Coming to an end of another school year

The month of June is passing quickly. The staff and students were sad to see Dr. Creech leave, but understand that he has accepted a new position and wish him much luck in his new endeavors.

I joined the Banks Road staff on Monday and already feel at home. I am excited to support the school in completing this school year. We are looking forward to reviewing our second year of end of grade data and I will post our successes soon. I am certain that we will continue to blaze down the trail of success.

Third Quarter Successes

A review of student grades through the first three quarters of the year reveals a trend of an increasing number of students performing above grade level standards (level 3* and 4 on report cards) in reading. Below are data points supporting this trend.

—-Kindergarten- 44% of students are performing above grade level in reading

—-First grade- % of students below grade level in reading decreased by 8% during the quarter 3

—-Second grade-81% of students were at or above grade level in reading at the end of quarter 3

—-Third grade-The number of students performing at level 4 in reading and writing has tripled since quarter 1. At the end of the third quarter, 25% of students were above grade level in reading

—-Fourth grade-The % of students performing above grade level in reading has increased from 20% at the end of quarter 1 to 36% at the end of quarter 3

—-Fifth grade- The % of students performing above grade level in reading increased from 16% at the end of quarter 1 to 26% at the end of quarter 3

We are also very proud of the progress students are making as they strive to achieve grade level standards. For example, at midyear almost 50% of the students receiving supplemental Title 1/Intervention reading services had made at least 3 quarters of growth. They are on pace to make one and one half years of academic growth in one year!

Finally, an overall increase in reading achievement can be seen when we compare last year's data to this year's data. This is an exciting indicator that learning and teaching continues to improve at Banks Road Elementary!

Good Results Now Indicate Future Success

Earlier in the third quarter, our 3rd-5th grade students completed benchmark assessments in reading and math. Results are reported at the grade level and not the individual student level. The benchmark assessments give us an indication as to how grade levels may perform on End of Grade tests. The information also helps us determine which reading and math objectives we need to reinforce. The results for Banks Road are positive. According to the assessments, all three grade level have shown improvement in reading and math when compared to last year's End-of-Grade results. We have also seen a significant increase in performance on science assessments. These benchmark results are an indicator of improved student achievement at each grade level. Congratulations to our teachers and students! You have worked with great focus this year. The results support your efforts. We are looking forward to even more success!

A Data Trail to Success

As you may know, teachers track student progress with many different tools. Data walls are commonly used for this purpose. Data walls can be created electronically or with more traditional materials such as pocket charts and index cards. There are advantages to both methods. Data walls can illustrate progress of a grade level, class, and/or individual student over the course of a school year. Data walls really do represent a trail to success. Our kindergarten, first, and second grade teachers have created a data wall to track student reading achievement by quarterly benchmark. Check out the video to learn more.

Measuring Success

It is important at this time of year to take a look at how much our students have learned as well as how much more they are expected to learn before the end of the school year. There are several measures we can use to assess progress. I believe one of the most comprehensive indicators of how well students are performing is the report card. Report card grades are not based on an individual task, test, or assignment. Report card grades take into account many different assessments both authentic and standard. This allows students' grades to reflect their performance on a variety of assignments and assessments that are geared toward different learning styles. Providing students multiple ways and opportunities to demonstrate mastery of the curriculum also allows us to get an idea of the depth of a student's understanding of curriculum objectives.

A recent review of report card grades indicates that the number of students performing at or above grade level continues to increase. This has been a steady trend dating back to the second quarter of the 2009-2010 school year (the first time we were able to examine report card grades). Teachers' collaborative work of reviewing student data and improving instructional practices to meet student needs is making a difference! Students and parents deserve congratulations as well. The students' high level of engagement in learning at school and the support provided at home certainly have a positive impact on student learning. We are excited about the remainder of the school year and look forward to continued student progress and success.

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.