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School Culture and Climate Presentation -Cindy Cipriano

School Culture and Climate PresenationCindy L. CiprianoMontclair State University

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School Culture and Climate Presentation -Cindy Cipriano

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  1. Woodside Avenue School. [Photograph]. Retrieved from www.flpta.org School Culture & Climate Presentation:Woodside Avenue School, Franklin Lakes Public Schools – “our vision for continued improvement” Cindy Cipriano Montclair State University

  2. “By helping students grow into critical thinkers that possess outstanding character, their lives will be rewarding as they contribute positively to the world.” – Woodside Avenue School Philosophy of Education • Since opening its doors in 1972, Woodside Avenue School has maintained a reputation of fostering a caring, supportive educational environment that reflects the community’s high value on education • The Franklin Lakes community is described as affluent. In 2012, the median house value was $867,200, and the cost of living was 149.50% higher than the US average (Sperling’s Best Places, 2012). Median household income in 2011 was $140,493 (compared to the state average of $67,458) (City-Data.com, 2012) • At Woodside School, there is a student to teacher ratio of 9:1, and 0% of students are economically disadvantaged (State of New Jersey Department of Education, 2013) • Students, parents, and staff consistently state that they enjoy and value Woodside School’s positive learning environment • Community support is impressive in that residents raise funds through generous donations and fundraisers to help add additional programs and resources to the school beyond the limitations of the Franklin Lakes Board of Education’s budget (Franklin Lakes Education Foundation, 2014) Elizabeth Barbagallo, Woodside Parent, discussing the Woodside community (click for video)

  3. At Woodside Avenue School we have a lot to be proud of! According to the New Jersey School Performance Report for 2012-13: • Woodside Avenue School’s overall academic performance outperforms 72% of schools in New Jersey • Woodside’s student growth performance outperforms 86% of New Jersey schools, meeting 100% of its performance targets in this area • Woodside students are meeting progress targets under NJDOE’s NCLB waiver in math and science, with 56% of students being advanced proficient in math, and 91% being proficient and above (State of New Jersey Department of Education, 2013)

  4. As we move forward in our mission to continually progress and grow, where can we improve? • Although Woodside School outperforms 72% of schools in the state, it lags behind schools in its peer group in academic performance • In language arts literacy, our students had a school wide pass rate of 77.3, missing the NCLB progress target of 85.3 • 25% of students at Woodside are only partially proficient in language arts in grade 3, and 31% are only partially proficient in grade 4 • Of the three elementary schools in Franklin Lakes, Woodside School scores the lowest in language arts proficiency (State of New Jersey Department of Education, 2013)

  5. A comparison of NJASK Language Arts Proficiency between the Franklin Lakes Elementary Schools, FLOW Schools (Franklin Lakes, Oakland, & Wyckoff Districts), District Factor Groups, & the State of New Jersey Fig. 1 In 2013, the Franklin Lakes Elementary Schools scored below district factor groups in grades 3&4, as well as below the other elementary schools in the FLOW district. What factors account for this lag in language arts performance? Figure 1. Franklin Lakes Public Schools. 2014. Curriculum and instruction: NJASK test score presentations. Retrieved from http://curriculum-and.districtweb.franklinlakes.k12.nj.us/modules/locker/files/get_group_file.phtml?gid=2146613&fid=23368261&sessionid=d1f5102f734451461b73fc605fb5bc80

  6. Fig. 2 • By comparing more specific data, we see that the special education population of the Franklin Lakes School District has a significant impact on our overall NJ ASK performance scores in Language Arts • When special education classes are removed from the data, Franklin Lakes’ lowest performing grade level (4th grade) still outperforms other schools in the state by 14.9% and scores below district factor groups by only 3.9% • Our special education students as a whole perform below district factor groups in 3rd and 4th grades, and below other schools across the state in 4th grade • What do we know about specific instructional challenges within our 3rd and 4th grade special education classes? What can be done to help our students improve? Figure 2. Franklin Lakes Public Schools. 2014. Curriculum and instruction: NJASK test score presentations. Retrieved from http://curriculum-and.districtweb.franklinlakes.k12.nj.us/modules/locker/files/get_group_file.phtml?gid=2146613&fid=23368261&sessionid=d1f5102f734451461b73fc605fb5bc80

  7. What do we know about Woodside School’s special education population that is relevant to this data? • According to the New Jersey School Performance Report, 17% of Woodside Avenue School’s student population had a disability in 2013 (State of New Jersey Department of Education, 2013) • Woodside Avenue School is the only school in the Franklin Lakes School District that has self contained special education classes • Woodside’s special education classrooms consist of students from multiple grade levels with a wide variety of ability levels. • Students are frequently mainstreamed into academic subjects, special area subjects, homerooms, and grade-level events (i.e. birthday parties, assemblies, field trips), creating instructional challenges for teachers

  8. What are some of the challenges our special education teachers are faced with? • Each self-contained special education classroom includes students from multiple grade levels with a wide variety of needs. Within these classrooms: • Students have many different homerooms where they attend multiple events throughout the week • Some students are mainstreamed into academic subjects, some are mainstreamed into special area subjects, and some are not mainstreamed at all • Scheduling challenges due to mainstreamingwithin multiple grade levels, subjects, homerooms, and lunch periods make it difficult to maintain a schedule or follow lesson plans • Teachers describe their classrooms as a “revolving door” of students constantly entering and leaving throughout the day (L. Betrus, personal communication, February 7, 2014) • Although special education teachers struggle with meeting the instructional needs of their students due to frequent mainstreaming, they recognize the social needs of their students and are advocates in making sure they are involved with the general school population

  9. Our plan to improve language arts proficiency for our special education students for 2013-2014: • Additional assessments will be established to assist teachers with continuous review of student progress and goal setting • Teachers will be provided with additional time and resources to guide them in analyzing assessment data and planning instruction accordingly • Teachers will continue to differentiate for each child, focusing on smaller group instruction based on the skill deficits that additional assessments reveal • A consistent DAP (data assessment portfolio) will be established for each child, showing assessment results, progress, samples of student work, and modifications used in the classroom. The DAP will be given to future teachers as students progress through grade 12

  10. Proposed scheduling changes for WoodsideSchool’s self-contained special education classes(grades 3-5) for 2013-2014: In an attempt to increase instructional time spent with students, while still providing them with the needed benefits of mainstreaming, we seek to adopt a schedule similar to the self-contained special education classes at Franklin Avenue Middle School. Changes would include: • All special education students in grades 3-5 will be mainstreamed into music, art, physical education, and library classes, however they will attend these classes together as a group (i.e. all special education students will go to music with Mrs. Corage’s 5th grade class, art with Mrs. Henry’s 3rd grade class, etc. ) • Students in special education grades 3-5 will attend one lunch period as a group • Special education students will continue to have separate homerooms based on grade level, and will attend all social events, assemblies, and field trips with their homeroom • These changes will be monitored, revisited, and possibly revised throughout the year. A committee will be formed consisting of general education, special area, and special education teachers that can provide guidance regarding how these changes are affecting student achievement, both academically and socially

  11. References City-Data.com. (2012). Franklin lakes, new jersey. Retrieved from www.city-data.com/city/Franklin-Lakes-New-Jersey.html Franklin Lakes Education Foundation. (2014). Franklin lakes education foundation: Funding innovative education. Retrieved from www.flef.net Sperling’s Best Places. (2012). Best places to live in franklin lakes, new jersey. Retrieved from www.bestplaces.net/city/new_jersey/franklin_lakes State of New Jersey Department of Education. (2013). NJ school performance report. Retrieved from www.state.nj.us/education/pr/1213/03/031580030.pdf Woodside Avenue School [Photograph]. (2013). Retrieved February 2nd, 2014, from www.flpta.org

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