Bayview not only believes in "no child left
behind" but also in every child getting ahead.
Benchmarking is
a reflex at the school. Teachers send home daily reports to parents
for their review and signature. These reports identify student goals,
achievements, progress, homework and ways that parents can assist
their child. Additionally, the document identifies what the student
did that day, how well they did it and what the home can do to continue
enrichment. To raise the bar, Bayview's principal and teachers use
available district data supplemented with information that the school
generates in the areas of Reading and test performance (accumulative,
Writing, and Math). Curriculum mapping is implemented based on the
collected data. Professional development that trains and retrains
as it aligns with needs and goals.
Results: Grade 4 FCAT writing, 80 students
tested: 4.3, above district 3.5, state 3.4; FCAT Reading higher
than district and state
Practices that Promote High Performance:
- Using a school selected permanent substitute to provide instructional
continuity when teachers engage in development activities
- Creating an organized student/binder agenda, appropriate to
grade level, that provides a daily and periodic log of student
progress and activities in class
- Immersing FCAT strategies throughout the curriculum
Bayview's
staff and parents push the envelope. Over 200 students attend Bayview
based on parent-requested reassignment. The school is not content
to rest on its success or popularity, and instead seeks out new
strategies to challenge students. In the 2001-2002 school year,
parents logged 7000 volunteer hours. They expect to exceed that
in 2002-2003. Students are grouped according to learning needs based
on data measurements. Grades kindergarten through 5th, have a literacy
block the first 1.5 hours of each day. The Reading class is divided
into two or three subgroups that are ability-based. Math and Writing
instruction uses a similar process. Goal attainment is tracked through
student scores. The scores, the school reports, increase every year
and are consecutive, reinforcing that the instructional strategies
are on target.
Results: School Grades: 2000: B; 2001: A;
2002: A. 1st place Sun Sentinel/Miami Dolphins Reading competition
Practices that Promote High Performance:
- Using veteran teachers to mentor new ones with a non-threatening
and positive reinforcement process
- Providing additional support (resources, materials, and personnel)
for high needs groups
- Creating activities, such as Math Camp and Math Superstars,
to engage students with differing skill levels
A few years
ago, the staff determined that writing scores needed to improve.
After examining existing programs and traditional offerings, they
looked elsewhere. To bring up scores, they partnered with a sister
school to hire a consultant and develop a program tailored to their
needs. The shared program, the school reports, has proven to be
one of the most effective, producing an overall impact for all grades.
Bayview also partners with a neighboring school with mutual goals,
to maximize and share resources. The two schools have established
an eight member Reading Cadre, building capacity within both schools,
in the area of staff and teacher professional development. The cadre
meets regularly to prepare materials, model classroom lessons and
provide assistance to other teachers.
Results: FCAT Accountability Report,
Writing: 96% of 3rd and 95% of 4th graders, level 3 or above
Practices that Promote High Performance:
- Allowing teachers a leadership role in determining how discretionary
dollars are used
- Minimizing turnover by supporting and empowering teachers and
involving them in new hire decisions
- Eliminating and editing what doesn't work, based on data, rather
than piling new programs on top of old
- All improvement plans: student, class, school, based on data
and responsive to emerging information
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