PASSION, PERSISTANCE AND PIZAZZ: THE PAGE 1 EXPERIENCE PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COLUMBIA BOROUGH SCHOOL DISTRICT DR. P. DIANE FREY

PENNSYLVANIA HAS ONE OF THE LARGEST ACHIEVEMENT GAPS IN THE COUNTRY. ACHIEVEMENT GAPS BETWEEN: GIRLS AND BOYS STUDENTS ABOVE AND BELOW THE POVERTY LINE STUDENTS WITH AND WITHOUT DISABILITIES BETWEEN STUDENTS OF DIFFERENT ETHNIC GROUPS

DATA SHOWS THAT THERE ARE SCHOOLS WITH HIGH PERCENTAGES OF LOW-INCOME AND/OR MINORITY CHILDREN THAT HAVE CLOSED THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP AMONG GROUPS OF STUDENTS

THROUGH PAGE 1, THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION BROUGHT TO LIGHT THE SUCCESSES WITHIN PENNSYLVANIA THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS, EDUCATORS, CITIZENS AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY ACROSS THE STATE CAN LOOK TO AS HAVING MET THE CHALLENGE. THESE ARE SCHOOLS WHERE THE STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS ARE PUT IN PLACE AND ARE ON TARGET TO CLOSE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP.

PAGE 1 ACTIVITIES: SCHOOLS PUT TOGETHER A SCHOOL/COMMUNITY TEAM THESE SCHOOL/COMMUNITY TEAMS ATTENDED SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS THESE SCHOOL/COMMUNITY TEAMS MADE A SITE VISIT TO A SCHOOL THAT HAS HAD DOCUMENTED SUCCESS IN CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP.

THESE SCHOOL/COMMUNITY TEAMS DEVELOPED GOALS AND AN ACTION PLAN FOR CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP IN THEIR SCHOOL. THESE SCHOOL/COMMUNITY TEAMS WILL SERVE AS A HOST FOR OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE REGION AND WILL SHARE THEIR EXPERTISE AND THE LESSONS THEY HAVE LEARNED.

SCHOOL VISIT LINCOLN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MOUNT VERNON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK

WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THE SCHOOL VISIT: GREAT EMPHASIS ON WRITING AND ORAL LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT SCHOOL CULTURE/BELIEF SYSTEM CONSISTENT AND PERVASIVE PRACTICES TEACHER TALK VS. STUDENT TALK INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP TEACHER QUALITY

PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TOTAL ENROLLMENT GRADES K-6K-6 LOW INCOME61.7%80% HISPANIC19%21% AFRICAN AMERICA12.5% 12% SPECIAL EDUCATION13% 11%

OUR REALITY DISTRICT Tax base 23% of the students in our district receive special education services 54% of the students in our district receive free or reduced lunch Students from generational poverty

OUR REALITY IN 2003 IDENTIFIED SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS TRANSIENCY STUDENTS WHO DID NOT HAVE THE BENEFIT OF A COMPREHENSIVE BALANCED LITERACY PROGRAM BEGINNING IN KINDERGARTEN LARGE PERCENTAGE OF ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS (GENERATIONAL POVERTY) LACK OF FINANCIAL RESOURCES

OUR REALITY IN % OF ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS WERE PROFICIENT IN READING 48% OF ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS WERE PROFICIENT IN MATH

OUR CHALLENGES HOW DO WE PREPARE OUR TEACHERS TO WORK WITH OUR STUDENT POPULATION? WHAT INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT PRACTICES NEED TO BE ADDED, MODIFIED, DELETED? HOW CAN WE GET ALL OF OUR STUDENTS TO THE PROFICIENT LEVEL?

HOW WE MET OUR CHALLENGES ! ALIGNED CURRICULUM WITH STATE ANCHORS USING LEARNING FOCUSED SCHOOLS CURRICULUM MAPPING ONLINE TOOL INSTITUTED DATA DRIVEN INTERVENTIONS AND GROUPING OF STUDENTS DEVELOPED A CONSISTENT ASSESSMENT PLAN INSTITUTED GRADE LEVEL DATA MEETINGS FOCUSED ON SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTION/ DIFFERENTIATION

INSTITUTED GRADE LEVEL MEETINGS ACROSS ELEMENTARY BUILDINGS TO BRING CONSISTENCY TO EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM PROVIDED FOCUSED, INTENSIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN LITERACY FOCUSED ON CONSISTENT AND PERVASIVE EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES INSTITUTED LITERACY COACHES

CREATED PROFESSIONAL BOOK STUDY GROUPS PROVIDED AN ADDITIONAL MATH CLASS FOR EVERY ELEMENTARY STUDENT PROVIDED AN EXTENDED LEARNING PROGRAM(TUTORING) FOR STUDENTS

THE RESULTS!

PARK ELEMENTARY READING DATA FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS PROFICIENT 2003/2007

PARK ELEMENTARY MATH DATA FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS PROFICIENT 2003/2007

WE BELIEVE!