1120 dahlonega highway cumming, georgia 30040 770-887-2461€¦ · the 2015-2016 school year is...

Georgia Department of Education

Title I Schoolwide/School Improvement Plan

Georgia Department of Education April 2015 ● of 44

SCHOOLWIDE/SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN TEMPLATE

School Name: Chestatee Elementary District Name: Forsyth County

Principal Name: Polly Tennies School Year: 2015-2016

School Mailing Address: 6945 Keith Bridge Rd. Gainesville, GA 30506

Telephone: 770-887-2341

District Title I Director/Coordinator Name: Fonda Harrison

District Title I Director/Coordinator Mailing Address:

1120 Dahlonega Highway Cumming, Georgia 30040

Email Address:

Telephone: 770-887-2461

ESEA WAIVER ACCOUNTABILITY STATUS

(Check all boxes that apply and provide additional information if requested.)

Priority School Focus School

Title I Alert School

Principal’s Signature:

Date:

Title I Director’s Signature:

Date:

Superintendent’s Signature:

Date:

Revision Date: 9/24/15 Revision Date: Revision Date:




SWP Template Instructions

All components of a Title I Schoolwide Program Plan and a School Improvement Plan must be

addressed. When using SWP and SIP checklists, all components/elements marked as “Not Met” need

additional development.

Please add your planning committee members on the next page.

The first ten components in the template are required components as set forth in Section 1114 of the

Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA).

Please submit your School Improvement Plan as an addendum after the header page in this document.




Planning Committee Members

NAME MEMBER’S SIGNATURE POSITION/ROLE Fonda Harrison Chief Academic

Officer

Amy Reutter Federal Program Specialist/Title 1 Support

Polly Tennies Principal

Jordan Livermore Assistant Principal

Kristen Miskovsky Assistant Principal

Kathy Johnson Kindergarten Teacher

Sharon Nizialek First Grade Teacher

Holly Mullinax Second Grade Teacher

Theresa Carley Third Grade Teacher

Lindsey Prosser Fourth Grade Teacher

Craig Ahrens Fifth Grade Teacher

Jonathan Feicht Gifted Teacher

Deb Fahey Special Education Teacher

Staci Wacker Instructional Paraprofessional

Carolyn Craddock Instructional Technology Specialist

Julie Hubbard Fine Arts Chair

Abby Keyser Title 1 Coach

Ashton Maher Title 1 Teacher

Rock Reed Title 1 Teacher

Meg Killingsworth Title 1 Teacher/Parent Coordinator

Linda Ratliff Title 1 Teacher

Kristy Prillaman Title 1 Teacher

Joy Stanley Parent/President of Local School Council

Sherry Chadwick Title 1 Parent

Leanne White Title 1 Parent

Staci Smilnak Title 1 Parent

Katy Zarfoss Title 1 Parent




SWP/SIP Components 1. A comprehensive needs assessment of the entire school, (including taking into account

the needs of migratory children as defined in Section 1309(2)) that is based on information which includes the

achievement of children in relation to the state academic content standards and the state student academic

achievement standards described in Section 1111(b)(1).

Response:

1. Comprehensive Needs Assessment Rooted strongly in the community as the oldest school in Forsyth County, Chestatee Elementary has a rich history. We currently serve a student population of 969 students. The racial composition of our school is 80.2% White (Non-Hispanic), 16.1% Hispanic, and 3.7% other. To date, our economically disadvantaged population has increased to 45.5 percent through redistricting and local economic downturn. Chestatee houses Kindergarten thru 5

th grade students, and also

supports Head Start and Georgia Pre-Kindergarten classrooms. It was a Targeted Assistance Title I School for many years and received the Distinguished Title I School Award in 2009, 2010, and 2011. Chestatee received the Family Friendly Partnership School Award in 2015. The 2015-2016 school year is Chestatee’s third year with schoolwide Title I status. Several people have been involved in determining the direction of the school through the interpretation of data. Chestatee has a Leadership Team that meets regularly with representation from all areas within the school. Additional members have joined this team from within the school and community to provide input into the Schoolwide Plan.

School Improvement/Schoolwide Title 1 Planning Team

Polly Tennies-Principal Jordan Livermore-Assistant Principal Kristen Miskovsky-Assistant Principal Kathy Johnson-Kindergarten Sharon Nizialek-First Grade Holly Mullinax-Second Grade Theresa Carley-Third Grade Lindsey Prosser-Fourth Grade Craig Ahrens-Fifth Grade Deb Fahey-Special Education Julie Hubbard-Fine Arts Staci Wacker-Para Professional Carolyn Craddock-Instructional Technology Jonathan Feicht-Gifted Teacher Joy Stanley-Local School Council Chair Courtney Dougan-Local School Council Ansley Acuff- Local School Council Sherry Chadwick- Local School Council Amanda Battles- Local School Council Dana Harper- Local School Council Karen Vincent-Title 1 Parent Leanne White- Local School Council Katy Zarfoss-Title 1 Parent Stacey Smilnak-Title 1 Parent Kristy Prillaman- Title 1 Teacher Abby Keyser-Title 1 Coach Linda Ratliff-Title 1 Teacher Meg Killingsworth-Title 1 Teacher/Parent Involvement Ashton Mayer-Title 1 Teacher Rock Reed-Title 1 Teacher Multiple sources of data reveal the needs of our students and our families. The Leadership Team discusses all generated data. This data has been derived from the following locations:

Comprehensive GAPSS analysis conducted by an outside team of educators

Georgia Milestone test data when available for third-fifth grades in all content areas

Universal Screening through Fast Bridge for Kindergarten through fifth grade students

Forsyth County Interim Assessments for second through fifth

Standards Based Report Cards

Needs Assessment Surveys for Parents

Feedback surveys from Parent Workshop Programs




1. A comprehensive needs assessment of the entire school, (including taking into account



achievement standards described in Section 1111(b)(1). Teacher Surveys for needs and input

Student Input into TKES surveys

ACCESS data generated from ELL testing

Georgia Kindergarten Inventory of Development Skills (GKIDS)

Benchmark Reading Leveling of K-5 students using Fountas and Pinnell

Student Learning Objectives for Kindergarten through third grades

Student growth percentiles for fourth and fifth grades

Chestatee has a long history in the community and several generations of our current students also attended Chestatee. The demographic makeup of the student populations has remained fairly consistent for the last several years.

Student Demographics

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 %: 2009 %: 2010 %: 2011 %: 2012 %: 2013 %: 2014

Hispanic 102 154 145 147 157 147 9.72% 14.72% 14.66% 14.76% 15.11% 15.30%

Asian * * * * * * * * * * * *

Black (not Hispanic) * * 11 * 11 16 * * 1.11% * 1.06% 1.66%

Am. Indian/Alaskan * * * * * * * * * * * *

Multi-Racial 26 23 17 14 17 24 2.48% 2.20% 1.72% 1.41% 1.64% 25.03%

Pacific Islander * * * * * 1 * * * * * *

White 907 846 805 819 845 763 86.46% 80.88% 81.40% 82.23% 81.33% 79.56%

Female 483 494 472 466 494 478 46.04% 47.23% 47.72% 46.79% 47.55% 49.84%

Male 566 552 517 530 545 481 53.96% 52.77% 52.28% 53.21% 52.45% 50.16%

Total 1049 1046 989 996 1039 959 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%







achievement standards described in Section 1111(b)(1). Student Demographic Information for Chestatee

ESOL student information from Chestatee







achievement standards described in Section 1111(b)(1). The Migrant Education Office at the Georgia Department of Education provides a Current Enrollment Report (CER) and New Participant Report (NPR) each month of the school year (if the system has new migrant students enrolled) to the Forsyth County Central Office. Jamie Rife, Director of ELL Services, completes a Priority for Services (PFS) form for each new student and submits it to the MEP office at GA DOE for review. PFS students are identified per their academic needs, including mobility and EL status. All PFS students are given priority for supplemental tutoring services based on the district's Implementation Plans approved by the state. In addition, Dr. Rife checks the national Migrant MSIX data base provided by USED's Migrant education office to review assessment and enrollment data for the student. SLDS in Infinite Campus also provides assessment information. Locally, the district's Comprehensive Needs Assessment committee reviews student attendance and grades at the end of each grading period and makes recommendations for adjustments to tutoring or other support services as deemed necessary. Dr. Rife contacts ELL Coordinators at each school, as well as ESOL teachers to notify them when new migrant students arrive. They also are notified if the GaDOE MEP office designates a migrant student as PFS. Currently, we have three identified Migrant students who attend Chestatee Elementary School, one first grader and one third grader and one fifth grader. These three students have qualified for additional tutoring due to noted academic gaps through the Universal Screening conducted at Chestatee. This tutoring will be provided during the school day by a highly qualified, certified teacher. In addressing needs of Migrant students, less than 1% of the student population falls into this category; however, those with this need are being served.

Chestatee’s Special Education population clearly defined

A careful study of the data of Chestatee over a period of years was conducted. Using system expectations and state norms, we were able to discern the following strengths and weaknesses. Strengths Revealed

Thorough analysis of data guides school wide instructional decisions through such structures as EAGLE time,

Learning Academy, and Professional Learning (GAPSS).

Family Friendly Award Winner 2015 displaying exceptional commitment to fostering welcoming environments that

encourage families to become active partners in improving student achievement and success.







achievement standards described in Section 1111(b)(1). Faculty demonstrates understanding of the power of professional collaboration and is provided opportunities for

frequent teamwork. (GAPSS)

Implementation of The Chestatee Way, our school wide discipline focus (Teacher Surveys), leads to well

managed classrooms and an improved atmosphere for student learning.

Supportive risk-free classroom environments provided by staff demonstrate warmth, respect, and trust between

teachers and students (GAPSS).

Pre K and Headstart programs housed on campus provide a solid foundation for economically disadvantaged

students.

Growth was shown on the CCRPI from 78.4 on the 2012 revised score to 81.2 for the 2014 score.

Exceptional performances in reading: currently, 97.3% of 3rd

graders, 98.2% of 4th graders, and 98.7% of 5

th

graders met or exceeded standards in CRCT for 2014. The Median Student Growth Percentiles (SGPs) of typical

growth (based on 2013 data) for 4th and 5

th grade populations also support this analysis as recorded in the chart

below.

Reading:

Median Student Growth Percentiles (SGPs)

All SWD ELL ED Hispanic

4th grade 59 53.5 61 58.5 61

5th grade 50 65 56 50 54.5

Exceptional performances in math: In 2014, 98.1% of 5th graders met or exceeded standards in CRCT math.

Formative reading assessments following the Fountas and Pinnell leveling system target accurate instructional

levels for K-5th grades.







achievement standards described in Section 1111(b)(1). Community volunteer opportunities have greatly increased with the addition of the Watch Dog Dad program and

the Chestatee Chicks (volunteer group of Mothers).

Chestatee’s usage of Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT) has been showcased on tours by the County,

featuring innovative instructional practice for educators from North America.

Chestatee’s development of the Math Masters afterschool program that began in October of 2014, showed a

25.3% increase in achievement between pre and post test scores.

Weaknesses Revealed

A need to place greater emphasis on instructional strategies that will challenge a broader spectrum of students (those meeting and exceeding standards) (TKES Student Survey)

Use strategies and processes to increase the use of higher order thinking skills and problem solving by all students (TKES evaluations)

Increase the student use of technology to research, create documents, and/or projects, and to demonstrate a greater understanding of learning goals (GAPSS)

Increase rigor and expectations of students through expanding the use of self-monitoring and self-evaluation tools (GAPSS)

Make connections across English/Language Arts and Social Studies to develop literacy skills within nonfiction texts (GAPSS)

Provide opportunities for teachers to plan across grade levels and vertically align curriculum(GAPSS)

Hispanic/ESOL populations demonstrate a need for support to master content in the areas of Social Studies and Science (CCRPI)








Root Causes In discussing the root causes of weaknesses at Chestatee Elementary, we have found it is necessary to create goals and expectations that are of a high caliber for all students regardless of where they are performing currently. It is imperative that we create opportunities for students to excel through the use of high content engagement. Students should be asked to integrate subjects and perform tasks that will stimulate their minds through technology and other tools. Rigorous class work will provide more opportunities for students to succeed. Professional Learning will grow teachers’ abilities to plan for instruction, especially in the area of standards of mathematical practice and social studies integration to address concerns noted in the CCRPI report. School attendance greatly impacts the success of students academically. Motivating the students to attend through a school wide effort will be vital to increasing daily attendance. Counselors have developed and monitor a school wide incentive program to help increase student attendance. Communicating expectations of course work is necessary. A strong partnership with the home will enable parents to support the work of the school. By increasing parental knowledge of expectations and providing opportunities for parents to learn more about instruction and their children’s learning, we will greatly impact future student success. Parental Involvement will be a key school wide goal. In order to enable parents to attend family functions, such as Curriculum Night and Title 1 Family nights, Chestatee furnishes dinner through the funds of local business and community partners. These nights are also planned in conjunction with other school activities in order to encourage attendance of the families. Language within a classroom can have a tremendous impact. Continuing to use a common instructional language in math problem solving as well as other areas of the curriculum will strengthen the understandings that students gain in the classroom. When planning for long term success, making sure that our teachers are vertically aligned will benefit the curriculum delivery and student success. With the assistance of Craig Ahrens, Math Coach, we will be focusing on strategies for developing stamina in math processing through the use of the Standards of Mathematical Practice. A number of economically disadvantaged students come to school lacking basic language skills. Utilization of the Language for Learning Program enables students to acquire critically needed basic language skills. This program is utilized by our Speech pathologist to meet the needs of targeted students. Several parents of Chestatee students are not fluent in English. Having parents that have difficulty with English hinders them from supporting their child on homework assignments. Language can be an important bridge for school work since







achievement standards described in Section 1111(b)(1). it is the language of instruction occurring during the school day. Several PL1 students were determined to have attended multiple elementary schools. Transient school attendance can have a negative impact on school performance. Identifying gaps in instruction will be critical. Quickly being able to assess where students are performing and providing remedial support are crucial to student success. Identifying gaps in instruction will be critical. School Improvement Plan The purpose of our Leadership Team is to address the highest instructional need demonstrated through our data analysis. The current school improvement plan is to add an explicit 30 minute Science/Social Studies time to our master schedule while continuing to integrate Social Studies content into Language Arts. Based on the data received from the CCRPI report every grade level has a designated 30 minute block of time where Social Studies instruction will be the main focus. Social Studies content will also be integrated into ELA instruction through the use of text related to Social Studies Standards. We will focus on three standards of mathematical practice and be intentional with RTI time for math reteaching. For that reason, we are addressing school wide the need to see improvement in math and Social Studies. In math, we identified a school wide need for improvement in the domain of numbers and operations. With a school wide focus to continue improving in the area of number sense, we will utilize county office personnel and school based faculty to deliver professional development to the entire staff. We will continue to place a strong emphasis on number talks to build a basic understanding of number sense and add in the concept of building stamina in problem solving. Building a strong foundation for number sense in the lower grades will have a positive impact on upper grades as the vertical teams work together toward the same goal. It is our intention to create strong students who are able to justify and explain their answers in the core subject area of math. A noted weakness in mathematics is within the CRCT domain of numbers and operations. As the foundation of number sense is strengthened through number talks and student discussions, it will also lead to a beneficial impact on problem solving.

Grade % Does Not Meet % Meets/Exceeds

3rd

15.3 84.7

4th 14.6 85.4

5th 1.9 98.1

Math Achievement 2014: CRCT The data for this past year supports the need to focus on math standards primarily for the 3

rd and 4

th grades as recorded

in the chart above. Realizing that these scores are a result of the child’s cumulative educational experience to date, there is support for a schoolwide focus in mathematics. The school year 2013-14 was the last year for the administration of the CRCT in Georgia. Given that the Georgia Milestones was the new measure used for this current year, and the fact it is currently unknown how the results will be reported or if there can be any comparison to the CRCT, we will be setting our goals based on the median Student Growth Percentiles. The following chart contains data for the current year in the area of mathematics for the 4

th and 5

th

grades (based on 2013 data). The anticipated date for 2014 data is late October of 2015.

Math:

Median Student Growth Percentiles (SGPs)


4th grade 40 50.5 31 32.5 51

5th grade 77 67.5 82 75 82.5 (based on 2013 data)

After analysis of this data, including the weakness for our ELL and ED subgroups, we will address the following goals for math: Chestatee 4th grade students will increase their median student growth percentile from 40% to 50% as indicated on the Georgia Milestones Mathematics Test and reported as Student Growth Percentiles in the total student population for the 2014 test administration. Chestatee 4th grade ELL students will increase their median student growth percentile from 31% to 35% as indicated on







achievement standards described in Section 1111(b)(1). the Georgia Milestones Mathematics Test and reported as Student Growth Percentiles in the total Student population for the 2014 test administration. Chestatee 4th grade ED students will increase their median student growth percentile from 32.5 % to 35% as indicated on the Georgia Milestones Mathematics Test and reported as Student Growth Percentiles in the total Student population for the 2014 test administration. An additional noted weakness was revealed by the CRCT in ELA as indicated by the following chart.

% Does not Meet % Meets and Exceeds

3rd

10.7% 89.3%

4th 7.9% 92.1%

5th 2.6% 97.4%

ELA Achievement 2014: CRCT Analysis of this data in conjunction with the 2013 median SGPs, (shown below), indicates a need to improve ELA skills, especially in the subgroups of our ELL and Hispanic populations.

ELA: Median Student Growth Percentiles (SGPs)


4th grade 42 42 55 34 48.5

5th grade 44 38 30 40 27 (based on 2013 data)

The curriculum area of Social Studies was also found to be a weakness for Chestatee. This was confirmed through analysis of CRCT scores as well as the median SGPs for 4

th and 5

th grades.

% Does not Meet % Meets and Exceeds

3rd

19.6 80.4

4th 17.5 82.5

5th 9.4 90.6

Social Studies Achievement 2014: CRCT

PR

OG

RE

SS

Indicator

Performance

on

Standard

Total

CCRPI

Points

Per

Indicator

Count of

Students

with

Typical /

High

Growth

Count of

Students

with SGPs

Performance

on

Indicator

Per Subject

Progress-Social

Studies 100.0% 25 182 304 59.9%








CCRPI Data Showing Gap Change for 2014

This year, Chestatee’s master schedule dedicated a block of time for social studies instruction. Every grade level will be devoting 30 minutes of time each day to Science and Social Studies Instruction in addition to integrating these standards into ELA instruction. All teachers understand how vital it is to teach social studies through the content areas, and in doing so, we can improve ELA skills while focusing on Social Studies texts during designated block. Our goal for Social Studies will be: The percentage of 4th and 5th grade students making typical to above average growth will increase from 59.9% to 64% as indicated on the Georgia Milestones Social Studies and Language Tests and reported on the CCRPI Progress section for total student population. Over the last two years, we have tracked Fountas and Pinnell Levels for the purpose of instructional planning. The chart below indicates the percentages of students who met or exceeded grade level expectations in grades Kindergarten through third grade.








Now that the F & P leveling system will be the SLO measure used by the county, we will continue to track grade level expectations for planning instructions; however, we will set the following goal to align with the SLO measure. Eighty percent of all students grade k-3 will meet expected growth to high growth based on Fountas and Pinnell targets.

Forsyth Title

1 Schools Grade

#

Below

Grade

Level

# On

Grade

Level

# Above

Grade

Level

# Tested

Total

% Below

Grade

Level

% On

Grade

Level

% Above

Grade

Level

Chestatee

Elementary

School All 192 91 356 639 30% 14% 56%

1 21 17 116 154 14% 11% 75%

2 78 28 76 182 43% 15% 42%

3 61 15 74 150 41% 10% 49%

KK 32 31 90 153 21% 20% 59% It is crucial that we gain parental support for students’ learning. We have created a goal for parents to attend our family events for Title 1 at the school. Title teachers will utilize several strategies to increase parental involvement for all parents. Our goal is to increase attendance by 71 families for the year. We will combine efforts with other school functions in order to accomplish this goal, including student performances and PTA meetings. All invitations, documents and newsletters will be sent home in appropriate languages using translation services. We also provide dinner (funded by community business partners) and translation services to encourage family attendance. During the 15-16 school year, we will be tracking attendance of individual families and incorporating a system of rewards using tokens for families that attend Title







achievement standards described in Section 1111(b)(1). 1 workshops.

Participation in Parent Workshops

2011-12 47 families attended Title 1 workshops.

2012-13 60 families attended Title I workshops.

2013-14 73 families attended Title I workshops.

2014-15 329 families attended Title 1 workshops.

2015-16 Target:400 families attending Title 1 workshops.

Parent Involvement Performance and Targets for 2015/16 Subgroups All subgroups, Racial and Ethnic groups, Economically Disadvantaged, Students with Limited English Proficiency and Students with Disabilities will be expected to achieve at the same high level. The Academic Support Team, or AST Team, is a group of teachers that meets weekly to collaborate on best instructional practices for at risk populations. The composition of the team is made up of Title 1, EIP, and ELL teachers. In addition, the Special Education Team collaborates to address the needs of its student population. A focused initiative was offered to Hispanic families to support continuous learning over the 2015 summer months. The goal of the program is to lessen the effects of summer regression and to provide the families with strategies to help their child academically.

2. Schoolwide reform strategies that:

Provide opportunities for all children to meet the state’s proficient and advanced levels of student academic

achievement described in Section 1111(b)(1)(D).

Response: All of the research-based strategies and interventions currently in place at Chestatee are based on proven

effective practice. Resources used to develop this work include What Works in Schools, Translating Research into Action by Robert Marzano, Effective School Interventions, second edition, Evidence-Based Strategies for Improving Student Outcomes by Natalie Rathvon, Classroom Instruction that works with English Language Learners by Jane Hill and Kathleen Flynn, Number Talks: Helping Children Build Mental Math By Sherry Parrish, The 7 Mindsets by Scott Shickler and Jeff Waller and Engaging Students with Poverty in Mind by Eric Jensen. Through the use of research- based strategies, we have leveraged the ability of all students to meet and exceed Georgia proficiency standards. Opportunities are available for every child and teacher. The ways in which Chestatee addresses the needs of all children in the school include the following actions:

A dedicated Response to Intervention time is conducted school wide, four days a week.

Using TINA surveys and other available data, a multiple criterion analysis is conducted on the student body twice

a year. The needs of all students are addressed, and all children are placed in a rank order of service needs. A

Universal Screening is conducted three times a year for students in K-5th grades. This screening is used in

addition to other data to inform the multiple criterion analysis.

A master schedule has been designed for Chestatee to optimize instructional minutes and increase the quality of

learning. Students receive a daily guided reading and guided math time in addition to explicit Science and Social

Studies time in grades K-5.

As a response to feedback from teachers new content presented in Professional Learning sessions are followed

by a session of follow up collaboration time in order for staff to apply their learning.







Fourth and Fifth grade teachers attend collaborative professional learning sessions in vertical teams based on

content area.

IXL Math, an online skill-based math program, was purchased for Kindergarten in response to teacher feedback.

An embedded professional learning with a focus on collaboration for all staff is beneficial. Staff members as well

as county office personnel conduct the professional development.

As our culture moves forward with an emphasis on technology driven information, the use of technology to

support learning is vital. Chestatee is a Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT) School and encourages active

participation with learning and devices. A number of Title I devices are also utilized in by Title teachers in small

groups and are available for checkout by the classroom teachers to enhance instruction.

A combination of small group instruction within the classroom, as well as pull out models, is utilized to benefit our

students. Instructional resources and supplies are provided to enhance instruction. Office supplies are

purchased to benefit organization of small group materials.

Leveled libraries are accessed for the use of students that are learning to read and need support. Many of the

books are non-fiction and support the Common Core standards for all grade levels.

The students incorporate writing into all subject areas - reading, math, science, and social studies.

A web based program, Scootpad, is accessible for all first through fifth graders to have standards- based practice

on math work at school and at home. The program monitors student progress and gives specific feedback when

difficulties occur. The program is engaging for the students and provides continuous opportunities for repeated

drill and practice. It provides teachers with formative data which can used to address student needs.

Chestatee counselors support our students through incentives to increase regular attendance, including a

competition between grade levels for the best attendance. They also coordinate career activities for every grade

level in order to prepare our students for college and career readiness. Our mentoring program is also managed

by our counselors and mentoring relationships are monitored to ensure a good match for the child and mentor.

A High Flyers ceremony is held once a month for students who are achieving academically and socially. The

students are recognized for positive character traits displayed throughout the month.

The principal has an annual breakfast for Honor Roll students in August and February.

A Spanish speaking ESOL teacher is available in the parent resource room afterschool on Wednesdays to

provide Hispanic parents with translation services.

The Math Coach holds family tutoring sessions afterschool on Tuesday and Thursdays in the parent resource

room in order to build capacity with parents and facilitate the transition to Common Core math standards.

The Math Team creates tutorial videos to build parent capacity comparing math formulas for solving from the past

to new mental math and foundational strategies today.







The Instructional Technology Specialist and Parent Involvement Coordinator hold monthly workshops facilitating

the use of itslearning, Forsyth County’s online learning platform.

A business partner granted Chestatee with $45,000 in order to purchase Chrome books and hotspots for students

without access to the internet for learning. Students identified participate in “Project Connect” during the summer

months to prevent regression of skills.

A school wide Positive behavioral incentive system (PBIS) is used by all staff members and bus drivers alike.

Students earn Bravo Bucks for desired behaviors, and a drawing is held weekly to earn school shirts and gear.

A series of Parent Workshops is held for our community. Attendance is not only recognized with a drawing for

technology, that the school supplies, but will also be tracked and rewarded individually using a token system as a

family attends Title 1 events and workshops.

The Title Instructional Coach performs duties outside of the school day including data analysis, identifying

professional development needs, and scheduling for small group support. The Instructional Coach will document

hours logged outside of the school day and be given a supplement to support this work.

Principal Chats are held quarterly to inform parents of pertinent topics and to allow parents a forum for addressing

questions or concerns.

Each grade level has 30 minutes of explicit Sci/SS instruction built into their daily schedule.

All students K-3rd grade will be tracked for their Student Learning

Objective using the Fountas and Pinnell leveling system. Data will be analyzed and used to plan for instruction through the use of data teams. Charts are posted in the staff DATA room and reviewed periodically to set new goals for targeted students.

Use effective methods and instructional strategies that are based on scientifically based research that:

o strengthen the core academic program in the school.

o increase the amount and quality of learning time, such as providing and extended school year and

before- or after-school and summer programs and opportunities, and help provide an enriched

and accelerated curriculum o include strategies for meeting the educational needs of historically underserved populations

Response: Based upon effective means of raising student achievement, with a focus on students farthest away from

developing proficiency, the following actions are supported:

The Instructional Support Teams (ISTs) meet twice a month to discuss students’ needs. The teams create

individual goals and monitor progress of implemented interventions. Some research-based interventions that are

used for IST students include: Read Naturally, SRA, multisensory strategies, Repeated Fluency Practice,

Corrective Reading, Repeated Drill, Touch Math, SIMS Math, and Guided Reading/Math. The data team model is




also used to review grade level assessments and create common documents.

The Student Support Team (SST) meets to address students that have demonstrated a PL1 performance or a

possible PL1 need. Some research-based interventions that are used for SST students include Stop and Think,

Language for Learning, Mimio Sprout Reading, SIMS Strategies, Orton Gillingham, and FASTT Math.

The goals are monitored more closely, and layered interventions may be used. The frequency and intensity are

increased. Progress monitoring will occur with Fast Bridge probes.

A group of at risk students will be supplied with personal tablets to use to increase their technology access. The

tablets will be sent home with the students for practice at home. This group, called Project Connect, will meet

frequently with the counselor, Instructional Technology Specialist, and Assistant Principal to discuss their work

and performance.

The use of technology programs supports remediation in reading social studies and math. Specific software

programs are Mimio Sprout and Mimio Reading, Read Naturally, RAZ kids, Scootpad, Fastt Math, TenMarks,

Triumph Learning, Science A to Z, Focus Math, Envision Math, BookFlix, Social Studies Alive, TrueFlix, Stride

Academy and Dimension U(Tabula Digita). As the budget allows, we plan to include other electronic software and

educational apps to support differentiated instruction for at-risk students. Specific hardware includes a Mac book,

laptops, desktops, Interactive White Boards, iPads, iPods, and iPad minis. Additional resources needed to

support the technology include iPad mini cases, VGA adapters, Apple Education App Voucher, multiport chargers

for Apple devices, and lightning adapters. Additional funds will be used to maintain and repair Title 1 devices and

storage carts.

Additional resources, It Makes Sense! Using Ten-frames to Build Number Sense by Melissa Conklin, It Makes

Sense! Using the Hundreds Chart to Build Number Sense by Melissa Conklin, Number Talks: Helping Children

Build Mental Math and Computation Strategies by Sherry Parrish and Thinking Maps by David Hyerle have been

purchased by the school to address the needs in the area of math, specifically the domain of numbers and

operations.

We will increase the amount and quality of learning time by leading the following activities.

Kinder Camp targets incoming kindergarten students with no preschool experience who need additional support

in order to be ready for kindergarten. Parents of these students are invited to participate in a Parent Academy

that is conducted simultaneously. Parents are engaged in activities which are designed to help them support their

child academically. They are provided with practical strategies utilizing household items to teach basic skills, as

well as educational materials specifically targeting basic math and reading skills.

Chestatee offers a Summer Book Club called “Page Turners” which is designed to provide an opportunity for Title

1 students and parents to come to the Chestatee Media Center once a week for 2 hours, for 5 sessions to

promote summer skill retention and reading. Multiple criteria will be used to identify K-5 students who are targeted

for the program.

Library books are available for students and parents to read together in the library, and computer access will also be available. The parent resource room will be open for check out of support resources. Certified teachers are available to have read-alouds, group discussions, games that promote fluency and comprehension, one-on-one reading conferences, craft activities related to a featured book, technology enrichment, as well as support for parent needs.

The Learning Academy provides extra time to learn for at risk students during the school year in reading and

math. Targeted students in grades 3-5 meet twice weekly afterschool from 2:30 – 4:30, January to March. The




curriculum addresses individual needs through small group instruction and skills are reinforced through

technologically repeated practice.

An after school program, Math Masters, will be held twice a week October through December to meet the needs

of targeted students in the area of math. Identified students will receive help two hours per week after school.

An after school program, Reading Rockets, will be held once a week October through March to meet the needs of

targeted 2nd and 3rd grade students in the area of reading. Identified students will receive tutoring two hours per

week after school.

Transportation will be provided for students participating in the KinderCamp, Learning Academy, Math Masters

and Reading Rockets Programs. Bus driver salaries and benefits will be paid using Title 1 funds.

Chestatee Elementary School will not be using Title 1 money to fund field trips.




Include strategies to address the needs of all children in the school, but particularly the needs of low-achieving

children and those at risk of not meeting the state student achievement standards who are members of the target

population of any program that is included in the schoolwide program which may include:

o counseling, pupil services, and mentoring services;

o college and career awareness and preparation, such as college and career guidance, personal

finance education, and innovative teaching methods, which may include applied learning and

team-teaching strategies; and

o the integration of vocational and technical education programs; and

Response:

Career Day is held in all grades through the collaboration of counselors, special areas staff and

classroom teachers.

College pennants from local colleges and various state universities are displayed in the halls of

Chestatee.

North Forsyth High School students (Flight Club) mentor at-risk students at Chestatee before and after

school in order to form positive relationships.

The 7 Mindsets program is being implemented schoolwide during Monday Morning Meetings to

develop a growth mindset in students and faculty.

The Watchdogs Dad Program provides positive male role models to students through mentoring and

volunteering in classrooms, in the lunchroom and in the carline.

Adult Mentors are assigned to at-risk students to develop positive relationships and a sense of

consistency.

Chestatee employs two full time counselors that meet with students monthly in whole group lessons, in

small groups based on need and one on one to address specific concerns.

The 4th and 5th grade teams are departmentalized in order to maximize teacher’s strengths and provide

collaboration on student progress.

ESOL students are offered a morning “Homework Club” before school hours to provide assistance for

student’s without the support of adults in the home.

Counselors and Assistant Principals have a Check in/Check out procedure for at-risk students. These

students are given words of affirmation each morning to start the day and positive incentives for

achieving goals at the end of each day.

Chestatee offers Robotics and Science Olympiad teams for students in grades 3-5. Participation with

these teams focuses on STEM standards. Teams collaborate with the STEM Academy at Forsyth

Central High School to build interest in careers related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.




Include strategies to address the needs of all children in the school, but particularly the needs of low-achieving

children and those at risk of not meeting the state student achievement standards who are members of the target

population of any program that is included in the schoolwide program which may include:

o counseling, pupil services, and mentoring services;

o college and career awareness and preparation, such as college and career guidance, personal

finance education, and innovative teaching methods, which may include applied learning and

team-teaching strategies; and

o the integration of vocational and technical education programs; and

Address how the school will determine if such needs have been met; and

Are consistent with, and are designed to implement, the state and local improvement plans, if any.

Response:

The school leadership team reviews the data from discipline referrals, attendance, parent and student surveys

and the CCRPI report of student achievement.

3. Instruction by highly qualified professional staff

Response: All of the teachers and paraprofessionals at Chestatee Elementary School are highly qualified. Teachers

have a range of experience and certifications. (based on 2014 data – updated information expected October, 2015)

72 (100% HQ) Certified Staff

20 (25%) With a T4

52 (75%) With a T5 and higher

Average years of experience 13.91

Additionally, Chestatee teachers have additional certifications.

10 ELL Certified

27 Gifted Certified

16 Special Education Certified

17 Reading Endorsement

Forsyth County Schools is committed to providing the best education possible for all students by assuring that all children have equitable opportunities to receive quality instruction from highly qualified teachers. The system has consistently met the goal of providing all students with highly qualified teachers at an average of 99 percent or higher since the signing of No Child Left Behind. In Forsyth County Schools, all teachers are required to be highly qualified and in-field for their current teaching assignment. Continuous monitoring and analysis of the highly qualified assignment of teachers based on student demographics (poverty level, minority, etc.) is systematically done using information from the Certified/Classified Personnel Information, Georgia Professional Standards Commission HIQ2 data, and local system data. This ensures that poor and minority students are not taught by inexperienced, unqualified, or out-of-field teachers at higher rates than other children. In addition, individual class sizes are monitored routinely to maintain equal opportunity for all students according




3. Instruction by highly qualified professional staff to the system's class size allotment criteria and Georgia Department of Education rules. Forsyth County Schools provide notification to parents at the beginning of each school year that describes how parents can request teacher qualifications for their child's teacher. The Forsyth County School System maintains a high standard in its recruitment of teachers and paraprofessionals. All teachers must be highly qualified or must be able to obtain highly qualified status within one year (unless they are in an alternative preparation program) before being offered a teaching position in Forsyth County. All paraprofessionals must be highly qualified before they can be hired. Title I may not employ paraprofessionals with Title I funds. In addition, Forsyth County provides assistance to English- certified teachers to add ESOL (English as a Second Language) to their certificates and for ESOL teachers to add English certification. Endorsement classes in ESOL, Reading, Gifted, Preschool Special Education, and Teacher Support Specialist (Georgia's Mentor Teacher Program) are supported through Title IIA funds. Many of the endorsements include at least part of the instruction online. Forsyth County Schools has reimbursed teachers for taking and passing the appropriate content assessments, offered study sessions for teachers who were required to take assessments, provided scholarships to teachers in alternative preparation programs, and reassigned teachers to areas where they are highly qualified. The system will continue these procedures; in addition, the system supports the use of distance learning/technology-based instruction in classrooms where this delivery model is appropriate. Title III funding supported summer school teachers who are fluent in English, and that was the language of instruction.

FCS and Metro RESA are in a cooperative program that allows our teachers to participate in a one-year supervised practicum for converting their teaching permits to clear, renewable certificates. A one-year practicum program began in January 2010 for a new group of teachers to help them obtain their clear, renewable teaching certificates. These teachers obtained their clear, renewable certificates in December of 2010.

In the spring of 2008, FCS classroom teachers were invited to participate in the first teacher efficacy survey. The same survey was conducted in the spring of 2009 and 2010. The survey was designed to help school and district administrators gain a better understanding of the kinds of things that create difficulties for teachers in their school activities. Forty-one percent of classroom teachers participated in the survey in 2008, 37 percent participated in 2009, and 42 percent in 2010. The results of those surveys were given to key leadership personnel for analysis and further study.

Chestatee Elementary School has established a partnership with the University of North Georgia to provide UNG students that want to pursue careers in education a variety of practicum experiences. Through this partnership, directors of student teaching, professors, and Chestatee’s administrators meet to place high quality student teachers. By establishing this relationship, we are able to gain many viable teaching candidates.

The high percentage of advanced degrees, along with the collaboration and mentoring of teacher candidates, is evidence that Chestatee faculty members value lifelong learning. Their pursuit of such ensures we maintain a highly qualified staff.

4. In accordance with Section 1119and subsection (a)(4), high-qualified and ongoing professional development for

teachers, principals, and paraprofessionals and, if appropriate, pupil services personnel, parents, and other staff to

enable all children in the school to meet the state’s student academic achievement standards.

Response: Chestatee Elementary has a Professional Development Plan that is created and periodically reviewed by the

Leadership Team. The Leadership Team designs the plan based on a careful study of the data that reveals strengths and

weaknesses of our student population. The Title 1 Instructional Coach and Professional Learning Team take an active

role in leading their grade levels and vertical teams through the professional learning. Each grade level has a designated

Data Team leader who acts as facilitator as the data team conducts the 5 steps of the data team process. We have

included teachers, principals, paraprofessionals, and other staff in our staff development to learn more about the root

causes that impact our identified needs in math and social studies. A tightly focused approach to the Georgia Curriculum

expectations will aid in student academic achievement. Often professional learning is embedded into the school day.







Chestatee Elementary is committed to devoting money, time, resources, and personnel to accomplish our school

improvement goals. The root causes of academic problems are the main priority of our instructional coach’s focus. See

the following chart. Note that some sessions are open at this time to allow for additional topics as needs are identified.

Other Professional Learning utilizes Early Release Days and Teacher Work Days. All professional learning is designed

with the end result of helping Chestatee achieve its school improvement goals. See the following chart:

Chestatee Professional Learning: 2015-16

Session Power Learning: Session Title By

Date: Wk

of Time

Pre

Planning

Code of Ethics, School Improvement,

Safety Ches Admin 7-30 2.5 hrs

Pre

Planning Itslearning DCD District Presenters 7-31 3 hrs

Pre

Planning 7 Mindsets Training Duane Moyer 8-5 3 hrs

Pre

Planning Mandated Reporter, MV, TKES Ches Admin,

Jana Barroso 8-3 2.5 hrs

1 How We Relate and Essential Agreements

for Collaborative Work

Carolyn Craddock and

Abby Keyser

8-17 to

8-28 1 hr

DCD District Collaboration Day District Presenters 9-2 3 hrs

2 Building Perseverance in Math Craig Ahrens 9-1 to

9-11 1 hr

3 Follow up Collaboration Craig Ahrens/Keyser 9-15 to

9-25 1 hr

4 High Impact/Low Prep Strategies for Social

Studies Instruction Jonathan Feicht

10-6 to

10-16 1 hr

Prof.

Dev. District Collaboration Day: Differentiation District Presenters 10-23 3 hrs

5 Follow up Collaboration Feicht/Craddock 10-27 to

11-6 1 hr

6 Looking at Perseverance in Action Craig Ahrens 11-10 to

11-20 1 hr







7 Follow up Collaboration Craig Ahrens/Keyser 12-1 to

12-11 1 hr

Prof.

Dev. TBD 1-4

8 Backwards Design: Planning for Social Studies with the End in Mind

Jonathan Feicht 1-5 to 1-

15 1 hr

9 Follow up Collaboration Feicht/Craddock 1-16 to

1-29 1 hr

10 Sharing Perseverance in Action Craig Ahrens 2-2 to

2-11 1 hr

Prof.

Dev. District Collaboration Day District Presenters 2-16 3 hrs

11 Follow up Collaboration Craig

Ahrens/Craddock

2-17 to

2-26 1 hr

12 Higher Order Thinking Improves Lower Order

Retention in Social Studies Jonathan Feicht

3-1 to

3-10 1 hr

13 Follow up Collaboration Feicht/Keyser 3-15 to

3-25 1 hr

14 TBD 5-3 to

5-13 1 hr

15 TBD 5-17 to

5-27 1 hr

Prof.

Dev. TBD 5-31

Prof.

Dev. TBD 6-1

In addition, data from the spring staff needs assessment surveys are considered and addressed through school-based

teams. Title 1 teachers meet with the vertical teams to offer ideas for working with parents, as well as planning academic

activities to increase parental knowledge on how to work with their child at home. Each grade level is also given a

scheduled time to visit the parent resource room to become familiar with the resources and programs offered to our

parents. The role of the Title 1 program and how it is implemented are also addressed at faculty meetings and grade

level meetings.







The Academic Support Team at Chestatee will be completing a book study on Waller and Schickler’s The 7 Mindsets to

gain further insights into avenues for meeting the needs of our population. Highlights of the book will be shared with

school faculty through Power Learning and these resources will then be made available to faculty members for checkout.

In addition, The 7 Mindsets posters will be purchased and used in classrooms maintain common language between

homerooms and support classrooms. Representatives of the Academic Support Team will also attend the Youth at Risk

Conference and redeliver to the entire team following the conference.

In response to the fact that on the 2015 Parent Survey many parents felt uninformed on math processes related to

Common Core standards, Chestatee is creating a virtual bank of tutorial videos for parents using a GoPro camera

explaining math strategies and concepts. These videos will compare strategies and formulas used in the past with

strategies and concepts presented in the current Georgia Standards of Excellence. Videos will outline step by step

how computation is being instructed in K-5th grade classrooms and give examples of standard mastery. Our math

coach will be available in the Parent Resource Room afterschool on Tuesday and Thursdays for family tutoring.

Parents and students are invited to attend together for assistance with math homework and vocabulary.

Parent surveys indicated that 54% of parents responded were unaware that the school has staff available to translate for

non-English speaking families when needed. The Parent Resource room will be open on Wednesday afternoons

afterschool for Spanish translation services with one of our ESOL teachers. Parents are invited to bring documents for

translation related to academics or speak with a Spanish speaker regarding strategies for parental involvement in the

home and at school.

In addition, faculty members are encouraged to attend conferences/workshops to further develop skills needed to address the needs of our students. These workshops include Number Talks, National Youth-At-Risk Conference, SIMS Math training, and Daily Five.

The District provides learning opportunities to teachers, principals, and paraprofessionals. Professional learning is developed based on the results of the needs assessment surveys provided to all stakeholders and from the data showing student needs. Numerous opportunities are provided for staff to engage in quality, ongoing professional development including:

Reading, gifted, Teacher Leader and ESOL endorsement programs. The endorsement programs are yearlong

endeavors with 150-200 hours of class time.

School improvement workshops at the district and school level that align to stated goals and priorities.

District collaboration days for grade level teacher and support teachers to review data, collaborate on lesson

plans, and align lessons with state and system standards and assessments.

See Table in section 8 for additional information on District funding.

5. Strategies to attract high-quality highly qualified teachers to high-need schools.




Response:

Chestatee Elementary School has established a partnership with the University of North Georgia to provide UNG students that want to pursue careers in education a variety of practicum experiences. Through this partnership, directors of student teaching, professors, and Chestatee’s administrators meet to place high quality student teachers. By establishing this relationship, we are able to gain many viable teaching candidates.

The Leadership Team attends the Forsyth County Job Fair in order to gain exposure to high quality educators outside of our system.

The Georgia Teach Grant provides partial loan forgiveness for teachers that agree to work in Title 1 schools for four years in a specified high-need field.

Chestatee is also a Member of the Forsyth/Dawson Professional Development Center for the University of North Georgia.

Job openings are posted on the Forsyth County Schools website.

6. Strategies to increase parental involvement in accordance with Section 1118, such as

family literacy services.

Response: Chestatee follows the Joyce Epstein Six Types of Parental Involvement Model, which addresses parenting,

communication, volunteering, learning at home, decision-making, and collaborating with community. In addressing how we meet all of the requirements, a plan was devised for the 2015-2016 school year.

Six Types of Parent Involvement at Chestatee

Parenting

ex. workshops on parenting and developing

home conditions that support student

learning, surveying parents, providing a

resource center,

helping staff understand families'

backgrounds and cultures

- Parent/Teacher Chat

- Parent Resource Room

- Parent Surveys

- Parent Liaison

- Parent Meetings

Communicating

ex. Telephone calls, emails, newsletters,

school website, parent conferences,

positive notes, home visits, parent

meetings, Infinite Campus

- Parent/Teacher conferences

- Phone Calls/Text Messaging

- Emails/Facebook/Twitter

- Parent Meetings

- Letters

- Website

- Parent Surveys

- Title I Teacher/Translator

- Home & School Connection

Volunteering

ex. encouraging parents to attend events,

Federal Advisory, Parent Advisory, PTO/PTA,

tutoring, mentoring, Watch Dog Dads,

- Watch Dog Dads

- Chestatee Chicks

- Federal Advisory Meetings

- PTA

- Media Center Volunteer

- Chestatee Mentor Program

- Community Organizations

Volunteer efforts




Learning at Home

ex. Math Nights, Reading Nights, Parent

Resource Center, information about

community classes and resources, parent

meetings

- Annual Meeting

- Math Night

- Literacy Night

- Testing Information Night

- Technology in the Classroom

- Science Night

- Kindercamp Parent Academy

- Itslearning Parent Workshops

- GA Standards of Excellence Math

Video Bank

- Math Masters

- Reading Rockets

- Summer Learning Packets

- Parent Brochures (reading,

homework, testing tips, Channing

Bete)

- Parent Resource Room (check out)

Decision Making

ex. attendance at school improvement

team meetings, participation in advisory

meetings, LSC, PTA/PTO, completing

surveys

- Parent Surveys

- Staff Surveys

- PTA

- LSC

- Title I Parent Volunteer for

Federal Advisory Committee

Collaborating with the Community

ex. allowing the community to use school

facilities, Partners in Education Program,

participation of community members on LSC

and Federal Advisory committees, sharing

information with parents about Literacy

Forsyth, Lanier Tech, Head Start, etc.

- Visit from Hampton Park Library

(Summer Programs)

- Papa John’s and Browns Bridge

Community Church (Partners in Ed)

- Lanier Tech (GED prep & free

English classes)

The Chestatee School-Parent Compact, Parent Involvement Plan, and Parent Involvement School Policy and the Forsyth County District Title I Parent Involvement Policy represent how the six types of parent involvement are effectively implemented. Parent activities and events are scheduled based on needs assessment results. Chestatee maintains a Parent Involvement Policy that is revised annually. A strong commitment to involving parents in our school guarantees high academic achievement. Parents are provided with a color copy of the School-Parent Compact and Parent Involvement Policy in color. See below for Chestatee’s Parent Involvement Policy.




Chestatee conducts an annual Parent Needs Assessment in May. We also provide an opportunity for parents to give us ongoing feedback through our web page and online surveys e-mailed to parents. Opportunities for written feedback at all Title 1 events are also provided. As an extra incentive, a drawing is held for parents that attend workshops to receive prizes donated by the school that support education. Parents that attend workshops all receive materials to use with their children at home to support academics. Speakers related to academic achievement are provided to enhance Title 1 nights. A token system for tracking Family attendance is also kept for rewarding families with increased attendance. The following Title I Family Nights are offered:

Title I Annual Meeting: Sept 17, 2015

Technology Night: Nov. 12, 2015

Math Night: Jan. 14, 2016

Literacy Night: Feb. 18, 2016

Science Night: March 22, 2016

Planning for 16-17 Title I: May 12, 2016




Chestatee also supports a Parent Resource Room designed to invite our families in to the school. The Parent Resource Room is accessible for parents of students in our Headstart program, Pre-K classroom and any parent with a child in Kindergarten through 5

th grade. Materials are available for checkout and a certified teacher is also available to discuss

school concerns. Some of the materials that parents can checkout include books on tape, games for learning, and manipulatives for both Reading and Math. Parenting DVDs are also available. Flashcards and workbooks for practice are also available, as well as books for parents, Leapfrog Reading Sets, and leveled books for students. Office materials are provided for use during parent workshops and Title 1 night. The Inventory Display and Management system has been improved this year so that accessibility is more parent friendly. Parents can take Channing Bete brochures and literature related to school concerns and successes including a Good Study Skills pamphlet. Almon C. Hill is a district parent resource center that is also available for our parents use. Chestatee's Parent Involvement Coordinator manages the Parent Resource Room and is available during scheduled hours to assist parents with questions and offer suggestions for activities and ideas to support learning at home. In addition, she also collaborates with other PICs in the county to plan for and implement strategies and/or programs to increase parent involvement. Members of Chestatee's Title 1 staff attend the January Family Engagement Conference and Youth at Risk conference when offered. Chestatee’s Parent Involvement Coordinator also attends PIC meetings with the DOE for collaboration and information gathering. Chestatee’s Parent Advisory Committee and Title 1 Teachers meet to discuss parent needs. The Lead Title 1 Teacher and the Parent Involvement Coordinator meet with them to solicit feedback on events and activities as the year progresses, and to ensure that we are being responsive to our parent population. Parents have participated in the revisions and in the approval of our School wide Title 1 Plan. Parents have been involved in the development and planning. We value their contributions. They will be involved in all future revisions. Chestatee uses a Parent-School Compact, as shown below.




During our first planning session with our Parent Advisory Committee, we work together with our parents to seek input and revise as needed. We have involved parents in the planning, review, and improvement of the Schoolwide Program Plan. During the revision, we share our compact many times and ask for feedback. Parents, students, and teachers all sign the compact, and it is on file at the school. Compacts are also posted on the school webpage for more accessibility. Information that Chestatee Elementary sends home is translated to Spanish to provide equal access to all parents. Invitations to parents’ workshops, compacts, required notifications, PTA communications, and other items are accessible in two languages. Currently, a Title 1 folder is sent home with all participants in the program. The folder includes information for parents and results of individual screenings. The Title 1 folders are sent quarterly. Parents are encouraged to volunteer at Chestatee Elementary and are actively encouraged to volunteer when their schedule allows. Several opportunities exist for parents to become more involved. Watch Dog Dads is a program that asks fathers and father figures to volunteer one day a school year to make a difference in the lives of their children. This program has grown over the last few years and currently involves 80+ participants. Other opportunities exist for moms who routinely volunteer, known as the Chestatee Chicks, which include room parent positions, assisting with small groups, and working in the media center. Many parents volunteer to help during class celebrations as well. Our Chestatee Field Day is a community event and involves the largest number of volunteers at any single event throughout the year. Volunteers are greeted with a light breakfast, supplied with lunch and mailed a personal thank you note to express our gratitude for their devotion to our school. In our Parent Resource Room, materials are available for parents to check out to assist them with academics at home. Also, in the Parent Resource Room, parents are occasionally invited to




come to special sessions for specific activities. During the summer, Chestatee offers a KinderCamp for incoming at risk kindergarteners and their families. Students are selected for the camp based on data gained from our Kindergarten screening in the spring. Transportation is provided on school buses for incoming students and parents. While students attend a kindergarten readiness class, parents receive training on how to make a successful transition into public school. Parents learn about student academic and social expectations and how to support their child for the school year. Several community partnerships support our students. Many churches in the community have made financial donations to the school to assist with food and medical needs. Businesses within the community help to support families by providing school supplies and by funding our Sacks of Love program for children to receive backpacks of food on the weekend. In the spirit of giving, teachers at Chestatee have made special contributions for the families by creating food baskets for the holiday and also serving a Thanksgiving meal to Chestatee parents and children. Chestatee faculty also partners with the YMCA and local churches to support our students with the Christmas Angel tree, buying gifts for needy kids. By addressing our basic needs, we are able to build on academic successes within our community.

7. Plans for assisting preschool children in the transition from early childhood programs,

such as Head Start, Even Start, Early Reading First, or a state-run preschool program, to

local elementary school programs.

Response: Several activities are planned with the purpose of beginning a strong kindergarten year for our pre-

kindergarten students. Two school wide registration days are held for incoming students and parents are welcomed to the building as they complete several pieces of enrollment data. During this time, parents sign up for individual assessment times for their children. Many staff members contribute personal time to accurately get beginning kindergarten assessment data from each student. Parents are invited to several events to assist with the beginning of Kindergarten. A Kindergarten Safari is held in April to familiarize parents with the expectations and requirements for kindergarten. Children are also invited to attend this fun evening and participate in activities designed to excite them about the upcoming school year. Parents are able to ask questions and speak to kindergarten teachers about what an actual day is like for kindergarteners. At this time, all parents are invited to attend our Summer Bus Round Up. Chestatee Elementary pays all bus drivers to participate in a mock bus ride that is held a week before the opening of school. Together, parents and kindergarteners ride the bus to their new school. Meeting the bus driver and having safety conversations are excellent ways to encourage bus ridership. When parents and students arrive at school, they are welcomed with punch and cookies as well as a school tee shirt that displays the year they will graduate from high school, all of which are provided by our community business partners.

Chestatee Round-up for Kindergarten Families

Through the use of our data from screening new students, we are able to identify at risk students who would benefit from more preparation for the school year. A Kinder Camp is held for students and their parents to attend during the summer. This camp involves exciting readiness activities as well as parent education components. The camp has a bilingual instructor to assist with access to all information for all parents and students. Parents are provided with ideas and strategies for using everyday common objects for teaching an academic skill.




Chestatee also provides a site for housing a Head Start Program. Currently we have two classes on campus serving 30 students. Enrollment for this program is managed by Ninth District Opportunity. Head Start admission is based on need and families qualify for the program based on income guidelines. The program has strong parent resource components, and the school social worker partners with Ninth District to help identify Chestatee families who are the best candidates for these programs. Our Parent Resource Room and Parent Involvement Coordinator are accessible for parents with students in the Headstart and Pre-K programs. The goal of a successful transition to middle school is of utmost importance for all fifth grade students. Beginning in the spring of the 5

th grade year, middle school band and chorus members conduct performances here on the Chestatee

campus for our students. Additionally, the Chestatee Chorus, composed of 4th and 5

th grade students, is invited to perform

at the middle school by singing the National Anthem before one of their basketball games. Students are encouraged to consider the choices that they will make on their schedule for the coming school year. Informative parent nights are held at both middle schools into which Chestatee feeds so that parents can become familiar with the options that students may have.

Chestatee Chorus performs at Little Mill Middle School

Teachers of elementary school, counselors, and assistant principals of middle and elementary school meet to discuss placement options for all students academically. In particular, special education students will have transition IEP meetings to guarantee continued delivery of appropriate services. During 5

th grade graduation, a middle school principal will attend and speak to the students and families about what the

upcoming year will entail. Little Mill Middle School collaborates with Chestatee during the Spring to fill out the TINA survey for students coming to their campus the next fall. The bridge between both schools has been built to ensure a continued story of success for all students.




Chestatee KinderCamp 2015

8. Measures to include teachers in the decisions regarding the use of academic assessments

described in Section 1111(b)(3) in order to provide information on, and to improve, the

achievement of individual students and the overall instructional program.

Response: Instructional Support Teams (ISTs) hold meetings every two weeks; during these meetings teachers are actively involved in reviewing and analyzing data on targeted students. Members of the teams include all certified teachers at Chestatee, divided by grade levels. There are six team leaders who facilitate the data process. A team leader will review universal screenings, common assessments, and other data with his/her group to identify students that struggle and collaboratively plan appropriate interventions. By working as a team, teachers share ideas and plan together for the most at risk population. Prior to each meeting, data is collected for the students that are identified as Tier 2, or IST students and is input into RTI desktop. By reviewing and tracking the data as a group, the team can determine the success of the intervention and if needed, modify the interventions to meet the needs of the student. Students that show little to no progress with IST are referred on to the Student Support Team, or SST. This team, which includes a School Psychologist, Assistant Principal, Social Worker, and parent works together to identify a more intensive intervention approach.




In addition, teachers use recommended interventions during Eagle Time, our school wide Response to Intervention (RTI) time. This half hour, scheduled four days a week, Tuesday through Thursday, is designed for all students to receive needed research-based strategies, interventions, and programs. The formation of the groups is led by teachers and administrators who are addressing the needs as identified through analysis of multiple data. Interventions are provided for reading, math, writing, and behavior needs. Chestatee also provides several enrichment opportunities to address the needs of our higher performing students including the Eagle Eye, our school newspaper, and two STEM like groups which allows our Science Olympiad and Robotics students’ time to engage in hands on activities and prepare for competition in the Science Olympiad and First Lego League events. Within our classrooms, teachers have been very responsive to the needs of their developing readers. Chestatee supports the Fountas and Pinnell leveling system for guided reading. Our teachers conduct these formative assessments three times a year, or as needed, and place students on their instructional level from A-Z. Small guided reading groups are formed to instruct children on their levels with the goal of increasing a student’s ability to comprehend and read fluently. Movement among the groups is led by teacher decision- making when needed. These practices have been in place at Chestatee for many years, and now are being used for our SLO measure for grades K-3. An Interim Assessment is given to all students in second through fifth grades in Forsyth County. The subject areas are reading/language arts and math. Teachers analyze the results of these assessments to plan instructional strategies that target identified weaknesses for students. Assistant Principals lead their teams in addressing student needs as identified through this common assessment. Potential candidates for our Learning Academy, an after school tutoring program, can be identified by an analysis of weaknesses in Interims in conjunction with classroom performance, and standardized report card grades. In addressing the needs identified in our school improvement goal, teachers work in grade level data teams to analyze math data on a regular basis. Teachers collaborate on various strategies to enhance the instruction to meet the needs of struggling learners. They also respond to higher performing students by brainstorming ways to challenge this student population.

9. Activities to ensure that students who experience difficulty mastering the proficient or

advanced levels of academic achievement standards required by Section 1111(b)(1) shall be provided with




effective, timely additional assistance, which shall include measures to ensure that students’ difficulties are

identified on a timely basis and to provide sufficient information on which to base effective assistance.

Response: We are providing activities to ensure that students who experience difficulty mastering proficient or advanced

levels of academic achievement standards shall be provided with effective, timely assistance. Students that are shown to have difficulties in school are invited to join a program of assistance. This program could be EIP (Early Intervention Program) or Title 1. Both programs serve students in Reading/ELA and Math. Through identification from the TINA multiple criteria, students are served in pullout or inclusive small groups to support student needs toward making academic gains in needed areas. To participate in these programs, parents must provide permission to participate. Parents are informed of eligibility from Chestatee staff members at the beginning of each semester. In addition, students that qualify from our multiple criteria sheet can also be offered after school tutoring opportunities to strengthen academic weaknesses in reading and math. Chestatee supports a Math Masters and Reading Rockets initiative to support struggling math and reading students once a week beginning in October and running through December. Additionally, a Learning Academy for students in grades 3-5 is conducted twice weekly for a 9-week period prior to the state testing. During this time, students receive help in the targeted areas of reading or math, or both, where needed. Periodic training for teachers in the identification of weaknesses and appropriate assistance for the identified weaknesses is ongoing. The IST team actively monitors the progress of students to ensure that children who need assistance receive it in a timely manner. The IST team meets every other week to review student progress and to update the role of any needed interventions. Ongoing monthly training is provided to the IST team leaders. They in turn teach their grade level teams about interventions and monitoring. Those teacher leaders guide and train their specific teams to become highly effective in identifying student needs and determining appropriate interventions. The collaborative power of teams of teachers working together ensures that all students’ needs are met. Students carry communication to their parents in the schoolwide gold folder. This folder is sent back and forth daily, and student work samples are sent home weekly. Students who participate in support programs have their progress monitoring data sent to their parents quarterly through Title folders to inform parents of gains that are being achieved. The progress monitoring is consistently done with probes from FAST Bridge. Multiple days are set aside for parent -teacher conferences in October and March. During these conferences, information is shared including what the school will do to assist the students, what the parents can do to help the students, and what additional assistance is available at the school and in the community. Teachers also share data from the County Interims to inform parents of targeted areas for improvement or strength areas in which the child should be challenged. Parents are encouraged to meet personally with teams of teachers that work with their child; however, teachers will schedule a phone conference if parents have difficulty leaving work and getting to campus. The school will procure the services of translators if additional Spanish- speaking adults are needed to facilitate conferences. During parent- teacher conferences, teachers will share up- to- date performance levels, answer questions and concerns from families, and share information about how parents can support their students’ learning at home. Parents are encouraged to visit the Parent Resource Room at this time to check out Title 1 materials for use with their children at home.




Progress within all academic programs is communicated with a standards- based report card; these are distributed to parents on a quarterly basis. Parent -teacher conferences are scheduled each semester for conversations to be held with families about student progress. Translators are available during this time, as well as the support teachers who partner with classroom teachers in discussing strengths and weaknesses. In addition, all Chestatee teachers have a phone line and extension as well as a school email address that are given to the parents of the children they serve. Parents are encouraged to reach out to the school if there are any questions or concerns.

10. Coordination and integration of federal, state, and local services and programs, including

programs supported under this Act, violence prevention programs, nutrition programs,

housing programs, Head Start, adult education, vocational and technical education, and

job training

Response: The table below shows the amounts of each federal fund allocated to the school, illustrating the coordination.

The following federal funds have been allocated to our program.

Chestatee Elementary

2014-2015 Amount

Description of Services

Show how the funds are

coordinated for the improvement of

the entire school.

Title I Title I – A

District:

$2,499,393.00

Parent Involvement

Technology Purchases

After School: Learning

Academy, Math Masters




School Allocation:

$421,843.00

Parent Involvement:

$5,099.00

and Summer Programs:

Kinder Camp, Book Clubs

Professional Learning

Instructional Resources

Resource Materials

Tutors

Transportation for Parents

to Meetings

Parent Training Materials

Teacher salaries

Extended learning

opportunities

Parent Involvement


Resources and Supplies

Transportation, childcare,

and translation services

Parent Academy

Parent Training Programs

Grant Homeless

Grant District:

$40,049.00 Tutors (only in non-Title I

schools) and Tutoring

Supplies

Homeless students school

fees

Calculators for homeless

students

Title II Title II-A District:

$324,683.00 Travel

Registration, materials,

Consultants

Title III Title III-LEP District:

$284,673.00 Translations for

ESOL Program

Tutors, Supplies, Materials


EL Parent Outreach Summer Intervention Materials and Programs for K-12 English Learners

*Services for Immigrant




students and supplemental

instructional resources

(Title III Immigrant Grant)

Migrant Migrant District:

$24,557.00 Supplemental Tutoring

Parent Outreach

(a) List of State and Local Educational agency programs and other Federal Programs that will be included:

*Early Intervention Program *Gifted Program *English Speakers of Other Languages *Migrant Program

(b) Description of how resources from Title 1 and other sources will be used.

State and federal funds are equitably divided and disbursed among all schools in the system in accordance with program requirements and guidelines. Title 1 funds are always used to supplement programs, not supplant. Title 1 funds are used to provide staff, (such as an Instructional Coach, and dedicated teachers to instruct at risk students) to provide small group instruction, provide funds for teachers to work with students in extended day opportunities,(such as After School Tutoring and Summer Programs), assist parents in supporting their children, and provide necessary materials and resources.

(c) The Title I Plan is developed in coordination with other programs. At Chestatee, we have worked hard to

coordinate our plan in conjunction with programs that are available to our school. The consolidated application is

reviewed and revised each year. Each spring, input is gathered from multiple sources including parents,

teachers, paraprofessionals, support staff, and administrators to ensure coordination among programs.

11. Description of how individual student assessment results and interpretation will be provided to parents.

Response: Parents in Forsyth County have access to an online gradebook of information called Parent Portal. Within

this online tool, parents will find all assessment information recorded for students covering their entire school history. Weekly grades are posted for 4

th and 5

th graders, while every child’s report card for k-5 is viewable through Parent

Portal. Parent Portal serves as a great tool for parent communication. Currently,753 Parent Portal accounts have been activated for our student body. Activation is encouraged and promoted through Curriculum Nights and Title I meetings throughout the year. Also available through Parent Portal is access to their child’s individualized goal statement which he/she has added to ITS Learning. Each child, K-5

th, will determine a personalized goal and will post it on line via ITS Learning and will be

viewable by parents through Parent Portal. Teachers also post weekly lesson plans on ITS Learning to provide parents a clear picture of classroom instruction and standards addressed.




Parents receive weekly work samples that are sent home via the Chestatee Daily Gold Folders. Parents have the

opportunity to send communication back to school through this folder if they have any questions about the work that their children are completing.

Students complete both formative and summative work each quarter in all grades. Report cards are shared with parents every nine weeks. Students also take standardized tests in the spring in third through fifth grades. The results from these tests are placed in the report card and sent home at the end of the school year. When communicating information about assessments and report cards, a translation of information into Spanish is included when needed to provide access for all Spanish speakers. There are several forums for parents to receive personal assistance with interpretation of their child’s test scores. During our Family nights, provided by Title 1 teachers, parents are assisted with how to read the test results. When the actual report is received, the message with the scores has been written in language that is easy for parents to interpret. Another opportunity occurs when the principal hosts a Principal Chat meeting and discusses reading test results with parents in attendance.

12. Provisions for the collection and disaggregation of data on the achievement and assessment results of students.

Response: The state of Georgia provides critical information to the schools on student performance. Information on

student performance is collected through the following exams: GKIDS, Georgia Milestones Assessment System and ACCESS. In addition, Forsyth County provides the means for our teachers to analyze data from FAST Bridge and Interim Assessments given twice a year. Using this data, decisions are made for students to participate in needed programs. A review of data is an ongoing process and is always conducted with teachers, parents, and other stakeholders. The new state assessment, Georgia Milestones Assessment System, incorporates writing into the assessment.

13. Provisions to ensure that disaggregated assessment results for each category are valid and

reliable.

Response: Tests administered through the state of Georgia are considered to be valid and reliable. Multiple sources of

data are used to present the most accurate information for each student. Information on Chestatee Elementary School’s test performance is accessible on the Georgia Department of Education website. In addition, it is available on the Forsyth County Schools website. A weekly report of at risk students is generated from several risk factors monitored on Infinite Campus, an online data system. This report is sent to the elementary school administrators by the Forsyth County Schools Central Office to ensure that no student is overlooked for assistance. All stakeholders are made aware of Chestatee’s performance through newsletters and our school’s webpage.




14. Provisions for public reporting of disaggregated data.

Response: There are many ways that the public can increase its awareness of Chestatee’s performance. Through the

use of the Internet, our school’s information on past test performance is posted on the Georgia DOE web site, Forsyth County’s website, and the Chestatee School web page. For parents who do not have access to Internet, paper copies of a school newsletter have been sent home detailing school performance. Forsyth County News also publishes several articles about school performances throughout the year. We also include a verbal reporting of the school’s progress into our parent workshops, principal chats, LSC and PTA meetings, as well as meetings of the Board of Education.

15. Plan developed during a one-year period, unless the LEA, after considering the

recommendation of its technical assistance providers, determines that less time is

needed to develop and implement the schoolwide program

Response: 14. Plan developed during a One- Year Period

The Schoolwide Title 1 Plan was developed during a one-year period and each year the plan is revised. Numerous stakeholders were involved in the writing of the schoolwide plan and the draft of the plan was presented in many forums; feedback, questions, and concerns were solicited. The most recent plan was submitted for state approval in the spring of 2015. Teachers, parents, and the community are asked to participate in the development and revision each year. The plan was revised in February of 2015 in response to needs that were identified during the school year.

16. Plan developed with the involvement of the community to be served and

individuals who will carry out the plan, including teachers, principals, other school staff, and pupil

service personnel, parents, and students (if secondary).

Response: Many stakeholders had input into the schoolwide Title 1 Plan. The Title 1 Plan was presented at many

gatherings: Local School Council, Leadership Team, Parent Workshops, Principal Chats, Volunteer gatherings, and PTA meetings. In addition, parents who wished to view the plan were invited to visit the Parent Resource Room at the school to see the draft that was currently being revised and to offer their comments. An online opportunity was provided for parents to give feedback and suggestions.




17. Plan available to the LEA, parents, and the public.

Response: Copies of the Schoolwide Title 1 Plan are available to the LEA, parents, and public. Chestatee has made the

Schoolwide Title 1 Plan accessible to our stakeholders by having print copies in the Parent Resource Room and front office for viewing and input. The approved Schoolwide Title 1 Plan will be posted on the school web page for viewing and for input for annual revisions. Copies of our approved plan will be available for viewing at the Forsyth County Board of Education Offices on Dahlonega Highway in Cumming, Georgia.

18. Plan translated, to the extent feasible, into any language that a significant

percentage of the parents of participating students in the school speak as their primary language..

Response: Translators are available at Title 1 meetings when discussions of the plan are being held. There are also

several faculty members who are bilingual. When discussion of the plan is held, parents are able to ask questions and give feedback to the same language speakers. If the need arises for a translated copy of the Schoolwide Title 1 Plan, Title funds can be used to accomplish this. At this time, parents have access to our bilingual staff members and will receive answers through their assistance.

19. Plan is subject to the school improvement provisions of Section 1116.

Response: The Title 1 School Improvement Plan supports the School Improvement Plan that is in place. Both are

based on the needs of the students as determined through our assessment data. Both are periodically reviewed and revised. The school’s Leadership Team works in tandem with the Title 1 School Improvement Planning team to ensure




that provisions of Section 1116 are met. The Leadership Team and School Improvement Planning Team will work together to assist students in meeting and achieving state standards.

1120 dahlonega highway cumming, georgia 30040 770-887-2461€¦ · the 2015-2016 school year is...

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