Get documents about "elema319
Document Sample
111-02
STRATEGIC SCHOOL PROFILE 2006-07
Elementary School K-6 Edition
Plymouth Center School
Plymouth School District
CHRYSTAL COLLINS, Principal Telephone: (860) 283-6321
This profile was produced by the Connecticut State Department of Education in accordance with CT General Statutes 10-220(c).
STUDENT ENROLLMENT TYPE OF SCHOOL
Total Enrollment: 525 School Type: Traditional/Regular
5-Year Enrollment Change: 1.9% School Grade Range: PK- 5
SCHOOL NEED
Current and Past School Need Year School District K-6 State K-6
Schools Schools
% of Students Eligible for Free/Reduced- 2006-07 8.8 12.4 27.7
Price Meals 2002-03 7.3 12.0 28.8
% of K-12 Students with Non-English 2006-07 2.2 1.9 13.5
Home Language 2001-02 2.4 1.7 14.1
% of Students above Entry Grade who 2006-07 93.5 84.4 87.7
Attended this School the Previous Year 2001-02 94.0 93.3 86.2
Year School District State
% of Kindergarten Students who Attended 2006-07 82.8 81.6 79.3
Preschool, Nursery School or Headstart 2001-02 73.2 79.5 75.1
Enrollment in Special Programs Students in Percent in % in District % in State
School School K-6 Schools K-6 Schools
Bilingual Education and English as a 5 1.1 0.9 6.9
Second Language Services (K-12)
Compensatory Education 0 0.0 8.2 23.6
Full or Extended Day Kindergarten 64 N/A N/A N/A
Gifted and Talented Program 0 0.0 0.0 1.8
Special Education 55 10.5 11.1 10.8
Prekindergarten 65 N/A N/A N/A
111-02 Page 2
Race/Ethnicity Number Percent STUDENT RACE/ETHNICITY
American Indian 1 0.2
Asian American 2 0.4
Black 7 1.3 Total Minority 2006-07 4.0%
Hispanic 11 2.1 Total Minority 2001-02 1.0%
White 504 96.0
EFFORTS TO REDUCE RACIAL, ETHNIC, AND ECONOMIC ISOLATION
Below is the description submitted by this school of how it provides educational opportunities for its students to interact with
students and teachers from diverse racial, ethnic, and economic backgrounds.
In an attempt to reduce racial, ethnic and economic isolation, Plymouth Center School participated in the
"Adventures in Peacemaking and Diversity" grant program. The program allowed approximately 120 students to
participate in a pen pal program, in-school enrichment programs, and vacation day camp with students from a school
in Bristol.
Our school concerts and performances produced by music and classroom teachers afforded all students the
opportunity to learn more about the music and dance of various cultures. Either through participation or audience
attendance, students are exposed to the culture and arts of many people.
Embedded in the curriculum are many opportunities to introduce students to our diverse world. Our classroom
literature collections are rife with wonderful culturally diverse pieces. In addition, our kindergarten presents an
annual performance in honor of Chinese New Year. In the second grade, each class participates in an in-depth unit
of study on the culture of another country. This unit is interdisciplinary in nature and culminates in a performance
and celebration of that culture. In the fourth grade, students spend additional time with two informative units on
immigrants and Native Americans. Our fifth grade students attend a weeklong outdoor educational experience at
Nature's Classroom with the "Underground Railroad" being the highlight experience of the week. Additional current
information is reviewed through the use of "Scholastic News" and "Time for Kids", all of which address the concept
of difference.
We look forward to continuing to enrich our students' lives by building opportunities for them to learn about various
cultures and to interact with others in the world around us.
SCHOOL RESOURCES
Instructional Time* School District K-6 State K-6
Total Hours of Instruction Per Year 948 948 985
*State law requires at least 900 hours for grades 1 through 12 and full-day kindergarten, and 450 hours for half-day kindergarten.
TECHNOLOGY % of Classrooms, Libraries, and School District K-6 State K-6
Laboratories Wired for:
Video 100.0 100.0 64.6
Voice 100.0 100.0 74.8
Internet Access 100.0 100.0 97.3
Multi-Room Network (LAN) 100.0 100.0 81.3
Computers School Dist K-6 State K-6 This school
# of Students Per Academic Computer 4.6 4.4 3.6 does not have
a functional
% of Computers that are High or Moderate Power 100.0 100.0 89.5
satellite link.
% of Computers with Internet Access, All Speeds 100.0 100.0 97.3
% of Computers with High Speed Internet Access 100.0 100.0 96.1
% of Internet Computers with Filtering Software 100.0 100.0 98.6
111-02 Page 3
SCHOOL RESOURCES, continued
LIBRARY MATERIALS Print and Non-Print Materials School Dist K-6 State K-6
Free on-line access to periodicals, # of Print Volumes Per Student* 18.9 23.6 28.0
newspapers, and other resources is % of Print Volumes Purchased in 6.6 4.3 12.2
available to all Connecticut schools the Last Three Years
through the Connecticut Digital
Library. # of Print Periodical Subscriptions 12 9.5 15.1
# of Non-Print Materials 501 330.5 406.8
*Because a certain number of volumes are needed for a library of adequate breadth
and depth, a small school may need a higher number of volumes per student.
STAFFING RESOURCES
School Staff Count 2006-07 2005-06
Full-Time Equivalent
# of Certified Staff
Teachers 33.5 35.0
Average Class Size School District State Administrators 1.0 1.0
Gr. K 2006-07 15.5 15.4 18.2 Department Chairs 0.0 0.0
2001-02 17.5 15.8 18.3 Library/Media Staff 0.0 0.0
Gr. 2 2006-07 19.3 18.9 19.5 Counselors, Social Workers, 1.4 1.0
2001-02 19.0 18.1 19.6 and School Psychologists
Gr. 5 2006-07 22.5 22.1 21.2 Other Professionals 0.8 0.8
2001-02 21.3 20.1 21.5 # of Non-Certified Instructional 22.5 15.3
Professional Staff Race/Ethnicity 2006-07 2005-06 2001-02
% Minority 0.0 0.0 0.0
Professional Staff Experience and Training School District K-6 State K-6
Average Years of Experience in Connecticut and Other Locations 15.3 14.4 14.0
% with Master’s Degree or Above 94.9 91.1 81.0
SCHOOL PROCESSES
Selected Subject Areas, Grade 5 Estimated Hours of Instruction Per Year Computer/
Technology
School District State Supported
Art 30 30 31 No
Computer Education* 30 30 17 Yes
English Language Arts* 344 344 427 No
Family and Consumer Science 0 0 1 N/A
Health 48 48 23 No
Library Media Skills 0 0 18 N/A
Mathematics* 216 216 195 Yes
Music 24 24 32 No
Physical Education 48 48 40 No
Science* 104 104 97 Yes
Social Studies* 104 104 92 Yes
Technology Education 0 0 1 N/A
World Languages 0 0 11 N/A
*Interdisciplinary Approach
111-02 Page 4
SCHOOL PROCESSES, continued
Types of Remedial Instructional Services Available in Available in
Provided to Students Lacking Basic Skills Mathematics Language Arts
Pull-Out Instruction No Yes
In-Class Tutorial No Yes
After School Program No No
Summer School (2006) Yes Yes
Other No No
World Language Formal instruction (at least 1 hour per week) in a world language is not offered in this school. In
Connecticut, 20.0% of K-6 schools offer world language instruction.
Student and Teacher Statistics School District K-6 State K-6
% of Students Retained in Grade after 2005-06 School Year 0.0 0.0 1.5
Teacher Attendance, 2005-06: Average # of Days Absent Due 5.9 5.6 8.7
to Illness or Personal Time
% Certified Staff Assigned to Same School the Previous Year 84.6 79.7 83.3
HOME AND SCHOOL COMMUNICATION AND SUPPORT
The following narrative was submitted by this school.
At Plymouth Center School, we are committed to supporting the family's role in the education of our students. Our
Strategic Planning Committee, Teachers as Readers Committee, Parental Involvement Committee, and Parent-
Teacher Association help guide our efforts. With input from these groups, numerous activities are designed annually
to promote and support parent involvement in students' learning. These events include a fall Curriculum Night, in
which grade level teams from Pre-K to grade 5 introduce curriculum and learning expectations for the school year.
In addition, individual and formal parent conferences are held in the fall and winter.
We also have implemented other unique and highly successful family events to promote student learning. These
include a Family Literacy Night that is held biannually for families of students in grades Pre-K and kindergarten.
These evenings, incredibly well attended, offer families insight into the many stress-free, engaging, and simple ways
that parents can help support their children's early literacy development. For the intermediate grades, we offer an
annual "Prime Time Reading Night", in which students in grades 3-5, along with parents and staff, enjoy a Friday
evening curling up with a good book. During the 2006-2007 school year, we launched a program called "CMT
Night" for parents of students in kindergarten through grade 5. This event was specifically designed to show parents
CMT expectations for student performance and the sequential curriculum implementation throughout the elementary
level that is designed to promote student achievement in reading, writing, and mathematics.
Ongoing parent communication has been an area of focus at Plymouth Center School over the past two years.
During this time, we have looked for myriad ways to increase our ability to reach all parents. Technology has been
an invaluable resource in this process. We have the ability to communicate with parents through the use of the
AlertNow System, through broadcasts on our local cable access channel, and through our school and district
websites. Most teachers have designed classroom websites and newsletters to share pertinent and specific
information with parents. Several teachers have established ongoing e-mail communication with parents.
The various parent communication tools are part of a focused effort to engage parents in the education process for
their children. While folders and planners are still a part of daily life at the elementary level, many other avenues are
being explored to further develop interactive communication.
111-02 Page 5
STUDENT PERFORMANCE
Connecticut Mastery Test, Fourth Generation, % Meeting State Goal. The Goal level is more demanding than
the Proficient level, but not as high as the Advanced level, reported in the No Child Left Behind Report Cards.
Grade and CMT Subject School District State Of All Schools in State
Area Lowest % Highest %
Grade 3 Reading 54.0 48.3 52.3 1.6 92.6
Writing 54.0 47.9 60.8 0.0 93.9
Mathematics 58.7 50.0 59.4 0.0 96.0
Grade 4 Reading 61.3 51.4 57.0 0.0 95.2
Writing 74.7 68.8 65.1 0.0 96.8
Mathematics 72.0 62.7 62.3 0.0 100.0
Grade 5 Reading 60.0 54.5 61.4 2.6 98.7
Writing 67.8 63.6 64.6 2.3 98.5
Mathematics 61.1 60.9 66.0 4.5 95.8
Grade 6 Reading N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Writing N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Mathematics N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
These results reflect the performance of students with scoreable tests who were
enrolled in the district at the time of testing, regardless of the length of time they
were enrolled in the district. Results for fewer than 20 students are not presented.
For more detailed CMT results, go to www.ctreports.
To see the NCLB Report Card for this school, go to www.sde.ct.gov and click on
“No Child Left Behind.”
Student Attendance School District K-6 State K-6
% on October 1, 2006 82.7 86.9 96.3
Physical Fitness School District State Of All Schools in State
% Passing All 4 Tests Lowest % Highest %
Grade 4 16.7 34.6 33.5 0.0 86.6
Grade 6 N/A N/A N/A 0.0 93.8
111-02 Page 6
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLANS AND ACTIVITIES
The following narrative was submitted by this school.
On an annual basis, Plymouth Center School implements a School Improvement Plan linked to the District School
Improvement Plan. These plans are directly related to Board of Education goals. Our plan consists of two essential
areas of focus - improvement in performance on the Connecticut Mastery Test and improvement in communication.
At the beginning of each school year, the entire school staff participates in a review of CMT data to assist in the
refinement and revision of the School Improvement Plan. Teachers analyze this data, along with district assessment
data, to help them develop appropriate improvement targets. Teachers in grades k-2 focus their components of the
School Improvement Plan on district assessment data as it relates to future CMT performance. Teachers in grades 3-
5 focus their components on actual CMT performance data. All of the targets are developed with the individual child
in mind. Teacher's professional growth goals are specifically linked to the targets established on behalf of their
individual students.
The communication goal within our School Improvement Plan has been based on specific efforts to increase
ongoing parent communication. During the 2006-2007 school year, teachers worked to increase communication
through the development of either a classroom website or a newsletter. During the 2007-2008 school year, teachers
are looking to implement a plan for increasing positive parent telephone communications. It is our hope that positive
parent communications will enable us to establish a strong working relationship with the parents of our students.
The needs of special education students are embedded within the School Improvement Plan. Differentiated
instruction and inclusion are becoming a way of life at our school. All staff have grown to understand the individual
needs of all students and work to maximize the achievement of all. Our efforts to improve our knowledge and
understanding of all students is aided by our bi-weekly Common Meetings for grade level teams and special
education staff, by our monthly EIP meetings, and special education team meetings, and through the reflections of
our Teachers as Readers Committee.
SUPPLEMENTAL SCHOOL INFORMATION
The space below was optionally used by this school to describe aspects of the school not presented elsewhere in the profile.
The Plymouth Center School is a beautiful pre-k to five school housing approximately 535 students. The learning
community is rich with diversity. The staff works together to identify specific needs of the learners and develops
improvement plans to assist every individual in meeting success.
In order to promote a positive school climate for all, we have introduced elements of the Responsive Classroom
model. Each day in each classroom, Morning Meetings take place as a way of creating a supportive classroom
environment. Teachers have been accessing several resources offered through the Northeast Foundatation for
Children, in order to implement effective management strategies that support student success. To support our
school-wide efforts toward a positive climate, a Character Counts Committee will be formed during the 2007-2008
school year.
The staff of Plymouth Center School is committed to the process of school improvement. As part of our
commitment, we have several active staff committees that engage in reflection on Best Practices - particularly in the
areas of curriculum development, instructional planning, effective assessment, differentiated instruction, and
inclusion. These discussions take place as part of our EIP Core Team, Strategic Planning Committee, Common
Grade Level and Team Meetings, and our Teachers as Readers Committee. The Teacher as Readers Committee, now
numbering at 19, is a particular source of pride to our school. The reading and subsequent reflection has sparked
incredible professional growth among staff.
To view Strategic School Profiles on the internet, go to www.sde.ct.gov and click on Connecticut Education Data
and Research. Additional education data are also available at this site.
For the school/district website, see plymouth.k12.ct.us/pcs/
Filename: ELEMA319.DOC
Directory: J:\Cloud\SSP Internet 2006-07
Template: C:\Documents and Settings\cloudr\Application
Data\Microsoft\Templates\Normal.dot
Title: 111-02
Subject:
Author: csde
Keywords:
Comments:
Creation Date: 11/28/2007 3:12 PM
Change Number: 1
Last Saved On: 11/28/2007 3:12 PM
Last Saved By: csde
Total Editing Time: 0 Minutes
Last Printed On: 11/30/2007 2:58 PM
As of Last Complete Printing
Number of Pages: 7
Number of Words: 2,550 (approx.)
Number of Characters: 13,722 (approx.)
