ypsilanti public schools annual report

Ypsilanti Public Schools

Annual Report 2005-2006

Strong from start to fi nish

The miion of the Ypsilanti Public Schools is to prepare all of our students

to be positive, contributing members in a changing sociy.

The distri in partnership with the community will sustain

a safe, caring, learning environment, ich focus

on quality and equity.

“Good and getting better.”It’s a statement I often repeat to describe Ypsilanti Public Schools. We continue to provide a solid education to thousands of students within our district and hun-dreds of students who live outside of our boundaries, who select our district by

choice. But being good should never be the status quo. Our district moniker “Excellence, Tradition, Pride” leads with the word that should always be the goal: Excellence. Excellence is the reason we bolstered the elementary curriculum during the 2005-06 school year, examined the structure of the middle schools and looked for ways to increase the suc-cess rate at the high school. Spanish and drama classes were introduced in all of our elementary schools. Test data for our middle school students was analyzed and teachers and administrators met in small groups to explore ways to raise student achievement. High school reform was launched with as-sistance from the Washtenaw Intermediate School District and included input from parents, students and staff. The driving force behind all of these efforts is helping students to reach their highest potential.Within the pages of this report, you will read about many of the fine programs that are suc-cessfully engaging students in the educational process. Yet there are areas that we recognize need our immediate attention. I assure you that we are actively maneuvering our staff and instruction to lift and challenge all of our students. I look forward to leading our district be-yond good, to reach better until the very best in student success is realized. After all, failure is not an option!

James Hawkins, Ph.D., SuperintendentYpsilanti Public Schools

Technology The groundwork was laid in the 2005-06 school year to link parents with student data, through the use of the Internet. Edline is a user-friendly computer program that allows parents to access their children’s grades, homework assignments and attendance. Ypsilanti Public Schools will be one of the fi rst districts in the region to install this forward-thinking technol-ogy tool. YPS was one of the fi rst, and remains one of the few dis-tricts in the area, to use the Connect-Ed system, a program that combines the use of a computer and telephone to communicate important messages to parents, students and staff. Technology accessibility has been in place for over a decade throughout the district and includes computers, telephones, video monitors and voice amplifi cation systems in every classroom. Mastering technology skills is critical for any future career our students will

pursue and it remains a district priority.

Graduation The Ypsilanti Public Schools Board of Education awarded 249 diplomas during June 2006 graduation exercises. The graduating class included eight valedictorians, one salutatorian and graduates headed off to an array of colleges includ-ing The U.S. Naval Academy, Howard University, the University of Michigan, Michigan State University and Yale University. More YPS graduate success sto-ries will emerge as the district makes adjustments in the curriculum to support and challenge all stu-dents

Dual Enrollment High School students partici-pated in the dual enrollment program that is made possible through the Postsecondary Enrollment Options Act of 1996. This act al-lows high school students to enroll in college level courses for credit. Students may attend classes at Eastern Michigan University or Washtenaw Community College.

Advanced Courses Ypsilanti High School offers advanced placement classes in Chemistry, Calculus, Biology and Humanities.

Retention Rate: Ypsilanti Public Schools is committed to improving the high school graduation rate. The retention rate means the percentage of ninth grad-ers who graduate from high school within four years, adjusting for students who move in and out of the district or have not enrolled in alternative education pro-grams. In 2004-05 the retention rate was 86 percent.

The YPS Board of Education

Andrew Fanta President

Floyd Brumfi eld Vice-President

Amy Doyle Trustee

Cameron Getto Trustee

Kim Hoppe Trustee

Jeff FultonTrustee

Tom Reiber Trustee

Karen Allen Board Secretary

Alan Dowdy Board Treasurer

pursue and it remains a district priority.

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Staff Development Professional development during the 2005-06 school year took on a variety of forms from large instructional sessions to directed colle-gial learning. A special emphasis was placed on Professional Learning Communities. The PLC groups had regular reading assignments to introduce educators to proven methods of instructional strategies to support students

who are currently not meeting academic benchmarks. The PLCs also met to discuss teaching strengths. Teachers in specifi c disciplines also met throughout the year to examine student data and cultivate more effective approaches to improving student achievement. During the 2006-2007 school year, YPS will anchor professional devel-opment around a concept of “Building Professional Learning Communities through the Critical Friends Groups Process.” A Critical Friends Group (CFG – or – PLC = Profes-sional Learning Community) brings together six to ten teachers within a school over at least two years, to help each other look seriously at their own classroom practice and make changes in it. After a solid grounding in group process skills, members fo-cus on designing learning goals for students, which can be stated specifi cally enough that others can observe them in operation. They work out strategies to move stu-dents toward these goals and collect evidence on how those strategies are working. In a structured setting of mutual support and honest critical feedback from trusted peers, they then work to adapt and revise their goals and strategies. CFG members bring to the table student work, teacher lessons and units, case studies of students and classroom dilemmas. Using structures called protocols, CFG members help each other “tune” their practice by analyzing these artifacts and issues.

School Improvement The effective education of our chil-dren is the ultimate goal for the de-velopment of an Ypsilanti School District’s school improvement plan. It ensures the success of all our stu-dents. We, in Ypsilanti Public Schools, believe that a viable curriculum is one that empowers students to learn, teachers to teach, and provides evidence that learning has occurred. It is aligned to state and national standards, is time bound, authentic and useful. It incorporates research-based instructional strategies to im-prove how students learn.

who are currently not meeting academic benchmarks. The PLCs also met to discuss

Th e four basic beliefs b ome the foundation for our dist ri ’s School Improvement

We believe that all students can learn and be prepared for success.

We believe that all students must have equal access to high quality curriculum, instruction and standards.

We believe that all students must be prepared for post-secondary instruction.

We believe the active involvement of the community within the educational process is critical to the development oflife-long learners who are equipped to contribute in our changing world.

We believe that a safe teaching and learning environment is imperative.

We believe that failure is NOT an option.

Core CurriculumYpsilanti Public Schools has done curriculum work in the past that aligned the Michi-gan Curriculum Frameworks to what is taught in each class. This document provides an overview of the MCF for each grade level and each course. Additional work has been done to provide a curriculum-pacing guide for elementary teachers. A new process of curriculum mapping has begun in the schools. The focus of that work is to provide a clearly focused, time-bound, curriculum that provides:

• Essential Questions • Big Ideas • Grade Level Content Expectations

• Course Content Expectations • Assessments • Skills • Content

• Vocabulary• Resources • Teaching Strategies

Our evidence of the curriculum being taught is provided through improving stu-dent achievement and teacher dialogue about teaching and learning in a variety of CFG groups.

Qualifi ed and Certifi ed TeachersThe Ypsilanti Public Schools’ Human Resources Depart-ment worked diligently with the teaching staff to bring all teachers into compliance with the federal Highly Qualifi ed mandate, under No Child Left Behind. All students are re-ceiving instruction in their core classes from Highly Quali-fi ed teachers. All teachers are state certifi ed.

1%

66%

33%Teachers with Bachelor’s Degrees 33%

Teachers with Master’s Degrees 66%

Teachers with Doctorates 1%

Fast Facts

School Improvement PlanningIn the 2006-2007 school year we will use a model of school im-provement that we refer to as the “Schmoker” model. This model comes from the Results Fieldbook by Mike Schmoker and shows how specifi c districts used this model to close the achievement gap and make remarkable im-provements in student achieve-ment. It has been shown that those results are replicable when an entire staff works together on a specifi c goal.

AccreditationThe passage of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 has mandated that public ed-ucation across the United States work to ensure that all children have a fair, equal and signifi cant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education. Education Yes! is the accreditation system for the State of Michigan. The primary standards are:

• All Michigan students will ex perience a year of academic growth for a year of instruction

• All Michigan high school students, in addition to demonstrating high academic achievement, will have an educational development lan leading them to be prepared for succ .

Each school will receive a composite school grade. Schools receiving an “A”, “B” or “C” will be accredited. Schools that receive “D-Alert” will be accredited condition-ally. Schools receiving a summary grade of “F” will be unaccredited. These grades will be used to prioritize the assistance and interventions to improve student achievement for under performing schools.

School Grade Made AYPAdams Academy C YesChapelle Community C YesErickson Elementary A YesEstabrook Elementary B YesPerry CDC no grade YesEast Middle School C YesWest Middle School C YesYpsilanti High School C No

Step 1: Test Score Disaggregation – Plan

Step 2: Time Line Development – Plan

Step 3: Instructional Focus – Do

Step 4: Assessment – Check

Step 5: Tutorials AND

Step 6: Enrichment – ACT (Second chances and incentives)

Step 7: Maintenance – Check

Step 8: Monitoring – Check

Step 9: Celebrate Success Repeat the Cycle

Steps in the model are:

DISTRICT - MATH

Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8CLASS

OF 2006

LEVEL 1 39.20% 25.00% 19.00% 12.90% 12.70% 14.50% 7.73%

LEVEL 2 42.60% 45.80% 37.70% 30.20% 31.10% 21.00% 36.48%

LEVEL 3 18.10% 23.30% 32.50% 37.50% 34.60% 32.20% 17.60%

LEVEL 4 0.00% 5.90% 10.70% 19.40% 21.60% 32.20% 38.20%

DISTRICT - READING


OF 2006

LEVEL 1 18.90% 15.20% 16.30% 16.10% 10.30% 7.70% 3.07%

LEVEL 2 59.50% 56.70% 53.40% 48.40% 51.40% 47.80% 59.65%

LEVEL 3 15.90% 23.90% 17.90% 22.70% 17.70% 19.00% 22.81%

LEVEL 4 5.70% 4.20% 12.40% 12.70% 20.60% 25.50% 14.47%

DISTRICT - WRITING


OF 2006

LEVEL 1 4.50% 2.00% 2.40% 5.30% 0.00% 2.40% 2.17%

LEVEL 2 42.00% 46.00% 57.80% 55.90% 55.40% 48.50% 44.78%

LEVEL 3 40.20% 46.00% 34.70% 33.20% 35.30% 33.10% 40.00%

Fast Facts

Made AYP

Number of schools: Nine

Number of district employees: 661

Number of years educating children: Over 150

Top honor: Superintendent Dr. James Hawkins was named the 2006 “Outstanding Communicator” by the National School Public Relations Association

General Fund Expenditures* Year Ending June 30, 2006Instruction and Pupil-related 81.99%General Administration 1.71%Operations and Transportation 16.19%Other 0.10%

Total General Fund Expenditures: $50,337,155

*The information contained in this chart has not been audited. An audited fi nancial statement will be presented to the Board of Education in October 2006.

Safe Schools Program and Wellness initiativeThe YPS Safe Schools Program was tapped to work in conjunction with Eastern Michigan University to train students in emergency preparedness. Community Emer-gency Response Team (C.E.R.T.) was made possible through a Homeland Security Grant and students from the Forest Avenue School were trained to respond to fi re, disasters, kidnappings and terrorist attacks. SSP also assisted with updating the Emergency Pro-cedures manual that is distributed to all teaching staff in the district. Other SSP initiatives include: Proj-ect 9-1-1, teaching elementary children the importance of using but not abusing the call for help; Stranger Danger, Internet safety, school bus safety, substance abuse prevention, bike safety and many other programs that promote positive choices.At the close of the 2005-06 school year, the Board of Education approved a new Well-ness Policy. A committee comprised of staff, parents, health and education profession-als along with community leaders, met during the school year to develop the policy. The policy encompasses menu selections that will offer more fruits and vegetables, a greater emphasis on physical activity and nutrition and educating students and staff about the importance of making healthy lifestyle choices.

Parent Involvement Ypsilanti Public Schools is a member of the National Partnership of Schools, an organization that supports active parent involvement. Parents are engaged in every level of the educational process, from classroom support to decision-making through parent/teacher organizations. A district-wide PTO group was launched in the winter of 2006 and communication efforts from school to home were further enhanced. The district also supports the Dads Are Doing Something (DADS) program and adult males perform a number of visible tasks from student mentoring to assist-ing with graduation exercises.

Perry Child Development CenterPerry teachers strive to provide a devel-opmentally appro-priate program that will give every child a strong academic start to their experience with Ypsilanti Public Schools. The school made history when it converted from a full elementary school to an all-kindergarten

focus in 1976. When the new school was completed in 1986, the school again garnered national attention. The award-winning architectural design features classroom lofts, child-sized drinking fountains and win-dows, an enclosed playground and nature courtyard and spacious multi-purpose playrooms. Today, in addition to full and half day kindergarten

sessions, Perry has a growing pre-school program and literacy academy for grades 1-2. Perry is a Reading First school and blocks of each day are dedicated to de-veloping the necessary literacy skills to become successful readers and writers. Many schools around the nation have modeled their early childhood educa-tion programs after Perry and the school remains a popular choice with parents.

Accreditation Status Perry is a North Central Association accredited school and met Adequate Yearly Progress.

School Improvement PlanThe school administration embarked on a revised school improvement process that included organizing a fresh team, comprised of staff and parents, to put a plan in motion. Using the Michigan School Improve-ment model as a guide, the team reviewed student data to establish goals for the school year. The goals set forth were: Improved math prob-lem solving, vocabulary, reading and writing skills.

Parents: Partners in EducationParents or other adult family members are encouraged to volunteer in whatever way suits their schedules. Family volunteers are critical to the planning and implementation of special events, classroom activities and lunchroom and playground supervision. The school has a Parent Advi-sory Board that guides many of the school’s special events.

Sp ial honors and programs Partnerships with the Washtenaw Intermediate School District Recipient of the Reading First grant Participant with Washtenaw First Steps program Hosts parent workshops

Average Class Size: 23Parent Conference Attendance: 97%

Literacy AcademyKindergarten

Pre-School550 Perry St. (734) 714-1750

Principal: Sharine Buddin

This school continues to evolve as the district’s sole academy that is creatively mak-ing the core disciplines a part of every classroom experience. The infl ux of technology driven industries in the local sector makes this academy uniquely positioned to give students a sound foundation for their future. Utilizing diverse instructional methods and capitalizing on the school’s Discovery Center, students become stimulated and con-fi dent learners. The school name states the obvious emphasis with room to explore the arts, providing students with a well-rounded and balanced education.

Accreditation Status Adams Academy successfully completed the fi fth year of a fi ve-year cycle to receive North Central Association accreditation.Adams Academy made Adequate Yearly ProgressEducation YES! Grade: C

School Improvement PlanMEAP and other test scores along with classroom assessments were analyzed to deter-mine student progress in relations to the Michigan Learning Benchmarks. The results helped to tailor the educational focus to raise student achievement. Grade level and cross-curricular teams monitored student progress and provided strategies throughout the school year. Comprehensive plans have been formulated for the 2006-07 school year and some of the goals are: Improve writing skills across the curriculum, increase mastery of all math facts and continue to improve reading skills.

Parents: Partners in EducationAdams Academy realized an increase in parent participation in the Parent Teacher Advisory Group and the organization had a productive and busy schedule. The PTAG hosted several fund raisers that provided incentives for students including: A limousine ride to Border’s Books for top classroom readers, end-of the month good behavior assemblies and the purchase of “Study Island” a student skill building Web site that school staff and par-ents can access. The organization also coordinated the dissemination of information to parents on a variety of topics from parenting skills to sup-porting their children in the classroom. Recognizing that transportation can be an obstacle for parent participation, the PTAG forged an alliance with Blue Cab Company to provide rides for parents to attend conferences. Twenty families took advantage of this opportunity. Adams PTAG members serve on the school and district improvement committees and the group has set a goal to establish a parent center for the 2006-07 school year. Fol-lowing is the school’s Parent Involvement Policy:

Adams Academy of Math, Science and Technology

ADAMS - MATH - GRADE 4 W 2005 F 2005LEVEL 1 1.80% 16.90%

LEVEL 2 36.80% 43.10%

LEVEL 3 49.10% 30.80%

LEVEL 4 12.30% 9.20%

ADAMS - READING - GRADE 4 W 2005 F 2005LEVEL 1 5.60% 9.20%

LEVEL 2 66.70% 53.80%

LEVEL 3 24.10% 30.80%

LEVEL 4 3.70% 6.20%

ADAMS - WRITING - GRADE 4 W 2005 F 2005LEVEL 1 0.00% 0.00%

LEVEL 2 57.40% 40.00%

LEVEL 3 33.30% 43.10%

LEVEL 4 9.30% 16.90%

ADAMS - ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS - GRADE 4 W 2005 F 2005

LEVEL 1 0.00% 1.50%

LEVEL 2 59.30% 53.80%

LEVEL 3 35.20% 33.80%

LEVEL 4 5.60% 10.80%

ADAMS - SCIENCE - GRADE 5 W 2005 F 2005LEVEL 1 54.30% 13.60%

LEVEL 2 26.10% 37.90%

LEVEL 3 19.60% 40.90%

LEVEL 4 0.00% 7.60%

503 Oak Street (734) 714-1650Principal: Tulani Smith

Grad 1-5

Adams Academy of Math, Science & T hnology Parent Involvement PolicyThe community of Adams Academy believes that ex-cellence in education requires the shared efforts and active participation of the students, the family and the

school system. We are committed to providing an atmosphere that refl ects mutual involvement and dedication to learning. For children to develop to the fullest potential, we understand the school is responsible for the suitability and success of programs offered and for the incorpora-tion of new ideas and technology.

Parent involvement is crucial for continuous improvement of programs. A partnership that meets the needs of the families, school and communities requires a comprehensive and meaningful partnership. To that end we will incorporate opportunities for parental involvement that foster: Communication, Volunteering, Parenting, Learning/Homework Support, Community Resources and Decision Making. Developed March 2006.

Sp ial Honors and Programs Partnerships with Eastern Michigan University, the University of Michigan and Concordia College The “Living Museum of African-American History” debuted, capitalizing on Black History Month to highlight African-American science, math and technology pioneers

Average Class Size: 23Parent Conference Attendance: 89.5%

ADAMS - GRADE 5 Math Reading Writing ELALEVEL 1 7.60% 9.10% 3.00% 6.10%

LEVEL 2 30.30% 56.10% 48.50% 51.50%

LEVEL 3 50.00% 18.20% 45.50% 36.40%

LEVEL 4 12.10% 16.70% 3.00% 6.10%

ADAMS - GRADE 3 Math Reading Writing ELALEVEL 1 23.30% 18.30% 5.00% 6.70%

LEVEL 2 45.00% 45.00% 21.70% 51.70%

LEVEL 3 31.70% 26.70% 56.70% 25.00%

LEVEL 4 0.00% 10.00% 16.70% 16.70%

3rd grade by level 1 & 2 % Reading Writing Total ELA MathTotal Students 63% 27% 58% 68%

African Amer. 65% 25% 58% 69%

Caucasian 50% 20% 50% 60%

Econ. Dis. Yes 63% 28% 59% 67%

Spec. Ed. yes 18% 9% 9% 45%

4th grade by level 1 & 2 % Reading Writing Total ELA MathTotal Students 63% 40% 55% 60%

African Amer. 49% 22% 35% 49%

Caucasian 79% 63% 79% 75%

Econ. Dis. Yes 55% 34% 49% 51%

Spec. Ed. yes 15% 0% 0% 8%


African Amer. 61% 58% 61% 34%

Caucasian 90% 50% 70% 55%

Econ. Dis. Yes 60% 56% 56% 36%

Spec. Ed. yes 10% 10% 0% 20%

State Targets 49% 56%

school system. We are committed to providing an atmosphere that refl ects mutual involvement

111 S. Wallace St. (734) 714-1700Principal: Joe Guillen

Chapelle Community School

Staff and parents rallied to include the word “community” in the school’s name, with the belief that it was natural for the name to refl ect the attitude and atmosphere of the Normal Park Neighborhood elementary school. This, in part, was initiated because of the active parent group that solidifi ed its existence with a formal Parent Participation/Involvement program in 1996. Since then, the Chapelle Community School staff has de-veloped relationships with local businesses and service organizations. These ties have strengthened the bond between the various stakeholders, allowing students to learn

civic responsibility along with practic-ing classroom skills as they relate to real life events.

Accreditation Status Chapelle is a North Central Associa-tion accredited school and made Ad-equate Yearly Progress Michigan YES! Grade: C

School Improvement PlanAt the start of the 2005-06 school year the Chapelle staff reviewed test and assessment data to determine student’s greatest academic needs. Grade level teams were formed to focus on the objectives to raise student achievement in the four core academic areas. Tests were administered and weekly strategies were implemented, addressing an objec-tive that was singled out for emphasis. The objective was addressed until students had mastered the skill. After a period of weeks the team would identify a different objective and repeat the process. This “student need” initiative was a different approach from the previous year, and gave teachers more current and accurate feedback to guide teaching practices. This plan was embraced by the teaching staff as it provided relevant and immediate data on each student and built cohesion among the staff.

Parents: Partners in EducationChapelle has an active Parent Advisory Board responsible for coordinating a number of events that draw parents to the school for positive interac-tion with their children and the school’s staff. Some of the events include: Annual Spring Carnival and Flower Sale, Family Ball, Student Talent Show and Celebration of Diversity dinner. Chapelle also secures the services of two parent coordinators responsible for cultivating parental involvement and hosting workshops to benefi t the school-home relationship.

CHAPELLE - MATH - GRADE 4 W 2005 F 2005LEVEL 1 23.80% 15.10%

LEVEL 2 42.90% 47.20%

LEVEL 3 23.80% 32.10%

LEVEL 4 9.50% 5.70%

CHAPELLE - READING - GRADE 4 W 2005 F 2005LEVEL 1 23.80% 3.80%

LEVEL 2 59.50% 69.80%

LEVEL 3 11.90% 20.80%

LEVEL 4 4.80% 5.70%

CHAPELLE - WRITING - GRADE 4 W 2005 F 2005LEVEL 1 11.90% 0.00%

LEVEL 2 47.60% 32.10%

LEVEL 3 38.10% 62.30%

LEVEL 4 2.40% 5.70%

CHAPELLE - ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS - GRADE 4 W 2005 F 2005

LEVEL 1 11.90% 0.00%

LEVEL 2 59.50% 66.00%

LEVEL 3 28.60% 28.30%

LEVEL 4 0.00% 5.70%

CHAPELLE - SCIENCE - GRADE 5 W 2005 F 2005LEVEL 1 22.00% 17.40%

LEVEL 2 44.10% 39.10%

LEVEL 3 32.20% 28.30%

LEVEL 4 1.70% 15.20%

111 S. Wallace St. (734) 714-1700

Grad 1-5

CHAPELLE - GRADE 5 Math Reading Writing ELALEVEL 1 23.90% 32.60% 2.20% 15.20%

LEVEL 2 34.80% 26.10% 56.50% 41.30%

LEVEL 3 17.40% 17.40% 28.30% 28.30%

LEVEL 4 23.90% 23.90% 13.00% 15.20%

CHAPELLE - GRADE 3 Math Reading Writing ELALEVEL 1 39.30% 12.70% 0.00% 1.80%

LEVEL 2 32.10% 56.40% 20.00% 54.50%

LEVEL 3 28.60% 20.00% 52.70% 29.10%

LEVEL 4 0.00% 10.90% 27.30% 14.50%


African Amer. 62% 15% 51% 64%

Caucasian 85% 23% 62% 85%

Econ. Dis. Yes 69% 15% 54% 70%

Spec. Ed. yes 18% 0% 9% 9%


African Amer. 69% 28% 64% 51%

Caucasian < 10 < 10 < 10 < 10

Econ. Dis. Yes 66% 31% 59% 55%

Spec. Ed. yes 0% 0% 0% 0%


African Amer. 56% 53% 53% 50%

Caucasian 64% 71% 64% 79%

Econ. Dis. Yes 52% 52% 48% 55%

Spec. Ed. yes 0% 10% 0% 0%


Sp ial Honors and ProgramsThe Chapelle staff received the United Way Silver Award for being the top building contributors in the district

Students hosted a Math-a-Thon fund raiser to benefi t St. Jude Children’s Hospital Students collected funds for a variety of charities including the local Red Cross, Hurricane Katrina victims, canned goods for the needy and pennies to benefi t the operation of Ypsilanti’s Rutherford Pool.


Erickson staff has sculpted a multicultural and economically diverse student population into a high performing school. The word excellence is emphasized in daily announcements and students understand that there are high expectations for their academic and behav-ioral performance. The school was singled out for a visit by Dan Mulhern, fi rst Gentleman of Michigan, because of the student’s literacy achievements. Positive relationship building and high instructional standards has given Erickson students an educational edge.

Accreditation Status Erickson Elementary met Annual Yearly Progress and successfully completed the North Central Association Outcomes accreditationEducation YES! Grade: A

School Improvement PlanThe School staff set high goals and the resulting Education YES! grade refl ects the success of the plan. Improved reading skills, with a focus on fl uency and comprehension, was achieved through block reading groups. Grades 1-3 spent two hours each morning while grades 4-5 read for 90 minutes. This effort was supported by a Literacy Coach and student progress was monitored using Houghton-Miffl in materials and Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) results. Students who lagged behind the state benchmarks were provided with extended learning opportunities includ-ing America Reads tutoring after school. The second goal for the school was to improve writing skills and this was accomplished using a variety of writing programs and Best Practices strategies. Some of the writing exercises students were expected to complete were: taking a position and defending it, writing with details and comparing two stories for a common theme. The third goal was improving math skills. Each day students in all grades completed 90 minutes of math instruction. The instruc-tion was scrutinized regularly and the use of manipulatives along with games was incorporated. The fi nal goal was to close the achievement gap between African American and Caucasian children. Re-lationship building, understanding the home environment, offering after school tutoring, summer school options and encouraging participation in after school enrichment clubs were some of the effective means used in pursuing this goal.

Parents: Partners in EducationFor the past several years, feedback from parents has been solicited in order to better understand whether Erickson was meeting the needs of its stakeholders. An example of the latest school report card from parents, collected during National African American Parent Involvement Day in February, 2006, highlights the feedback garnered from parents. The results show that 92% of parents responding felt their child’s experience at Erickson was good/excellent; 97% felt that the quality of instruction was good/

ERICKSON - MATH - GRADE 4 W 2005 F 2005LEVEL 1 22.00% 31.00%

LEVEL 2 48.80% 51.70%

LEVEL 3 29.30% 14.90%

LEVEL 4 0.00% 2.30%

ERICKSON - READING - GRADE 4 W 2005 F 2005LEVEL 1 20.00% 18.20%

LEVEL 2 65.00% 56.80%

LEVEL 3 15.00% 25.00%

LEVEL 4 0.00% 0.00%

ERICKSON - WRITING - GRADE 4 W 2005 F 2005LEVEL 1 0.00% 2.30%

LEVEL 2 32.50% 48.90%

LEVEL 3 50.00% 46.60%

LEVEL 4 17.50% 2.30%

ERICKSON - ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS - GRADE 4 W 2005 F 2005

LEVEL 1 0.00% 6.80%

LEVEL 2 62.50% 59.10%

LEVEL 3 35.00% 33.00%

LEVEL 4 2.50% 1.10%

ERICKSON - SCIENCE - GRADE 5 W 2005 F 2005LEVEL 1 15.40% 14.30%

LEVEL 2 72.30% 50.80%

LEVEL 3 10.80% 34.90%

LEVEL 4 1.50% 9.00%

1427 Levona St. (734) 714-1600Principal: Kevin Carney

Erickson Elementary School 1427 Levona St. (734) 714-1600

Grad 1-5

ERICKSON - GRADE 5 Math Reading Writing ELALEVEL 1 25.40% 14.50% 4.80% 9.70%

LEVEL 2 46.00% 61.30% 72.60% 71.00%

LEVEL 3 25.40% 19.40% 17.70% 14.50%

LEVEL 4 3.20% 4.80% 4.80% 4.80%

excellent; 83% felt that the communication was good/excellent. Collecting this information supports the staff’s perception that the community is pleased with student progress.Parents are encouraged to attend monthly Parent Ad-visory Board meetings and present their views on school subjects and to brainstorm ways to reach solutions that benefi t the learning commu-nity. Parents assist with fund-raising efforts that benefi t in the purchase of materials for the classroom, after school tutoring, clubs, and recogni-tion for students. Parent vol-

unteers are evident in classrooms, fi eld trips, evening concerts and recognition programs. As school stakeholders, parents also participate in formulating school improvement goals.

Sp ial Honors and Programs Nominated for the Robert and Patricia Muth Excellence in Leadership Award The school’s AYP status garnered a visit from Governor Jennifer Granholm’s husband, Dan Mulhern An offi cer at the Michigan Department of School Improvement invited Erickson to apply for the National School Change Award from Fordham University Erickson music teacher Crystal Harding won the Ypsilanti Area Chamber of Commerce E3 Award - (Exemplary Educational Endeavors Award) Student art ornaments was selected for display in Michigan’s Capitol building and the Governor’s residence during the holidays Erickson received the “Best School Lunch” Award from a local radio station.

Average Class Size: 23Parent Conference Attendance: 92.4%

unteers are evident in classrooms, fi eld trips, evening concerts and recognition programs. As

ERICKSON - GRADE 3 Math Reading Writing ELALEVEL 1 36.30% 17.50% 6.30% 6.30%

LEVEL 2 50.00% 67.50% 57.50% 75.00%

LEVEL 3 13.80% 13.80% 26.30% 18.80%

LEVEL 4 0.00% 1.30% 10.00% 0.00%

3rd grade by level 1 & 2 % Reading Writing Total ELA Math

Total Students 85% 64% 81% 86%

African Amer. 78% 59% 78% 76%

Caucasian 90% 67% 83% 95%

Econ. Dis. Yes 88% 60% 81% 85%

Spec. Ed. yes 68% 52% 64% 72%


African Amer. 73% 52% 64% 82%

Caucasian 80% 50% 73% 85%

Econ. Dis. Yes 63% 47% 53% 76%

Spec. Ed. yes 28% 22% 22% 56%


African Amer. 68% 70% 70% 56%

Caucasian 88% 88% 96% 96%

Econ. Dis. Yes 66% 66% 71% 58%

Spec. Ed. yes 33% 58% 50% 25%


1555 W. Cross St. (734) 714-1900Principal: Pat De Rossett

Estabrook Elementary School

The classroom experience at Estabrook is further en-hanced with an energetic after school enrichment schedule. Students have options to improve their pub-lic speaking abilities through the Oratorical Society, dig into history with the Civil War club, express creative fl air through the Sewing Club or the High-5 Writers Club, ex-periment with the Lab Rats Science Club, get in shape with the Basketball Club or bone up on their math skills through the Eastern Michigan University sponsored Math Club. The school is within walking distance of EMU and that close proximity has spawned many partner-ships and collaborative efforts. Students at Estabrook not only receive a solid education but have numerous

opportunities to explore their interests in a nurturing environment.

Accreditation Status Estabrook met Annual Yearly Progress and successfully completed the North Central As-sociation Outcomes accreditation. Estabrook has been NCA accredited for 13 years.Education YES! Grade: B

School Improvement PlanThe staff set forth the goal to improve all students’ ability to write clearly and concisely when problem solving; increase student knowledge and understanding of the Core Democratic Values of Common Good and Individual Rights to real world situations and; all students will improve informational reading in all curricular areas.

Parents: Partners in EducationA dedicated parent core is responsible for a variety of Estabrook successes, from class-room assistants to organizing one of the largest school-based carnivals in the area. The active PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) supports an array of school programs including the book fair, school store, computer centers, career and cultural education, the Michigan Bee, Social Studies bowl and more. Parents are encouraged to be involved and Estabrook offers a variety of ways for parents to be an active participate in their child’s education.

555 W. Cross St. (734) 714-1900

Grad 1-5

ESTABROOK - MATH - GRADE 4 W 2005 F 2005

LEVEL 1 25.00% 31.30%

LEVEL 2 40.40% 41.00%

LEVEL 3 30.80% 20.50%

LEVEL 4 3.80% 7.20%

ESTABROOK - READING - GRADE 4 W 2005 F 2005

LEVEL 1 22.00% 24.10%

LEVEL 2 52.00% 50.60%

LEVEL 3 20.00% 19.30%

LEVEL 4 6.00% 6.00%

ESTABROOK - WRITING - GRADE 4 W 2005 F 2005

LEVEL 1 2.00% 0.00%

LEVEL 2 33.30% 54.20%

LEVEL 3 58.80% 42.20%

LEVEL 4 5.90% 3.60%

ESTABROOK - ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS - GRADE 4 W 2005 F 2005

LEVEL 1 4.00% 3.60%

LEVEL 2 62.00% 61.40%

LEVEL 3 28.00% 31.30%

LEVEL 4 6.00% 3.60%

ESTABROOK - SCIENCE - GRADE 5 W 2005 F 2005

LEVEL 1 30.20% 27.30%

LEVEL 2 47.60% 44.20%

LEVEL 3 20.60% 22.10%

LEVEL 4 1.60% 6.50%

ESTABROOK - GRADE 5 Math Reading Writing ELA

LEVEL 1 20.80% 14.30% 4.80% 2.60%

LEVEL 2 39.00% 61.00% 0.00% 67.50%

LEVEL 3 32.50% 16.90% 54.50% 26.00%

LEVEL 4 7.80% 7.80% 42.90% 3.90%

Sp ial Honors and Programs Completed the fi rst year of the Instructional Consultation Team Model, the goal to increase and enhance student and staff learning and performance through curriculum based assessment and collaboration School curriculum includes accelerated reading and math programs along with STRIVE (for gifted and talented students grades 3-5) Received third place and “Best Sportsmanship” honors in the Washtenaw Elementary Science Olympiad Second grade teacher Stacey Cherry was named “Teacher of the Year” by the Ypsilanti Wal-Mart store The Jump Rope for Heart program raised over $6,000 and in May the school was given the Silver Award from the American Heart Association The school’s Student Council rallied students to raise over $750 for the “Warm the Children” program that benefi ts needy children Partnership with EMU


ESTABROOK GRADE 3 Math Reading Writing ELALEVEL 1 57.40% 26.50% 5.90% 17.60%

LEVEL 2 39.70% 64.70% 60.30% 64.70%

LEVEL 3 2.90% 5.90% 30.90% 14.70%

LEVEL 4 0.00% 2.90% 2.90% 2.90%


African Amer. 86% 58% 75% 94%

Caucasian 96% 79% 89% 100%

Econ. Dis. Yes 90% 48% 76% 97%

Spec. Ed. yes < 10 < 10 < 10 < 10


African Amer. 69% 44% 52% 60%

Caucasian 89% 75% 89% 93%

Econ. Dis. Yes 63% 40% 48% 58%

Spec. Ed. yes 40% 20% 20% 33%


African Amer. 68% 50% 63% 38%

Caucasian 83% 57% 77% 83%

Econ. Dis. Yes 65% 55% 65% 45%

Spec. Ed. yes 45% 45% 45% 27%


East Middle School

During the three year middle school experience students at East can engage in the spirit of com-petition with the annual Quiz Bowl, fl ex their skills in the Science Olympiad, or walk to the Huron River to test water quality. These are just some of the programs designed to enhance the class-room setting. Partnerships with Eastern Michigan University, the University of Michigan and cor-porations provide another boost in the educa-tional arena. An on-site Wellness Center promotes healthy lifestyles and after school fi tness options. Home of the Vikings, East Middle School offers a vibrant sports program, instilling school pride to complement academic expectations.

Accreditation Status East Middle School met Adequate Yearly ProgressEducation YES! Grade: C

School Improvement PlanThe school improvement committee examined and interpreted data from the Michigan Educational Assessment Program results to determine student needs. Based on this exer-cise, goals were set to increase MEAP scores in: Proper use of grammar, reading compre-hension, learning and using the writing process provided by the district and language arts teachers, predicting, prior knowledge, making connections, retelling, summarizing, whole numbers, percentages, units of measurement, fractions, odds/evens/skip count-ing, decimals and place values, analyzing graphs and data.

Parents: Partners in EducationParent involvement is encouraged at all grade levels and is linked to success and achievement.

EAST MIDDLE - MATH - GRADE 7 F 2005LEVEL 1 15.20%

LEVEL 2 24.10%

LEVEL 3 40.70%

LEVEL 4 20.00%

EAST MIDDLE - READING - GRADE 7 W 2005 F 2005LEVEL 1 19.40% 10.60%

LEVEL 2 44.50% 52.10%

LEVEL 3 19.40% 17.60%

LEVEL 4 16.80% 19.70%

EAST MIDDLE - WRITING - GRADE 7 W 2005 F 2005LEVEL 1 3.20% 0.00%

LEVEL 2 60.60% 57.70%

LEVEL 3 34.80% 33.80%

LEVEL 4 1.30% 8.50%

EAST MIDDLE - ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS - GRADE 7 W 2005 F 2005

LEVEL 1 7.70% 2.80%

LEVEL 2 55.50% 57.00%

LEVEL 3 27.10% 22.50%

LEVEL 4 9.70% 17.60%

EAST MIDDLE - SCIENCE - GRADE 8 W 2005 F 2005LEVEL 1 4.30% 12.80%

LEVEL 2 34.10% 34.10%

LEVEL 3 36.20% 33.50%

LEVEL 4 24.40% 19.50%

EAST MIDDLE - MATH - GRADE 8 W 2005 F 2005LEVEL 1 16.90% 12.80%

LEVEL 2 19.10% 17.70%

LEVEL 3 30.90% 34.80%

LEVEL 4 33.10% 31.10%

Grad 6-8

EAST MIDDLE - GRADE 8 Reading Writing ELALEVEL 1 6.70% 0.60% 3.00%

LEVEL 2 50.00% 50.00% 49.40%

LEVEL 3 22.60% 34.80% 29.90%

510 Emerick St. (734) 714-1400Principal: Janice Sturdivant

Assistant Principal: Melvin Roper

EAST MIDDLE - GRADE 6 Math Reading Writing ELA Social StudiesLEVEL 1 13.00% 12.50% 2.50% 6.30% 30.40%

LEVEL 2 29.80% 47.50% 55.30% 50.30% 31.10%

LEVEL 3 36.00% 28.10% 36.50% 35.80% 25.50%

LEVEL 4 21.10% 11.90% 5.70% 7.50% 13.00%

6th grade by level 1 & 2 % Reading Writing Total ELA Math Social StudiesTotal Students 60% 38% 51% 43% 61%

African Amer. 52% 33% 42% 30% 51%

Caucasian 66% 44% 57% 54% 74%

Econ. Dis. Yes 85% 54% 77% 40% 57%

Spec. Ed Yes 36% 8% 21% 8% 44%

7th grade by level 1 & 2 %


African Amer. 53% 47% 48% 26%

Caucasian 79% 79% 77% 65%

Econ. Dis. Yes 50% 42% 50% 30%

Spec. Ed Yes 28% 16% 25% 19%

8th grade by level 1 & 2 % ScienceTotal Students 57% 51% 52% 30% 47%

African Amer. 47% 38% 39% 13% 35%

Caucasian 68% 67% 68% 54% 63%

Econ. Dis. Yes 50% 43% 45% 24% 41%

Spec. Ed yes 24% 21% 18% 3% 15%

State Targets 43% 43% Sp ial Honors and Programs After School Advantage Program (A.S.A.P.) was implemented to provide students with additional math and language arts support Students participated in the Social Studies Olympiad Junior National Honor Society Participated in the Martin Luther King Jr. District Contest Geography Bee Thinking Cap Quiz Bowl Career Day Partnered with Growing Hope and the University of Michigan to construct an outdoor greenhouse for hands-on class projects Heath Occupations Partners in Education through the University of Michigan Reality Check, a substance abuse prevention program sponsored by the Washtenaw County Health Department Various community service projects


WEST MIDDLE - MATH - GRADE 7 F 2005LEVEL 1 10.70%

LEVEL 2 39.00%

LEVEL 3 30.80%

LEVEL 4 19.50%

WEST MIDDLE - READING - GRADE 7 W 2005 F 2005LEVEL 1 14.00% 10.10%

LEVEL 2 45.70% 52.50%

LEVEL 3 15.60% 17.70%

LEVEL 4 24.70% 19.60%

WEST MIDDLE - WRITING - GRADE 7 W 2005 F 2005LEVEL 1 1.10% 0.00%

LEVEL 2 30.60% 55.30%

LEVEL 3 60.20% 35.50%

LEVEL 4 8.10% 9.20%

WEST MIDDLE - ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS - GRADE 7 W 2005 F 2005

LEVEL 1 7.60% 1.30%

LEVEL 2 40.50% 55.90%

LEVEL 3 31.40% 28.90%

LEVEL 4 20.50% 13.80%

WEST MIDDLE - SCIENCE - GRADE 8 W 2005 F 2005LEVEL 1 10.90% 14.70%

LEVEL 2 38.20% 48.70%

LEVEL 3 36.40% 23.30%

LEVEL 4 14.50% 13.30%

WEST MIDDLE - MATH - GRADE 8 W 2005 F 2005LEVEL 1 33.70% 18.40%

LEVEL 2 21.70% 27.60%

LEVEL 3 21.10% 27.00%

LEVEL 4 23.50% 27.00%

Hands on learning for West Middle School students can mean collecting mathematical data moments before climbing aboard Cedar Point’s Raptor or traveling to Washington D.C. to see and touch America’s history. Reaching beyond textbooks has taken students to a variety of venues to cement their classroom instruction. A culturally diverse stu-dent body blends to embrace academics, sports and extracurricular activities, preparing them for a smooth transition to high school and an engaging future.

Accreditation Status West Middle School met Adequate Yearly ProgressEducation YES! Grade: C

School Improvement PlanThe school improvement team at West led the staff in a process of reviewing the MEAP scores and analyzing the needs of the student popu-lation. Following this effort, goals were set to: Improve reading comprehension skills across the curriculum; improve inductive and deductive reasoning skills to analyze and interpret visual data and; improve math com-putational skills. The school improvement team met monthly to strategize and dissemi-nated information to staff during professional development days.

Parents: Partners in EducationWest Middle school staff holds to the belief that parent involvement impacts student achievement and participates in the Dr. Joyce Epstein’s Parent and Community Partner-ship program. The school has partnered with U-M and EMU representatives in conjunc-tion with the Parent Teacher Organization to implement a series of career/college building education workshops for families called “Keeping Every Youth Strong.” An open invitation is extended to parents to volunteer during the school day and after school.

West Middle SchoolGrad 6-8

WEST MIDDLE - GRADE 8 Reading Writing ELALEVEL 1 9.90% 4.70% 5.40%

LEVEL 2 50.00% 52.30% 52.30%

LEVEL 3 16.40% 30.90% 24.20%

LEVEL 4 23.70% 12.10% 18.10%

105 N. Mansfi eld St. (734) 714-1300Principal: Monica Merritt

Assistant Principal: Bernard Hall*

WEST MIDDLE GRADE 6 Math Reading Writing ELA Social Studies

LEVEL 1 13.00% 19.90% 8.10% 11.20% 39.50%

LEVEL 2 30.90% 49.10% 57.10% 54.00% 26.50%

LEVEL 3 38.30% 17.40% 29.80% 26.70% 16.70%

LEVEL 4 17.90% 13.70% 5.00% 8.10% 17.30%

6th grade by level 1 & 2 % Reading Writing Total ELA Math Social StudiesTotal Students 69% 52% 61% 44% 66%

African Amer. 60% 38% 51% 32% 58%

Caucasian 95% 90% 90% 78% 90%

Econ. Dis. Yes 59% 40% 48% 28% 57%

Spec. Ed Yes 28% 19% 19% 16% 25%

7th grade by level 1 & 2 %


African Amer. 59% 48% 50% 40%

Caucasian 75% 81% 78% 75%

Econ. Dis. Yes 55% 50% 49% 42%

Spec. Ed Yes 21% 18% 18% 6%

8th grade by level 1 & 2 % ScienceTotal Students 60% 57% 58% 46% 63%

African Amer. 55% 52% 52% 39% 59%

Caucasian 77% 76% 76% 67% 79%

Econ. Dis. Yes 48% 43% 44% 33% 53%

Spec. Ed yes 21% 15% 15% 10% 29%Sp ial Honors and Programs Host to the Ypsilanti Community Garden and partners with Growing Hope to encourage students to grow and cultivate plants Newly developed Parent Resource Center Physics Club Heath Occupations Partners in Education through the University of Michigan Junior National Honor Society The West Mustangs have assorted sports programs Yearbook Club Great to be a Girl and Threads-mentoring programs through Eastern Michigan University After school study club Reality Check, a substance abuse prevention program sponsored by the Washtenaw County Health Department Career Day

Average Class Size: 27Parent Conference Attendance: 85%*Wm. Eric Graves assumes the position of Assistant Principal, fall 2006

From Adrian College to Yale, Ypsilanti High School graduates boast an impressive list of college acceptance letters from around the country. The high school experience begins with Small Learning Communities and ends with accelerated classes to challenge and prepare graduates

for a competitive global economy. With over 20 clubs, an award-winning performing arts program, college dual enrollment options and career courses offered through the Regional Career Technical Center, Ypsilanti High School prepares students for success.

Accreditation Status Education YES! Grade: CDid not make AYPRetention Rate: 96.01%

School Improvement PlanThe school improvement process included a partnership with the Washt-enaw Intermediate School District and a stronger parent component. Strategies included student feedback obtained through the senior exit surveys, student opinion surveys and Challenge Day data. At the begin-ning of the year the building principal presented the staff with MEAP data, followed by discussion. In addition, department chairs received specifi c standardized test data through MI Access relating to their de-partment. The School Improvement Team, which has members that rep-resent all departments, programs as well as parents, continued with the current goals and objectives. The ongoing school improvement process will include a needs assessment through the development of the school profi le. The goals and objectives will be revisited to determine whether they meet the needs of student achievement and Adequate Yearly Prog-ress. Data provided to the School Improvement Team assisted in ana-lyzing how the staff implements the curriculum in each core academic area and in delivering instruction to meet the needs of all students. Data helps staff to select the objectives and strategies that systematically moves the school toward the desired goals.

School Improvement/NCA GoalsAll students will improve their writing skills across the curriculum Establish Professional Learning Communities for teachers in the area of writing. Study teams will be formed and teachers will read a variety of material focusing on areas of writing. This may include, but is not limited to: ideas and techniques on implementing writing in areas outside of the English classroom, writing for at-risk students and creative writing.

Review strategies for writing. This will include techniques on imple-menting writing across the curriculum.

Common vocabulary. The goal is to have a common vocabulary for writing used in all classrooms that will allow the students to make im-mediate connections.

Common Rubrics. This will allow teachers to work together in identify-ing what is expected in each classroom.

All students will increase their ability to solve mathematical problems across the curriculum.• Increase basic math skills• Increase graph and chart interpretation skills• Increase test-taking skills• Increase estimation and appropriate answer goals

All students will increase their reading comprehension skills across the curriculum.

Parents: Partners in EducationDue to the challenging transition many students face at the entry level of high school, we made a concerted effort to involve our ninth grade parents through an open house, workshops, parent days and informa-tional meetings. Parents have been invited to and participated in various committees. They have been given a venue to voice their concerns and there are three parents serving on the School Improvement Team.

Ypsilanti High SchoolGrad 9-12

2095 Packard St. (734) 714-1000Principal: Wm. Eric Graves* Michael McIntosh, Assistant Principal

Kimberly Ferrell, Assistant Principal Jacquilyn Dudley, Assistant Principal

Sp ial Honors and Programs Award winning, band and choir programs Championship sports teams including Girl’s Track,

Men’s Basketball, Girl’s Swimming, Men’s Baseball and the 2006 State Championship Men’s Track Team

Teacher honors: History teacher George McCreedy named Outstanding Educator by EMU and Drama teacher Michelle Peet named Teacher of the Year by the U-M University Musical Society

College dual enrollment program Partnerships with U-M, EMU, Altarum and local

corporations Health Occupations Partners in Education (HOPE)

Two high school seniors received Congressional recommendations to attend Annapolis Naval Academy and the United States Air Force Academy

Over 20 Clubs and after school programs


YPSI HIGH - MATH CLASS OF 2005 PERCENT CLASS OF 2006 PERCENT

LEVEL 1 7 3.18% 18 7.73%

LEVEL 2 91 41.36% 85 36.48%

LEVEL 3 35 15.91% 41 17.60%

LEVEL 4 87 39.55% 89 38.20%

TOTAL NUMBER INCLUDED 220 233

YPSI HIGH - READING CLASS OF 2005 PERCENT CLASS OF 2006 PERCENT

LEVEL 1 7 3.41% 7 3.07%

LEVEL 2 127 61.95% 136 59.65%

LEVEL 3 40 19.51% 52 22.81%

LEVEL 4 31 15.12% 33 14.47%


YPSI HIGH - WRITING CLASS OF 2005 PERCENT CLASS OF 2006 PERCENT

LEVEL 1 3 1.39% 5 2.17%

LEVEL 2 102 47.22% 103 44.78%

LEVEL 3 77 35.65% 92 40.00%

LEVEL 4 34 15.74% 30 13.04%


YPSI HIGH - ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS CLASS OF 2005 PERCENT CLASS OF 2006 PERCENT

LEVEL 1 0 N/A 0 N/A

LEVEL 2 0 N/A 0 N/A

LEVEL 3 0 N/A 0 N/A

LEVEL 4 0 N/A 0 N/A

TOTAL NUMBER INCLUDED

YPSI HIGH - SCIENCE - GRADE 8 CLASS OF 2005 PERCENT CLASS OF 2006 PERCENT

LEVEL 1 0 0.00% 14 6.25%

LEVEL 2 95 46.57% 85 37.95%

LEVEL 3 38 18.63% 37 16.52%

LEVEL 4 71 34.80% 88 39.29%


YPSI HIGH - SOCIAL STUDIES - GRADE 8 CLASS OF 2005 PERCENT CLASS OF 2006 PERCENT

LEVEL 1 0 0.00% 3 1.34%

LEVEL 2 37 18.97% 66 29.46%

LEVEL 3 63 32.31% 60 26.79%

LEVEL 4 95 48.72% 95 42.41%


*Dr. Layne Hunt is the 2006-07 Ypsilanti High School principal

This alternative school was es-tablished in 1999 as a means to reach and educate students who would benefi t from smaller class sizes and individual atten-tion. The program was initially designed for high school stu-dents and in the fall of 2004 a middle school component was added. Over 700 students have attended the program since its inception and many partner-ships were forged during that time period.

Parents: Partners in EducationParents Together, a nonprofi t organization based in Ypsilanti, invested their time with New Directions students by hosting weekly sessions to address a myriad of topics from self-esteem to substance abuse.

School Improvement PlanThe New Directions staff embraced and implemented the “Seven Correlates of Effec-tive Instruction” by Dr. Larry Lezotte that include:Strong instructional leadership, a clear and focused mission, a climate of high expec-tations for success for all students, a safe and orderly environment, the opportunity to learn and adequate time to learn the task, frequent monitoring of student prog-ress and positive home/school relations.

Sp ial Honors and ProgramsNew Directions developed partnerships with Corner Health, Young Marines, 4-H, EMU Youth Group and local businesses that were assets to the program.

*This program was restructured for the fall of 2006 and no longer exists in the form as recorded in this report

Regional Career Technical Center An accredited vocational school, RCTC is a consortium of the Ypsilanti, Lincoln and Willow Run School districts that provides vocational courses for juniors

and seniors. Classes are three hours long and students can receive in-struction in the following areas:

• Allied Health • Auto Mechanics

• Child Care • Collision/Repair

• Computer Systems Technology • Construction Technology

• Graphic Arts • Hospitality and Food Services

2095 Packard Road (734) 714-1240Principal: Gilda MylesNew Directions*

Program highlights: Several students were state winners in the Skills USA competition

The Child Care program received an Ypsilanti Area Chamber of Commerce E3 Award (Exemplary Educational Endeavors Award)

Auto Collision students detailed cars and donated the proceeds to the local Salvation Army to benefi t hurricane relief

Construction Technology students fi nished a home build that was

sold within weeks of its completion

Forest Avenue is a day treatment program for emotionally impaired students who live in Washtenaw County. The program is staffed and administered by Ypsilanti Pub-lic Schools in cooperation with the Washtenaw Intermediate School District. Students are referred from each of the ten school districts within the county and are placed at Forest Avenue because they have emotional and behavior problems that interfere with their learning. Students with other special education disabilities may also enroll at the school when their behavior warrants it. Small class sizes, therapeutic interven-tion and other services are in place to give students the individual support needed to succeed. Most students remain in the Forest Avenue program for at least a full school year. The goal is for all students to return to their home school district as soon as they are able to succeed in a less restrictive environment.

Forest Avenue has fi ve multi-gradelevel classrooms

Accreditation Status Forest Avenue is a North Central Association accredited school

Parents: Partners in EducationParent participation is always important to a child’s educa-tion and becomes even more critical with students enrolled at Forest Avenue. There is a high level of parent involvement at the school that includes IEPT meetings, parent/teacher conferences, team sessions and re-entry meetings.

Sp ial Honors and Programs Selected to participate in a National Homeland Security program in conjunction with Eastern Michigan University called Teen SERT (School Emergency Response Training)

Three middle school students participated in the Michigan Interscholastic Forensics Association statewide competition and scored at or above the 90th percentile in all three rounds

All students participated in the Reality Math program coordinated by EMU professor Dr. JoAnn Caniglia

Average Class Size: up to 10 studentsParent Conference Attendance: Elementary-100%; Middle School-91.5%; High School-84%

1715 E. Forest Ave. (734) 482-9905Principal: Brenda Clough

Forest Avenue School 1715 E. Forest Ave. (734) 482-9905

at Forest Avenue. There is a high level of parent involvement at the school that includes

Grad K-12

Ypsilanti Public SchoolsDistrict Offi ces1885 Packard RoadYpsilanti, MI 48197

Telephone: (734) 714-1218Fax: (734) 714-1220

Web site: www.ypsd.org

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