St. John the Beloved School Annual Report 2014 - 2015

St. John the Beloved School • 905 Milltown Rd. • Wilmington, DE 19808 www.saintjohnthebelovedschool.org

MIDDLE STATES Accredited NCEA Member AMLE MEMBER

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, COMMUNITY, SERVICE, WORSHIP!

“Lead me, Lord.”

Class of 2015 Our Mission

MISSION STATEMENT

The MISSION of St. John the Beloved School is to teach and model the Gospel of Jesus Christ, foster academic excellence, and encourage service to others.

BELIEF STATEMENTS

1. We believe that Reverence, Respect and Responsibility are the foundations of our Catholic School.

2. We believe that the whole child will be developed spiritually, intellectually, physically and socially.

3. We believe that the academic and Catholic religious formation of our students is a shared responsibility among the home, the school and the parish.

4. We believe that the diverse academic needs of students are met in a rich learning environment with a challenging curriculum and dedicated teachers.

Class of 2015

November, 2015

Dear Staff, Students, Families & Friends of Saint John the Beloved School,

Catholic education is a great benefit for us. Our parish and staff are able to hand down what is most important to us, the evangelization of the Gospel. Our students and graduates are privileged to be handed to them this discipline in the discipleship of Jesus Christ. Our families and friends make sacrifices to enable this to occur and, most often, reap the goodness in the world around them.

As a product of Catholic Education, I cherish what I received from those who loved me and most often are reminded, in my daily routine, of the fundamentals that I was taught. More than the solid basics, Catholic

Education establishes a spiritual fabric that is essential for the diversity of life.

Rooted in Jesus, Catholic Education seeks to be holistic and promote holiness. The efforts that are spent for this purpose are never wasted. As we celebrate our sixtieth anniversary as a parish this year, may the continued blessings of our parochial school enhance the world.

God Bless You!

Rev. Joseph J. Piekarski

Pastor

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St. John the Beloved School Serving 4 year old Early Childhood through 8th Grade 905 Milltown Rd. • Wilmington, DE 19808 • 302-998-5525 A Catholic school in the Franciscan Tradition. www.saintjohnthebelovedschool.org

Dear Friends,

“Lead me, Lord” was the theme for our 2014 – 2015 school year. Keeping this phrase in mind, I am happy to present to you our Annual Report.

Our Mission Statement - “The mission of St. John the Beloved School is to teach and model the Gospel of Jesus Christ, foster academic excellence, and encourage service to others” – is alive and well. It is visible on a daily basis in the interactions of faculty, staff, parents, and students and is the driving force that holds our school together. Each and every one must be committed so that it is not only lived out between school families but impacts the larger community. In short, we have strived to become what we are today.

Our school has a rigorous academic program as evidenced by our yearly TerraNova results for grades two through eight and the number of scholarships attained by the class of 2015. The gospel is lived out in our religion classes and our worshipping together as a community. Our service to the larger community is quite visible through our participation in Neighbors to Nicaragua and our sister school, John Paul, II. The outstanding efforts of our Student Council and student body enable countless agencies to benefit from our fundraising activities.

Our mission is not just made possible by the committed people inside the building. Our school families, as witnessed by our Home and School Association, our Enrichment Association as well as the parish at large support us financially. This allows us to move forward to instruct the next generation in the faith and prepare them for academic success and a life of service to others.

Yours in St. Francis,

Richard D. Hart Principal

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Highlights Accomplishments 2014 - 2015

CATHOLIC IDENTITY CURRICULUM  Celebrated monthly liturgies  Middle States Reaccredited  Prepared second grade for First  Adopted the new Terranova testing Communion program – 2nd to 8th grade  Celebrated First Reconciliation &  Emphasis placed on Step Up to Communion for second grade Writing Program school wide  Spotlighted a student choir and band  Expanded Spanish Program for liturgies  Instituted an in-depth memorization  Participated in the Faculty Retreat program for multiplication in grades Day three through five  Created a retreat experience for our  New Wonders reading program K-6 sixth, seventh, and eighth grades  All updated Curriculum has online  Instructed Kindergarten in prayer component assisted by their eighth grade buddies  My Math program grades 2-5  Recited the Rosary in October and  Wonders Reading 6th grade May as a school community  New Spanish Books 8th grade  Participated in the Stations of the Cross  Vocabulary Workbooks grade 3 during Lent  1:1 Chromebooks 6th & 7th grades  Eighth grade performed Living Stations  Chrome Book Carts grades 3-5  School community honored Mary by  Additional iPads for primary grades participating in a traditional May Crowning FACILITY ENHANCEMENTS  Students participated in a monthly service  New sidedwalk between buildings project that benefited various  Parking lot resurfaced and relined Organizations  Updated school roof  Franciscan Award at eighth grade  Replaced Ceiling tiles graduation  Peacemaker awards awarded each MAINTENANCE trimester to those who model our  Stripped and waxed all floors Franciscan Values  Area Carpets Cleaned  Continued support to our sister school with  Windows Cleaned Neighbors to Nicaragua  Asbestos Inspections  Participated in Diocesan Pilgrimage  Detailing of Student bathrooms  Initiated school wide service requirements

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COMMUNITY OUTREACH  IPADS – ECP through 2nd grade  Raised $5,000.00 for various charities  Upgraded technology curriculum including Multiple Sclerosis Society,  Math Skills tutor program Lymphoma Society, SJB Food Closet  Expanded Teacher Web-pages and  Easter Baskets for Ministry of Caring Week in Review Bulletin Board  Honored our Veterans on Veterans  School Reach Broadcast System Day with a special celebration  Web-based curriculum for Math,  Raised money for John Paul II school Science, Social Studies, Reading & in Nicaragua Vocabulary  SJBAC (Students Joining the Battle  Smart Boards in all classrooms Against Cancer) raised $10,000.00  Memorial donations made to recently ACHIEVEMENTS & RECOGNITIONS deceased members of our school  Received acceptances of all Graduates family into a High School of their choice  Raised over $52,000.00 during the  Fourteen students received twenty- Bi-Annual Bid-A-Mania. one scholarships to various High Schools STUDENT ACTIVITIES, ATHLETICS  Acknowledged Mary Ann Thompson EXTENDED CARE & SUMMER and Marie Malatesta with 30 years SCHOOL service each.  Hosted Art Fairs in January and April  Fifteen 8th grade students received  Received first and/or second place by U.S. President’s Award for several athletic teams in all sports Educational Excellence  Fourth grade hosted Career Week  Celebrated Sr. JoAnn McPolin’s 50th  Annual Christmas concert K – 3rd Jubilee with school Choir and Drama Dept.  Middle School trips for Character HOME & SCHOOL ASSOCIATION/ Education/Leadership & Team- EDUCATION COMMITTEE Building  Finances the following after school  Bricks for Kidz programs: Italian Club, Young  Expanded Band Program Rembrandts, Mad Science, Math Leagues, Science Olympiads, Bricks  Soccer Shots for Kidz, It’s Academic, Jr. and Sr.

ASSEMBLIES Chess Club  Honors Awards and Breakfast of  Coordinates Recess Volunteers Champions  Breakfast with Santa and Santa’s  Slim Good Body Secret Workshop  Pep Rally  Wacky Walk-A-Thon  JMT Productions of Christmas,  Grade Level Socials Easter and First Penance  Family Night Bingo  Mad Science  Multiple Business Take-Overs  Tuition Assistance

PARENT PARTNERSHIP  Donuts and Dads; Muffins and Moms  Special Persons Week  Coffee and Conversation with the Principal TECHNOLOGY  Curriculum/TerraNova Night with  Lap Tops for Grade 8 Dr. Louis DeAngelo

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Our History Celebrating over 50 years of Catholic Education

In 1953, after two years of searching for a desirable site, his Excellency Bishop E. J. Fitzmaurice and Monsignor John J. Lynch decided to purchase a nine acre farm on Milltown Road, which included a nine room house. Boundaries for the proposed parish were loosely drawn up and some 500 families began congregating at the armory on Kirkwood Highway for Sunday service. Bishop Fitzmaurice appointed Rev. John J. Sheehy, the founding pastor of the parish, to select a new name for the community, to organize a building program and to establish various parish committees. During this time, a contract for the design of the school was confirmed.

Construction began in the summer of 1956 and in August 1957, seven Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia moved into their new home and began preparations for students to enter their new school. On September 4, 1957, Sister M. Eutropia, the grade school principal, along with four sisters and four lay teachers, opened the doors to approximately 500 students. The school at this time was a nine classroom structure.

With time and the expansion of surrounding suburbia, St. John the Beloved’s much heralded school became increasingly crowded. Enrollment increased from 500 in 1957 to 940 in 1963, requiring the scheduling of split academic sessions, under the principalship of Sister Edward Augustine, OSF. To meet the demands of this growth a new junior school was built and on September 6, 1964, it opened to provide much needed classroom space.

In its first 15 years of growth, St. John’s experienced many clergy changes; the second and third pastors respectively were the Rev. Alex Gorski and the Rev. Monsignor John H. Dewson, and the third principal was Sister M. Synesia, OSF. Later, in 1971, Sister M. Rita Thomas, OSF, assumed the principalship of the school and introduced updated teaching methods in reading and mathematics. In 1974, the new church was built. The fulfillment of a promise made to the parishioners since 1955 was realized on December 21, 1976 with the dedication of the church. Shortly afterwards, in the spring of 1978 the Rev. Daniel W. Gerres became St. John’s fifth pastor and in the fall, Sister Patricia Hutchison, OSF, assumed principalship of the school.

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The school’s population continued to increase and once again in 1983, the need was recognized to enlarge the school. With the help of Rev. Gerres and Sister Hutchison, and the aid of the parish council, plans to renovate the existing junior and senior school were developed. Under these plans, an extension was to be built in the vacant areas between the two schools thus joining the educational buildings. The extension would house a new library/media center, two small reading centers, a religious education center, the principal’s office and multi-purpose office. The previous library would now become the much needed computer center. At the same time, other facilities were remodeled and/or relocated. The new building was approved by both the Parish Council and Bishop Mardaga. Construction began in the winter of 1983 and was completed by the fall of 1984 when Sister Ursula Tisdall, OSF, assumed principalship of the junior and senior schools.

In 1985, the school’s Long Range Planning Committee was established to promote development of the school. The goal of the committee was to provide for the future needs of the school in such areas as: budgeting, maintenance, funding, public relations and development. In 1986, the Christian Formation committee was established. The task of this committee was to promote and review educational policies and programs that support total Catholic education. Another milestone was reached in 1987-88 with the completion of the Middle States process for school certification. Both faculty and administration made this process a reality.

In the fall of 1987, the Rev. John Kavanaugh became our parish’s sixth pastor. In September 1988, Sister Elizabeth Doyle, OSF assumed principalship of the junior and senior schools. In January 1989, the school was granted full accreditation. A Development Committee was also formed in 1989 to meet the long-range educational needs of St. John the Beloved so that the parish could continue to provide quality spiritual and educational enrichment that would not be cost prohibitive for its parishioners.

Mrs. Joanne Capodanno became the principal in 1994. The 1998-99 school year brought more changes to the school. The Eagles Club, an after-school extended day program, opened its doors in September 1998. The process for the Middle States Certification was undertaken in the fall of 1998 and reaccreditation was given in the spring of 1999. The computer lab was upgraded with new computers and a technology committee was formed. The building was also wired to provide access to the Internet.

Rev. Charles Brown III was installed as the seventh pastor of St. John the Beloved Parish in the fall of 2005. Mr. Richard Hart assumed principalship in 2008. St. John the Beloved School received its reaccreditation from the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools during the 2008-09 school year.

2010 brought the expansion of our school with the addition of a separate building to house our new Early Childhood and Kindergarten Programs. This also provided space for our new Art, Faculty, and Multi-purpose meeting rooms. The Nurse’s Room, Music Classroom and the Teachers’ Work Room have also been renovated. On January 30, 2010, Fr. Charlie Brown was bestowed with the Papal Honor of Chaplain to His Holiness and became Monsignor Charles L. Brown III, V.F.

June 2012 found St. John the Beloved in a pastoral transition. Msgr. Charles Brown retired after 41 years of service. He served 6 of those years here at St. John the Beloved. The Computer Lab was completely renovated – including all computers and servers.

In June 2012, Reverend William Cocco was installed as eighth pastor of St. John the Beloved.

2013 brought 2 new priests to our parish, Fr. Etim and Fr. Brian Lewis.

The Rectory office moved to the Vianney house in 2014 and Fr. William Cocco was transferred to St. Edmond’s Catholic Church in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware at the end of the school year. We welcomed Fr. Joseph Piekarski as pastor at St. John the Beloved Parish in July of 2015.

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Class of 2015

Alumni receive St. Francis de Sales Award Winners

Feast Of St. Francis

Programs & Services Living our Mission Beyond the Classroom

Extended Care – The Eagle’s Club

During the academic year St. John the Beloved’s The Eagles Club Extended Care Program is designed to meet the needs of school families by offering after school care until 6:00 p.m. The program offers a nurturing environment where children can be safely supervised while completing their homework, eating nutritious snacks, and enjoying age-appropriate games and activities.

Athletics • Choir • Student Council • Band

All our children have the opportunity to participate in a variety of sports programs through CYM (Catholic Youth Ministry): girl’s volleyball, basketball, cheerleading, soccer, softball, track and cross country; boy’s football, basketball, soccer, wrestling, cross country, track, and baseball. This year several teams placed either first or second in their division. Athletics had a great year! St. John the Beloved also offers instrumental band and a student Choir. Student Council is made up of students from all grades under the supervision of mentors Mrs. Sharon Magee, Mr. Matt Myers, Mrs. Dawn Hartley, and Mrs. Diwanna Walus. They host several events including Open Houses, Middle States visits, and the school Spirit Assembly. The Student Council prepares and presents our daily televised morning announcements. They raised over $14,000.00 for various charities this year.

Kitchen and Lunch Service

St. John the Beloved School offers lunch service to our families. On a daily basis, students have the option of purchasing nutritious complete meals at lunch. The menu changes monthly and families can view the menu a month in advance. The school also participates in the Federal Milk program. Student Council Officers

High School Musical Class of 2015 Page 7

TECHNOLOGY

The administration, faculty, staff, parents and students of St. John the Beloved School value the use of technology to enhance the education of our students.

This year, both 6th and 7th grade students have their own 1:1 Chromebooks to be used in classes, and at home. Thanks to the financial support of our Enrichment Committee, and Bid-A-Mania, we have a cart of 30 Chromebooks to be shared among the fourth and fifth grade classrooms. We also have a cart of 15 Chromebooks to be shared between the third grade classrooms. These will soon be set up and ready to go.

Now that students in grades 3-5 will be working with Chromebooks, they, too, needed Google Apps for Education accounts (GAFE). The 3rd and 4th graders do not have email, but they will soon be learning to use the other components of this package of collaborative tools for schools.

The Enrichment Committee also funded the purchase of additional iPads to be used in the PreK through 2nd grade classrooms, bringing the total in each room up to three. These will be used in centers, as tools for remediation or challenge, and to help personalize learning for our students.

With all these “connected” devices, we needed to upgrade our WiFi again! During the summer, new enterprise edition access points were installed throughout the school, allowing our students to connect more quickly and easily.

All of this requires a lot of training - for teachers and students! The administration of St. John the Beloved School recognizes that the #1 reason technology integration fails in schools is lack of professional development for teachers. To that end, five teachers were sent to Boston to attend a Chromebook Workshop for 3 days over the summer. They are sharing that knowledge with other teachers, and many teachers are learning through the self-paced, online Google Apps training courses.

Our school has also been selected for a one year trial of five new EdTech apps. We will use these, some with the Chromebooks, and others with iPads, for the year, and provide feedback to the developers.

As a leader in technology integration in the area, we will be hosting a Google Chromebook and GAFE conference here at SJB in the spring. Presenters and attendees will be invited from Catholic, private and public schools in the area. By sharing what we know, we can all become better able to meet the needs of all our students.

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TECHNOLOGY

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Graduates

Instruments of Peace Number of Catholic High Schools Graduates Class of 2015 St. John the Beloved School sent off fifty-seven 20 Salesianum School graduates of the Class of 2015. Our graduates 15 St. Mark’s High School apply to and attend a variety of Catholic & Public High Schools throughout Wilmington. All of our 9 Padua Academy graduates achieved entrance into a high school of 5 St. Elizabeth High School their choice and have truly emerged to exceed all 2 Archmere Academy expectations, 51 or 89%, of our graduates are attending Catholic school while 6, or 11%, are Number of Graduates Public /Charter High Schools attending public or charter high schools. 2 Delaware Military Academy 1 Delaware Design Labs Thirteen of our graduates achieved a total of 22 1 Charter School of Wilmington High School scholarships. 1 Cab Calloway

Number of 1 Tatnall School Scholarship Scholarship/High School Winners

1 Archmere Academy

5 Padua Academy &

1 Service & Leadership

5 Salesianum

4 St. Elizabeth High School

5 St. Mark’s High School

1 Tatnall (Full)

Fifteen of our graduates received the

Presidential Award for Educational Excellence.

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GRADUATE PROFILE Graduates exhibit a strong foundation in the Catholic faith that is based on a deepening relationship with Jesus.

 Graduates practice the values of Reverence, Respect and Responsibility to inform choices in their lives and continue to model Franciscan values in order to lead a moral life.

 Graduates continue to be sensitive to others in need and to participate in service-related opportunities locally and globally.

 Graduates recognize the privilege and value of their education; they utilize their skills to lead and to collaborate with others.

 Graduates continue to participate in the supportive and caring community at St. John the Beloved in order to grow and to benefit from its strength.

 Graduates become examples of Christian leaders who are confident and who have the courage to “think out of the box”.

SJB Alumni at St. Mark’s High

SJB Alumni at Padua Academy

SJB Alumni at Salesianum

School Administration August 31, 2015 SJB Alumni at St. Elizabeth High

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St. John the Beloved School

Financial Statements

St. John the Beloved School maintains a system of internal controls over financial reporting to provide reasonable assurance that assets are safeguarded and transactions are executed in accordance with the Diocesan policy.

Rev. William T. Cocco Richard D. Hart Pastor, St. John the Beloved Principal, St. John the Beloved School

Revenues

Expenses

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Capital Student Expenses Services 1% 8% Fixed Charges 20% Personnel/ Operation of Instruction Facility 59% 6% Administration 6% St. John the Beloved School

Financial Statements

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St. John the Beloved School

Financial Statements

August 30, 2015 General Information St. John the Beloved School is a private non-profit elementary catholic school providing Pre-school through eighth grade elementary education. In addition to providing an elementary education, St. John the Beloved also provides an Extended Care program and collaborates with catholic youth organization and various organizations for seasonal athletic events and sponsors various fundraising events. St. John the Beloved School is affiliated with St. John the Beloved Parish and operates under the control of the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington. St. John the Beloved School is accredited from the Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges.

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Fund Classification The financial statements have been prepared using a single set of self-balancing accounts. Funds collected under restriction are segregated from those funds with no restrictions. The fiscal year begins on July 1st and ends June 30. School Equipment & Improvements School equipment and property improvements are stated at cost. Reclassifications Certain reclassifications were made to conform to the Diocesan Financial Guidelines in preparing the 2010 financial statements. Accordingly, report classifications may vary with those in the annual School Financial Report submitted to the diocese.

School Equipment and Improvements School Equipment and property improvements are stated at cost:

2015 2014 School Equipment $ 26,728 $ 38,265 Technology 30.667 96,084 Property Improvements 61,331 51,574 Total $ 118,726 $ 185,923

Statement of changes in the Restricted Fund Balance Balance Restricted Released Balance Donation at Donations from at Donor Restricted for: June 2014 collected Restriction June 2015

Academic Development Fund Improvement $ 282,769 $ 7,910 $ 0 $ 290,679

TOTAL $ 282,769 $ 7,910 $ 0 $290.679

St. John the Beloved Development Annual Fund

The Annual Fund was established in 1989 with the idea of raising approximately one million dollars to be kept in an endowment fund. The goal of the fund is to sustain and improve the school. The funds are raised through the generosity of parents, parishioners, and alumni. Most of the funds were raised from annual Phone-a-thons. The fund is an interest-bearing one that will not decrease in value, is tax deductible and is administered by the school and parish only. We are happy to report that at the completion of our 2014-15 Campaign, 205 pledges were received with a total collection of $ 3,440.00. Company matching gifts were a part of this total. Thank you to everyone who participated. May God bless you for your generous spirit!

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Partners in our Mission

Bid-A-Mania – Friday, February 28, 2015 The Home and School Association along with the Education Committee hosted our 4th Bid-A-Mania. This event was a fun-filled evening for adults with raffled baskets for the students. There were many silent and live auctions, from a variety of generous donors, which raised over $52,000.00! Thank you to all for your generous participation. A job well done! Menu for Success You’re invited! Coffee Conversations with the Principal are scheduled twice per year. This is an open forum to discuss issues that will further the education and well being of our students. Honor Assemblies The Breakfast of Champions and the Honors Luncheon are celebrated at the conclusion of the first and second trimesters. Family Time Muffins & Moms, Donuts & Dads, and Special Persons Week is an ideal time for students to spend time with their loved ones.

Visit our website at www.saintjohnthebelovedschool.org to access our calendar and newsletters or please call us at 302-998-5525 ext. 200 for more information.

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Home & School Association/ Education Committee

St. John the Beloved’s Home and School Association & Education Committee

The goals of Saint John the Beloved’s Home and School Association and Education Committee are the following:

 to support the Catholic education of all children of SJB  to promote shared educational responsibilities of parents and teachers  to organize the varied talents of parishioners and others in the community  to contribute to the school financially as appropriate.

The 2014 - 2015 Home and School Board The 2014 – 2015 Education Committee members are: consists of:

Fr. William Cocco, Pastor Fr. William Cocco, Pastor Mr. Richard Hart, Principal Mr. Richard Hart, Principal Diwanna Walus – Faculty Advisor Jennifer Sheridan, President Debbie Portale, President Susan Guariano, Vice-President Annemary Kluska, Treasurer Paula Jaco - Treasurer Michele Kane, Secretary Michele Honaker, Secretary One Home Room Representative from each class

Both Boards oversee various activities each year and raise funds to support these activities. These activities include: Coordination of Recess Duty Volunteers, Various Faculty Appreciation Activities, New Family and Kindergarten Picnic, Spirit Wear, Student Themed Contests, Muffins and Moms, Donuts and Dads, Spirit Rally, 8th Grade versus Faculty Volleyball Game, Breakfast of Champions, Breakfast with Santa, Santa's Secret Workshop, Chess Club, Science Olympiad, Math League, Bricks for Kidz, Cooking’s Cool, Summer Bridge Workbooks, 8th Grade May Procession Flowers, Summer Reading Books,Co-Sponsor of The Wild and Wacky Walk-a-Thon, After School Programs, Bid-a-Mania and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Walk.

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Class of 2015 ART

Polar Express

Sr. JoAnn’s Jubilee

Halloween Blessing of the Pets

S J B Band at the Blue Rocks

Christmas

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Fr. Lewis Veteran’s Day Mass

Dream It…Believe It…Achieve It…

The Bat Mobile Chess

Boys Cross Country Fellowship Farm

Band at the B&N Book Fair

Class of 2015

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CLASS OF 2015 Students Achieving Excellence

All students in grades two through eight participate in yearly Terra Nova testing. These tests are nationally- normed achievement tests that measure progress in Math, Language Arts, Science and Social Studies. Additionally, all children complete In View tests for cognitive skills. Students in grades four and seven also complete a writing assessment. Our students consistently meet or exceed all national standards. The Superintendent of schools holds sessions with parents and faculty members to explain our yearly score averages to families. Assessment drives instruction. Standardized Tests Classroom Assessments snapshot of skills portfolio of skills  One-time feedback  Continuous feedback  Multiple choice  Multiple formats  Standard questions  Choice of questions  Specific time limit  Flexible time limits  Objective  Objective/subjective  No self assessment  Self-assessment  Measures prior knowledge  Measures application and transfer

There are two types of Standardized Tests: Aptitude and Achievement. Aptitude tests are designed to predict a student’s potential acquisition of knowledge/skills by using InView. Achievement tests measures a student’s current acquired knowledge/skills in one or more content areas using TerraNova. Achievement tests that are standard format, questions, instructions and time allotment are Standardized Tests. Standardized Tests are used for needs assessment, curriculum analysis, instructional program planning, program evaluation and class grouping.

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National Percentile Scale National Norm – 50th percentile 1 5 1 0 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 95 99 average range These test results were compiled from March 2013. (+/- shows points above national average for SJB students.)

GRADE READ LANG. MATH SCIENCE SOCIAL SPELLING TOTAL

CMPS. CMPS. CMPS. STUDIES SCORE

2ND SCORED 77 (+27) 80 (+30) 76 (+26) 69 (+19) 68 (+18) 74 (+24) 78 (+28)

ANTICIPATED 70 67 72 65 69 65 72

DIOCESE 76 76

3RD SCORED 84 (+34) 87 (+37) 81 (+31) 89 (+39) 82 (+32) 71 (+21) 85 (+35)

ANTICIPATED 88 84 80 78 81 72 86

DIOCESE 77 77

** 4TH SCORED 82 (+32) 91 (+41) 84 (+34) 87 (+37) 87 (+37) 74 (+24) 87 (+37)

ANTICIPATED 79 85 78 79 80 72 86

DIOCESE 76 75

5TH SCORED 79 (+29) 81 (+31) 83 (+33) 76 (+26) 80 (+30) 73 (+23) 87 (+37)

ANTICIPATED 80 80 81 77 79 72 85

DIOCESE 76 80

6TH SCORED 84 (+34) 88 (+38) 81 (+31) 78 (+28) 90 (+40) 76 (+26) 87 (+37)

ANTICIPATED 81 84 79 79 78 70 86

DIOCESE 82 78

**7TH SCORED 82 (+32) 90 (+40) 83 (+33) 78 (+28) 88 (+38) 79 (+29) 88 (+38)

ANTICIPATED 82 84 79 82 80 70 86

DIOCESE 80 83

8TH SCORED 83 (+33) 89 (+39) 79 (+29) 78 (+28) 84 (+34) 73 (+23) 87 (+37)

ANTICIPATED 85 87 86 79 82 78 89

DIOCESE 82 75

** TerraNova with InView Common Core (Common Core is only Language Arts and Math) A difference is considered meaningful when the difference between scores is seven or more NCE units. Class of 2015

The academic program is strengthened by our implementation of the following:  Academic Intervention and Support: The staff and administration continually review academic standards and student performance in order to develop and to implement policies and practices that enhance academic outcomes. By looking at the task of engaging and motivating students in a meaningful way; developing pedagogy that incorporates 21st Century learning skills, teachers incorporate differentiated instruction, varied assessment and the integration of technology into every lesson.

In order to insure student academic development on all levels, a tiered approach to that goal was initiated over the past three years. Generally, St. John the Beloved School enjoys above average performance on standardized tests. We face the daily challenge to “have all the boats rise”. The establishment of an academic support team (2015) insures the identification of students who are struggling academically. The identification process is data driven through the use of screening assessments to determine the level of intervention needed.

This year, all students in grades K-5 were screened for competencies in word decoding, reading fluency and comprehension. Students who scored below benchmark are eligible to participate in a Reading Assist tutoring program. This program offers support for basic phonemic skill development, decoding skills and comprehension. Students will meet with a trained mentor three times weekly for the length of the program. A second level of intervention using this same approach will be for students who need specific skill reinforcement in Reading. These students will receive individual instruction that is targeted to their weaker Reading skills. The coordinator of this support program will guarantee a continuity of instruction for students receiving either level of intervention. There will be regular periodic progress monitoring of students while in the program.

An instructional coach is working with our teachers to implement reasonable accommodations for our students who have received psycho-educational testing. The school counselor, instructional coach, and the Reading Assist coordinator function as an Academic Intervention Team providing guidance; establishing appropriate accommodations and interventions for the students who need academic support.

 Reading Counts: Progressive system developed by Scholastic Books that improves reading comprehension and accountability for students in grades two through eight. Reading Counts exposes students of all grades and accomplishment levels to exceptional literature. Comprehension is measured through computer generated testing.

 Wonders Reading: Through an integrated approach, literacy solutions Reading Wonders, build all learners – both striving and struggling, into stronger readers and writers.

 Continuous Development of Science Fusion: This is a state-of-the-art science program designed for building inquiry, STEM, and optimized for learning in the classroom, at home, on a laptop, a tablet, or using a science textbook. The digital curriculum, virtual labs and hands-on activities, and write-in science textbook develops important critical thinking skills that prepare students for success in future science courses and in the workplace.

 Instructional Grouping 5th – 8th grades: By academic apititude: excellerated or average.

 Continually reviewing and enhancing our text book series: Over the last four years we have upgraded: Social Studies, Grammar, Delaware History, Science, Reading, Vocabulary and Spanish. Presently all texts book series have been upgraded. This year, the faculty and staff reviewed a number of potential new math series for the school. A new math program will start 2015-16.

St. John the Beloved School achieved reaccreditation with distinction in April 2009 from the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools; our graduates are accepted to the high school of their choice. The academic program is further enhanced through Spanish Language for all grades and a selection of electives that includes music, math league and science olympiad. A developmental curriculum of study skills and social skills is coordinated by the school counselor.

“Start by doing what’s necessary, then what’s possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” ~St. Francis of Assisi

www.saintjohnthebelovedschool.org Class of 2015