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Principal’s Annual Report Greentree Elementary School For the 2005-2006 school year
Submitted October, 2006 Anne Morgan
School demographics
Greentree School had a population of approximately 340 students, down 20 from the previous year. The population was augmented by students from the International School. There were twenty teachers, and seventeen assistants. The office and the library each had 1.4 staff members. Students were divided into two kindergarten classes, one grade one class, a grade one/two class, two grade two classes, two grade three classes, two grade four classes, a grade four/five class, two grade five classes, and three grade six classes. The population trend continues to be fewer students entering in kindergarten than leaving in grade six, which presents programming and staffing challenges. However, all classes were no larger than twenty-five.
School highlights
A full-time kindergarten pilot program was new to the school, with twenty-five students enrolled. As this program was to be run at no extra expense to the board, this was a program of choice, as parents had to pay the unfunded portion of the program. Five spots were reserved for high needs students who would benefit from the program. Some students were enrolled because it suited a household where both parents were employed outside the home. Others were enrolled because their parents believed that the program would be educationally advantageous. Results of testing in the full-time class, using the half-time class as a control group, showed that students benefited academically from full-time attendance.
Other special programming continued at Greentree School. There was a Learning Assistance Centre for grade two through six students, one hour per day. Grade one and two students benefited from the Early Literacy Intervention program offered by the division. Extra literacy was available for thirty minutes per day in grades four through six for students recommended by their teachers. This program tied in with our AISI project in literacy through the content areas.
For our AISI project, we continued to use Professional Learning Communities to explore strategies to improve student literacy. Reciprocal teaching was used from grade two through six. Grade six used QAR; other grades tried different techniques. We had our after school reading buddy program, with high school students paired with younger students who lack home support in reading.
In the fall, we had nine International students, and seventeen in the spring. For winter camp, we had twenty students come and go at various times. This kind of program was more difficult for teachers, as students were welcomed into the room and then departed shortly thereafter. The long term students were easier to accommodate, and teachers felt that they were better able to meet the needs of these students.
We continued to work on our school culture. We held two regular monthly assemblies, in conjunction with our virtues program. At the first assembly, the virtue of the month was introduced by classes either acting or singing about the virtue. This approach proved to be far more successful than having guest speakers – the students had the opportunity to participate in the assemblies, and their peers appreciated the message. The second assembly, which was run by the assembly committee, celebrated excellence in the virtue of the month, and presented information of interest to the students. Student leadership was encouraged through Student Council, the assembly committee, peer mediators and a student run Snack Shack. There were noon hour activities in music and sports, and after school sports as well.
We had a Japanese intern at the school, who spent time with each class, teaching them various aspects of Japanese culture. This broadened the students’ experience.
Service learning continues to be significant in our school, and most grades undertook a project that combined physical activity with fund-raising for an outside organization.
Budgetary process and financial accountability
The school budget was created by a committee consisting of the administrative team and any interested staff members. Relative amounts were determined by the priorities in the education plan. Afterwards, it was presented to staff and the School Council for their input. At the end of the year, including our ISS funds, Greentree has a carry-over of nearly $100,000. A balanced budget was planned for the present school year, with greater expenditures.
Student achievement
The PAT results for grades three and six have been analyzed. In grade three, our results were outstanding, with 95.7% achieving the acceptable standard and 30.4% of students achieving the standard of excellence, out of all students writing. As usual, our percentage writing exceeded the provincial average. In grade three Language Arts, our results were somewhat below the provincial average. There were 84.8% at the acceptable standard, and 17.4% achieving excellence. Grade one through three teachers have met to discuss strategies to continue excellence where it exists and to improve performance where it is needed.
In grade six Language Arts, 84.1% of students met the acceptable standard, and 12.7% the standard of excellence. In math, 79.7% met the acceptable standard, while 14.1% met the standard of excellence. In Social Studies, 88.7% achieved the acceptable standard, and 24.2% achieved the standard of excellence. In Science, 77.8% met the acceptable standard, and 23.8% achieved the standard of excellence. Grade four through six teachers have met to discuss strategies to improve student performance.
Our students also wrote the Higher Level Achievement Tests in writing to determine their writing proficiency. Almost all students were writing at grade level, as anticipated. This writing sample serves as a valuable discussion tool for teachers about student writing.
We piloted the CAA tests (Computer Adapted Assessments), and found this to be an interesting exercise. We realized that students required significant training in taking on-line tests in order to be successful. At present, the tests do not allow for students to switch levels, depending upon their performance, so we were unable to assess that aspect of the test.
Parental and student satisfaction
Results from the Accountability Pillar Survey are generally positive for our school. There are 84.2% of the school community members satisfied with the overall quality of basic education. Students and parents would like students to model the characteristics of active citizenship more often. Parents believe that we need to teach attitudes and behaviours that lead to success in the workplace. While teachers and parents believe that students feel safe at school and are learning to be caring, only 63.3% of students do so. Parents continue to want to be involved in their children’s education.
The results from the Schollie are similar. Students are generally satisfied with the school, but would like to feel safer and more cared for. The only area of parental dissatisfaction (74%) is in the spending of educational dollars, most likely a concern with the resource fees collected at the school.
Staff satisfaction
The only major concern of the staff was in the development of their technology skills, something that we are addressing. Otherwise, staff feel positively toward the education process within the school.
School Council
Our School Council was active again this year. Parents responded thoughtfully to a variety of topics throughout the year. The support from parent volunteers was impressive again this year. Parents worked in the Breakfast Program, supervised at noon hour, helped with lice checks (the nit patrol), prepared hot lunches, and volunteered for special events. There were two family dances and a whole school barbeque at the end of the year. Parents raised funds through chocolate sales and hot lunch sales to support classroom accounts, which finance field trips, and to pay for busing for swimming lessons. The executive was very efficient and supportive.
School/business/community partnerships
Greentree School had partnerships with various businesses who were supportive of our breakfast and hot lunch programs. In return, they received publicity and gratitude. We are most fortunate to have such excellent partners! We were adopted by Walmart, and they helped out in a variety of ways. Universal Compression once again fed the whole school as a year end barbeque – what a great way to end the year.
Meeting of school goals
This was our three year AISI project, and we felt that we implemented research based strategies which improved student learning. In the early grades, PWIM was used to build vocabulary. In the older grades, reciprocal teaching and QAR were strategies used across all subject areas. Upper elementary students had the opportunity to have 30 extra minutes per day for literacy building. Grade five students used the REWARDS program, a decoding program focusing on syllables, prefixes and suffixes. All grades had a home reading program, with most grades using the Accelerated Reader program.
We implemented the Dare to Care program, with Lisa Dixon-Wells spending one day with staff, one day with students, and an evening with parents. This program teaches strategies to victims of bullying, and urges the Silent Majority to become the Caring Majority. Bullies are dealt with in a no-nonsense way. The program provides a clear, sequential approach to bullying. We continued with our virtues project as well, reinforcing virtues regularly. |