Thanks from Banks Road Elementary

What an appropriate time of year to pause and say thank you to everyone who makes Banks Road Elementary an excellent school. Thank you to our parents and community partners who support our instructional programs and school improvement goals. Thank you to our teachers for your daily work at Banks Road Elementary. Most importantly, thank you to our students for being great kids and inspiring everyone around you. Below are just a few examples from this year of how each of you have helped make Banks Road Elementary such an excellent school.

Thank you to our parents and community partners for:

• Supporting the PTA Fun Run and Family Fitness Night. Both were very successful events involving multiple volunteers, businesses, and community organizations
• Working with the PTA and Strong Family Community Committee to help several school families during the upcoming holidays.
• Attending the Barnes and Noble Book Fair on November 15. We received many compliments from Barnes and Noble staff on the impressive level of parent and teacher attendance at the event
• Contributing instructional resources. The Fuquay-Varina Rotary Club will be donating dictionaries to all third grade students in December
• Volunteering at school. As of today, 211 parents, guardians, and relatives are registered to volunteer at Banks Road Elementary

Thank you to our teachers for:

• Setting and progress monitoring challenging goals for student achievement and working collaboratively to ensure every student is prepared for success in the 21st Century
• Providing field experience and student teacher placements for students from surrounding universities
• Mentoring beginning teachers, participating on School Improvement Committees, working effectively in Professional Learning Teams
• Participating in professional development, graduate school, and advanced certification programs in order to become even better teachers
• The dedication and professionalism you show every day

Thank you to our students for:

• Being prepared for school
• Demonstrating leadership and accepting responsibility
• Working hard in school and challenging yourselves
• Being trailblazers and setting an outstanding example for all other students to follow

I thank you all for making Banks Road Elementary an excellent school community.

Technology Trailblazers

When visiting Banks Road Elementary, there is a good chance you will see students and teachers using technology to enhance learning. We are fortunate to have the technology resources that we do at Banks Road. We are even more fortunate to have teachers who know how to properly integrate technology into instruction. Appropriate integration is critical if technology is going to truly enhance instruction. Technology should be used to access, analyze, and synthesize information, solve problems, and communicate understanding. Proper technology integration positively impacts achievement and hones skills that students will use for the rest of their lives.

At the September 30 WCPSS Principals’ Meeting three of our teachers demonstrated how they use ipods, blogs, and other technology to support classroom instruction in science, social studies, math, and writing. Angela Sonntag, Jennifer Harrower, and Patrick Tart shared sample lessons and student work products. They also led hands-on learning activities for elementary principals. Our teachers then spoke about how technology affects student engagement and student achievement in their classrooms. The Banks Road Teachers facilitated an impressive learning experience and received very positive feedback. We are extremely proud that our students and teachers are leading the district in blazing a trail to 21^st Century success.

Supporting our Teacher Leaders Through Professional Development

Have you every wondered how teachers keep their skills sharp and stay abreast of the latest research on effective teaching? Certainly, teachers pursue graduate degrees, take on-line courses, read professional journals, attend book studies, and collaborate with colleagues. Teachers also stay up to date by attending professional development. Like many other professionals, teachers are required to earn continuing education credits each year to keep their licenses current and maintain highly qualified status.

Teachers often attend professional development off campus during their track out time. Last year, we offered teachers a variety professional development sessions at Banks Road. This year, our teachers are working in cohort models to earn professional development credits. Each group of teachers will complete two courses by the end of the school year. Teachers will take one course this fall and another in the spring. Most of the course sessions are held in the morning before school starts. Time is also set aside on early release days.

Both courses are aligned with our School Improvement Plan. One course targets K-5 writing. In this course, teachers will learn more about the writer's workshop model and how to effectively implement this model. The other course targets 21st Century learning and teaching. Teachers will receive more hands-on training so they can better integrate technology and 21st Century skills into their lessons. Our teachers are excited to be working together to complete their professional development. We are fortunate to have a number of qualified experts on staff who will be able to lead the courses.

Professional development is not something that we talk about very much with our school community but it is an important part of our continuous improvement cycle. High quality professional development positively impacts learning and teaching at Banks Road Elementary.

New Journeys Have Begun

We are almost 9 weeks into the 2010-2011 school year. Our goals are set and we are blazing trails to success! As mentioned in my previous post our students made impressive academic growth last year. This year, we are focused on improving student performance in reading. All grade level teams have set quarterly SMART goals for student growth in reading. We have extensive professional development in literacy and 21st Century Learning and Teaching planned for our teachers. Student will be receiving even more academic support through our new Title 1 program. I am also excited about the intersession program that will begin in a few weeks. The intersession program will allow us to provide additional days of instruction during track-outs to students who need support in reading, writing, and math. More information about Intersession will be coming soon. Teachers, students, parents, and staff are all focused on making 2010-2011 another awesome year at Banks Road Elementary! I hope you all enjoy the ride on this year's trail to success!

The First Days of School- A New Journey Begins

Today is the sixth day of school for 1st-5th graders on tracks 1, 2, and 3. Today is also the first day of school for all kindergarteners on tracks 1, 2, and 3. These have been exciting days indeed! Teachers, students, and parents have started another great year on a very positive note. Throughout 2010-2011, Banks Road will host many events to involve and inform families and to continue building our outstanding school community. Two such events are right around the corner. Next Tuesday at 6:00pm we will host Open House for tracks 1, 2, and 3. The event will begin in the multipurpose room. On July 27 at 6:30, our PTA will host an ice cream social for school families. Open House for track 4 will be August 10 at 6:00.

2010-2011 also brings some new changes to Banks Road Elementary. The start time has changed from 9:05 to 9:15 and there are no more early dismissal Wednesdays. We will have six early release days which will all be on Fridays. Students will be dismissed at 1:15 on these days. Early release dates are posted on our school website. There has also been a change in the cafeteria. Students will be using scan cards in the cafeteria to pay for breakfast and lunch. This will help our cafeteria operate more efficiently. We are fortunate to have gained additional instructional support through a Title 1 literacy program. This year, we will have two additional literacy teachers to support students through supplementary reading instruction during the school day. We have also added some fantastic classroom teachers to our staff this year. I look forward to their many contributions to Banks Road Elementary.

We have a lot to accomplish this year if we are to exceed the standards set last year by our students, teachers, and parents. Student achievement levels increased significantly in all grade levels last year. Preliminary results indicate that Banks Road achieved High Growth due to the strong performance of students on NC End-of-Grade tests. Last year, we also had over 300 registered volunteers to spend time supporting learning and teaching at Banks Road Elementary. This is ratio of 1 volunteer to every 2 students! Way to go volunteers!

While these are impressive achievements, I am confident that these are just the first steps that we have taken to establish a positive and collaborative learning community where students are prepared for success in the 21st Century. 2010-2011 promises to be another successful year for our school. I thank you in advance for all that you will do this year to help our students blaze their trails to success at Banks Road!

Exciting Times at Banks Road Elementary

What great excitement there is at Banks Road Elementary as we near the end of our first year of school! Our students, teachers, parents, and school community have certainly lived up to title of Trailblazers. Together we have created an outstanding school. We have come together as a collaborative learning community that shares a common vision for student success.

Throughout the year we have charted our students' academic growth. Preliminary end-of-year data confirms that our students have made significant academic growth this year! I look forward to sharing more detailed information with our school community over the coming weeks.

Now, we are focused on finishing the last tasks of this year and preparing to begin the 2010-2011 school year on July 1. Yesterday, our fifth graders participated in a fantastic promotion celebration. All students were recognized for their many accomplishments and we reflected on our journey together that began last July. I am confident that our fifth graders are ready for middle school and the next steps they take toward bright and successful futures!

Today, many classes are participating in readers' and writers' theater productions, presenting finished multimedia research projects to classmates and parents, and of course, celebrating a great year of school. I spent time this morning interviewing several students about their school experiences this year. I also spoke with some of our beginning teachers about their first year of teaching at Banks Road. I truly enjoyed listening to their responses and learning how they think we can make Banks Road better. All of their responses confirmed that Banks Road Elementary is a strong school where students enjoy learning and teachers enjoy teaching. This information along with student survey results, parent comments, and Teacher Working Conditions Survey results indicates that are we are indeed blazing a trail to success! Enjoy the upcoming July 4 holiday. We are looking forward to starting back to school on July 9!

The Homestretch

March 2010
We have reached another milepost on our journey to success. The fourth quarter and final leg of this inaugural journey is approaching fast. We have worked diligently throughout the year to keep our students on the trail and moving forward. Teachers continue to monitor students’ progress and refine instructional practices to meet learning needs. In addition, we continue to research effective ways to reach our learners.
Recently, we received subscriptions to Study Island, Prescriptive Instruction, and Education City. Many of our teachers and students have used these programs at previous schools or on a trial basis at Banks Road. All of these programs are aligned with grade level curriculum objectives in specific content areas (language arts, math, and science). Used correctly, these programs can help students develop mastery of skills and a deeper understanding of concepts presented and practiced in the classroom. In addition to providing a new method for students to experience the curriculum, the programs also provide immediate feedback that helps teachers and parents monitor progress. Parents will be happy to know that students can access some of these programs from home. More information about these learning tools will be coming home soon.

Progress Made on Our Journey of Learning

As we blaze our trail to success it is important to monitor our progress along the way. We have been on the trail for half a school year now and the distance our students have travelled is impressive! We know students have made great strides because we have monitored their progress since the journey began. The information below provides insight as to how we have assessed students’ progress since the beginning of the school year.
In all grade levels, instruction is based on curriculum objectives for each content area. These objectives require students to develop and demonstrate mastery of skills. It is important for students to learn these skills because they serve as a foundation for future learning. Each quarter, teachers use a variety of methods to measure student progress toward objective mastery. After an objective has been taught, teachers provide students with guided practice and support. Students then receive multiple opportunities to independently demonstrate mastery of the objectives.
Teachers work in their grade level PLTs to develop common assessments that they can use to measure student progress toward objective mastery. Teachers also use district assessment tools such as running records and quarterly math and writing assessments. In grades three, four, and five, Blue Diamond assessments are also used to assess objective mastery in reading, math, and science. In addition to formal assessments, teachers provide informal opportunities for students to demonstrate mastery. For example, students may be given an activity or project that requires them to apply certain skills. Through teacher observation or the review of a final product, teachers gain an indication as to whether or not a student has mastered an objective. It is important for students to receive multiple opportunities to demonstrate their understanding of objectives before receiving a quarterly grade. It is equally important for grade level teachers to collaborate on the development and use of assessment tools in order to ensure consistent grading practices across each grade level.
Throughout the quarter, teachers meet weekly in grade level PLTs to review student progress. Teachers measure students’ growth toward quarterly benchmarks and plan lessons that align with the curriculum and the instructional needs of students. The result is classroom instruction that is aligned with the curriculum, appropriately challenges students, and includes opportunities for remediation and enrichment.
At the end of the second quarter we looked at how much progress students have made at each grade level. Below are some highlights by grade level. Remember that the standards in each content area increase every quarter. For example, in first grade reading, students are expected to read at a level 6 at the end of the first quarter and a level 10 at the end of the second quarter. Below are a few highlights from each grade level.

— Kindergarten- 31% of students are performing above mid-year benchmark in reading

— 1st Grade- 35% of students are performing above mid-year benchmark in reading

— 2nd Grade- The number of students earning level 4 in reading and math increased from 1st quarter to 2nd quarter and the number of students earning level 1 in reading and math decreased from 1st quarter to 2nd quarter

— 3rd Grade- The number of students earning levels 3* and 4 in math and writing increased from 1st quarter to 2nd quarter. In reading, the number of students earning level 1 decreased and the number of 3*s increased

— 4th Grade-The number of students performing below grade level in reading and math decreased from 1st quarter to 2nd quarter

— 5th Grade-The number of students performing above grade level in 5th grade reading and math increased from 1st quarter to 2nd quarter

While this progress is worth celebrating, we still have much work to do. At every grade level there are students who are not performing on grade level and students who need enrichment opportunities. We are taking a number of steps to help these students. Teachers are providing focused interventions in the classroom, grade level PLTs are planning and implementing remediation and enrichment of specific curriculum objectives. Intervention teachers are working with students in small groups to provide supplemental instruction. Parents and volunteers are also providing needed instructional support. Teachers and parents are maintaining frequent communication regarding effective strategies and academic progress. The Student Support Team is helping teachers and parents target specific areas for improvement. School Improvement Committees are identifying resources and developing goals, key processes, and action steps that will improve student achievement. As one can see, the entire school community is involved in helping our students succeed. We are proud of our students’ achievement at Banks Road Elementary and we are excited about the opportunity to help our students achieve even more this year!