A Perspective on School Success

1. A Perspective on School Success Ron Larson Elementary School Mat-Su School District 2009 Blue Ribbon School of Excellence

2. Ron L. Larson Elementary School “…We’re from Ron L. Larson and we’re reaching for the stars…”

3. Ron L. Larson Elementary School Eagles Achieving Excellence Educating The Whole Child

4. Mat-Su Borough School District Developing citizens for a global society… by inspiring students… to think, learn, achieve, and care .

5. Achieving Excellence … Our School Vision “The future is ours to achieve excellence”. Larson is community of responsible, productive individuals who inspire, motivate, and support each other. We strive to excel in life-long learning while fostering relationships between our families, our school, our community and our world.

6. Achieving Excellence … Our School Mission • To transfer our vision into accountable practice • To be a center of pride and accomplishments • To provide a success-oriented learning environment • To take risks… to not be afraid to fail • To encourage innovation • To steward each other and our community • To constantly strive for instructional improvement • To hold ourselves accountable We are as good as our collective achievement. What is your goal… to partner in achieving our mission?

7. Achieving Excellence • Building on Successes • Teaching the whole child • Differentiating the curriculum • Integrating research supported best practices • Using data to inform decision making • Consistently meeting No Child Left Behind Annual Yearly Progress : 2003-2009 • Named 2009 National Blue Ribbon School

8. Achieving Excellence • Accepting New Challenges • Imagine It! & Reading Street programs: year 1 • AIMSweb: year 1 • RTI: year 2 • MAP: year 3 • Math Expressions: year 2 • FOSS Science: year 3 • Olweus Anti-Bullying Program: year 2 • Embracing technology: Promethean boards • TAG Schoolwide enrichment • ABA program expansion

9. Achieving Excellence Staff as Leaders • Teachers with advanced degrees • Primary Report Card Task Force • Intermediate Report Card Task Force • Math Program Adoption Team • Curriculum Council • Literacy curriculum review & program adoption • Administration Intern Program • Mentoring student interns (UAA, UAF, APU) • AK Statewide Mentor Program: teachers & administrator • District extra curricular event coordination

10. Achieving Excellence … Academic Activities • Band • Choir / Performing Club • Guitar / Mallet Swingers • Battle of the Books • Word Power • Geography Bee • TAG Schoolwide Enrichment • Yearbook • Mileage Club • Read-A-Thon • Math Olympics

11. Achieving Excellence … Extra-Curricular Activities • Cross Country Running • Girls Basketball • Boys Basketball • Native Youth Olympics • Volleyball • Track & Field • Scouting

12. Achieving Excellence … Community Outreach Family Information Connections • Cookie Social / Parent Night • Fall Open House • Parent Conferences / Student Led Conferences • Home & School Connections: Parenting Tips • Newsletters (School / Classroom) • Larson Web Pages • Student Success Assemblies • iParent

13. Achieving Excellence … Community Outreach Family Special Events • Walk-to-School Day • Health Fair • Family Movie Nights / Dance Nights • Carnival / Halloween Boogie Night • Talent Show • Literacy Nights & Read Across America • Math Olympics / Iditamath / Math Games Night • Morning Magic • Muffins with Moms • Donuts with Dads • Mad Science

14. Achieving Excellence ... Community Outreach • PTA: There’s a Place for Families! • Playground equipment • Information sign • Classroom supplies • Special events (Movie Night; Literacy Night) • Community advocacy • Teacher appreciation • Fund raisers: QSP • New Ideas: Family Bingo Night

15. Larson Practices • Decision making based upon • U.S. & Alaska law • Mat-Su School Board direction / MSBSD direction • Data • Teacher observations & anecdotal records • Curriculum / Imbedded assessments • Larson / District: AIMSweb & MAP • State / SBAs (Standards Based Assessments) • National / Terra Nova & NAEP (National Assessment of Elementary Progress) • Practice based upon empirical research (Marzano, Schmoker, DuFour, Collins, Fielding & Fancher’s the “Green Book”) • CORE: Consortium on Reading Excellence • RTI (Response to Intervention) for academics & behavior • Shared leadership • Professional Learning Communities

16. Larson Practices • Teaching Based Upon • School and personal goals • Student goals • Guaranteed and viable curriculum • Curriculum maps & ePlanner (coord. w/ district calendar) • Focus on the “core” • Data informed decisions • Research based best practices • Team collaboration, coaching, & mentoring • Whole community involvement

17. Larson Practices • Programs • Literacy: Imagine It & Reading Street: routines, pacing, fidelity • Math: Math Expressions • Science: FOSS • Social Studies & Science imbedded in literacy programs • Handwriting: K-2 ball & stick; 3-5 D’Nealian cursive • Assessments • Aims Web (replacing DIBELS)/ Kg-5th w/ progress monitoring • MAP: Measures of Academic Progress / Kg-5th 3 times/year • Terra Nova / 5th • NAEP / 4th • Alaska Standards Based Assessments (SBAs) / 3rd-5th

18. Larson Practices • Instructional Support • Common planning at grade level • Principal walk-throughs • RTI: Response to Intervention / Academics & behavior • Special education and general education working in tandem • Consistent practice district-wide; legal strength • Non-discrepancy model 2010-2011 goal • Coaching / Data Dialog days • Curriculum maps for literacy & math • CALs: Content Area Liaisons • Collaborative professional development

19. Larson Student Expectations • Citizenship • Olweus bullying prevention • Stop & Think • Eagle Feathers • Student Success Assemblies • Academics • Student goals based upon data (MAP & AIMSweb scores) • High expectations: Academic & Behavior • Personal Responsibility

20. 2009 Blue Ribbon School • Nominated in 2006 • Maintained AYP for 3 years • Applied / Adjudicated • Received Award 10/2009 • Attended National Conference

21. Larson Leadership Panel • Annie Bill, Principal • Wendy Stout, Librarian • Beckie Murphy, Teacher • Deb Currier, Teacher

22. Achieving ExcellencePrincipal’s Perspective • Accepting challenges / Maintaining a district connection • Building a success-oriented learning environment • Creating community stewardship • Implementing student assessments and data analysis practices • Setting academic and behavior goals • Sharing leadership / Providing clear expectations • Always having a positive attitude • Fostering teacher leaders • Having a willingness to take risks • Embracing a constant personal assessment • Striving for continuous improvement

23. Achieving Excellence Panel Questions: Teachers’ Perspectives • As an administrative intern master teacher (“management magician”), Beckie, how do you view Larson as a school of excellence; what role do teaching teams play? • As a master-teacher librarian/specialist (“information goddess”), Wendy, how to you view Larson as a school of excellence; and what role do specialist play? • As a new-to-Larson master teacher (“kid whisperer”), Deb, how do you view Larson as a school of excellence; and what role does SPED play?

24. Panel Questions • The REAL WORLD….What challenges do we still face? • What is our “myth”? Affluance…34% poverty level • What are our brutal facts? • Independent contractors • Philosophical differences • Resistors; “camoflauge” supporters • Relationships / Team building challenges • Year 3 on a probable 10 year process • Inspecting what we expect while continually implementing new processes

25. AlaskaSchools of Excellence • Look in the mirror! • What makes your school a school of excellence? • Where are you most successful? Why? • What challenges have you accepted? • Toward what goals are you working? • Who are your teacher leaders? • How do you share leadership? • Share with us your excellence story!