Title I School Wide Plan For

Title I School Wide Plan for Powder Springs Elementary School

Written/Revised during the

School Year:

2011-2012

For Implementation during the

School Year:

2011-2012

Submitted June 23, 2011 Revised September 16, 2011

Principal’s Signature Title I School Wide Plan

Planning Committee Members for: Title I School Wide Plan Date of Committee Meeting: School Year 2010-2011 Name of School POWDER SPRINGS ELEMENTARY

NAME POSITION/ROLE/PARENT SIGNATURE

Darlene Mitchell Principal

Pat Adair Assistant Principal

Barry Frazier Counselor

Lisa Morgan Kindergarten Teacher

Patty Schatz First Grade Teacher

Debbie Rainer Second Grade Teacher

Mitzi Burge Third Grade Teacher

Tanja Smith Fourth Grade Teacher

Janis Rone Fifth Grade Teacher

Dr. Nadine Lawrence-Guthrie Speech Language Pathologist

Nicole McCoy Special Education Teacher

Latonya Greer Media Specialist

John McKearney Specialist

Dr. Shanell Butler Math Coach

Cathy White-Trout Literacy Coach

Dr. Sakinah Dantzler EIP Teacher/Reading Recovery

Tim Briggs Custodian

Tina Stewart Paraprofessional

Dallas Picou Consultant

Table of Contents School Wide Title I Plan 2 Powder Springs Elementary Pages

1. Comprehensive Needs Assessment 5 A. Participation of Individuals 5 B. Instruments, Procedures, or Processes 5 C. The Needs of Homeless, Neglected, and Migrant Children 6 D. Current Achievement Data 6 E. Information about All Students 8 F. Data, Conclusions 8 G. Measurable Goals/Benchmarks 9

2. School Wide Reform Strategies That Are Scientifically Researched 10 A. School Wide Reform Strategies That Provide Opportunities For All Children 10 B. Effective Means of Raising Student Achievement 10 C. Effective Instructional Methods That Increase Learning Time 12 D. Address the Needs of All Children 12

3. Instruction by Highly Qualified Professional Staff 13 A. Strategies to Attract Highly Qualified Teachers 13 B. School Status of Highly Qualified Teachers 14

4. Professional Development For Staff 14 A. Include Teachers, Principals, Paraprofessionals, and Others 14 B. Aligned Professional Development with the State’s Academic Content 14 C. Professional Development Activities that Address the Root Causes 14 D. Include Teachers in Professional Development Activities Regarding 15 the Use of Academic Assessments E. School Yearly Professional Development Schedule 15

5. Strategies to Increase Parental Involvement 17 A. Involved Parents in the Planning of the Comprehensive School Wide Program 17 B. Parent Involvement Policy and Parent Compact 18

6. Plans for Assisting Preschool Children in the Transition From Early Childhood Programs 18 and/or Students Entering Middle School or High School

7. Measures to Include Teachers in the Decisions Regarding the Use of Assessment 19

8. Coordination and Integration of Federal, State, and Local Services and Programs 19 A. List of State and Local Educational Agency Programs and Other Federal 19 Programs That Will Be Included B. Description of How Resources from Title I and Other Sources will be Used 20 C. Plan Developed in Coordination with Other Programs 20

9. Activities to Ensure that Students who Experience Difficulty Mastering Standards Shall be Provided with Effective, Timely Assistance 21

A. Measures to Ensure that Students’ Difficulties are Identified on a Timely Basis 21 B. Periodic Training for Teachers in the Identification of Difficulties 21 School Wide Title I Plan 3 Powder Springs Elementary C. Teacher-Parent Conferences 22

10. Description of How Individual Student Assessment Results Will Be Provided to Parents 22

11. Provisions for the Collection and Disaggregation of Data 23

12. Provisions to Ensure the Disaggregated Assessment Results are Valid and Reliable 24

13. Provisions for Public Reporting of Disaggregated Data 24

14. Plan Developed During a One-Year Period 24

15. Plan Developed with the Involvement of the Community to be Served 25

16. Plan Available to the LEA, Parents, and the Public 25

17. Plan Translated 25

18. Plan is Subject to the School Improvement Provisions of Section 1116 25

19. APPENDIX A 26

20. APPENDIX B 27

21. APPENDIX C 29

School Wide Title I Plan 4 Powder Springs Elementary 1. Comprehensive Needs Assessment

A. Participation of Individuals

Powder Springs Elementary School developed our school wide plan over a one year period with participation of individuals who will carry out the comprehensive school wide program. The following persons participated in the plan development:

Name Title

Darlene Mitchell Principal Pat Adair Assistant Principal Michelle Curry Assistant Principal Dr. Chemara Jackson Counselor Barry Frazier Counselor Lisa Morgan Kindergarten Teacher Patty Schatz First Grade Teacher Debbie Morris Second Grade Teacher Mitzi Burge Third Grade Teacher Tanja Smith Fourth Grade Teacher Janis Rone Fifth Grade Teacher Dr. Nadine Lawrence-Guthrie Speech Pathologist Nicole McCoy Special Student Services Latonya Greer Media Specialist John McKearny Specialist Dr. Shanell Butler Parent Liaison/Math Coach Cathy White-Trout EIP/Literacy Coach Dr. Sakinah Dantzler Early Intervention Program Teacher Tim Briggs Head Custodian Tina Stewart Paraprofessional Dallas Picou Consultant

This committee is made up of the Powder Springs school administration, literacy coaches, representatives from each grade level, special student services such as special education and early interventions specialists, other vital staff members, as well as the parent liaison and parent/PTA members.

B. Instruments, Procedures, or Processes

We have used the following instruments, procedures or processes to obtain this information the School Strategic Plan (SSP), Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) Data, Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT), Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS), Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA), Georgia Writing assessments for grades 3 and 5, ACCESS for English Language Learners (ELL), County Benchmark Assessments and Individual Math Inventories (IMI’s).

School Wide Title I Plan 5 Powder Springs Elementary C. & D. The Needs of Homeless, Neglected, and Migrant Children & Current Achievement Data

Student demographics, as shown in Figure 1, have remained relatively unchanged through the past four years. The percent of students in all subgroups have remained constant. Although enrollment has increased, the racial and subgroup categories have increased with the same ratio. In addition to the subgroups listed, the needs of migrant, homeless, neglected and delinquent children have also been addressed within these subgroups by the school social worker, teachers, math and literacy coaches, counselors, and administration.

Figure 1 : Demographics in AYP Grades

Students in AYP Grades and Subgroups (as defined by NCLB) Total Year Black % Hispanic* % White % Multi-Racial* % Students 2011 490 345 70 38 8 75 15 23 5 2010 533 378 71 41 8 85 16 24 5 2009 538 378 70 38 7 91 17 26 5 2008 468 308 66 47 10 91 19 16 3

Total Economic Year SWD % ELL* % % Students Disadvantaged 2011 490 81 17 29 6 299 61 2010 533 73 14 26 5 304 57 2009 538 79 15 24 4 298 55 2008 468 70 15 18 4 255 54 Note: *These subgroups have too few students to apply to NCLB’s AYP calculations.

On the 2010-2011 CRCT 62.5% of our students with disabilities met or exceeded standards in the area of Reading/English Language Arts making AYP through the use of safe harbor guidelines. In that same student group Mathematics CRCT showed that 55.4% of the students meeting and or exceeding standards which met AYP using safe harbor guidelines as well. Currently at Powder Springs Elementary we have students being served in this student group with the following exceptionalities: Learning Disabled, Behavior Disordered, and Other Health Impaired.

At Powder Springs Elementary, the percentage of all students meeting and exceeding the GA CRCT in Reading/English Language Arts was 87.7%. The largest gap (27.3%) between student groups as defined in the Elementary Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) formally known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB) federal legislation was the SWD (students with disabilities) mentioned above and the White student group which showed a percentage of 89.8% meeting and exceeding. Next, it was noted that an achievement gap of 29.8 percentage points in math occurred between white and SWD students, 85.2% and 55.4%, respectively.

School Wide Title I Plan 6 Powder Springs Elementary Figure 2a: Improvement of student performance baseline data on national tests.

Indicators 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 n % n % n % n % Students meeting or exceeding the national 54.5 56.4 51.80 78 84 72 68 52.00% average on the % % % composite ITBS in grade 3 Students meeting or exceeding the national 50.3 53.1 48.47 78 76 79 77 53.00% average on the % % % composite ITBS in grade 5

As show in Figure 2a, baseline data was set during the years of 2006-2007 through 2009-2010. For the most part, better than 50% of students were above the national average on the ITBS in both third and fifth grade with the exception of fifth graders in 2008-2009.

Figure 2b: Improvement of student performance results data on national tests.

As shown in Figure 2b, students in third grade fell short of target goals on the composite score in 2009-2010 by 3.00%. However, fifth graders exceeded the target by 1.30% on the composite score of the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS). School Wide Title I Plan 7 Powder Springs Elementary Figure 2c: Improvement of student performance targets on national tests.

Figure 2c shows the projected targets for the current and next year’s ITBS tests. This information is in agreement with our School Strategic Plan Targets.

E. Information about All Students

We have reflected current achievement data that will help the school understand the subjects and skills in which teaching and learning need to be improved. For example, our SWD subgroup shows the greatest achievement gap. Our results have show consistent gains in math and slower gains in reading for this subgroup. We will continue to focus on improving achievement for all students, while increasing efforts to decrease the achievement gap for this subgroup.

The data has helped us reach conclusions regarding student achievement. The major strength we found in our program was consistent gains by all students in math. The major needs we discovered were a need for better integration of Writing, Science and Social Studies curriculum and consistent gains in reading for students with disabilities. Our school will expand the usage of FASTT Math, Go Solve, Fraction Nation, Study Island, Scholastic Math Inventory (SMI), Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI), Guided Reading, and Guided Math. The specific academic needs of students that are being addressed in the school-wide program will be addressed by teachers through regular collaboration and data meetings with the math and literacy coaches. Our consistent implementation will continue to show improvement for all students and subgroups.

F. Data Conclusions

In an effort to maximize results, Powder Springs Elementary has identified actions, strategies, and interventions to be implemented by adults. Our staff will use Guided Math and Guided Reading instruction daily, while integrating Science and Social Studies curriculum. They will have a 180 minute literacy block with 90 minutes of math instruction daily. This will be implemented by teachers and monitored by administrators, math and literacy coaches. Training will be provided for teachers during pre-planning.

School Wide Title I Plan 8 Powder Springs Elementary Implementation will also be monitored through observations, focus walks, and team collaborative planning minutes. Teachers will work with students on FASTT Math, GO Solve, Fraction Nation, Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI), Scholastic Math Inventory (SMI), Accelerated Reader (AR), and Study Island to improve reading comprehension, math fluency, and problem solving. Support will be provided through Technology, local and county Literacy Coaches, and local and county Math Coaches. Monitoring will take place through monthly reports generated by teachers, team minutes, and local literacy and math coaches.

Staff will facilitate curriculum nights with guidance from the parent facilitator for parents which will allow students to demonstrate how they learn math and reading. We will continue bi-monthly data team meetings to analyze reading and math data to adjust and differentiate student instruction. Teachers will receive training initiated by local math and reading coaches and this activity will be monitored by monthly data minutes.

As part of the teachers grade-level planning, teams will meet monthly to collaborate and adjust data graphs based on math and reading achievement. Pre-Post Test Data will also be monitored each quarter. Grade level administrators will monitor the process through the team collaborative planning minutes. In addition, Teacher Tutors will plan and implement best practice strategies to increase student achievement in math and reading. The training for this process will take place in the extended day planning by grade level administrators.

G. Measureable Goals/Benchmarks

Student Achievement Goals

Our long-range student achievement goals are for students to perform at or above grade level in Reading and Math. After analyzing the data from the CRCT scores from 2010 and the Annual Measureable Objective (AMO), which continues to increase annually, we determined that continual improvement in these areas a priority. We established the following measurable goals to address needs for student learning:

 Students will improve student achievement in math by focusing on the following domains at each grade level: 1st—money, numbers and operations; 2nd—numbers and operations; 3rd—measurement, numbers and operations; 4th—geometry, numbers and operations; and 5th—fractions, numbers and operations.

 Students will improve student achievement in reading by focusing on comprehension and phonics in grades K-2 and reading comprehension and grammar in grades 3-5.

School Performance Goals

Our long-range school performance goal is: The teachers will collaborate bi-monthly to monitor student progress in math and reading and adjust instruction accordingly to improve student achievement. The math and reading coaches will facilitate the analyzing of student data to improve instruction across grade levels.

School Wide Title I Plan 9 Powder Springs Elementary 2. School-Wide Reform Strategies That Are Scientifically Researched

A. School-Wide Reform Strategies That Provide Opportunities For All Children At Powder Springs Elementary (PSE), our primary goal is student achievement. This goal is accomplished through a rigorous curriculum, designed to meet the individual needs of all learners. We believe in teaching to the whole of the child. Multiple opportunities are provided each day to assist learners in meeting and exceeding grade level expectations. We strive to build positive relationships with students and we encourage this process by promoting positive interactions. Furthermore, we seek to assist students in becoming well rounded individuals. We address the needs of all our students by providing multiple modalities of learning key skills and concepts. We expect the best from our students and we set high standards. We use researched based methods proven to bolster student achievement. Based on our CRCT results and the annual AMO increase to meet AYP, we are continually concerned about our students’ achievement in math and reading, especially in our SWD subgroup.

B. Effective Means of Raising Student Achievement

As supported in the Goals 2000 Educate America Act, our school focus is to identify the best academic standards to measure student progress and provide support that students may need to meet required grade level standards. Our teachers through professional development and training will access programs for the continued improvement and to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to instruct and prepare our students. Our teachers currently use the following classroom assessments: DRA, IMI, SRI, SMI, Study Island, Fraction Nation, FASTT Math, Check Points, AR, and Benchmarks to measure student performance. Title II funds will be used for professional development and collaboration for teachers in these areas. The data teams will also review and analyze student work and assessments to determine what steps and changes need to be made in instruction and assessments.

Additional strategies used to support students, particularly those the furthest away from demonstrating academic proficiency are:

 Data Analysis - Weekly team meetings are scheduled to discuss assessment results on District Benchmarks in Reading/Language Arts and Informal Math Inventories. Specific strategies are discussed and implemented based on assessment results. Each team notes trends and identifies specific areas of strengths and weaknesses in each targeted subgroup. This will allow continuous student achievement dialogue and help teachers use data to drive daily instruction.

 Vertical Alignment - Opportunities for vertical alignment is provided across grade levels in an effort to examine student assessment data to effectively implement the Georgia Professional Standards in Reading and Mathematics. This will give teachers the opportunity to identify the gaps in instruction and help them prepare students better for the next grade level curriculum.

 Professional Development - Workshops are provided based on the needs identified through the disaggregation of Reading and Mathematics Data. Curriculum based Professional Development

School Wide Title I Plan 10 Powder Springs Elementary Workshops are aligned to the Georgia Standards. Professional Development Workshops are designed to address the following needs:

 Higher Order Thinking

 Differentiating Instruction for learners

 Progress Monitoring

 Guided Math and Reading Groups

 Science and Social Studies curriculum integration

 How to interpret and use data to drive instruction These professional development opportunities provide teachers with the training needed to use and interpret the strategies that are expected to promote student achievement.  Integration - Standards are reinforced throughout Art, Music, Computer Lab, Math Lab and Physical Education. Teachers are also integrating Science and Social Studies. This integration strengthens the core academic program of the school, which helps raise students’ overall academic achievement.

 Differentiation - Best Practices such as, Guided Reading and Guided Math provide opportunities for teachers to create lessons purposed to meet the individual needs of each learner. This allows students to learn at different levels, encouraging extension and remediation for students as needed.

 Response To Intervention - The Response to Intervention Team meets weekly to discuss strategies designed to assist students who are at risk of not meeting or maintaining grade level performance in academics and/or behavior. This team gives students the opportunity to be evaluated individually to determine areas of strengths and weaknesses and offers additional strategies to promote achievement in class daily.

 Collaborative Planning - Collaborative Planning Time is provided for teachers to create, plan and extend lessons based on the Georgia State Standards. This also gives teachers time to share best practices and strategies to help promote student achievement.

 Implementation of the following Research Based Interventions will be used to increase student achievement and support our effective methods and instructional practices:

 FASTT Math - a research based program designed to help students develop fluency in basic math facts. FASTT Math helps to uncover fluency gaps and establishes a baseline of fluency for each student; instruction is customized to meet the individual needs of all students. This program has helped students show tremendous growth in math.

 Study Island - a research web based program that provides instruction, practice and assessments based on the Georgia State Standards. This program provides the opportunity for grade level assessments on the standards and the information from this program can be used to drive daily

School Wide Title I Plan 11 Powder Springs Elementary instruction and measure students’ mastery of grade level standards. This program can also be used at home and in the After School and Extended day Programs.

 GO Solve - a research based program that teaches students how to recognize math situations in a real world format, use graphic organizers to comprehend word problems, and plan solutions using addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. This is an excellent program that helps students with problem solving strategies and higher order thinking skills.

 Accelerated Reader - software that monitors progress in reading comprehension. This program helps students self-monitor their reading and challenges them to read more and at higher levels.

 Fraction Nation - software that provides an opportunity for students to become proficient with fractions. Fluency is developed through extensive practice and ongoing assessments. This program is extremely helpful to students in fourth and fifth grades after they have mastered basic math facts fluency.

 Reading Street - a research based program designed to help teachers encourage reading through engaging literature; skill instruction is prioritized at each grade level. This helps students to become engaged in reading and promote their achievement.

 Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) - a research-based, computer-adaptive reading assessment program for students that measures reading comprehension. This program also administers assessments that can be used to inform classroom instruction. This gives teachers another measure to use to assess students achievement in reading.

 Scholastic Math Inventory (SMI) - a computer adaptive math assessment for students that provides immediate data that can be used to drive instruction, monitor progress and instructional decision making. This gives teachers another measure to use to assess students achievement in math.

C. Effective Instructional Methods That Increase Learning Time

Furthermore, the following research based strategies are implemented to increase the amount and quality of learning:

 Critical thinking  Higher order questioning  Use of graphic organizers  Use of manipulatives and pictures  Interactive notebooks  Student Commentary  Differentiated Instruction  Use of real world connections

Finally, common collaboration time is provided for all grade levels to also increase the amount and quality of learning time through:

 Discussion and planning instructional strategies School Wide Title I Plan 12 Powder Springs Elementary  Disaggregation of data  Development of strategies to monitor student progress In our appendices, we provided examples of the SCIENTIFICALLY BASED RESEARCH supporting our effective methods and instructional practices or strategies.

D. Address the Needs of All Children The ways in which we will address the needs of all children in the our school, particularly the needs of students furthest away from demonstrating proficiency related to the State's academic content are through guided reading and guided math, providing a curriculum designed to meet the needs of all children at Powder Springs Elementary. In addition, our Special Education students will utilize specialized programs, Fundations and Language, to help them achieve at higher levels in reading.

3. Instruction by Highly Qualified Professional Staff

A. Strategies to Attract Highly Qualified Teachers We will provide instruction by highly qualified teachers who meet the standards established by the state of Georgia.

Attracting high-quality, high qualified teachers to our “high needs” school is one of the 18 components for Title I School-wide Programs. It is our charge to develop a strategy to attract and retain highly qualified teachers to our school as part of our school-wide plan. We are to describe, not only what our school will do to encourage high quality teachers to seek employment in our school, but also to explain how our school will support the district’s efforts to ensure high quality teachers seek employment in our “high needs” school.

So, how will we accomplish these tasks? During the hiring process, only high quality teachers should be selected. Extensive interviews, reference contacts, and background checks are a must. Academic and education experience records must be reviewed and confirmed. A valiant attempt must be made to filter out the "Pass Along" teacher who, in their previous position, proved to be less than positive or committed to the calling. In previous years, when vacant teaching positions where difficult to fill, we seemed to take any "warm" body with a certificate and a signature. Times have changed. We are now in a position to choose more wisely; to look for a better fit for our specific learning community. Incoming teachers and staff, as well as returning professionals, must understand that we, PSE, are a high-need school. Our responsibility to our students must be heightened in order to insure the intense quality of learning that these students require to be successful. With that heightened responsibility come needed commitments that will regularly require teacher interaction and participation over-and-above the contractual Monday- Friday, 7:15-3:35. Another pathway to acquiring high quality teachers is to partner with local teacher preparation programs. This approach increases the pool of teacher candidates who are motivated to seek local employment due to existing ties to our community. We also should foster a "grow-your-own" program that identifies substitutes, volunteers, and student teachers who have proven themselves to be most promising within our teaching environment. These individuals could be mentored to continue a pursuit in the teaching or paraprofessional field that would lead them straight back to us. Along with hiring highly qualified teachers, we must actively work to retain our most successful teachers. Retaining highly qualified staff is critical to the success of a schoolwide program. High rates of teacher mobility negatively affect school climate, staff morale, and community involvement. Professional development School Wide Title I Plan 13 Powder Springs Elementary opportunities such as mentoring, coaching, and training ail support both new and experienced teachers. However, close attention should be given to meaningful training opportunities that meet the needs of the individual teacher. Repetitive workshops tend to lower staff moral leaving a negative imprint and a sense of disingenuous value. What's the bottom line? In previous years, Cobb County School District offered a substantial cash incentive to teachers who stayed at an "at risk" school for three or more years. This program influenced me to remain at my previous school and postpone a transfer. Staying with my same team, teaching in the same environment, afforded me the opportunity to grow my confidence and hone my skills as an educator. Data supports that transient students perform lower than those who remain in the same school for the majority of their tenure; I suspect the same pertains to teacher. This incentive is no longer available to Cobb County teachers but proved to be effective. I believe reinstating the cash incentive program would increase teacher retention as well as compensate for the added hours an "at risk" school requires. Research has shown that experienced teachers are more effective than new teachers with providing appropriate, relevant instruction, implementing discipline plans, motivating students and meeting the needs of struggling students with diverse learning needs. Finding and placing highly qualified teachers in our "at risk" school will require the allocation of human and financial resources. Offering incentives to highly qualified teacher to work in low performing school will improve both hiring and retention.

We have incorporated a teacher mentoring program... • In which all first year teachers are supported by another teacher from that grade level with prior teaching knowledge. The first year teacher contacts their designated mentor with any question. • Teachers moving to a new grade, never having taught in that grade level, receive a mentor for potential question about the curriculum. The mentor teacher serves as support for any questions that may potentially arise.

The strategies we will use to attract highly-qualified teachers are: having high standards prior to an interview; each new higher will be asked a series of questions and scenarios that pertain to Powder Springs specifically; and all new hires will have a blog that will be updated bi-monthly informing parents of current content being covered as well as what is to come.

B. School Status of Highly Qualified Teachers

The certified staff at Powder Springs is 100% Highly Qualified.

4. Professional Development for Staff

A. Include Teachers, Principals, Paraprofessionals, and Others We have included teachers, principals, paraprofessionals, and if appropriate, pupil services personnel, parents, and other staff in our staff development that addresses the root causes of our identified needs. For example: • Achievement gap between students with disabilities and other subgroups • Achievement gaps in Math • Achievement gaps in Reading

School Wide Title I Plan 14 Powder Springs Elementary B. Aligned Professional Development with the State’s Academic Content • Georgia Performance Standards for Math in grades K through 5 • Georgia Performance Standards for Reading in grades K through 5

C. Professional Development Activities that Address the Root Causes • Analyze a variety of student data in order to guide instruction and address student needs • Training in effective instructional best practices (Guided Reading, Guided Math) • Observing and reflecting on individual instruction, making adjustments to instruction • Administration, lead teachers, academic coaches, and support staff to attend meetings to offer resources and support • Developing lessons to address the needs of all learners (Bloom's Taxonomy/12 Powerful Words) • Training in various technology interactive learning programs and systems (Fastt Math, Fraction Nation, Go Solve, Accelerated Reader, Study Island, I-Respond, and Smart Board)

D. Include Teachers in Professional Development Activities Regarding the Use of Academic Assessments

We have included teachers in professional development activities regarding the use of academic assessments to enable them to provide information on, and to improve the achievement of individual students and the overall instructional program in the following ways: • Trainings by lead teachers, academic coaches and district coaches • Collaborative planning • District offered courses • Quarterly trainings with other educators in the cluster • Professional library (books and videos)

E. Schools Yearly Professional Development Schedule

See chart on page 16

School Wide Title I Plan 15 Powder Springs Elementary 2011-2012 Professional Development for: Powder Springs Elementary

Month Core Academic Addressing Location Estimated Cost

Muffins for Moms-Parent TBD Involvement PSE $700

TBD Donuts for Dads- Parent Involvement PSE $700

Tutoring Math/Reading – including October-April transportation PSE $43, 000

TBD Conferences (Coaches and AP’s) TBA $3,000

TBD ASCD – Math/Reading/L. Arts TBA $2,000

TBD Study Island – Training Program PSE $1,000

January Title I Conference TBA $2,000

September Collaborative Planning-Reading/ Math PSE $525

November Collaborative Planning-Reading/ Math PSE $525

January Collaborative Planning-Reading/ Math PSE $525

March Collaborative Planning-Reading/ Math PSE $525

On- Going Fasst Math and Go Solve Training PSE $500

September Common Core GPS Training PSE and CCSD $3,000

February Common Core GPS Training PSE and CCSD $3,000

Teacher Rounds – Professional 1st Semester Growth/Reflection PSE $1,050

Teacher Rounds – Professional 2nd Semester Growth/Reflection PSE $1,050

2011-2012 school yr Student Academic Field Trips PSE $2,000

* Travel Forms and Performance Contracts must be Completed Six Weeks in Advance! * Dates and financial amounts are subject to change.

5. Strategies to Increase Parental Involvement

School Wide Title I Plan 16 Powder Springs Elementary A. Involved Parents in the Planning of the Comprehensive School-Wide Program At Powder Springs Elementary School we have involved parents in the planning, review, and improvement of the comprehensive school-wide program plan by including their input into the school-wide plan and using the following strategies to increase parental involvement:

 Conducting surveys each school year

 Developing and revising the Parent Involvement Policy

 Involving parents on our school-wide committee

We will continue to involve parents in the formulating and writing of the Parent Involvement Policy, Parent and Student Compact, and annual review and revision of the school-wide plan. We have developed a parental involvement policy that is designed to increase parental involvement through PTA meetings, Sneak-A-Peek, Open House, Parent Workshops (Math Night, Literacy Night, and CRCT & Test Taking Skills). We will also provide parents with individual student academic results, including an interpretation of CRCT results, Parent Progress Reports, Report Cards, and Parent/Teacher conferences. In addition to ongoing parent communication, we will also provide the following:

• Daily student agendas • Grade level newsletters • School website • Parent/teacher compact • Parent/teacher conferences • Automated phone calls of school activities and events • Access of teachers' email addresses • School Marquee • Event Flyers • Title 1 Parent Meeting • Surveys • Family instructional nights

In addition, we will hire a parent liaison as part of our Title I program. The parent liaison will work closely with the administrative team, academic coaches, teachers, and parents to identify specific student needs and areas that need additional academic assistance. The parents will have opportunities to attend sessions on topics and interest and the parent liaison will also send out a survey to parents of students at PSE to determine their needs and interests. Based on the results of the parent survey, the Title I parent liaison will plan activities consistently focused on strategies to increase school-home communication and student achievement. The parent liaison will also work with school council and PTA to promote parental involvement in school activities.

School Wide Title I Plan 17 Powder Springs Elementary A copy of Powder Springs Elementary School's Title 1 School-wide Plan will be available at the Cobb County Board of Education, at the school, and on the school's webpage. Parents and the public may view the plan at either location upon request.

Powder Springs Elementary values and welcomes parent involvement, support, and input. We recognize parental involvement as a crucial component to student and school wide success.

B. Parent Involvement Policy and Parent Compact (See APPENDIX B & C)

6. Plans for Assisting Preschool Children in the Transition from Early Childhood Programs and/or Students Entering Middle School or High School

Devise a plan for assisting preschool children in the transition from early childhood programs (such as Head Start, Even Start, Early Reading First, or a preschool program under Individuals with Disabilities Act to the school-wide program).

 Following are our plans for assisting preschool children in the transition from early childhood programs. Also included are transition plans for students entering middle school or high school and entering from private schools, plus students entering our school throughout the school year:

o Incoming students to Powder Springs Elementary Kindergarten would be offered an opportunity to attend an orientation and tour of the Kindergarten hallway to meet the Kindergarten teachers and visit their classrooms. For a week during the summer before school begins, a Kindergarten Academy would be offered to students who are incoming Kindergarten students. This academy would allow students to attend Kindergarten for a partial day in order for them to get used to being in a Kindergarten day routine such as completing activities, going to the restrooms, having a snack, and remaining within a group. During this academy, students will also become familiar with the school environment and its important rooms and offices such as the office, clinic, cafeteria, gym, school library, computer lab, art room, bathrooms, and each Kindergarten classroom. Also, the students will meet important figures that are in the school such as the principal and assistant principals.

o Students who are new to the school during the course of the school year would be given a tour of the school to meet teachers and to become acclimated to the school environment. Students would be paired with a classmate or "buddy" to help them when they are going to areas of the school that they may not be familiar with.

 In order to assist the students of Powder Springs Elementary transition to middle school our staff provide the following programs:

o HeathWise Human Growth and Development: This program assist student in understanding the physical and mental changes they are experiencing due to the onset of puberty. The instructor(s) also highlights the importance of social maturity and personal hygiene.

School Wide Title I Plan 18 Powder Springs Elementary o Departmentalized Instruction: The classroom teachers divide instruction in the 5 areas within 3 different classes which are as follows: (1) Reading, Language Arts, and Math (2) Science (3) Social Studies.

o Middle School Orientation: The counselor(s) from several of the feeder middle school come to Powder Springs Elementary to speak on the logistics of a normal school day middle school.

School Wide Title I Plan 19 Powder Springs Elementary 7. Measures to Include Teachers in the Decisions Regarding the Use of Assessment

The collaborative committees set up at Powder Springs Elementary are aligned to the Georgia Keys. Each team has duties and responsibilities that are aligned to the Georgia School Standards. These teams meet monthly to devise strategies and plans according to the Georgia Key that the team addresses. These teams involve the entire PSE staff.

The Building Leadership/School Improvement Team (BLT) is used to communicate ideas effectively and share decision making with the entire staff. They are also used to give staff input on various school issues. BLT meets monthly to discuss school improvement, student performance, and school climate issues. BLT uses a collaborative approach to address student achievement and school performance goals.

Teachers will also be included in the decision making process regarding the use of academic instruction through data teams, grade level teams, key teams, vertical teams, and common/collaborative planning. Information gathered from these meetings will be used to implement and measure strategies used to improve student achievement for individual students, sub-groups, and overall student performance at Powder Springs Elementary.

Teachers at PSE are included in the decisions regarding the use of academic assessment information for the purpose of improving student achievement in the following ways:

A. Data teams analyzing quarterly assessments B. Data teams to analyze CRCT and ITBS C. Set grade level goals based on data D. Identify five "bubble" students for intense instruction and progress monitoring E. Learning Focused Walks to assess standards based classrooms F. Vertical team collaboration with one representative from each grade level to analyze school trends G. Collaborative planning days to analyze classroom assessment data, pace the curriculum, and discuss instructional strategies H. Develop common assessments to match the standards I. Develop lesson plans highlighting the standards J. AYP team meetings to analyze the data for students with disabilities

Teacher input in these areas assist with overall student achievement for students in all subgroups, thus impacting all students at PSE.

8. Coordination and Integration of Federal, State, and Local Services and Programs

A. List of State and Local Educational Agency Programs and Other Federal Programs That Will Be Included Appropriate Cobb County School District program personnel meet to determine amounts that will be allocated from each participating federal program. These meetings provide directions, basic guidelines, and requirements for each federal program. Funds from these programs are consolidated to maximize personnel and instructional resources to best meet the needs of students in these programs. School Wide Title I Plan 20 Powder Springs Elementary Instructional extensions are addressed in a variety of ways; therefore, funding from federal, state, and local resources are coordinated to provide training for staff, materials for students and staff, and extended academic programs. The following are our listing of how we integrate Federal, State, and Local services and programs to meet the needs for students and teachers at Powder Springs Elementary:

 Title 2  ESOL  PTA Funds  ASP  Community Partners  Math and Reading Coaches  Grants  Technology, Math, and Science Lab Teachers  Tutoring  Staff Development  Mentoring  Teacher Collaboration  EIP  Small Group Instruction

B. Description of How Resources from Title I and Other Sources will be Used

 Funding is used for Title I, EIP, and ESOL teachers to provide additional instructions to students qualifying for these programs  Differentiation strategies are used through a co-teaching model for Title I, EIP, and ESOL students.  Professional Learning is provided to build capacity with teachers on best practices, co-teaching strategies, and on meeting the needs of at risk students.  Title I funding is used for a parent liaison to improve parent communication and home-school relationship.  Funding from Title I is used to provide extended day tutoring, with transportation.  Funding from Title I is used to provide summer enrichment to students to better prepare them for the next school year.  Funding is used from Title I to provide assessment programs and research-based programs to promote student achievement in reading, language arts, and math.  Title I Conference

C. Plan Developed in Coordination with Other Programs

Plan developed in coordination with other programs, including those under the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994, the Carl D. Perkins vocational and Applied Technology Act, and National and Community Service Act of 1990

 Career Day  Kiwanis Book Giveaway  Powder Springs Women’s Club  Dobbins Science Program  Dictionary Program  Powder Springs Baptist Church  McEachern Methodist Church – Bookbag Program

School Wide Title I Plan 21 Powder Springs Elementary 9. Activities to Ensure That Students Who Experience Difficulty Mastering Standards Shall be Provided with Effective, Timely Assistance

A. Measures to Ensure that Students’ Difficulties are Identified on a Timely Basis

 Early Intervention Checklists will be completed the first week of school and used to identify students needing additional assistance in reading and math.  Informal Observations will be conducted and information will be shared with teachers to assist with instruction  Results from the Criterion Reference Competency Test (CRCT) will be used to identify areas of need for individual students  Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) will be used to identify students’ reading levels  Analysis of County Pre-Tests, Checkpoints and Benchmarks will be used to assess students mastery of Georgia Performance Standards.  Analysis of Student Work Samples and formative assessments will be used to adjust instruction to meet the individual needs of students.  Analysis of Student progress on classroom assessments will be reviewed and discussed during team planning to drive daily instruction and make sure that grade level standards are met.  Data on students’ goals and objectives based on their Individualized Education Plans (IEP’s) will be collected to measure students’ progress in Special Education.

B. Periodic Training for Teachers in the Identification of Difficulties

We are providing activities to ensure that students who experience difficulty mastering proficient or advanced levels of academic achievement standards shall be provided with effective, timely additional assistance. Our goal is to assist students at risk of not meeting or maintaining grade level standards. Students who have been identified as at risk receive additional assistance, through:  Support Staff

o Early Intervention Program

o English to Speakers of Other Languages

o Title 1, Special Education Teachers, using a co-teaching model

 Response to Intervention (RTI) Team

o Collaborates to determine applicable interventions and researched best practices that can be used to improve student achievement.

o The RTI Team consists of: Administration, Guidance Counselor(s), Speech/Language Teacher, EIP Teacher, School Psychologist; the Educational Program Specialists are invited to attend Tier III Meetings.

 Co Teaching Teams

School Wide Title I Plan 22 Powder Springs Elementary o Meets to analyze assessment results and plan differentiated instruction, guided reading and guided math groups for small groups and individuals.

 Study Island, Scholastic Reading Inventory, Scholastic Math Inventory, FASTT Math

 Resources for Parents

o Books that provide strategies on how to assist students at home with academics and behavior are available for checkout in the school library.

 Reading Recovery

o A program designed to provide a safety net for the lowest performing first grade students. Periodic training will be provided to teachers to provide methods and strategies for the identification of difficulties and appropriate methods of assistance for these difficulties. These trainings will be conducted in pre-planning, early release days, during collaborative planning, teacher work days, and post planning. Trainings will be provided to assist teachers with implementation of various research based programs used in the school, Guided Reading, Guided Math, Technology integration, Science and Social Studies integration, Acceleration, Differentiation. Powder Springs will also schedule trainings for teachers to provide strategies that are useful for identifying/assisting students who are not meeting grade level performance. Listed below are some of the trainings, included:

 Co-teaching for differentiation—How to effectively use co-teaching to differentiate daily student instruction.

 Standards Based Classroom Professional Learning—How to create and effectively use standards in the classroom daily.

 Integration of Standards in Art, Music, Computer Lab, Math Lab and Physical Education, which will help teachers in Specials teach across the curriculum.

 Vertical Teams—How to identify gaps between grade level content and address student deficits at each grade level effectively.

 Key Teams—How to assist struggling students from every school aspect.

C. Teacher- Parent Conferences

We will hold teacher -parent conferences that detail what the school will do to help the student; what parents can do to help students; and additional assistance available to the student at the school or in the community. Teacher-parent conferences will be held October 24-28, 2011.

School Wide Title I Plan 23 Powder Springs Elementary Parents are invited to attend conferences during the district wide conference week for elementary schools. Information regarding how parents can best assist students at home is provided. Parents may also request to meet with teachers at any time during the year. Conferences may also include Support Staff (EIP, IRR, Reading Recovery and Academic Coaches).

Powder Springs offers assistance to students and parents to reinforce high expectations in reading, math and positive interactions through Curriculum Nights in Reading and Math, identification of Student of the Month, and the school -wide Anti Bullying Campaign.

10. Description of How Individual Student Assessment Results Will Be Provided to Parents

Individual student assessment results and interpretation will be provided to parents in the following manner:

Parents at Powder Springs Elementary School are informed of how teachers measure student academic progress at the beginning of the school year through grade level information, conferences, and newsletters. Parents are informed of GPS, assessment practices, district benchmarks and CRCT information through the grade level meetings. With this information, parents gain knowledge of the GPS, grade-level assessment plans, and the vocabulary words and skills the students need to know in order to master the standards. Parents have access to PICASSO, an internet based site that allows parents to view upcoming standards and skills that their child will be taught throughout the school year. During the school year parents are invited to attend a training session on the CRCT hosted by the different grade levels. Parents are instructed on helping students prepare for the test as well as how to interpret student scores.

11. Provisions for the Collection and Disaggregation of Data

Powder Springs Elementary School collects a variety of data at the national, state, district, school, and classroom level and uses it as a guide for school improvement. Data is gathered, compiled, disaggregated and analyzed at the building level by the school leadership team, grade level staff and resource staff to identify areas of strength and weakness. Implementation strategies are then selected by the staff to address areas of weakness in order to strengthen the overall academic program. Teachers make decisions about the types of assessment that will be given and collected to show student mastery of the standards. Powder Springs Elementary School uses a variety of assessment strategies, including formative, summative, performance tasks, and observations. The following assessments are collected from the grade levels:

 CRCT  ITBS  CogAT  GKIDS  District Benchmark Assessments (DBA)  Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA)  Grade Level Common Assessment  Teacher Observation  Accelerated Reader (AR)  Study Island School Wide Title I Plan 24 Powder Springs Elementary  FASTT Math Collaborative half-day planning meetings are provided quarterly, which allow teachers time to analyze classroom assessment data, pace the curriculum for the upcoming nine weeks, and discuss instructional strategies. Our Early Intervention Program (EIP) and Special Education Department are allowed time to plan instruction and assessment with co-teachers weekly. Special area teachers (music, art, PE, computer lab, and math lab) receive professional learning about integration; they analyze grade level pacing guides and determine how to integrate the content area skills into their specific standards. At Powder Springs Elementary, we also have our Local School Council (LSC) that is made up of a representative from the staff, administration, and parents. Legislation from the Elementary Secondary Education Act of 1965 also referred to as ESEA, formerly known as NCLB states that parents must make up the majority of the LSC. A primary focus of the LSC over the past years has been to review school operation, data and monitor student achievement. Student data is collected from teachers and analyzed by teachers, administrators, math and literacy coaches. The disaggregated data is evaluated multiple times throughout the school year during grade level planning and Math/ELA data planning as forms of assessment are completed. The School Improvement Plan addresses school wide reform based on analysis of data.

12. Provisions to Ensure the Disaggregated Assessment Results are Valid and Reliable Powder Springs Elementary School uses statistically sound assessments including DRA, District Benchmark Assessment (DBA), CRCT, and ITBS. The DRA is a valid and reliable tool for assessing reading proficiency in the area of reading engagement, oral fluency, and comprehension. The CRCT is a state prepared and statistically sound assessment. The state department provides the school with a spreadsheet of student scores to assist in review of data. Data is disaggregated into subject areas and provides statically sound information regarding students' norm based grade level achievement. At the school level, a triangulation of data is compiled on each student. Triangulation includes observation, conversations, and products produced by the student. Evaluation of students is reliable and valid since a wide range of evidence is collected over time. Teachers also use Study Island, a computer based program, which contains data from the CRCT. Teachers can access different reports in order to analyze student strengths and weaknesses. Assessments are used to identify individual, classroom and grade level strengths and weaknesses. The Georgia Department of Education provides the disaggregation of data on assessments.

13. Provisions for Public Reporting of Disaggregated Data

The State of Georgia provides disaggregated data to the public located on the Georgia Department of Education's website www.gadoe.org. The Adequate Yearly Progress (AYR) Report and the Annual Report Card for each county and individual school is located at AYR. It is the corner stones of the federal No Child Left Behind Act. This report card includes test results as well as other information relevant to schools and their performance toward the goals of student achievement and school completion and is compliant with both state and federal (ESEA) laws with respect to report card reporting requirements. The Governor's Office of Student Achievement (GOSA) has worked as a partner with the Georgia Department (GaDOE) to produce AYR Reports School Wide Title I Plan 25 Powder Springs Elementary since much of the data comes from GaDOE. Other portions were collected by GOSA from other entities in order to provide a comprehensive view of the schools, systems, and the state. GOSOA, along with a large committee of stakeholders in education communities from around the state, continues to forge ahead with establishing Georgia's Single Statewide Accountability System (SSAS) for K-12 public schools that merges federal law with state law. At the school level, the AYR reports are available on Powder Springs' website. Parents attending Title 1 Parent Involvement Meeting view the disaggregated data for the school. This meeting allows for parent understanding and an opportunity for participation. The schools data and AYP status is discussed annually at PTA and faculty meetings. It is also available upon request.

14. Plan Developed During a One Year Period The School-wide Title I Plan and School Strategic Plan is developed, reviewed, and revised as needed throughout the school year by a team of teachers, counselors, instructional coaches, administrators, and parents. The plan was developed during a one year period and will be reviewed and revised annually.

15. Plan Developed with the Involvement of the Community to be Served

The Title I School-wide Plan is in conjunction with Powder Springs School Strategic Plan (SSP) and will continue to be developed, evaluated, and amended with the participation of school staff and input of parents and community stakeholders. Our plan was developed with the involvement of the community to be served and individuals who will carry out the plan including teachers, principals, other school staff, and pupil service personnel, parents and students.

 We received input from the following parents: Kevin McKenzie (770-943-6518), Natasha Jones (504- 452-1238),Soli McGouirk (678-616-7493), Sharon Jones (770-439-6877), and Roylander Moore (678-517-1675).  Also see Component 1 for members of Title I planning committee.

16. Plan Available to LEA, Parents, and the Public

A copy of Powder Springs Elementary School's Title 1 School wide Plan is available at Cobb County Board of Education, at the local school, and on the school's webpage. Parents and the public may view the plan at either location upon request. Powder Springs Elementary values and welcomes parent involvement, support, and input. We recognize parental involvement as a crucial component to student and school wide success. 17. Plan Translated

Our plan is translated, to the extent feasible, into any language that a significant percentage of the parents of participating students in our school speak as their primary language, (included in the appendix)

School Wide Title I Plan 26 Powder Springs Elementary Once approved the plan will be submitted to the International Welcome Center to be translated in to Spanish and can be translated to any other language upon request. 18. Plan is Subject to the School Improvement Provisions of Section 1116

Plan is subject to the school improvement provisions of section 1116. Our SWP and SSP are both based on strategies identified to help students meet state standards. The school-wide plan and school strategic plan are not in isolation of one another and they work together in assisting students in meeting and achieving state standards. If our school enters Needs Improvement we will complete and participate in all requirements according to state and federal guidelines. (School Choice, Supplemental Educational Services, Corrective Action, or Restructuring)

______Principal’s Signature Date

______Title I Signature Date

APPENDIX A

Strategies for Increasing Academic Achievement for Students Having Difficulty Meeting Standards

Resources Boyles, Nancy & Contadino, Darlene. (1998). The Learning Differences Sourcebook. McGraw Hill. New York, NY. Eagle-Rodriguez, Cynthia & Freeman, David, Freemon, Yvonne. (2009). Achieving Success with English Language Learners. Reading Recovery Council of North America. Worthington, OH. Hammeken, Peggy. (2000). Inclusion 450 Strategies For Success. Peytral Publications, Inc. Minnetonka, Minnesota. Lyons, Carol (2003). Teaching Hard-to-Teach Students. Teaching Struggling Readers, (93-108). Rathvon, Natalie (1999). Effective School Interventions: Strategies for Enhancing Academic Achievement and Social Competence. The Guilford Press. New York, NY.

School Wide Title I Plan 27 Powder Springs Elementary Rutherford, Paula (2010). Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners. Just ASK Publications and Professional Development, Alexandria, VA. Tileston, Donna (2004). What Every Teacher Should Know About Learning, Memory, and the Brain. Corwin Press. Thousand Oaks, California. Tilton, Linda. (2003). The Teacher's Toolbox for Differentiating Instruction. Covington Cove Publications. Shorewood, Minnesota.

APPENDIX B

Revised

May 17, 2011

Parent Involvement Policy

2010-2011

Powder Springs Elementary School is a Targeted Assistance Title I Program. Powder Springs Elementary School has jointly developed this policy and compact with our parents to describe how we will support the important role of parents in the education of their children. In cases where the students reside in a Neglected and Delinquent residential facility, a representative from that Facility can serve as a proxy for the parent(s). At Powder Springs Elementary we build capacity for parent/community involvement by implementing the six types of involvement: Parenting, Communications, Parent Volunteering, Learning at Home, Decision-making and Governance, and Collaboration and Exchanges in the Community. This policy will be distributed to parents and sent home attached to students’ agenda. Based on the requirements of Title I NCLB, Section 1118 and the needs identified by our parents and school staff surveys, we will provide reasonable support for parental involvement activities as parent may request. The following strategies were outlined:

I. An annual Title I information session and other flexible scheduled meetings will be held throughout the school year. These meetings will cover the following information: a. Title I Programs School Wide Title I Plan 28 Powder Springs Elementary b. Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)/School Improvement Status c. Parent’s right to know about Teacher and Paraprofessional qualifications d. Parent Information Workshops & Parent volunteering e. School policies and procedures f. School curriculum g. Student assessments h. Local and State assessments i. State content standards j. Transitioning from Pre-K to Kindergarten at Powder Springs Elementary School and elementary to middle at Cooper Middle School

II. Parents will receive information from our school in their child’s home language in a timely manner. Powder Springs Elementary uses the following communication methods to provide parent with timely information: Newsletters Email Announcement Board Flyers Conferences School wide events PTA Meetings District callout system Student Performance Blogs Phone conferences PSE School Website

III. We encourage all families to be education partners in their children’s school success by: a. Inviting parents to attend all meetings by giving them the Powder Springs Elementary Parent Involvement Activities Plan. b. Inviting parents to serve on committees such as the School Council, School Improvement Plan Committee, Parent Policy/Compact Action Planning Committee, and the PTA c. Providing meetings held during the school day and outside school hours. These dates and times are listed in the Powder Springs Elementary Parent Involvement Activities Plan. d. Visit our Parent Liaison Office where materials are provided for check out. Various topics might include child development, academic strategies, self help strategies, parenting and discipline strategies and books or videos to improve student achievement.

IV. Parents will be provided information on school performance and student’s individual assessments: a. Information on school performance is sent home through US mail. Additional copies are available upon request from the main office. b. The results of CRCT, ITBS and CogAT are sent home by US mail or in students’ agenda. c. Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held to further offer parents the opportunity to gain or give input on how to work with their children.

V. Parents and community members will be given timely responses to their concerns and suggestions. a. All concerns and suggestions submitted in writing or verbally are responded to in a timely manner. Concerns and suggestions regarding the School wide Plan will be submitted to the Title I Office. Information from parent surveys has resulted in the development of the Powder Springs Elementary Parent Activities Plan.

School Wide Title I Plan 29 Powder Springs Elementary VI. School Parent Compact a. The parent compact was developed jointly with our parents and staff. All families, school staff, and students are asked to participate by signing the compact to show their support. The compact will be distributed during Conference Week, October 18-22, 2010.

VII. School and Community Partnership a. Our school builds ties between home and school by educating teachers, pupil services personnel, administration, and other staff by gathering input from parents on how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents as equal educational partners. b. Our school partnerships with the local community. Some of our partners are BJ’s, Dairy Queen, Powder Springs Police Department, Stevie B’s and Bruster’s. Our partners support our school by providing information about opportunities for an improved school culture, building team spirit and encouraging home-school and community involvement in order to focus on building positive relationships and respect for each other.

If you have additional questions or concerns about this policy, you may contact Darlene Mitchell at Powder Springs Elementary at (770) 222-3746.

APPENDIX C

Revised May 17, 2011 POWDER SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COMPACT

2010-2011

SCHOOL MISSISON: The mission of Powder Springs is to provide an educational environment conducive to learning and responsive to the uniqueness of every learner, enabling every learner to have a successful experience toward becoming responsive, productive, caring citizens and lifelong learners.

TEACHER AGREEMENT – I believe that each child can be successful: I will:

 Believe that each child can learn  Show respect for each student and his/her family  Enforce school and classroom rules fairly  Demonstrate professional behavior and a positive attitude  Come to class prepared to teach daily  Seek ways to involve parents in the school program

Teacher Signature ______Date ______

STUDENT AGREEMENT – I believe that I can be successful. I will: School Wide Title I Plan 30 Powder Springs Elementary  Attend school daily and arrive on time  Show respect for myself, my school and other people  Believe that I can and will learn daily  Obey the school and bus rules  Always try to do my best in my work and in my behavior  Work cooperatively with my classmates, teachers and other school staff

Student Signature ______Date ______

PARENT AGREEMENT- I believe that my child can be successful. I will:

 Ensure that my child attends school daily and arrive on time  Communicate with my child’s teacher frequently and as needed  Support the school in developing positive behaviors  Provide a home environment that encourages my child to learn  Balance television and video games, while encouraging reading daily  Stay aware of what my child is learning

Parent/Guardian Signature ______Date ______

ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM AGREEMENT- I believe Powder Springs will continue to be successful. We will:

 Provide a safe and orderly environment conducive to learning  Provide an environment that allows for positive communication between the teacher, parent and student  Support the teachers in providing high quality instruction  Encourage students, their families and staff to keep this compact

Principal Signature ______Date ______

School Wide Title I Plan 31 Powder Springs Elementary