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!

Connecting to the Curriculum with Technology

In a few weeks we will be at the midway point of the school year. It is exciting to see the progress that our students have made so far. At each grade level students have been working hard to master curriculum objectives. It is easy to see how proud students and teachers are of what they have accomplished. Work products posted in the hallway are evidence of skills that have been mastered in reading, math, writing, science, and social studies.


In the classrooms, teachers are using technology to help students connect the curriculum to relevent life experiences. For example, in social studies, fourth graders learn about the different regions of North Carolina. Our fourth graders are video conferencing with fourth graders from schools in the mountain and coastal regions of North Carolina. Students from these three schools will able to compare the different regions and discuss how the geographical region they live in impacts everyday life. In addition to covering social studies objectives, our students are learning about how video conferencing works. Some students have noted that collaborating with people through technology is somewhat different than working with a group of people in the same room.


It is important that students learn how technology can enhance their educational experiences. The fourth grade video conference is just one of many examples of how technology can help students make personal connections to the curriculum. Click on student work on the homepage of the school website for more samples.

Parents and Volunteers- Making a Difference

This week 187 parents/volunteers gave time to Banks Road Elementary. This equals roughly 1 volunteer for every 3 students! Over 80 more parents helped with the tracks 2 and 4 Trailblazer Fun Run on Thursday. Each day several parents visited during lunch to eat with their children or participated in our Lunch Bunch program. Some parents led centers in classrooms and visited as guest readers while others helped in the media center. Many parents who cannot make it to school during the day gathered and/or prepared materials at home and sent them to school. In addition, parents serving on School Improvement Committees had their first committee meetings this week.

Individual classroom activities and large events such as The Trailblazer Fun Run are possible because of parent volunteers. Thanks to all of you who helped to make these activities and events positive experiences for our students. Throughout the year there will be many more opportunities for parents to get involved. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact your child's teacher and/or the PTA to learn about upcoming volunteer opportunities. Thanks for supporting our school!

First Quarter Progress

We have reached the end of the first quarter of the year for all tracks. Looking back, I think you will agree that we have all accomplished a great deal! Most importantly, we have become a school community. Do you remember the anticipation of Kindergarten Orientation or Meet the Teacher? How about the first day of school? Getting to know new families, friends, teachers and administrators as well as learning new school routines and procedures took all of us out of our comfort zones. I thank you for stepping out of your comfort zone and embarking on our first year journey at Banks Road Elementary. Together we will continue to move forward with a common goal in mind- making Banks Road Elementary the very best school for our students! Parents have already done so much to support this goal. Helping students with homework, reading with your children at home, volunteering at school, or serving on a PTA or SIP committee are only a few examples. Some ways that teachers and staff are working to achieve this goal include our School Improvement Plan, Professional Learning Teams and Student Support Team. Our School Improvement Committees have formed and are beginning to meet regulary as they guide our continuous improvement efforts. Teachers are meeting weekly as Professional Learning Teams and are improving learning and teaching through focused collaboration. The Student Support Team has developed effective tools for progress monitoring and is working closely with teachers and parents to help students succeed.

Banks Road Elementary teachers, parents, staff, and students are building strong relationships as we work together for our students. I am extremely proud of how far we have come since starting the school year. I look forward to all that will be accomplished in the coming weeks and months as we continue the journey to success at Banks Road Elementary!

Next Steps

Thank you for the tremendous support of our Vision Parades! These parades were a great way to involve students in the identification of core values and the development of our mission and vision at Banks Road Elementary. Last Wednesday, September 2, the class banners were all placed in the cafeteria for the staff to view and reference during school improvement planning sessions. In these sessions, staff members provided input into the development of our school's mission and vision. I will soon be communicating with parents to gain their input into the development of our mission and vision. These are the next steps in the creation of our School Improvement Plan (SIP). SIP Committees focused on academics, family and community involvement, and school culture wll be meeting during the last week of each month to identify goals and key processes that will drive our work at Banks Road Elementary. SIP updates will be provided throughout the year. Again, I thank you for your overwhelming support of Banks Road Elementary as we work together to blaze trails to success for our students!

First Steps- Vision Parades

Although track 4 has just begun, we are already looking for ways to make our school better. The school improvement planning process is an effective way for us to begin identifying strengths and needs. As a new school, our school improvement plan (SIP) is a blank slate. Members of the school community will be working throughout the year in committees to develop goals, key processes, and action steps for improving instructional programs, school culture, and community involvement. One of the first steps in this process is to establish a shared mission, vision, and values.

An important part of developing these cornerstones involves the individual classes of Banks Road Elementary. Teachers and students have been talking about their class vision. These class visions range from, "Doing my best everyday" to "Being successful and helping others", even "Kindness counts." On August 13, the classes from tracks 1 and 2 will share their vision statements with each other during a Vision Parade that will be held on the track behind the school. Classes on tracks 3 and 4 will do the same on August 27. We will also be recording the individual class vision statements and sharing them with our school community and SIP committees. The class vision statements will serve as a foundation for crafting the school mission and vision statements. Identifying mission and vision is an extremely valuable process. It helps our students, teachers, and parents understand what is most important to all of us at Banks Road Elementary. Once the mission and vision are established, we can set purposeful goals for improving our school.

The Vision Parades will certainly be an exciting opportunity for students, staff and teachers! This celebration will be symbolic of the first steps we are taking to ensure that Banks Road will always be an outstanding school. I think it is awesome that these first steps will be taken (literally and figuratively) by our students! What a great way to kick off our inaugural school year and begin the very important work of continuous improvement. I hope you can join us at 9:30 on August 13 and August 27 to be a part of our Vision Parades.

Podcast - Opening Banks Road Elementary

Listen as Bill Posten interviews Dr. Creech about opening Banks Road Elementary.
Listen to this podcast