| Director Report |
|
2008-2009 Annual Director's Report By Debi Lorence
Summmary
1) We have one location we are in pursuit of a permanent location or another church that is willing to work with us to grow back our middle school.
2) We have over 51% of our students exceeding state testing.
3) We have done our due diligence with all of our low achieving students helping them to grow academically.
5) We have offered professional development hours to all the staff.
6) We have completed all surveys that were due (currently there is one that the parents are to fill out through the ODE website)
7) We successfully completed our audit.
8) We have walked the Sherwood Charter School through the process of becoming a separate entity.
9) We have a solid staff of employees and a bookkeeper too.
10) We look to be on target for meeting our budget for this year too.
11) We currently have a wait list of over 100 students and May 19 we will have another lottery. At that time, we'll have a minimum of 50 more students added to the wait lists.
Curriculum
Science: Even with our lack of space we do a good job in science. All 5th graders participated in science fair. We have found that by doing a rigorous science fair, the students gain a greater understanding of science, concepts, theories, documentation, presentation, and observation. This year, all of our students passed the state testing, except for one student on an IEP, who missed it by one point.
Language Arts: We do an excellent job in reading as we continued to use the Riggs methods for our students. Last year was the first year that Riggs continued into fourth grade. We were very pleased with the results and therefore we have continued to teach Riggs in fourth grade this year. The state writing results improved: 3 exceeded, 4 did not meet in writing. Of these students, two were new to our school and two were on IEP's.
DIBELS is the testing we are required to do by the district three times a year. We find that the scores are very important to help us monitor our students' progress in reading. We can accurately watch the students' progress, if they started really high, if they started really low or have a sudden change.
GOALS ATTAINED FOR 2008-2009
A. New math curriculum piloted in kindergarten.
Curriculum changes: Singapore math introduced this year due to teacher morale in the K-2nd grades. Teachers wanted more from a math program for the higher level children than Saxon was offering K-2nd grades. We purchased Singapore Math for the Kindergarten teacher to pilot. The K-2nd grade team of teachers are very excited to continue this curriculum. 1st grade will be using it next year.
B. For the purposes of the school district we have to have an action plan of assistance for the students who are under grade level.
This last spring we decided as a staff that we needed to look for another certified teacher to work with children, conduct DIBELS testing, teach upper math levels, and to be in charge of state testing. We found a real gem, a retired teacher from Corvallis School District, who had been teaching the last 8 years at a Core Knowledge K-8 school. Nancy Stouder has filled all of our expectations and goals in this area.
C. To add an advance writing curriculum to meet the needs of the 4th and 5th grade students and get the teachers trained in it as well before school starts.
Last August and in April our 2nd-5th grade teachers were trained from "The Institute for Excellence in Writing." The teachers from 2-5th grade are using this curriculum now with the Riggs.
D. Start a parent group with monthly meetings.
Parent group started: We have had parent meetings each month, with a parent leader working with Debi. We moved the meeting to the mornings, and have greater attendance. Eric Walter would like to step aside and have someone ready for next year.
E. The districts required us to state test with computers this year.
This is our first year to try to implement computers for state testing. We have had to set the laptops up and take them down, as our space is shared with the church. Finding a room to do this in was a challenge. We have since wired the music room, used the laptops we owned, and purchased 12 new HP laptops.
F. Separation of the schools in all the legal ways, including Sherwood school having their own school board too.
We just finished this process. Sherwood MITCH's 501 c3 nonprofit status is complete and they have their own board too.
G. Finding a permanent location.
We have worked hard all year to find a home to grow middle school in or to move the whole school into a more permanent situation where we could be K-8th again. Currently, we are planning to continue to offer K-5th grades at the Calvin Presbyterian location. However, we have a strong lead on leasing our own building in Tualatin. I am currently working with Macadam and Forbes, an architect and Russell Construction on a location. We also have a go ahead for a few classrooms at Tigard Christian Church. We could potentially be moving the school, and adding middle school grades by October-December 2009.
H. Making our Budget.
Extra Revenues: We make our fundraising goal each year. Last year we made $25,000. We made $10,000 auction and general fundraising was $15,000. This year we have not had our auction or the jog-a-thon yet. Our hot lunch program has generated extra money with which we bought MITCH bags and we are selling those now, with hopes of double our invested dollars. Based on our past successes, we feel confident we will make our fundraising goal this year.
This is the last year we will have the SIF grant to help fund Kindergarten. It was a federal grant that was written with the district and passed through from them to us. This means that we will not be able to provide scholarships to any children in PM Kindergarten.
I. New Website.
Last year we decided to put money aside to create a new website. Our new website has been up all school year. We feel like it looks and everyone can fill out an application online now.
New Goals for 2009-2010
A. Keep the current staff.
B. Have our own affordable space. Bring back or grow middle school grades. If we should move to another building there will be a whole list of goals (i.e. hiring, marketing for students, furniture, moving, IT issues...)
C. Adding Singapore math to 1st grade.
D. Teaching typing to the 5th graders.
E. Finishing the science fair in time, and with the same rules, so our finalist can attend other local science fairs.
F. Have a non profit board training, for all current members. Find a treasurer for next school year to work with Wayne before his term is up.
G. Continue our rating of excellence for our students.
Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)
Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) categories address Annual Performance Targets: MITCH, has always had an exceptional rating.
A. Identify strengths and weaknesses: Our strengths continue to lie in the staff, the parent community and a common commitment to seeing all students excel. Our in depth hands-on curriculum allows the children to fully experience the time period/culture that they are studying. All students passed or exceeded who were not on IEP's. We had over 50% of our students this year exceed the state bench mark scores.
B. Volunteer hours: We have an average of 80 hours per month signed in for volunteering at the school. Actual logged hours are 1046 in the school Monday-Thursday's for the 2008-2009 school year to date.
C. Turn over in Population: This year we had a total of 12 new students join our school and two new staff members a 5th grade teacher and our teacher's aid.
D. How do we use the title and SIF grants money? Our title grants are used for technical training and support, professional training, printing of new handbooks. Our SIF grants have been used to offer Kindergarten to academically low achieving students and families with financial need.
E. Who and how does the school makes decisions on instructional improvements when needed? As a staff we meet over these topics. Should we need to spend money outside of the approved budget, we have to go to the MITCH Board.
F. How and who reviews the data concerning school improvement? The teaching staff looks at all the scores that come in on our students. We address DIBELS and State Test scores, but we also are addressing the students who have extra needs or needed supports in place to have a positive school experience, whether that means behavioral or academic.
G. Who is involved specifically? All certified teachers and all administrative staff take time to meet and review on students. We are using the EBIS process laid out by the school district. We had hoped for more district help in planning the interventions, but we also know we did a good job.
H. Math: Math has always been solid at MITCH. Saxon Curriculum is thorough and repetitive; therefore we always see good results. We added Singapore this year to compliment Saxon for Kindergarten. The teacher really likes the approach of Singapore and is using it to teach her lessons everyday. She also likes that every child has a workbook. The doubling up of the curriculums has been a nice balance. We are looking forward to adding Singapore to 1st grade next year too.
I. Agriculture: We do a good job teaching agricultural awareness and concepts to all the students. We have a winter garden planted now. We had the 5th grade class plant bulbs at the Tigard Historical House, last fall and they are now up and beautiful! Last spring we partnered with a Boy Scout den to build boxes for our gardens. We had a donation of soil to fill the boxes and the students have either planted or are growing seeds for the boxes now. We have one teacher who will be going to the Oregon State University Agricultural training the 3rd week of June. It is in the teachers' contracts that they must be trained by their 2nd year in this program.
J. Special School wide Events: Our annual Harvest Party is the day before Thanksgiving and since the day we opened we have had a "Health and Safety Fair". We traded it in for a "Cultural/Heritage Fair" with all the students creating a "family tree" and sharing food and dress from their culture. We also celebrated Curtis Tigard's 100th birthday. Our school wide musicals are two times a year and the winter program had more then 400 attendees. Our music teacher, Chris Gabriel, does a great job showcasing the students. In addition, each grade performs at least one Core Knowledge Event. We continue our relationships with 5 senior homes bring our musical performances to them on Fridays.
K. Behavior reports: We have not had to report on behavior since we do not offer middle school. However, I can report that the teachers and I have met and we will be making some modifications to the current school wide plan we use.
|