacher
computers. In general, technology efforts for the district have been limited only by
monetary resources available. The expertise to move our district forward has been here,
but funding all that we would like to do has not been possible. At the district level, the
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Alert Instant Alert System, Skyward access for parents, Moodle, DynaCal, VersaTrans,
and a cafeteria pre-pay system have all been added within the past four years and are
major advancements in communicating technologically with our constituents.
Within our school itself, we have many teachers and staff members who serve as
technology resources for both adults and children. Some are sought after at the district
level for their expertise and have presented locally. Our media specialist, Marcia
Boehning and our technology representative, Karen Isenhour, both are knowledgeable
advocates for technology and provide a wealth of resources. Between them, they manage
our school website, schedule a SmartBoard, Classroom Performance System, two
Computers on Wheels (COW), the Alpha Smart Cart, and two brand new lap top carts;
they manage the video system and daily visual announcements; created a second
computer lab; and both serve as willing and available experts for staff and students. We
are also enjoying having computer lab as part of our special class rotation in which
students spend time learning a new keyboarding curriculum, word-processing and
Internet skills on a regular basis with assistant Barb Clements. They access Webquests
and learn how to do internet research on topics relating to the standards being taught in
the classroom. Our Waterford lab serves students in grades K and 1 for early literacy and
is a key component to their success as emerging readers. Use of software such as
Compass/Odyssey, Headsprout, the Reading Center, PowerPoint, Math Facts in a Flash,
Type to Learn, EdHelper, the Pila Reading Series, IntelliKeys, EdMark, Co-Writer,
Boardmaker, Accelerated Reader, Write Out Loud, Writing with Symbols, STAR
Reading, and keyboarding instruction is used regularly by students and strengthens
technology skills.
All classrooms are now equipped with a comprehensive multi-media system
which includes a ceiling-mounted projection system. A new student information
management system, Skyward, has replaced CenterPoint and has been widely accepted as
much more user-friendly in the district. Teachers continue to use a curriculum mapping
software called Rubicon Atlas across the district in a long-term commitment to
professional development for increased student achievement. New copying equipment
has been installed in all Center Grove schools and has been positively received by all.
x. Professional Development
A three-tiered framework of Professional Development opportunities exists for
our teachers and staff – district-level, building-level and individual. Within the past three
years, district-level professional development opportunities have been significantly
enhanced, largely because of the efforts of assistant superintendent, Janet Boyle. Dr.
Boyle has implemented intensive efforts in Differentiation of Instruction and Curriculum
Mapping across the district. She has made a long-term commitment to these two
initiatives and provides strong leadership and consistency of focus for every school.
Dr. Boyle also has been instrumental in creating an every-Wednesday, 45-minute Early
Release time for students. This provides time that is totally dedicated to professional
development for teachers, within contract time – a major advantage in all aspects.
Teachers spend this time at the end of the day on Wednesdays in building-level
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initiatives, or district-level curriculum mapping activities, but not staff meetings. The
time is for professional development learning only.
At Center Grove Elementary School, our building initiatives have centered largely
on our past NCA/PL221 goals – increasing reading comprehension and math
computation across every grade level. We have focused professional development
activities on such initiatives as Four Blocks training; Six Traits +1 training; Professional
Learning Community studies by Richard DuFour and the FISH! Philosophies; book
studies on Differentiated Instruction by Carol Ann Tomlinson, Curriculum Mapping
work by Heidi Hayes Jacobs, as well as spending three years on a program sponsored by
the Department of Education called Levels of Service. Levels of Service provided a
framework in which students are provided individualized enrichment learning
opportunities through their interests, talents and abilities. Over the course of this work,
staff members identified areas in which the current practices and curriculum met needs of
students and identified gaps that needed attention. Through their work, we have
addressed closing these gaps and now try to make the philosophies learned through
Levels of Service a part of our school culture as opposed to a stand-alone initiative.
Staff members at CGES have also been afforded opportunities to enhance their
interpretation of data to make better informed decisions for instruction on numerous
occasions. By drilling deeper into the data available to us, we have been able to isolate
the areas in which our students need improvement and create strategies to address those
needs specifically.
Individually, teachers have also received training and attended in-service
workshops on such topics as DIBELS; LETTRS; the Phonics Dance; ROPES;
Technology in the Classroom; use of the SmartBoard, digital camera, and CPS system;
Vertical Articulation; NCA Matrix with Mark Stock; Professional Development
Strategies with Robby Champion; Learning for All leadership training with Larry
Lezotte; data analysis with Karen Wilkerson; Differentiated Instruction with Rick
Wormeli; Curriculum Mapping with Heidi Hayes Jacobs and Janet Hale; Article 7
trainings; AlphaSmart training; Centerpoint training; Rubicon Atlas training; STEEP and
RTI trainings; the BBST/GEI process training; Autism; TEACCH; Tucker Sign
Language;1-2-3, Magic; ENL; handwriting, reading and math adoptions; Guided Reading
conference; PE Summer Institute; IMEA; IOSA; NCA; Levels of Service; Zoo Phonics;
and, finally, workshops conducted during a first-ever district-wide Technology Day
featuring our own in-house experts covering a variety of subjects from which teachers
could choose to personalize their technology training needs.
A recent Literacy Audit has been completed, and results have been released.
Each individual building has recommendations for literacy enhancements. The district is
currently in the process of creating a literacy framework that will connect the goals and
initiatives for all schools. This will have a significant impact in helping us move to the
next level of excellence in literacy. A sample model is shown below:
14
Printed with permission from Learning Unlimited.
15
Through a survey taken during the Literacy Audit information gathering process,
we learned that 82% of Center Grove Elementary students surveyed indicate they like to
read. 67% say they like to read for fun while not in school. 100% of them said they
understand what they read in textbook sometimes or often. Over half the students said
they talk about what they read outside of school once or twice a week. Parents who were
surveyed said that 80% felt their children were adequately challenged in Reading, while
19% did not. The results of the Literacy Audit Survey will help formulate our next steps
in addressing literacy needs at both the district and building levels.
The entire staff of Center Grove Elementary School will continue to receive intense
training in literacy instruction, including the differentiation of instruction as defined by
Carol Ann Tomlinson and others. The strategies of Levels of Service are being embraced
within the culture of our building and no longer exist as a stand-alone program. These
initiatives, along with the district focus on Curriculum Mapping, will be the intense focus
of our professional growth plan over the next three to five years. Continuous reflection
and evaluation of what we are learning and using in the classroom will occur to ensure
we remain highly focused on increasing student achievement.
xi. Safe and Disciplined Schools:
When you enter our school building, you might notice some very distinctive
special touches. You will hear instrumental music playing in the hallways. You will see
banners identifying every hall by a core value we teach students (Respect Road, Success
Street, and Personal Best Boulevard). Our entryway is warm and inviting. The
showcases highlight the school’s thematic unit for the year. In every hallway, student
work of all kinds is displayed. You will see evidence of how our students serve the
community through recycling, baskets of food donations to the local food pantry, coats
for Operation Bundle Up, shoes for the Reuse-a-Shoe Campaign, United Way, Student
Council initiatives to support Johnson County needy families, all school support of
Special Olympics and the Polar Plunge, Heifer International, and food and clothing for
our sister school, Kyger Elementary in LaPorte, Indiana. Parents and visitors comment
regularly about how inviting it feels to visit our school and how our students are
entranced in service learning.
Students at Center Grove Elementary School begin their day each morning
reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, our own Center Grove Elementary School Creed and
by observing a moment of silence. If you were a visitor here, you would hear them doing
so enthusiastically, understanding what it is they are saying. The CGES Creed is the
measuring stick for our goals and behavior while at school. Teachers refer to it often to
remind students of their responsibility to keep it. Students regularly practice emergency
safety procedures with fire, tornado, lockdown, emergency and evacuation drills.
Our school is highly secured during the day; all doors are locked with the
exception of the front doors where office personnel can visually see who enters the
building. Visitors are required to sign in at the office and receive a yellow visitor’s
sticker which identifies them as having a legitimate reason to be in the building. Staff
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members know to question anyone without this form of identification. ID is required to
be shown by those adults we do not know personally. Students are well versed in the
playground rules, hallway expectations, bus safety procedures, and bullying guidelines.
All adults in the building are expected to model respectful behavior to each other,
students and parents. A special program in our cafeteria, Manners Matters,
acknowledges students who exhibit proper manners while dining. They are able to
choose friends to sit with them at lunch in our 1950s style diner booths and listen to 50s
music on our Jukebox. Our school counselor teaches in every classroom to presenting
lessons on character education and bullying. This past year, the counselor has created
and put in place a committee to monitor bullying in our school. This is a highly effective
procedure to identify bullying incidents at CGES. The procedures have been well
communicated to all students and parents though classroom lessons and parental forums.
Though in its first complete year, data we have would indicate fewer incidents of
bullying in our school so far.
Children are rewarded and praised for respectful behavior. Consequences for
poor behavior are designed to help change that behavior into a positive life skill, instead
of being simply punitive. Each month, students are acknowledged with the presentation
of Core Essentials and Students of the Month Awards. Parents are invited to a special
ceremony where students receive a certificate and dining cards from supportive local
restaurants for having been chosen by their teacher as the Student of the Month, or having
exhibited the core value of the month – a program we use created and sponsored by
Chick Fil-A. Our newsletter also acknowledges student achievements and our annual
Honors Day at the end of the school year is an anticipated event. We take every
opportunity available to celebrate the successes of our students.
In the past, we utilized a “Clock” system in each classroom to monitor citizenship
and communicate weekly with parents. Though discipline in this school is excellent with
less than a dozen referrals this year so far, we felt it would be a good thing to have a
consistent way of monitoring behavior and citizenship that would cross all grade levels
and move with students as they progress through the grades. We also felt it would be an
asset for us to be able to communicate more frequently with parents about their child’s
behavior and responsibility in the classroom. With the “Clock” system, students have an
actual paper clock with Grades from A+ down to F as the numerals of the clock. When
they have an infraction based on not following our school creed, the teachers will punch
one of the letter grades and write a comment on the back of the clock. This is done
weekly, and students take their clocks home to parents each Friday. In this way, parents
are fully apprised of how their child’s week went behaviorally. There is a very
prescribed step system for infractions, including warnings, time outs, visits to the
principal, all the way to in- and out-of-school suspensions. We are piloting this program
during this semester and gathering data to see if it actually helps improve our classroom
discipline. At the end of this year, the committee that developed it will revisit the system
and make recommendations for its further use, and refinements.
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xii. Suspensions:
Center Grove Elementary School has had no out-of-school suspensions this year,
or any referrals to our alternative to suspension program. As of this writing we have only
about twelve total referrals to the office for this school year. We enjoy a well-disciplined
school environment and student behavioral infractions on the whole are very minimal and
minor in nature. I would insert a chart here, but there is not much to show!
xiii. Title I: Center Grove Elementary School is not a Title I school.
xiv. English as a New Language:
Center Grove Elementary is now the host school for our district’s elementary
ENL program. The program has been relocated to another Center Grove school, but this
year will return to us. Participants include ethnicities of Asian, Hispanic and Eastern
descents.
xv. Curriculum:
Our school and district has a written curriculum for all subject areas that is
located at both our Educational Services Building and in each school. At CGES, the
curriculum is located in our professional library, as well as in every classroom. Binders
containing all academic standards are easily accessible to staff, parents and patrons.
xvi. Cultural Competency (IC 20-10-10.2-8.3):
Benchmark: As evidenced by the data available on the DOE website, Center Grove
Elementary School demonstrates no achievement gaps in the No Child Left Behind
legislation sub-groups. We have no significant gaps in the areas of Free/Reduced Lunch,
English as a Second Language or Ethnicity. While the data shows that we do have
students in our Special Education populace who pass the ISTEP+ test, we have a low
percentage that do not, so interventions are being created to specifically target this group
of students with special needs. With our increased knowledge of interpreting data,
drilling deeply into the subskills and creating strong interventions for these students, we
are seeing a strong increase in the percentages passing ISTEP+. Our staff members
realize that every child belongs to each of us and that we all bear the responsibility for
ensuring their academic successes.
xvii. Interventions:
In the past, Center Grove Elementary School made a significant commitment to
implementing the strategies of the Levels of Service framework with our students. The
Levels of Service framework is a tool that enables teachers to identify the strengths and
needs of students by talent, interest and academic achievements, and involves high levels
of individualization and personalization, as differentiating instruction. We have also
made a strong commitment to Response to Intervention strategies through the STEEP
18
program, which provides us with intervention strategies for low-performing students. As
of this year, we replaced STEEP with AIMSWEB and Acuity software. Students are
quickly assigned to intervention software such as The Reading Center, Headsprout or
FasttMath when assessments are done the first week of school. Progress monitoring on
these students is on-going until the mid-year assessment. Adjustments are made based on
the data from the monitoring. Results of the progress of the interventions are very
promising. It is our intent to very narrowly focus our instructional strategies over a
significant period of time to highly focus on research-based best practices that empower
teachers to personalize instruction for students.
xviii. Student Involvement:
There are many opportunities for student involvement at Center Grove Elementary
School. These include:
Student Council
Spell Bowl
Math Bowl
Spelling Bee
Music Club
Art Club
Intramurals
Ecology Club
Science Fair
Student Ambassadors
Recycling
Children’s Theatre
Operation Bundle-Up
Summer Reading Programs
Jump Rope for Heart
Special Olympics
Reuse-a-Shoe
Circle the State with Song
Service Learning projects
Bible Club (parent sponsored)
xix.
High Ability Students:
In accordance with new Indiana Law, Center Grove Community Schools
Corporation spent the 2007-08 school year studying and planning for
implementation of High Ability identification and services to students in
grades K-12. A district task force has worked all year to make
recommendations to our School Board. The task force has an elementary and
a secondary sub committee to study needs and programs. Since previously no
services have been provided to students in K-2, this was an intensive area of
study. Recommendations have been made to the School Board and
19
implementation of those recommendations will determine the extent of
services and resources provided to our students K-5 at Center Grove
Elementary School. Center Grove Elementary currently hosts a 4th and 5th
grade High Ability class for the district.
xx. Statutes and Rules: None recommended for suspension.
Presentation of Data
Center Grove Elementary School has been named a Four Star School eight of the
past nine years. We enjoy a high level of achievement across every grade level. We also
have the distinction of having met our Adequate Yearly Progress measures every year.
As we look at the data we have from ISTEP+ over time, we see that our scores are
consistently in the ninetieth percentile over the past four years.
ISTEP Average Percent Passing All Tested
Grades E/LA and Math
95
90
Percent 85
80 84.1 82.7 81.8
88.4
91.2 91.8 90.4 91.4
75
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
00
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
Teachers at Center Grove Elementary School have become much more
knowledgeable in the use of data for decision-making about their teaching in the past
three years. Staff development has been provided to explore our results in depth, looking
specifically at sub-skills in which improvement would be indicated. In formulating this
report, and selecting the literacy of improving reading comprehension across the
curriculum, teachers at each grade level studied their data intensely to select specific
areas of focus for the next five years.
In the ISTEP+ grades 3, 4, and 5, teachers created specific individual plans for
students who were within a 20 point range of passing ISTEP+ the previous year. These
students were given focused attention prior to the test being given in September of this
year, and the results of these interventions proved positive. The majority of students
given this extra “boost” in intervening went on to pass the current ISTEP+ test.
20
In addition to looking at students who did not pass the previous ISTEP+ in a
remedial sense, we looked at data that showed students who were within 20 points of
Pass+ing the ISTEP+ and provided the same “boost” for many of those students in hopes
of helping them move into this area of distinction, as it ultimately did. In general, we
realize that what gets attention usually gets better, as the results of these efforts support.
Teachers also used a variety of additional assessments to formulate the literacy
goal, indicated below:
Support Data Sources Used in Goal Selection:
 ISTEP + in grades 3, 4, and 5 – Given in the fall of each year
 DIBELS in grades K and 1 – Given three times each year (pre- mid- and
post-tests)
 Waterford in grades K and 1
 LETTRS in Kindergarten
 AIMSWEB in all grades – Given four times each year to all students
 Acuity in all grades- given four times each year to all students
 Grade Level Assessments
 LAS Links for ENL students- Given once a year to ENL students
 Grade level Common Assessments
Teachers at Center Grove Elementary School have spent time compiling our
personal list of “best practices” that we know work for our children. These are tried and
true, tested over time and consistently bring us a high level of student achievement.
These are the practices we continue to refine and provide professional development
support for to strengthen our mastery of the strategies:
Interventions and Strategies Making the Most Significant Impact:
Since the selection of this goal, the following interventions and strategies have
been implemented and retained over time, indicating significance as best practices in the
successful increase in student achievement at CGES:
 Levels of Service – A framework that supports providing instruction
based on ability, talents and interest, similar to teaching to the gifted and
talented students. Studied and implemented in every grade level.
 Fountas and Pinnell Guided Reading – Staff members have all received
training and currently, every class is using this strategy. Some staff
members have had advanced training and are serving as teacher leaders in
the building.
 FISH! – Staff members have done book studies on the FISH philosophy in
an effort to support building a more cohesive team.
 ROPES training – Another team-building exercise.
 *Differentiated Instruction – Staff members have studied the works of
Charlotte Danielson in book study format. Each school now has a team of
teachers who serve on the district DI team, preparing strategies for
implementation in all buildings in cooperation with Curriculum Mapping.
21
 Curriculum Mapping – This is a district initiative in every school.
CGES teachers are well versed in the process. Our first efforts have been
to map math, but we will be moving to reading in the near future.
 Six Traits + 1 – All staff members, with the exception of a very few first
year teachers, have received training in Six Traits, and although writing
was not chosen as a goal, it is connected so strongly to reading
comprehension that this is a good investment in professional development.
 *Data Analysis – Staff members have received training on how to drill
down into sub-skills, notably on the DOE website, to make data-based
decisions regarding instruction.
* Determined by staff as the best practices most significantly
responsible for student successes.
Other strategies used but somewhat grade-level specific:
 Building Blocks
 Phonics Dance
 Problem Solving
 Waterford Literacy Lab
 Headsprout/Reading Center technology/FasttMath
 Distance Learning
 Mentor Training
 COMPASS/Odyssey technology
 Quality Professional Development
 Development of the Fine Arts for the whole child
As a staff, we are confident that our goal has been chosen based on solid data and
that the plans we have formulated, both at the district and building levels, will result in
increased student achievement across every grade level.
GOAL SELECTION
Literacy Goal: Reading Comprehension
Goal: All Center Grove Elementary School students will improve reading
comprehension skills across the curricula.
The following page was included as evidence of the growth we made in the previous
cycle focusing on reading comprehension:
22
Documentation of Scores for Reading Comprehension Goal
Data
Source
Grade
Level
Year
Score
Standard
Score
Equivalent
Year
Score
Standard
Score
Equivalent
Effect
Size
ISTEP+
3
81%
0.88
2.05
1.17
4
84%
0.99
95%
1.65
0.66
ISTEP+
5
72%
0.58
89%
1.23
0.65
DIBELS
1
58%
0.20
82%
0.92
0.72
DIBELS
1
80%
0.84
99%
2.33
1.49
DIBELS
1
65%
0.39
91%
1.34
0.95
DIBELS
1
81%
0.88
84%
0.99
0.11
DIBELS
2
70%
0.52
84%
0.99
0.47
DIBELS
2
92%
1.41
100%
3.00
1.59
STEEP
2
82%
0.92
Fall
2005
Fall
2005
Fall
2005
2005
End Ph
2005
End LN
2005
End LN
2005
Mid
WPM
2005
End
NWF
2005
End
ORF
2006
OR BM
98%
ISTEP+
Fall
2000
Fall
2000
Fall
2000
2004
End Ph
2004
End LN
2004
End LS
2004
Mid
WPM
2004
End
NW F
2004
End
ORF
2005
OR BM
90%
1.28
0.36
23
Average
School
Effect
Size
Growth
0.82
average
Substantial
Growth
Substantial
Growth
Substantial
Growth
Substantial
Growth
Substantial
Growth
Substantial
Growth
Worth
Mentioning
1.03
average
Substantial
Growth
0.83
average
Substantial
Growth
0.36
Substantial
Growth
Teachers in every grade level gathered this year’s most current data to add to the
results above and found strong support for continuing our Reading Comprehension Goal
into the next cycle. Because reading comprehension affects all subject areas with such
intensity, and because the data collected strongly supports its continuance, we are
selecting one goal upon which to focus –
Goal:
All Center Grove Elementary School students will improve reading
comprehension skills across the curricula.
Please refer to the Action Plans in the next section for a comprehensive table of
strategies to be used, technology, assessments and desired professional development.
ACTION PLANS
The Center Grove Community School Corporation is in the beginning stages of creating a
comprehensive literacy framework upon which all schools will focus instruction,
assessment and student achievement. The district plan for all elementary schools is the
major framework from which our literacy/reading comprehension goals and strategies
will come. This framework provides consistency among all Center Grove Elementary
schools and connects all initiatives to a general focus on literacy.
Building level initiatives, specifically grade level foci, are added to the central framework
to individualize our efforts based on the data-driven decision making at each unique
school level.
The district and building frameworks are presented below:
24
Action Plan for 2008-2012
Center Grove Community Elementary Schools
Goal: Students will improve reading comprehension skills across the curriculum
DISTRICT FOCUS:
Instructional
best
practices:
Guided
Reading and
Writing:
1. Reader
Response
Journals.
2. Student
Literacy
Conference
s
2008-2009
2009-2010
2010-2011
2011-2012
Introduce and support
implementation:
Guided Reading and
Writing:
1. Reader Response
Journals:
Reading response
journals are a place where
students respond to
literature by recording
their thoughts, feelings,
reactions, and questions
about the book they are
reading.
Reinforce and support
implementation:
Guided Reading and
Writing:
1. Reader Response
Journals:
Reading response journals
are a place where students
respond to literature by
recording their thoughts,
feelings, reactions, and
questions about the book
they are reading.
Reinforce, support and
evaluate implementation:
Guided Reading and
Writing:
1. Reader Response
Journals:
Reading response
journals are a place
where students respond to
literature by recording
their thoughts, feelings,
reactions, and questions
about the book they are
reading.
Reinforce, support and
evaluate implementation:
Guided Reading and
Writing:
1. Reader Response
Journals:
Reading response journals
are a place where students
respond to literature by
recording their thoughts,
feelings, reactions, and
questions about the book
they are reading.
Through the use of
response journals, students
will ask questions about
literature, respond to
characters decisionmaking skills, make
connections to their own
lives, and make meaning
for themselves.
2.
Student
Literacy
Conferences
A student led conference
allows for the student to
facilitate part of the
conference as they show
mastery of learning. The
student includes selfassessment and reflection
as part of the conference.
The student, teacher, and
parent help to determine
future goals.
Through student literacy
conferences, students and
teachers will celebrate,
validate, encourage,
nudge, teach, assess and
set goals in reading and
writing.
Through the use of
response journals, students
will ask questions about
literature, respond to
characters decision-making
skills, make connections to
their own lives, and make
meaning for themselves.
2.
Student Literacy
Conferences
A student led conference
allows for the student to
facilitate part of the
conference as they show
mastery of learning. The
student includes selfassessment and reflection
as part of the conference.
The student, teacher, and
parent help to determine
future goals.
Through student literacy
conferences, students and
teachers will celebrate,
validate, encourage, nudge,
teach, assess and set goals
in reading and writing.
**Additional district
strategies may be added to
meet student/teacher needs
and goals
Through the use of
response journals,
students will ask
questions about literature,
respond to characters
decision-making skills,
make connections to their
own lives, and make
meaning for themselves.
2.
Student
Literacy
Conferences
A student led conference
allows for the student to
facilitate part of the
conference as they show
mastery of learning. The
student includes selfassessment and reflection
as part of the conference.
The student, teacher, and
parent help to determine
future goals.
Through student literacy
conferences, students and
teachers will celebrate,
validate, encourage,
nudge, teach, assess and
set goals in reading and
writing.
**Additional district
25
Through the use of
response journals, students
will ask questions about
literature, respond to
characters decision-making
skills, make connections to
their own lives, and make
meaning for themselves.
2
Student Literacy
Conferences
A student led conference
allows for the student to
facilitate part of the
conference as they show
mastery of learning. The
student includes selfassessment and reflection
as part of the conference.
The student, teacher, and
parent help to determine
future goals.
Through student literacy
conferences, students and
teachers will celebrate,
validate, encourage, nudge,
teach, assess and set goals
in reading and writing.
**Additional district
strategies may be added to
meet student/teacher needs
and goals
strategies may be added
to meet student/teacher
needs and goals
Professional
development
Summer 2008:
 Consultant Janet Hale
working with K-12
curriculum mapping
language arts task force to
complete K-12 language arts
essential maps and common
assessments
 CG administrators
attend National
Differentiated Instruction
Conference with focus on
literacy

CG administrators
attend “literacy bootcamp”
to enhance literacy
instructional leadership skills
Summer 2009:
 Curriculum mapping
science/social studies task
force to complete K-12
science and social studies
essential maps and common
assessments, and academic
vocabulary list
 Language Arts Task
Force will revise common
assessments and Essential
Maps

CG administrators
attend “literacy bootcamp”
to focus leadership skills
around shared
reading/writing
School Year 2008-2009
District wide common book
study: The Continuum
of Literacy Learning by
Fountas and Pinnell
Early Releases will be
structured so that each
month provides:
1 Early Release for literacy
learning
1 Early Release for district
book study
1 Early Release for
Curriculum Mapping
(focus: Language Arts
Consensus Maps)
1 Early Release for building
work/coaching
School Year 2009-2010
District wide common book
study: Reading Essentials
by Regie Routman
Professional Development
will be provided by:
District-hired consultants –
curriculum mapping, literacy
strategies, support,
assessment and management
Building instructional
leaders – supporting a
literacy environment,
instructional best practices
Coaches – will provide
building-based support and
will meet with each grade
level 2X per semester to
discuss, follow-up and
extend previous Early
Release professional
development topic. Will
model strategies. “At-the
Professional Development
will be provided by:
District-hired consultants –
curriculum mapping,
literacy strategies, support,
assessment and
management
Building instructional
leaders – supporting a
literacy environment,
instructional best practices
Coaches – will provide
building-based support and
will meet with each grade
level 2X per semester to
discuss, follow-up and
extend previous Early
Release professional
development topic. Will
Early Releases will be
structured so that each
month provides:
1 Early Release for literacy
learning
1 Early Release for district
book study
1 Early Release for
Curriculum Mapping
(focus: Language Arts
Consensus Maps)
1 Early Release for building
work/coaching
26
Summer 2010:
Will be determined based
on staff needs following
years one and two.
Summer 2011:
Will be determined based
on staff needs following
years one and two.

CG administrators
attend “literacy
bootcamp”
to focus leadership skills
around modeled
reading/writing.
School Year 2010-2011
District wide common
book study: Writing
Essentials by Regie
Routman
Early Releases will be
structured so that each
month provides:
1 Early Release for
literacy learning
1 Early Release for
district book study
1 Early Release for
Curriculum Mapping
(focus: Language Arts
Consensus Maps)
1 Early Release for
building work/coaching
Professional Development
will be provided by:
District-hired consultants
– curriculum mapping,
literacy strategies,
support, assessment and
management
Building instructional
leaders – supporting a
literacy environment,
instructional best
practices
Coaches – will provide
building-based support
and will meet with each
grade level 2X per
semester to discuss,
follow-up and extend
previous Early Release
professional development
topic. Will model
School Year 2010-2011
District wide common book
study: will be determined
following years one and
two
Early Releases will be
structured so that each
month provides:
1 Early Release for literacy
learning
1 Early Release for district
book study
1 Early Release for
Curriculum Mapping
(focus: Language Arts
Consensus Maps)
1 Early Release for building
work/coaching
Professional Development
will be provided by:
District-hired consultants –
curriculum mapping,
literacy strategies, support,
assessment and
management
Building instructional
leaders – supporting a
literacy environment,
instructional best practices
Coaches – will provide
building-based support and
will meet with each grade
level 2X per semester to
discuss, follow-up and
extend previous Early
Release professional
development topic. Will
model strategies. “At-the
elbow” professional
development: will be
provided by building-based
literacy coaches and will
elbow” professional
development: will be
provided by building-based
literacy coaches and will
emphasize the topics of each
early release
Literacy leaders – practical
applications
model strategies. “At-the
elbow” professional
development: will be
provided by building-based
literacy coaches and will
emphasize the topics of
each early release
Literacy leaders – practical
applications
August 2008 Early Release
Common vocabulary of
literacy, District literacy
framework, Lexile scores
September 2008 Early
Release
Classroom norms and a
management for a literacy
classroom (DVD examples:
anchor charts, small, flexible
groups examples)
October 2008 Early Release
Using Lexiles, leveled
readers (What are leveled
readers, How do they
support reading and
writing?)
November 2008 Early
Release
Reader response journal
concept introduction.
December 2008 Early
Release
Student literacy conferences
concept introduction.
January 2009 Early Release
Differentiating reader
response journals and
student literacy conferences
for ENL, high ability, special
education students and
struggling readers.
February 2009 Early Release
Using leveled materials.
March 2009 Early Release
Sharing student work
protocol using Reader
Response Journals.
April 2009 Early Release
Reader response journal
assessment.
May 2009 Early Release
Reflecting upon professional
growth.
August 2009 – April 2010
Will focus on applying the
strategy of reader response
journals to student literacy
conferences to shared
reading/writing.
May 2010 Early Release
Reflecting upon
professional growth.
strategies. “At-the elbow”
professional
development: will be
provided by buildingbased literacy coaches
and will emphasize the
topics of each early
release
Literacy leaders –
practical applications
August 2010-April 2011
Early Release
Will focus on applying
the strategy of reader
response journals to
student literacy
conferences to modeled
reading/writing.
May 2011 Early Release
Reflecting upon
professional growth.
27
emphasize the topics of
each early release
Literacy leaders – practical
applications
August 2011-April 2012
Early Release
Will be determined
following years one and
two
May 2012 Early Release
Reflecting upon
professional growth.
Accountabilit
y for
implementati
on
District Administrators –
Build capacity among
administrators for creating a
positive literacy
environment. build
knowledge and capacity
among administrators for
differentiated instruction.
Support technology needs of
the building through the
district technology plan.
Screen and secure
appropriate district-level
consultants. Provide time for
early release professional
development. Provide
literacy coaches for the
district. Present and support
K-12 Comprehensive
Literacy Framework.
Provide summer curriculum
mapping work time, stipends
and consultant.
Building Level
Administrators -- Build
capacity among teachers for
creating a positive literacy
environment. build
knowledge and capacity
among teachers for
differentiated instruction.
Schedule and support need
for 120 minutes language
arts block at each grade
level. Work to support
appropriate district-level
consultants. Provide time for
early release professional
development. Support
literacy coaches building
level work. Present and
support K-12
Comprehensive Literacy
Framework. Provide books
to teachers for district book
study. Work with faculty to
administer appropriate
assessment and interpret and
use the resulting data.
Coaches – Work collectively
and individually with
teachers to implement the
instructional strategies for
the building goal. Will
provide building-based
support and will meet with
each grade level 2X per
District Administrators –
Build capacity among
administrators for creating
a positive literacy
environment. build
knowledge and capacity
among administrators for
differentiated instruction.
Support technology needs
of the building through the
district technology plan.
Screen and secure
appropriate district-level
consultants. Provide time
for early release
professional development.
Provide literacy coaches for
the district. Present and
support K-12
Comprehensive Literacy
Framework. Provide
summer curriculum
mapping work time,
stipends and consultant.
District Administrators –
Build capacity among
administrators for
creating a positive literacy
environment. build
knowledge and capacity
among administrators for
differentiated instruction.
Support technology needs
of the building through
the district technology
plan. Screen and secure
appropriate district-level
consultants. Provide time
for early release
professional development.
Provide literacy coaches
for the district. Present
and support K-12
Comprehensive Literacy
Framework. Provide
summer curriculum
mapping work time,
stipends and consultant.
District Administrators –
Build capacity among
administrators for creating
a positive literacy
environment. build
knowledge and capacity
among administrators for
differentiated instruction.
Support technology needs
of the building through the
district technology plan.
Screen and secure
appropriate district-level
consultants. Provide time
for early release
professional development.
Provide literacy coaches for
the district. Present and
support K-12
Comprehensive Literacy
Framework. Provide
summer curriculum
mapping work time,
stipends and consultant.
Building Level
Administrators -- Build
capacity among teachers for
creating a positive literacy
environment. build
knowledge and capacity
among teachers for
differentiated instruction.
Schedule and support need
for 120 minutes language
arts block at each grade
level. Work to support
appropriate district-level
consultants. Provide time
for early release
professional development.
Support literacy coaches
building level work.
Present and support K-12
Comprehensive Literacy
Framework. Provide books
to teachers for district book
study. Work with faculty to
administer appropriate
assessment and interpret
and use the resulting data.
Building Level
Administrators -- Build
capacity among teachers
for creating a positive
literacy environment.
build knowledge and
capacity among teachers
for differentiated
instruction. Schedule and
support need for 120
minutes language arts
block at each grade level.
Work to support
appropriate district-level
consultants. Provide time
for early release
professional development.
Support literacy coaches
building level work.
Present and support K-12
Comprehensive Literacy
Framework. Provide
books to teachers for
district book study. Work
with faculty to administer
appropriate assessment
and interpret and use the
resulting data.
Building Level
Administrators -- Build
capacity among teachers for
creating a positive literacy
environment. build
knowledge and capacity
among teachers for
differentiated instruction.
Schedule and support need
for 120 minutes language
arts block at each grade
level. Work to support
appropriate district-level
consultants. Provide time
for early release
professional development.
Support literacy coaches
building level work.
Present and support K-12
Comprehensive Literacy
Framework. Provide books
to teachers for district book
study. Work with faculty to
administer appropriate
assessment and interpret
and use the resulting data.
Coaches – Work
collectively and
individually with teachers
to implement the
instructional strategies for
the building goal. Will
provide building-based
28
Our district no longer has
Literacy Coaches due to
budgetary cuts.
semester to discuss, followup and extend previous Early
Release professional
development topic. Will
model strategies. “At-the
elbow” professional
development: will be
provided by building-based
literacy coaches and will
emphasize the topics of each
early release. Work with
faculty to administer
appropriate assessment and
interpret and use the
resulting data.
Teachers – The instructional
staff is responsible for
creating a positive literacy
classroom as part of the
overall learning environment
of the school. Instructional
staff members are
responsible for participating
in professional development
activities and for providing
quality, engaging teaching
and learning experiences.
Specifically, the staff is
responsible for
implementing the teaching
strategies in this plan,
becoming familiar with the
district literacy framework,
and using assessment data to
form and guide instruction
for each student.
Students -- Students are
responsible for giving effort,
working collaboratively with
instructional staff to meet,
achieve and evaluate their
learning goals.
Parents – Parents are an
integral part of the
educational process, and
thus, are responsible for
getting students to school
each day and working in
concert with the school and
the student to support
teaching and learning.
Evaluation:
How will the
Increase in student ISTEP
scores in English/Language
support and will meet with
each grade level 2X per
semester to discuss, followup and extend previous
Early Release professional
development topic. Will
model strategies. “At-the
elbow” professional
development: will be
provided by building-based
literacy coaches and will
emphasize the topics of
each early release. Work
with faculty to administer
appropriate assessment and
interpret and use the
resulting data.
Teachers – The
instructional staff is
responsible for creating a
positive literacy classroom
as part of the overall
learning environment of the
school. Instructional staff
members are responsible
for participating in
professional development
activities and for providing
quality, engaging teaching
and learning experiences.
Specifically, the staff is
responsible for
implementing the teaching
strategies in this plan,
becoming familiar with the
district literacy framework,
and using assessment data
to form and guide
instruction for each student.
Students -- Students are
responsible for giving
effort, working
collaboratively with
instructional staff to meet,
achieve and evaluate their
learning goals.
Parents – Parents are an
integral part of the
educational process, and
thus, are responsible for
getting students to school
each day and working in
concert with the school and
the student to support
teaching and learning.
Increase in student ISTEP
scores in English/Language
29
Teachers – The
instructional staff is
responsible for creating a
positive literacy
classroom as part of the
overall learning
environment of the
school. Instructional staff
members are responsible
for participating in
professional development
activities and for
providing quality,
engaging teaching and
learning experiences.
Specifically, the staff is
responsible for
implementing the
teaching strategies in this
plan, becoming familiar
with the district literacy
framework, and using
assessment data to form
and guide instruction for
each student.
Students -- Students are
responsible for giving
effort, working
collaboratively with
instructional staff to meet,
achieve and evaluate their
learning goals.
Parents – Parents are an
integral part of the
educational process, and
thus, are responsible for
getting students to school
each day and working in
concert with the school
and the student to support
teaching and learning.
Increase in student ISTEP
scores in
Teachers – The
instructional staff is
responsible for creating a
positive literacy classroom
as part of the overall
learning environment of the
school. Instructional staff
members are responsible
for participating in
professional development
activities and for providing
quality, engaging teaching
and learning experiences.
Specifically, the staff is
responsible for
implementing the teaching
strategies in this plan,
becoming familiar with the
district literacy framework,
and using assessment data
to form and guide
instruction for each student.
Students -- Students are
responsible for giving
effort, working
collaboratively with
instructional staff to meet,
achieve and evaluate their
learning goals.
Parents – Parents are an
integral part of the
educational process, and
thus, are responsible for
getting students to school
each day and working in
concert with the school and
the student to support
teaching and learning.
Increase in student ISTEP
scores in English/Language
effectiveness
of the
strategy be
measured
Arts (grades 3-5) Reading
vocabulary, reading
comprehension and writing
applications by a minimum
of 2% from 2007-2011.
Scores from 2008 spring
ISTEP testing will serve as
the grade-level baseline.
85% of grade 3-5 students
will show at least 25 points
of growth on the Scantron
Performance assessment
from their fall to spring
scores.
DIBELS (grades K-2)
85% of students will show
an increase over their
individual DIBELS fall
baseline scores on both the
mid-year and spring
assessment
Resources
Arts (grades 3-5) Reading
vocabulary, reading
comprehension and writing
applications by a minimum
of 2% from 2007-2011
88% of grade 3-5 students
will show at least 25 points
of growth on the Scantron
Performance assessment
from their fall to spring
scores.
DIBELS (grades K-2)
88% of students will show
an increase over their
individual DIBELS fall
baseline scores on both the
mid-year and spring
assessment
English/Language Arts
(grades 3-5) Reading
vocabulary, reading
comprehension and
writing applications by a
minimum of 2% from
2007-2011
92% of grade 3-5 students
will show at least 25
points of growth on the
Scantron Performance
assessment from their fall
to spring scores.
DIBELS (grades K-2)
92% of students will
show an increase over
their individual DIBELS
fall baseline scores on
both the mid-year and
spring assessment
Arts (grades 3-5) Reading
vocabulary, reading
comprehension and writing
applications by a minimum
of 2% from 2007-2011
95% of grade 3-5 students
will show at least 25 points
of growth on the Scantron
Performance assessment
from their fall to spring
scores.
DIBELS (grades K-2)
95% of students will show
an increase over their
individual DIBELS fall
baseline scores on both the
mid-year and spring
assessment
Common assessments
(grades K-5)
Will be created and pilot to
gather initial data.
Common assessments
(grades K-5)
88% of students will show
mastery (80%) of the
concepts on grade level
semester one and semester
two common assessments.
Authentic student
reading/writing assessment
products: Will create and
pilot to gather initial data
using the district grade-level
rubric scores, on classroom
reading and writing
products.
Authentic student
reading/writing assessment
products: 88% of students
will show average or above
skills, using the district
grade-level rubric scores,
on classroom reading and
writing products.
120 minutes literacy block at
each grade level
120 minutes literacy block
at each grade level
120 minutes literacy
block at each grade level
120 minutes literacy block
at each grade level
Early Release Wednesday
for Professional
Development time
Early Release Wednesday
for Professional
Development time
Early Release Wednesday
for Professional
Development time
Early Release Wednesday
for Professional
Development time
District literacy coaches
District literacy coaches
District literacy coaches
District literacy coaches
Scott Foresman basal series
Scott Foresman basal series
Scott Foresman basal
series
Scott Foresman basal series
My Sidewalks Tier III
intervention reading program
My Sidewalks Tier III
intervention reading
program
The Continuum of Literacy
Learning, Fountas and
Pinnell
The Continuum of Literacy
Learning, Fountas and
Pinnell
30
Common assessments
(grades K-5)
92% of students will
show mastery (80%) of
the concepts on grade
level semester one and
semester two common
assessments.
Authentic student
reading/writing
assessment products:
92% of students will
show average or above
skills, using the district
grade-level rubric scores,
on classroom reading and
writing products.
My Sidewalks Tier III
intervention reading
program
The Continuum of
Literacy Learning,
Common assessments
(grades K-5)
95% of students will show
mastery (80%) of the
concepts on grade level
semester one and semester
two common assessments.
Authentic student
reading/writing assessment
products: 95% of students
will show average or above
skills, using the district
grade-level rubric scores,
on classroom reading and
writing products.
My Sidewalks Tier III
intervention reading
program
The Continuum of Literacy
Learning, Fountas and
Pinnell
Reading Essentials, Regie
Routman
Writing Essentials, Regie
Routman
Guiding Readers and
Writers, Fountas and Pinnell
Fountas and Pinnell
Reading Essentials, Regie
Routman
Writing Essentials, Regie
Routman
Leveled classroom libraries
Guiding Readers and
Writers, Fountas and
Pinnell
Leveled K-5 bookroom
Leveled classroom libraries
http://books.heinemann.com
(for leveling readers and
reader response journals)
http://www.slidershare.net/e
duhawk/readeres-responsejournal/
http://www.choiceliteracy.co
m
http://fcweb.bloomington.k1
2.mn.us/~trenary/Reader%2
0Response%Journal%20Sch
edule
http://www.busyteacherscafe
.com/units/readers_response.
htm
Leveled K-5 bookroom
http://books.heinemann.co
m (for leveling readers and
reader response journals)
http://www.slidershare.net/
eduhawk/readeresresponse-journal/
http://www.choiceliteracy.c
om
http://fcweb.bloomington.k
12.mn.us/~trenary/Reader%
20Response%Journal%20S
chedule
http://www.busyteacherscaf
e.com/units/readers_respon
se.htm
Response to Intervention
framework
Response to Intervention
framework
Reading Essentials, Regie
Routman
Writing Essentials, Regie
Routman
Guiding Readers and
Writers, Fountas and
Pinnell
Reading Essentials, Regie
Routman
Writing Essentials, Regie
Routman
Guiding Readers and
Writers, Fountas and
Pinnell
Leveled classroom libraries
Leveled classroom
libraries
Leveled K-5 bookroom
http://books.heinemann.c
om (for leveling readers
and reader response
journals)
http://www.slidershare.ne
t/eduhawk/readeresresponse-journal/
http://www.choiceliteracy
.com
http://fcweb.bloomington.
k12.mn.us/~trenary/Reade
r%20Response%Journal
%20Schedule
http://www.busyteachersc
afe.com/units/readers_res
ponse.htm
Leveled K-5 bookroom
http://books.heinemann.co
m (for leveling readers and
reader response journals)
http://www.slidershare.net/
eduhawk/readeresresponse-journal/
http://www.choiceliteracy.c
om
http://fcweb.bloomington.k
12.mn.us/~trenary/Reader%
20Response%Journal%20S
chedule
http://www.busyteacherscaf
e.com/units/readers_respon
se.htm
Response to Intervention
framework
Parent/Teacher Organization
Parent volunteers
Fountas and Pinnell leveling
system
District Curriculum library
Response to Intervention
framework
Parent/Teacher
Organization
Parent volunteers
Parent/Teacher
Organization
Fountas and Pinnell
leveling system
Parent volunteers
Parent/Teacher
Organization
Parent volunteers
Fountas and Pinnell
leveling system
CIESC library materials
District Curriculum library
Epsilen for communication
and document sharing
Fountas and Pinnell
leveling system
CIESC library materials
District Curriculum library
CIESC library materials
District Curriculum
library
CIESC library materials
Student
remediation
assistance
and
identification
ReadingA-Z.com (voluntary
by building)
Waterford K-2
Odyssey K-5
RTI:
ReadingA-Z.com
(voluntary by building)
Waterford K-2
Odyssey K-5
RTI:
31
ReadingA-Z.com
(voluntary by building)
Waterford K-2
Odyssey K-5
RTI:
ReadingA-Z.com
(voluntary by building)
Waterford K-2
Odyssey K-5
RTI:
assistance
Headsprouts K-1
Earobics K-1
Reading Center K-5
My Sidewalks (Tier III
intervention) 1-5
Scantron Performance
resources
School site remediation
Headsprouts K-1
Earobics K-1
Reading Center K-5
My Sidewalks (Tier III
intervention) 1-5
Scantron Performance
resources
School site remediation
Headsprouts K-1
Earphonics K-1
Reading Center K-5
My Sidealks (Tier III
intervention) 1-5
Scantron Performance
resources
School site remediation
Headsprouts K-1
Earphonics K-1
Reading Center K-5
My Sidealks (Tier III
intervention) 1-5
Scantron Performance
resources
School site remediation
Student
enrichment/h
igh ability
identification
ReadingA-Z.com (voluntary
by building)
Scantron Performance
resources
Waterford K-2
Odyssey K-5
Leveled libraries
Classroom differentiation
District high-ability
screening/identification
Parent volunteers
ReadingA-Z.com
(voluntary by building)
Scantron Performance
resources
Waterford K-2
Odyssey K-5
Leveled libraries
Classroom differentiation
District high-ability
screening/identification
Parent volunteers
ReadingA-Z.com
(voluntary by building)
Scantron Performance
resources
Waterford K-2
Odyssey K-5
Leveled libraries
Classroom differentiation
District high-ability
screening/identification
Parent volunteers
ReadingA-Z.com
(voluntary by building)
Scantron Performance
resources
Waterford K-2
Odyssey K-5
Leveled libraries
Classroom differentiation
District high-ability
screening/identification
Parent volunteers
BUILDING FOCUS:
Grade Level
Kindergarten –
Reading
Readiness
Sub-skills
Phonemic
Awareness
Guided
Reading
Resources
Waterford
Technology
Waterford
Zoophonics
Zoophonics
DIBELS interventions
Compass/Odyssey Reading series
benchmarks
Earobics
Fall progress
reports
HA- leveled
reading groups
Leveled library
Assessments
DIBELSprogress
monitoring
Prof. Dev.
Indiana Kdg.
Teachers Conf.
Camp
Kindergarten
with Dr. Jean
DI Coach
Pre/post tests in
reading comp.
1:1 remediation
Summer Kdg.
Screenings
Compass/Odyssey Oral Reading
Fluency checks
United Streaming
Unit/Selection
RTI – Headsprout tests
Reading Center
FasttMath
Writing
prompts
Kinderwork
Graphic
Grade 1Reading
Reading
Comprehension organizers
Comprehension
Retelling Cards
Vocabulary
Leveled Library
HA- leveled
reading groups
STEEP
Games/Flash
cards
RTI – progress
32
Flexible
grouping
strategies
Differentiated
Instruction
monitoring
Focused
homework
Waterford
RTI –
Grade 2 –
Reading
Reading
Comprehension Reading Center
Headsprout
Comprehension Fact/Opinion
Literary
Elements
Scantron skill
Sheets
Sequencing
Leveled Library
Compass/Odyssey Scott/Foresman
selections and
benchmarks
STEEP
Debbie Miller
Conference on
Reading
Comprehension
(attending
4/17/08)
SCANTRON
Training in use
and
understanding
data from
SuccessNet
Main Idea/Detail Guided Reading
Cause and Effect HA/ENL leveled
readers from
Drawing
Scott/Foresman
Conclusions
Flexible Grouping
Author’s
Purpose
Peer Mentoring
Compass/Odyssey Selection Tests
Training in how
to incorporate
data from
Scantron,
STEEP,
Compass and
Pearson
SuccessNet to
identify our
students’
proficiencies
and
deficiencies.
Literacy Coach
Internet access for Project-based
Webquest, etc.
learning
Reading
specialists
Selection Test
Reading
Assignments
Additional
training for use
of new reading
series
Picture Walk
Scott/Foresman
selections and
benchmarks
Vocabulary
Covered words
Context Clues
Grade 3
Word Structure
Four Blocks
Reading
Comprehension Guided Reading
Plans
Leveled Reading
groups
Leveled Library
Benchmark
tests
Teacher-created
tests
Compass/Odyssey
Reading Lessons
Leveled
Reading groups
Literacy centers
to differentiate for Compass/Odyssey
ENL and HA
activities
Literature Circles
“Word”
Reading series
materials for
Internet
Compass/Odyssey Class
33
comprehension
Language
Conventions
Vocabulary
assignments
Internet sitespecific
vocabulary
builders
Daily Oral
Language
Writing rubrics
Morning Message
Selection tests
Writing Process
Four Blocks
Strategies
Benchmark
tests
ENL materials
Compass
6 Traits training
or refresher
courses
Partnership with
reading
specialist,
coaches
Games
Drops in a Bucket
Review
Vocabulary Cards
Word Walls
Grade 4
Instruction in
Reading
Comprehension comprehension
sub-skills across
curriculum, in all
Language
classes, such as
Conventions
graphic sources,
compare/contrast,
Reading
cause/effect,
Vocabulary
sequencing,
inference, etc.
Compass/Odyssey Scantron
Laptop carts for
individualization
Tech Labs for
writing and
editing
Daily Fix-It
Varieties of
writing prompts Vertical
and assignments articulation
ISTEP+
Scantron
Provide levels
texts to enforce
concepts via
differentiated
instruction.
RTI – progress
monitoring
through
Headsprout,
Reading Center
Introduce math
problem-solving
activities through
literacy focus on
identifying key
words,
vocabulary,
making tables,
sequencing and
identifying nonessential
On-line
Encyclopedia
6 Traits +1
Rubrics
Reading series
grammar
workbook
supplement
Weekly
selection test
Vocabulary
assessments
across the
curricula
34
Teacher
collaboration
across the
district
Language
resources are
needed
information.
Leveled texts for
ENL and HA
Flexible grouping
in all subjects
RTI – Headsprout
Reading Center
Peer Tutors
Grade 5
Oasis
Graphic
Reading
Comprehension Organizers
Compass/Odyssey Selection tests
6 Traits + 1
Writing
Prompts
Retelling cards
Jeopardy
Work book
selections
Reader’s Theatre
Leveled Library
Teacher-created
tests
Three Ring Circus
Literature Circles
Language
Conventions
Basal text
Compass/Odyssey Editing check
list
United Streaming
Daily Fix It
Daily Fix-It
35