McPheeter's Bend Elementary School
Renee' Bernard, Principal
Mcpheeter's Bend Elementary
1115 Goshen Val Rd
Church Hill, TN 37642
Recipe for Success:
Our school has worked diligently to increase proficiency in reading and language arts. First, all the classroom teachers created an instructional timeline to assure that all the state standards were thoroughly covered before testing in the spring. Also, an instructional focus was delivered each morning. The focus varied from grade to grade based on their weaknesses. Throughout grade levels, we were weak in language arts so lessons were language or reading related. The teachers took full responsibility to plan a lesson for each day of the week, which would reinforce the given focus. Teachers also created an assessment to measure improvement and identify students who needed additional assistance.
Because our special education population scored far below the required proficiency levels mandated by NCLB, we began implementing full inclusion for the 2004-2005 school year. We believed that our special education students are not making adequate yearly progress because they are not being taught the skills on their grade level. They were being taught state standards from a lower grade level rather than the standards they will be tested on with the state mandated test, Terra-Nova. If placed in the regular classroom, all students were exposed to the material they faced with on the state test. The special education teacher made modifications to the material based on each special education student s IEP.
Because we were a target school we began to focus on the weaknesses in reading and language arts. We developed several action steps to ensure that were removed from the target school list. The action steps we followed are as follows:
- Continue to expand computer-assisted instruction. (ALS +)
- Expand library inventory of Accelerated Reader books.
- Continue extended-day tutoring program.
- Increase staff proficiency in technology.
- Implement staff development in reading and language arts instructional methods.
- Use two educational assistants in the computer lab.
- Change class scheduled to accommodate Four-Block Reading Program.
- Continue Four-Block Reading Program in grades 1 and 2.
- Initiate implementation of Building Blocks program in kindergarten.
- Design and implement teacher created timelines and calendars for instructional focus in weak areas.
- Design and implement instructional focus lessons and assessments to strengthen weak areas.
- Follow pacing guide in math for each six-week grading period
- Follow pacing guide in reading/language arts for each six-week grading period
- Continue student incentive program to improve student academic performance.
- Continue student incentive program for attendance.
I am very pleased that our faculty came together and worked as a team to make the accomplishments that have been made. The students have made incredible progress in the last several years, and I am confident that the gains will continue.