Acknowledging your strengths and addressing
them and knowing your needs and supporting them is a formula that
works for Village Green.
Reading
is the instructional focus at Village Green and it drives professional
development, teacher planning, even the school schedule. The school
believes that Reading is the key to high performance. Village Green
uses block scheduling to provide more concentration for young student
readers and to accommodate the teachers' instructional styles. The
school also uses add on assessments in Reading, including the Reading
Program Assessment Tool and an Accomplished Learning Program that
is also used for Math and Science. Many teachers have developed
assessment instruments of their own. The Principal uses discretionary
budget funds to support lower class size, for reading programs and
reading personnel support and resources.
Results: Reading: Grade 3, 74% level 3 or
above; Grade 4, 72% level 3 or above; Grade 5, 78% level 3 or above
Practices that Promote High Performance:
- Prioritizing staff development in Reading for all teachers,
and the delivery of reading instruction
- Cross-referencing of students' writing and reading assessments,
using pretesting and post testing
- Giving all departments in the school equal access to training,
encouraging collegiality and opportunity
Almost 90% of
the students at Village Green are Hispanic. 55% percent of the students
are eligible for free or reduced lunch. School resources, including
personnel, are sharply focused on student needs. When it was determined
that third grade teachers needed extra help, money was freed up
for additional personnel for tutoring and teacher support. The school
recruits retired teachers to volunteer, who bring a high level of
experience and expertise. Data-driven decision-making for curriculum
choices and directions is standard operating procedure. Technology
and teacher input is used to assess the effectiveness of the curriculum
and programs. Horizontal and vertical scheduling is used in addition
to improve instructional delivery.
Results: School grades: 2000, B; 2001, A;
2002, A
Practices that Promote High Performance:
- Enabling teachers and staff to practice student behavior management
on an individual basis, according to policy, with consistency
and practicality
- Sharing professional development insight and opportunities with
and among staff, allowing staff choices
- Researching programs and professional development opportunities
that support goals
With an insistence
on data-driven decision-making came a need for staff members to
be technology-proficient when it came to interpreting data and using
it to chart student achievement. The school did not feel that they
were where they needed to be to properly support disaggregated data
analysis. To counter that, in the last few years the Principal has
prioritized professional development in technology use. That commitment
is reflected in budget allocation, professional development, and
increased hardware and software. The school pursued and received
a major grant to upgrade technology and training. Although staff
and parents report satisfaction with progress in this area, the
school will continue to prioritize technological expertise.
Results: Grade 4, 108 students tested
in FCAT, Writing: school average 3.8 compared to district 3.3 and
state 3.4. FCAT Reading and Math scores above district and state.
Practices that Promote High Performance:
- Incorporating a technology focus and goals into school improvement
and professional development plans
- Allowing latitude to choose professional development opportunities
that introduce and strengthen skills
- Choosing curriculum and other programs that have technology
components: benchmarking and analysis
< Back to Case Studies
|
