1. “A rising tide lifts all boats.” ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AGAINST THE ODDS By Dr. Anael Alston Dr. Larry Aronstein

3. Glen Cove City School District Who are we?  2900 students K-12 located on the North Shore of Nassau County Long Island, New York  Serve a diverse student population: 38% Euro-American, 16% African-American, 42% Hispanic, 3% Asian, 1% other.  50% of our population live in poverty (qualify for free and reduced lunch).

4. Glen Cove City School District Who are we?  Landing Elementary School - named 2010 National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence  Robert M. Finley Middle School – named 1 of 10 schools in America as an NASSP “Breakthrough School”

6. 2006-2009 ELA Scores

8. What did we do?

9. Innovative Professional Development Series 1. 1.5 periods of ELA and Math for ALL students 6-8 2. UbD: Grant Wiggins K-12 3. Differentiation of Instruction K-12 4. Readers and Writers Workshop K-8 5. 36 Hours of PD in Mathematics

10. What Accurate Data does…   Allows for understanding information to make decisions   Should come from many sources   Negates the myths   Give multiple views of historical, current and future conditions   Must be used in the context of learning and teaching for ALL students Data…

11. 2006-2009 Math Scores

19. What are our beliefs?

20. We Have No Control We Can Influence In Our Control

21. Beliefs (continued)  Poverty is no excuse for a lack of academic achievement.

22. Beliefs (continued)  We believe in the 3R’s Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships

23. Beliefs (continued) We based our practice on four pillars of instruction We based our practice on four pillars of instruction  Differentiation of Instruction  Teaching for Understanding  Understanding by Design  Inquiry

24. The principles and actions behind the Essential Elements EE # 7 Professional learning and staff development for all staff that are ongoing, planned, purposeful, and collaboratively developed. EE # 7 Professional learning and staff development for all staff that are ongoing, planned, purposeful, and collaboratively developed.   “You get what you get!”   “Hire the BEST!”   “Know who you are, know where you are, look around, then plan and do”.

25. Post College Ready Cut Scores NYS ELA Assessments Grades2009-20102009-2010 using 08/09 Cut Scores Grade 657% Passing77% Passing Grade 751% Passing81% Passing Grade 853% Passing65% Passing

26. Post College Ready Cut Scores NYS Math Assessments Grades2009-20102009-2010 using 08/09 Cut Scores Grade 662% Passing86% Passing Grade 764% Passing88% Passing Grade 864% Passing92% Passing

27. How to get in touch with us:  Via e-mail: DrAAlston@gmail.com DrAAlston@gmail.com  Twitter: @DrAAlston  Via e-mail: Larryaronstein@yahoo.com