Planning Process Participation

All members of the Corley Elementary School faculty and staff and several parents were involved in the compilation of the school-wide plan. The first semester of the 2005-2006 school year was used for the planning process.

The following individuals served on the Title Committee for 2005 - 2006 and were responsible for the coordinating the efforts of all stakeholders to complete the school-wide plan.

Committee:

Mike Matthews, (principal) has thirty five years of experience in education, with twenty-seven of those years as an administrator. He has served as principal for sixteen and one-half years, supervisor for six years, assistant principal for four and one-half years, and a classroom teacher eight years. He has a B. S., M. S. and an Ed. S. from Jacksonville State University.

Ruth Cochran (third grade) has twenty seven years teaching experience. She received a B.S. from the University of Alabama in Birmingham, AL. Master’s Degree work was completed in 1980 in elementary education with additional certification earned in Administration/Supervision in 2001 from the University of Alabama. She taught sixth grade social studies for nine years and sixth grade reading for three years before moving to the third grade position which she has held for the past fifteen years.

Judy Bearden (Title I Aide) has seven years experience as a Title I aide. She was a Title I Aide at Boaz Intermediate School before coming to Corley for the 2005-2006 school year.

Frances Miller (Title I Aide) has eleven years experience as a Title I aide at Boaz Elementary and here at Corley. Ms. Miller recently completed her BS degree in Elementary Education at Jacksonville State University

Jennifer Beck (second grade) has taught fifth grade math in the Marshall County School System before coming to the Boaz City School System where she has taught second grade for two years. She has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Jacksonville State University and a Master’s Degree from the University of Alabama.

Kathy Fordham (second grade) has twenty two years of teaching experience. She has taught Kindergarten, first grade, and second grade. She earned a B. S. from Jacksonville State University and a Master’s Degree from the University of Alabama.

Karen Greer (second grade) has twenty seven years of teaching experience in the Marshall County School System and three years of teaching experience in the Boaz City School System. She has taught second grade at Union Grove Elementary School, Boaz Elementary, and Corley Elementary. She received a B. S. in elementary education from the University of Montevallo.

Laurie Moody (third grade) has 19 years of teaching experience, most in third grade. She received her B.S. degree from Jacksonville State University. She continued her education at the University of Alabama with a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education. She serves Corley Elementary as Nutrition/Health Chairman for 2005-2006.

Angie Simpson (third grade teacher and third grade representative) has five years teaching experience. She completed her bachelor’s degree from Jacksonville State University.

Billa Springfield (Media Specialist) has worked as a Children’s Librarian at the Boaz Public Library for two years. Then she was Library Media Specialist for PreK-9^th grade at Asbury Jr. High for ten years. The last four years have been spent at Corley Elementary, grades 2-3, as Library Media Specialist. She has a Business Administration Degree, a Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education(Social Sciences-Composite Degree 7-12), and a Master’s Degree in Instructional Media K-12. She has completed some classes for an Ed. S. in Library Science.

Stacy Watts (Reading Coach) has 19 years in education; 16 as an elementary teacher and 3 as a reading coach. She received her B.S. in Elementary Education from Jacksonville State University in 1986. She continued her education and received her M.A. degree from the University of Alabama in 1990. She is now working on her Administrative Certification at the University of Alabama.

Janice Wright (second grade) has twenty four years of teaching experience. During that time, she has taught kindergarten, second grade, and third grade. In addition, she has taught Adult Education for the Northeast Alabama Adult Education Program for eleven years. She is a graduate of Albertville High School. She received a B. S. in Early Childhood Education from Jacksonville State University in 1981. She continued her education at the University of Alabama, where she received a Master’s Degree and an Ed. S. She has completed four graduate courses in Adult Education at Auburn University.

Marisol Wilson (parent) was born the 25^th of June 1971, in Cali, Colombia, South America. She was the older of two sisters and her native language is Spanish. She studied Computer Science Technology at the University of Valle, and took English classes at The American Colombo Institute. She has eight years as an assistant of treasury and accounting. She is married to Robert Wilson and has a beautiful son named Christian Torres, who is attending Corley Elementary. She came to the United States in July, 2001 and took English classes at the Alabama Language Institute at Gadsden State Community College to improve her English. Presently she is finishing an Associates degree in Business Administration. Also, she is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, an International Honor Society, and Alpha Beta Gamma.

April Massey (parent) graduated from a local High School. She is a hairdresser in Boaz. Her daughter Maleah is a second grader at Corley Elementary. She is Vice President of the Corley Elementary PTO.

Amy Proctor (parent) graduated from Boaz High School and has her A.S. degree from Snead State Community College. She has two sons in the Boaz City Schools, Jace age 11 and Judd age 9. She is Secretary of the Corley Elementary PTO.

Brandy Pack (parent) graduated from Crossville High School. She has two children. Her oldest son Jake is a second grade student at Corley Elementary. Her daughter has not yet started school. She is the PTO president at Corley this year.

The process used to conduct a Comprehensive Needs Assessment for Corley Elementary School began with the gathering and sorting of data. The data was then analyzed to determine areas of need in the following ten categories:

Academic assessments given to Corley students include the Alabama Reading and Mathematics Test (ARMT), the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT), and Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS).

Based on our analysis of the ARMT data, the following were determined:

Math:

Reading:

The following needs were apparent based on the ARMT data:

After review of the SAT data, the following were determined:

Math:

Reading:

The following needs were apparent based on the SAT data:

Analysis of DIBELS data produced these findings:

Second Grade:

Third Grade:

We, at L.F. Corley, Sr. Elementary, are dedicated to providing the best educational opportunities for our students. We operate on the premise that excellence in our school is more directly related to teacher performance than anything else. Therefore, we utilize highly qualified teachers, PEPE results, student assessment results, school reports of AYP, and personnel needs surveys to insure quality job performance by concentrating on the competencies that most directly affect teaching and achievement.

With the exception of the art teacher, all teachers at Corley are highly qualified under the No Child Left Behind Act. Due to his prolonged service in Iraq last year, Mr. Morrow, an educator with 34 years experience, has requested an extension of one year in order to complete the requirements to become highly qualified.

After years of experience utilizing PEPE, the data gave us the conclusion that teacher performance was best provided in the competency area of presentation of organized instruction. This competency area was also shown to be the area in which we needed the most improvement, especially indicator 2.3 (Developing the Lesson). Our staff development has concentrated on this competency area.

Student assessment results show a need for more professional development in the area of differentiated instruction to better meet the needs of students served by special education and English language learners.

According to the school accountability reports of adequate yearly progress (AYP), adequate progress was shown in all areas for 2004-2005.

Staff surveys show that weekly art classes, additional classroom computers, coordinated collegial planning time, and paid professional development days for analyzing test data are needed.

Student attendance reports at Corley show that in 2004-2005 we had an average enrollment of 319 students over the 175 school days on the student calendar. The total number of absences for the year was 2411 days of the 55901 possible giving students a 95.68% attendance rate.

Reports of teacher attendance show a 94% attendance rate for the 2004-2005 school year and a 95.7% rate for the first semester of the 2005-2006 school year. It is our goal to achieve at least 95% attendance of faculty and staff for the entire year.

Based on 319 students enrolled, there were 30 students who withdrew before the last day of school and 32 students who entered after the first day of school giving Corley a 19.4% level of transiency among students.

The rate of student suspensions, expulsions, and alternative school assignments

is 0%.

Boaz City Schools has a 38.73% drop-out rate. Last year, 106 of 106 students completed the requirements for graduation.

Parents’ perceptions of school programs and services at Corley have proven to be positive. According to the Parents Needs Assessment Survey, 83% feel that they are well informed about happenings, activities, and programs. 87% are satisfied with the academics offered. 90% feel that their child is safe at school. 86% feel that Corley Elementary is adequately serving the educational, social, and emotional needs of the children. 86% feel that our school is teaching life skills. 8% of parents responding to the survey expressed a need when it comes to helping their children academically.

Parents were asked to rank the following areas to show the greatest need for improvement:

Facilities were ranked as the #1 priority for improvement by 44% of parents who replied. Family Friendly Atmosphere was ranked as the lowest need for improvement by 38% of parents who replied.

According to spring 2005 DIBELS benchmark testing, 25% of the students at 2^nd Grade students at Corley were considered to be at-risk.

Third grade students were considered to be at risk at a rate of 23% by DIBELS assessment, 16% by ARMT reading testing, and 10% by ARMT math testing for an average rate of 16.33%.

Therefore, an average of 20.67% of Corley students are considered to be at-risk based on the academic assessments available at grades two and three.

The curriculum at Corley Elementary is based on the Alabama State Course of Study and consists of English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science/Health, Social Studies, Art, Music, and Physical Education.

Voyager’s Universal Literacy and Passport programs, along with Harcourt’s Collections series are the materials used to teach the English Language Arts curriculum. Math, Science, and Social Studies are taught using the Harcourt series. Most science and social studies skills are covered with an interdisciplinary approach using Universal Literacy reading materials in 2^nd grade and Harcourt Reading Series and in third grade with the remainder covered per the Alabama Courses of Study using ancillary materials.

Some of the instructional strategies used at Corley include small group instruction, cooperative learning, guided reading, and other reading reform strategies as recommended by the Alabama Reading Initiative.

Corley students have access to extended learning opportunities through the many programs offered by Boaz City Schools’ 21^st Century Community Learning Center. Some of these include Extended Day, tutoring, and parent-child workshops.

The entire faculty and staff work together to ensure the health, safety, and general well-being of students. Two registered nurses are employed by Boaz City Schools and are available to our students. Yearly training on health issues affecting students is conducted each year. Specific health management plans are in place for students with diagnosed health concerns, such as diabetes and certain allergies.

Programs also are in place to assist faculty and staff with health and safety concerns. Training in the proper handling of body fluids and other universal precautions is mandatory for each staff member every year. All faculty and staff have been trained in the use of the portable defibrillator, which is available for use with children and adults.

In order to provide opportunities for all students to meet the state’s proficient and advanced levels of achievement, Corley Elementary is dedicated to ongoing progress monitoring of all students. We do progress monitoring using the DIBELS Oral Reading Fluency assessment. Oral reading fluency has been tightly connected to future success on high-stakes reading comprehension measures. In math, we use the Accelerated Math program to individualize the math instruction for each third grade student and to monitor their progress toward state standard proficiency. Grade-level data meetings are held regularly to analyze the data from progress monitoring. Teachers work together to choose instructional strategies to increase the success of all students.

Services provided through Corley Elementary’s school-wide program to migrant, limited English proficient, homeless, economically disadvantaged, and neglected/delinquent students include direct and consistent communication with County Juvenile Officers, participation with local businesses in the community’s Christmas Coalition program, Child Nutrition Program, part time ELL teacher, part time Spanish/English interpreter for both parents and students, and two full time Title I Aides. The Voyager Universal Literacy core reading program and the Passport Intervention program are used in order to employ scientifically research based strategies to better serve all students with highly differentiated instruction in every classroom every day.

Corley Elementary implements effective methods and instructional strategies including daily small group instruction, differentiated instruction, Voyager Learning Systems’ Passport Intervention Program, Accelerated Reader and Accelerated Math programs that are based on scientifically based research and that strengthen the core academic program in the school.

To increase the amount and quality of learning time, Corley Elementary utilizes scientifically based methods and school-wide instructional strategies such as enforcing an uninterrupted, continuous Language Arts block; scheduling inclusion Special The Voyager Universal Literacy core reading program and the Passport Intervention program are used in order to employ scientifically research based strategies to better serve all students with highly differentiated instruction in every classroom every day.

Education services to maximize direct instruction and minimize time away from the classroom; offering extended day tutoring and Twenty First Century learning experiences for after school hours instruction.

Corley Elementary meets the educational needs of historically underserved populations through scientifically researched effective methods and instructional strategies that work with all students. The Universal Literacy core reading program, Math Renaissance, Reading Renaissance, and small group instruction are employed with all students for maximum benefit. As well, intervention services such as Passport intervention reading instruction, small group instruction, and the utilization of staff such as daily Math and Reading tutoring with the Title I aide for students on an as-needed basis, daily assistance from a part time interpreter for both the parents and students of limited English proficiency, and through clustering of ELL students to maximize the classroom benefit of the ELL teacher.

Strategies implemented at Corley Elementary address the needs of all students in the school, but particularly the needs of low-achieving students and those at risk of not meeting the state’s student academic achievement standards who are members of the target population of any program that is included in the school-wide program include Passport, Intervention in Universal Literacy, clustering and inclusion of Special Education and ELL services in the classroom during Reading and Math instruction. In addition to inclusion services, special education students and ELL students are pulled for more intense individual instruction. Corley Elementary utilizes high school ambassadors for additional support in the form of tutoring and reading partners, along with skill specific direct practice with the Title I Aide. Some at-risk students are paired with carefully screened mentors from our community for social interaction. Others have weekly "reading buddies" provided by the local RSVP. All students have access to the computer lab and daily access to the library.

State initiatives such as the Alabama Reading Initiative (ARI) and local improvement plans such as Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), Alabama Continuous School Improvement Plan, State Technology plan, and Library Enhancement plans are implemented through consistent reform strategies.

Corley Elementary will utilize assessment methods such as SAT, DIBELS, ARMT WIDA to determine if the identified needs of all students have been met. We will gather and analyze data from the same sources as in the initial needs assessment. The results of the analysis will be compared with the analysis of the initial assessment to determine continuing needs.

Strategies from the Lee vs. Macon decree are also employed by all teachers. All teachers are trained in the use of these strategies and the software for implementation of the strategies is available to everyone throughout the Boaz City School System on the system server.

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Personnel Staffing Decisions

Quality teachers are hired through committee interviews. They come with a highly qualified letter from the state department. Their training has been done through a Southern Association Accredited University. Jacksonville University and Athens State University are two colleges that supply our area with highly qualified teachers. These teachers have been trained utilizing the latest techniques in instructional accommodations. After all course work has been completed, teachers take an exit exam before becoming licensed with the state department.

The influx of English-language learners (ELLs) into our school community has created new and unprecedented challenges for administrators and teachers. All educators acknowledge the need to better accommodate struggling students and ELL students. A translator and a credentialed ELL teacher narrow the achievement gap for these children. Emersion is the technique Corley employs for its ELL population. The Translator and ELL teacher provide explanations and extension in the nuance of the English language. We want the Ell learner to learn English! With a native tongue explanation, these students get a better understanding.

Children whose needs go beyond the issues of poverty and lack of stability are two other areas of concern. To provide adequate intervention, Corley seeks mentoring for these students from the community and training on an ongoing basis for its’ teachers. Volunteers (ambassadors) from the local high school provide much needed supervision on the playground.

Training in the newly implemented scripted phonics-based learning programs is continued in the monthly grade level meetings (second grade). A strict, uniform lesson plan is followed utilizing the Voyager Reading Program. Intervention is built into this program as well as additional intervention with the Passports Intervention Program.

Consistency of instruction and a high level of expectation are strengths revealed in the area of classroom routines. Small group instruction and evidence of pre-planning lend strength to reading behaviors being established. Implementation of research proven reading programs and the continual exploration of strategies in reading reform are strong points in our program at Corley Elementary.

At Corley Elementary each year, we analyze the results of the data gathered from our Comprehensive Needs Assessment to determine the needs for professional development for the upcoming year. The needs are based on student academic needs; faculty needs; student/faculty attendance; transiency of students; discipline measures required, parents’ perception and needs; prevalence of "at-risk" factors among students; curriculum, instructional materials, instructional strategies, reform strategies, extended learning opportunities; and student health issues, school safety

The following needs are listed in our professional development plan for this year:

In order to meet these needs, high-quality, effective, scientifically-research based professional development activities are planned for teachers, principals, and para-professionals. The school ARI reading coach provides much of the professional development needed in the area of language arts. Other scientifically based professional development is provided at the school or system level by highly qualified trainers.

Specific training scheduled for the 2005 -06 school year in response to needs shown in the Professional Development Plan are:

Current strategies to attract highly qualified teachers include working for a new city school system on the cutting edge of development in researched-based instruction and being a part of that process. In the development of a world class school system, high achievement standards are expected from everyone with adequate professional development supplied to get the job done. This high level of professionalism attracts people who want to be out front and in the know on every level.

In the beginning, among other assumptions for this new system, a four percent raise for teachers every other year was a major selling point. Building upgrades and new additions to existing buildings have taken precedence over any initiatives to use this aspect as an incentive to attract teachers who are highly qualified. In the near future these raises must be addressed as well as bonuses due to competition provided by neighboring city systems.

L. F. Corley, Sr. Elementary School cooperates with local universities with their teacher education programs. Athens University, Jacksonville State University, and Alabama A&M University recognize quality in our school and send their pre-service teachers to work closely with mentoring teachers, thereby gaining the knowledge necessary to make top notch teachers. Corley’s collegial and friendly atmosphere make them want to come back as employees.

Boaz City Board of Education follows the state and federal requirements in hiring prospective teachers by utilizing background checks, fingerprinting, and references. All recruitment and hiring practices adhere strictly to applicable, equal employment policies and regulations. Opportunities for employment are posted at schools and on the Internet for a minimum of two weeks.

Parent involvement in their children’s education is a key factor to childhood development. Corley Elementary recognizes that student learning begins at home, continued at school, and extended through a lifetime of connectedness to extended family and community members. A home environment that encourages learning is more important to student achievement than income, education level, or cultural background. The parent involvement plan includes support given to parents through a continuous home-school communication, reporting weekly on each child’s progress. Each child takes home a monthly calendar that helps them keep track of school events. Tips are given to help parent know how to strengthen skill areas. The school provides free brochures, in English and Spanish, for parents. These brochures cover such topics as, helping students with homework, coping with stress, boosting self esteem, improving math and reading skills, discipline, nutritional health, and tips on motivating students to learn. Corley Elementary’s continuing commitment to parental involvement entails three basic goals:

Some school activities that strengthen the quantity and quality of parental and family involvement include, but are not limited to, family reading night, book fairs, Open House, Parenting Month, and Spring Fling. During Open House, the first general meeting of the year, teachers discuss ways parents can help their children in all areas and given individual classroom expectations. Parents can then tour the school, library, computer lab and classrooms such as music, art, or guidance. Parents are invited to eat lunch with their child at anytime. Basic school procedures are explained. The ELL teacher translates for Hispanic parents. Book fairs are held after hours which, allows working parents an opportunity to participate in the event with their children. Corley Elementary School hosts various events during the year. "Donuts with Dad and Muffins with Mom," allows the child to eat breakfast with their parents during Parenting Month, which is held during the month of October. Spring Fling, a celebration of the culmination of the school year is another day parents and children can bond through shared outdoor activities. Award’s Day Programs are conducted four times a year. Parents, family members and friends are invited to attend. This event is announced through a monthly calendar. Parents also serve as chaperones on field trips. They help with class parties at Halloween, Christmas, and Easter.

Corley Elementary School established a Parent Advisory Committee that is actively involved in our Parent/ Teacher Organization. This committee is involved in implementing programs and activities. Additional parents help in implementing programs and activities and assist monthly to substitute for teachers who are in attendance at strategic team meetings. Some parents, grandparents, and other volunteers come on a more regular basis to read with/to students. The local RSVP sponsors the "Reading Buddies" Program. These volunteers help develop reading skills by reading to /with children through regularly scheduled visits. Parental input is regularly sought on issues pertaining to their child’s educational needs through informal talks and surveys. The media specialist invites parents to assist in shelving books, assisting during flex time, or processing new resources in the library. Surveys are sent home annually with students to provide parental input on such issues as child safety, social and emotional needs, and proper development of life skills. During Parent Teacher Organization Meetings, current informatio