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During the 2003-2004 school year, numerous discussions were held among faculty, staff, and parent groups about what White Oak Elementary School did best. Consensus evolved that White Oak was best at “Developing and Celebrating the Whole Child”.

School faculty and staff worked hard during the 2004-2005 school year to the theme of “Moving from Good to Great through Lessons Learned.” This theme continues to be emphasized in the push to bring continued improvement to White Oak Elementary. Preparing for a new three-year improvement plan, the NSSE (National Study of School Evaluation) Beliefs Inventory was administered to all teachers and assistants.

The belief statement with the highest percentage of agreement indicated we (as a school) believe students learn best when they are actively engaged in the learning process. This statement headed us in the direction of discussions on best practice and instructional strategies that provide a hands-on approach to learning.

Results of the belief inventory were tabulated and the top six belief statements were established as our current set of beliefs for teaching and learning at White Oak Elementary School.

Our current mission statement appears to support our beliefs; however in the fall of 2005, we will re-visit the mission statement in the context of the 2005-2008 SIP action plan. We will spend time as a staff to discern if changes in the current mission statement are needed.

The thinking behind using this mission statement examination to begin a new school year is two-fold: 1) the mission will be examined and defined by the 2005-2006 faculty and staff, creating ownership and full understanding of what we are about as a school family; and 2) this type of activity at the beginning of a school year provides an appropriate forum for building collegial and collaborative relationships that enthusiastically carry us into the new year.

Our Beliefs:

§ Students learn best when they are actively engaged in the learning process.

§ Each student is a valued individual with unique physical, social, emotional and intellectual needs.

§ Student learning is the chief priority for the school.

§ Students’ learning needs should be the primary focus of all decisions impacting the work of the school.

§ Students learn in different ways and should be provided with a variety of instructional approaches to support their learning.

§ A student’s self-esteem is enhanced by positive relationships and mutual respect among and between students and staff.

Our Mission:

The mission of White Oak Elementary School is

to inspire within each child the confidence

to become a life long learner.

Part 3: Desired Results for Student Learning

Narrative Description of the Process of Defining the Desired Results for Student Learning

After a review of current national, state, and local expectations for student learning and adapting these to our school culture, we realized that our desires for student learning do not change drastically as we evolve as a school. How we go about challenging students to make gains, and the level of expected proficiency may rise, however the overall desired results remain constant. At White Oak Elementary School, our general desired results for student learning include the following.

§ Students use what they already know to acquire new knowledge, develop new skills, and expand understanding to achieve at least 96% proficiency in reading, writing, and math.

§ Students demonstrate integrated knowledge and skills in applying multidisciplinary approaches to solving problems or completing tasks to achieve at least 96% proficiency in reading, writing, and math.

§ Students utilize, evaluate and refine the use of multiple strategies to solve a variety of types of problems to promote higher order thinking and achieve at least 96% proficiency in reading, writing, and math.

§ Students gather and use information effectively to gain new information and knowledge, classify and organize information, support inferences and justify conclusions appropriate to the context and audience.

§ Students generate new and creative ideas by taking considered risks in a variety of contexts to achieve at least 96% proficiency in reading, writing, and math.

§ Students take responsibility for personal actions and act ethically by demonstrating honesty, fairness, and integrity

§ Students respect themselves and others, and understand and appreciate the diversity and interdependence of all people.

§ Students act as responsible citizens in the community, state and nation

§ Students make a commitment to creating quality work and striving for excellence to achieve at least 96% proficiency in reading, writing, and math.

§ Students use a variety of learning strategies, personal skills, and time management skills to enhance learning and to achieve at least 96% proficiency in reading, writing, and math.

§ Students reflect on and evaluate their learning for the purpose of improvement to achieve at least 96% proficiency in reading, writing, and math.

Desired Results for Student Learning and

Indicators of Student Achievement

Desired Results for Student Learning

Indicators

§ High Student Performance and Achievement

§ Test scores of economically disadvantaged, minority, and special needs students improve as evidenced in EOG tests.

§ Teachers find that students coming to them in the fall are ready to write and have a common vocabulary and knowledge of the school-wide writing plan.

§ Individual students scoring at level III or IV show a full year’s growth from previous year’s scores as evidenced in scale scores on EOG tests.

§ Efficient, Effective and Accountable Operations

§ Special needs students’ schedules are less fractured and are served by no more than two different special ed. teachers.

§ A master schedule is in place that is palatable to a majority of the faculty and staff and maximizes best practice and instructional time.

§ Curriculum maps and pacing guides are in place because of collaborative planning across grade levels.

§ All classroom computers are updated. Groupwise, AR, CCC, the Internet and United Streaming are readily accessible.

§ Participatory decision-making is prevalent in all committee, grade level, department, and team meetings.

§ Classroom teachers integrate technology into their lessons as evidenced through lesson plans and observation.

§ Quality Teachers, Staff and Administrators

§ Teacher and teacher assistant turnover rate decreases.

§ Teachers view collaborative planning as a positive and important means to collegiality and professional development.

§ Teacher job satisfaction is evidenced through responses in Teacher Working Conditions Survey and the annual opinion survey.

§ A full schedule of staff development programs is in place.

§ Effective Communication and Involvement Among Stakeholders

§ Parent opinion surveys indicate parents feel informed and welcomed at WOES.

§ All teachers have a web page that is updated regularly with information important to parents.

§ The school website calendar is up-to-date.

§ Opinion surveys indicate that administrators are highly visible in the school.

§ The school calendar evidences at least one parent event per month.

§ School volunteers log more than 3,000 hours.

§ The school calendar evidences at least one visitor or special presentation per month, per grade level.

§ Optimal Learning Environment

§ Opinion surveys indicate a perception of a safe school.

§ Students, faculty, and staff regularly hold campus clean-up times.

§ Recommended renovation and capital construction projects are funded and underway.

§ Average class size remains at an acceptable number.

§ Students take part in a minimum of 150 minutes of physical activity a week.

§ Faculty and staff actively participate in a school-wide exercise program.

§ Fewer students are suspended from school due to better relationships.

§ An anti-bullying program is in place and fewer discipline incidents validate its effectiveness.

Analysis of Student Learning Needs: Description of Students’ Current Level of Achievement of the Desired Results for Their Learning

Part 4: Analysis of Effectiveness

Introduction

Members of the White Oak Faculty and Staff, lead by members of the School Improvement Team (Leadership Team) did extensive analysis of myriad data. From EOG and K-2 formal assessment data, to goal summary sheets and specific grade level objectives from the NC Standard Course of Study, curriculum was scrutinized, and children’s individual needs were held as a priority.

Demographic trends, coupled with the observation of home construction in our attendance district and enrollment data, indicate we will need more classroom space in the near future. Data surrounding the school’s physical needs were analyzed thoroughly.

From a leadership and administrative position, the Teacher Working Conditions Survey and the Opinion Surveys were studied closely. Some items were immediately included in the school improvement plan; others will be addressed individually, but all are considered important and valid.

After the data were examined, looking for strengths as well as areas where improvement could occur, members of the Leadership Team presented their respective findings to other team members who collectively decided where these might best fit under the Carteret County School System’s Strategic Plan Aims and Goals,

SUMMARY OF STRENGTHS

AND SUPPORTING EVIDENCE

Areas of Strengths

Evidence

· Student performance and overall academics achievement

· Results of student, teacher and parent opinion surveys

· Results of state EOGs

· 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th grade EOG scores in reading and math are consistently above state and county averages

· EOG data

· NC Report Card data

· Instructional delivery of materials is grade level appropriate

· Results of parent opinion surveys

· Classroom management and overall school discipline plan manifests in no long-term suspensions

· Discipline reporting data

· Use of Saxon Math has enhanced skills base and raised level of concept understanding in grades K-2

· Assessment scores

· Teacher reflection and dialogue

· The school-wide writing program

· Teacher observation and faculty discussion

· Consistency of student understanding as they transition from one grade to another

· Supportive parent community

· PTO activities and fundraisers

· Number of parent volunteer hours logged

· Participation in school activities

· Parent opinion surveys

White Oak Elementary School students perform very well. The percentage of WOES students in grades three, four, and five testing on (or above) grade level is traditionally higher than state averages. For the 2003-2004 school year, White Oak students were 98 percent proficient in math; the state average was 89 percent proficient. In reading, White Oak was 93 percent proficient and the state reading average was 84 percent.

Fourth grade writing results for 2004 indicated that 61 percent of White Oak students were proficient in state writing standards compared to 39 percent of the state’s fourth graders.

End-of-grade test results for 2003-2004 show WOES having the highest proficiency rating in math of any K-8 school in Carteret County. The reading proficiency rating of White Oak third, fourth and fifth graders was second highest in the county.

Fourth grade writing scores show WOES to surpass the county’s fourth grade average by more than 17 points.

In an effort to meet the needs of all students, a closer look shows that the gap between minority and non-minority students needs to be addressed. Additionally, those students who are currently performing at or above grade level need to be intellectually challenged in order to assure they will grow a full year.

SUMMARY OF LIMITATIONS

AND SUPPORTING EVIDENCE

Areas in Need of Improvement

Evidence

· Condition of the school facility

· InRe Report on White Oak Elementary School

· Number of work orders submitted

· Number of computers, age of computers, accessibility of Internet

· Time to collaborate on projects

· Student, parent and teacher opinion surveys

· Computer Utilization Survey

· Teacher Working Conditions Survey

· Mandated expectations for integration and collaboration

· Student relationships among peers

· Student, parent and teacher opinion surveys

· Discipline data

· Guidance counselor documents

· Decrease the number of short-term suspensions

· Discipline records

· Better meet the academic needs of minority students to decrease the gap between white and black students on state standardized tests.

· EOG data

· CCC reports

· EduTest Assessment Results

· eAssessment data

· Better meet the needs of targeted AYP subgroups to increase standardized test scores of special needs students and economically disadvantaged students

· EOG data

· CCC reports

· EduTest Assessment Results

· eAssessment data

· Fractured schedule of special ed. students

· Increase scale scores of level IIIs and IVs on state standardized tests to accommodate appropriate year’s growth

· EOG data

· Increase percentage of students passing the measurement and computation sections of the state EOG math test

· EOG data

· Increase the percentage of students passing the critical stance component of the state EOG reading test

· EOG data

Priorities for Improvement:

§ to build on the school’s strengths