Demographic Study of Berry Elementary

1. Demographic Study of Berry Elementary Ms. Axinia Zepeda

2. Historical Background of Community and the School Campus History James A. Berry (1809-1876) “James Berry was born near Mays Lick, Mason County, Kentucky July 15, 1809, the last of ten children. He immigrated to Texas to join the Texas Army, arriving March 12, 1836. On December 8, 1836, General Sam Houston, First President of The Republic of Texas. Commissioned him a first lieutenant of company I, first regiment of infantry where he served until 1838. He was one of the first settlers of Harris County. He served as Justice of the Peace (1840-1853), Treasurer of Harris County (1854-1857), Civilian Director for the County during the Civil War (1861-1865) and as one of the County School Commissioners. His first wife Martha Staples died in 1843 after bearing him two children, Joseph and Miles Frank, both of whom were to serve in the Confederate Army. He purchased a farm on Greens Bayou in 1846 from Clark and Elizabeth Beach. Mr. Beach died unexpectedly shortly thereafter. Mrs. Beach then became his second wife until her death in 1863, and her burial was the first in the family cemetery. Mary A. Cochran McDonell, a widow, became his third wife in 1866 and of this union were born James, Martha, Gertrude, and Frank Lee. On December 2, 1876 on his return trip from Houston to the James Berry Farm his wagon hit a tree stump. He was thrown from the wagon and died of his injuries. He was buried by holland lodge No. 1 in the family cemetery nearby, with a small marker inscribed ‘Death is certain, the hour unseen.’ In 1909 his children James and Frank Lee gave property on Berry Road as the site for the New Berry School built as a memorial to their father. The Berry Farm was sold in 1934 to Ira Brooks who developed Brookside Memorial Park around the old Berry Family Cemetery.”* The New Berry School opened in 1910 (1st Building). The campus moved to its present location 2310 Berry Road in 1950 (2nd Building). For the 2011-2012 school year Berry Elementary opened a new LEED Certified building (3rd Building). *Source The James Berry Farm Marker located at 13401 EastexFwy, Houston, TX 77039

3. Campus Governance Organizational Chart

4. Campus Governance Site Based Committee Selected MembershipThe school principal determines the size of the committee. Membership must include parents, community representatives, and no more than one business representative. Professional staff members must include at least two-thirds classroom teachers and one-third other campus-level professional staff. The TEC stipulates the ratio between the number of classroom teachers and other school-based staff members. The number of classroom teachers should be at least twice the number of school-based professionals (2:1). This ratio does not apply to non-instructional staff members, parents, or business and community members. No more than one non-instructional staff member should be elected to the SDMC. Other SDMC members must include at least two parents of students currently enrolled within the district selected by the campus's parent organization; two community members; and one business representative. The principal has the authority to appoint additional parents, community representatives, and business representatives to the SDMC. See References (a), (e), and (f). ElectionThe school-based professional staff representatives to the SDMC are elected according to rules established by the HISD Board of Education. For more detailed information see Reference (c). The principal serves as chairperson of the committee and as a member; a co-chairperson is elected from the school professional staff. Each May an election is held by secret ballot to determine the school-based members of the SDMC. Each member serves a two-year staggered term. Schools may identify first and second runner-ups that would fill vacancies during the first nine weeks of school only. When a vacancy occurs after that time period, an election is held by secret ballot to select a new representative to complete the term.

5. Campus Governance Site Based Committee Selected Responsibilities The SDMC must be involved in decisions related to areas specified by the TEC. See References (e) and (f). The areas that require involvement of the SDMC are: · Implementing all pertinent campus-level planning processes; · Developing recommendations for the school budget; · Submitting recommendations for the school curriculum; · Recommending changes in the school’s staffing patterns; · Developing and approving the campus staff development plans; · Developing, reviewing, and revising the School Improvement Plan (SIP) for the purpose of improving student performance for all student populations. After the principal approves the SIP, the SDMC will present the plan to the school-based professional staff for a vote of approval. See Reference (d); · Reviewing and making recommendations regarding the school’s organizational structure; and · Establishing procedures to periodically obtain broad-based community, parent, and staff input. Subcommittees Each school SDMC must have a budget subcommittee, and it may have subcommittees in other areas as well. Operating ProceduresThe operating procedures for the committee are as follows: a. Meetings In addition to regularly scheduled meetings (approximately once a month), the committee must hold at least one public meeting each year after receipt of the annual campus rating from the Texas Education Agency to discuss the performance of the school and the school’s objectives. b. Agenda The committee shall establish procedures for school personnel, parents, and business and community representatives to submit agenda items for meetings. c. Minutes A record of all decisions and significant discussion items shall be maintained by the committee. Copies of the SDMC minutes shall be distributed to members of the committee, school-based personnel, and the appropriate district superintendent, and shall be available to the general public upon request. d. Decisions - The committee is an advisory group to the school principal except for campus staff development. The committee must outline procedures for addressing the areas of involvement listed in paragraph 8 and for decision making. The principal shall consult the SDMC in matters relating to the school educational program, but the principal has the final authority in fiduciary and financial decisions.

6. Campus Governance Berry Elementary Site Based Committee

7. Enrollment/Growth/ Achievement District Demographics

8. Enrollment/Growth/ Achievement School Enrollment

9. Enrollment/Growth/ Achievement Student Performance on State Exams Strengths Weakness

10. Professional Staff

11. Demographic Study Additions • Potential areas for improvement: One could say that an area in need of improvement is the content and grade level placements for some teachers. A highly effective teacher in every classroom is a non-negotiable. The district has a non negotiable guideline that the campus must follow which is that every grade 1st-5th must be departmentalized. Administrators did not feel that departmentalization was developmentally appropriate for PK-Kindergarten students. They are self contained. Another area for improvement is the school discipline practices. The staff was not consistently following through with discipline referrals. Administration implemented Conscious Discipline techniques for minor incidents. A discipline referral sheet was developed for more sever incidents. Teachers need to consistently follow through with filling out the forms so that administrators know how to handle the situation. Next year, teachers should have a training over Conscious Discipline and the behavior management language it uses to effectively be used school wide. An academic area for improvement would be the literacy and math scores on state exams. Previous school year scores were low in both content areas in addition to a low science score. This years focus was to improve the science scores because the campus is an Environmental Science Magnet school. Next years goals should be to improve the math and literacy scores so that every student is on target to their grade level. In addition to the mentioned above areas for improvement, the Special Education Department on campus needs a makeover. After a school audit on the Special Education Department on campus, it was noted that students IEP’s were not effective, nor being implemented accordingly. A new system and guidelines needs to be put in place for the following school year so that all students needs are being met.

12. Demographic Study Additions • Key stakeholders in the school and community: Key stakeholders in the school and the community are the students, faculty/staff and the community. Because this area is a low socio economic area, the families need to feel welcomed on campus. In addition to these stakeholders, the community leaders and political officials would be positively impacted if the school had high achievement academically. • Leadership strategies I may use as a leader: Leadership strategies I may use as a leader are the same leadership strategies the current principal uses. This school year the entire administration team was new. Change is hard to accept for many reaming teachers of the previous administration. I feel that making sure that the culture is positive and a top priority, plays a huge role in how the teachers will impact student learning. Implementing a conscious way of discipline on campus through the use of Conscious Discipline would also be a strategy I would use in order to help create a positive culture and climate. Creating a school family would help to increase the number of highly effective teachers on campus. Another strategy I would use would be to implement systems and routines on campus. The campus did not have well established systems and routines in place for the staff, students or families. This makes it difficult for staff and students to follow through with the school vision and makes it the administration look as if they are not on the dame page, if there are no systems in place.

13. Resources • Houston Independent School District Website • Berry Elementary School Website • Berry Elementary School Staff Handbook