Inwood retains the history, charm and artifacts
from its 1927 beginning as a one-room schoolhouse. But make no mistake,
they are in the fast lane when it comes to performance.
Before achievement
work could begin, the Principal had to create an atmosphere that
fostered instruction. All of the students live within a tight radius
of the school. There is a high crime rate in the area and heavy
outside traffic. The first priority was to set the standard for
behavior and expectations, enlisting parents and community to help.
Inwood has a "Good Choice Room": a time-out place for
students to consider behavior choices. A paraprofessional helps
the student develop a written plan for making a "good choice"
the next time. Plans are backed by "Thinking Maps" outlining
appropriate actions and responses. The documents go home and require
a parent's signature. Innovations like these were the springboard
to the high performance goals.
Results: Reading and Math scores, grades
3-5, exceeded state scores, except for a nominal dip, Reading Grade
5.
Practices that Promote High Performance:
- Promoting parental events and workshops with intensive outreach
(79% participation)
- Making staff responsible for immediately remediating any infraction
of student behavior personally observed
- Assigning roles and responsibilities to parents and community
members to support student success
Daily goals are
written on the boards in each classroom. Everyone is on the same
page. While in their classrooms, teachers are managers, instructional
leaders, role models and motivators. The Principal reports that
the staff are her strongest ally. They view teaching as a vocation,
and school improvement as a mission. The teachers draw from many
ingredients to configure a highly flexible, yet always high, set
of expectations. Constancy comes from mandated data-driven decision-making
and a menu of available programs such as Accelerated Reader, After
School Tutoring, Compass Computer-Assisted Instruction, and the
Macmillan Reading Program. Professional development undergirds the
instruction and goals.
Results: School Grades: 2000: A; 2001: A;
2002: A.
Practices that Promote High Performance:
- Teaching what is tested and testing what is taught
- Tasking teachers with setting student and teacher expectations
that are high and self-imposed
- Creating a core knowledge environment, utilizing Bloom's Taxonomy
Inwood's Principal
clearly demonstrates the value she places on her staff and their
abilities. She encourages their leadership potential, bolsters it
with quality professional development, and gives them opportunities
to shine. All teachers will lead in the capacity of grade chairperson,
which is rotated within the grade level. Each teacher will also
mentor another teacher in the course of their tenure at Inwood,
insuring that important values and skills are passed on. The Principal
has been very successful in inspiring parents and partners to be
active. She capitalizes on the neighborhood school culture and many
former volunteers are now dedicated paraprofessionals. The Principal
and the staff are highly respected in the community and called upon
to input into community issues.
Results: First Title I school in the
state. Accountability Report: 446 points on FCAT Reading, Math and
Writing, exceeding state requirement of 410 for an A.
Practices that Promote High Performance:
- Using vertical teaming to improve FCAT performance
- Teaming across grade levels and within to reach consensus on
who teaches what, how and where
- Learning and teaching on multiple levels in every classroom
using curriculum aligned to needs and goals
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