2014-2015 Application for Re-Designation

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PENNSYLVANIA DON EICHHORN SCHOOLS:

SCHOOLS TO WATCH

2014-2015 Application for Re-Designation

The National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform in collaboration with the

Pennsylvania Association for Middle Level Education,

Pennsylvania Department of Education,

Duquesne University, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania,

Shippensburg University

and The Horace-Mann Companies

The PA Don Eichhorn Schools: Schools to Watch program (PA STW) affirms that

exemplary schools are schools involved in an on-going journey of excellence. To this

end, a program of continuous evaluation for all schools recognized as PA Don

Eichhorn Schools has been established. In order to maintain status as a PA STW

school, at the end of three years schools must submit an application for re-

designation and host a one day site visit to ascertain the progress of the school

since the original recognition.

http://www.mgforum.org/

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The application portion of the re-designation process asks for the following specific

information:

A narrative reflection of school progress and programs in each of the four domains

An explanation of any significant changes that have occurred since the initial designation,

specifically in the areas of leadership, school size and/or demographics, district

mandates, program, structure, and test data

A list of any special recognition awarded to your school since your designation as a PA Don

Eichhorn School

A description of any research projects, grant awards, articles, and projects of which your

school has been the subject or recipient in the past three years

The identification of several “stretch goals” that will move your school to the next

level. Goals may be, but are not limited to, the following areas:

Efforts to move from teacher-directed to student-centered classrooms

Institution of more authentic and varied measures of student progress

More integrative approach to learning

More effective use of data in planning instructional improvement

The establishment of instructional coaches

Transitions in and out of the middle school

Increased involvement in the arts and humanities

Included in this report must be an analysis of your last three years of AYP scores/subgroup

target scores and your progress towards improving overall student performance. In

addition, it is required that all schools applying for re-designation have their entire

faculty and staff complete the Schools to Watch Self Study and Rating Rubric online

and analyze results as part of their reflection narrative.

The application is to be completed by a team of administrators and teachers chosen by the

school and mailed to:

Mr. Bruce Vosburgh

Director, Pennsylvania Don Eichhorn Schools: Schools to Watch

1905 Lenape Unionville Road

Kennett Square, PA 19348

ALL MATERIALS MUST BE RECEIVED on or before, AUGUST 25, 2014.

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Part One Please provide a brief narrative reflection of progress and programs in each of the

following domains:

Academic Excellence

Developmental Responsiveness

Social Equity

Organizational Structures and Processes

Narratives in 12 point font, type one to two pages per domain, should reflect the indicators

involved in each domain. Refer to your original application and visitation team report in

assessing growth and need for continued improvement. Reference your original Future

Initiatives and how they have been addressed and adjusted. Include any new initiatives you

have adopted. Include an analysis of the results of the STW Self Study and Rating Rubric.

Part Two Describe any significant changes that may have occurred in the school during the past

three years in:

Leadership

Size

Faculty

Student demographics

District mandates

Overall program and structure

Test data

Part Three What special recognitions have been awarded to your school or faculty members since

your designation as a School to Watch three years ago. (maximum length, one page)

Part Four A description of any research projects, grant awards, articles, and projects or any

other significant acknowledgment of which your school has been the subject or

recipient in the past three years. (maximum length, one page)

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Part Five

Identify several “stretch goals” that will move your school to the next level. Goals may

be, but are not limited to, the following areas:

Efforts to move from teacher-directed to student-centered classrooms;

Institution of more authentic and varied measures of student progress;

More integrative approach to learning;

More effective use of data in planning instructional improvement;

The establishment of instructional coaches;

Transitions in and out of the middle school;

Increased involvement in the arts and humanities;

Advancing literacy education across the curriculum.

(maximum length, one page)

APPLICATION DATA

Complete the PA Don Eichhorn Schools: Schools to Watch Application Data. Your

information must be entered on this or a similar locally created form, upon agreement of

the PA STW Director, using Microsoft Word. Your completed form must be included

as the final portion of the Schools to Watch Re-Designation Application. The National

Forum will also access this information

DOCUMENTATION OF YOUR SCHOOL’S ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE Behind the last page of this application, attach the last three years state report scores on

the following tests:

PSSA

Any other standardized test instruments

Disaggregated data is important when submitting these scores.

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The National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform

PENNSYLVANIA DON EICHHORN SCHOOLS: SCHOOLS TO

WATCH

2014-2015 Application for Re-Designation

CONTACT INFORMATION

School Name: Cambria Heights Middle School

Street Address: 414 Glendale Lake Road

City: Patton State: PA Zip: 16668

Phone: 814-674-6920 Fax: 814-674-5054 Web site: www.chsd1.org

Name of Principal: Mr. David Caldwell

Principal’s email: [email protected] Years as Principal at this site: 10

School District: Cambria Heights School District

PAMLE Institutional Membership #300 312 Intermediate Unit # 8

Members of Application Writing Team:

Name Position

1. Nathaniel Wharton Science Teacher

2. Tammy Scott English Teacher

3. Kenneth Kerchenske Assistant Principal

4. Cathy Knupp Family Consumer Science Teacher

5. Christina Fesko Science Teacher

6. Rhonda Sprenger Guidance Counselor

7. David Caldwell Middle School Principal

(List additional team members as needed)

Applications prepared by external grant writers or paid consultants will not be accepted.

SCHOOL CHARACTERISTICS

1. What grades are included in your school? 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade

2. What is your total school enrollment? 350

3. What is the total number of students in your school district? 1423

mailto:[email protected]

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The National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform

PENNSYLVANIA DON EICHHORN SCHOOLS: SCHOOLS TO WATCH

Application Checklist

School Name: Cambria Heights Middle School

Please review the Pennsylvania Don Eichhorn: Schools to Watch application procedures

packet to assure you have completed each step of the application process according to

directions. Only information requested will be accepted.

Use the following checklist and check to see that each item is complete. Number each

page throughout your application and assemble in the following order.

__1. Contact Information

__2. School Characteristics

__3. Online completion of the Self Study and Rating Rubric

__4. Completed parts 1-5

__5. Application Data

__6. Documentation of your school’s academic performance

__7. Signature and Permission

Make ONE complete packet for your records and mail TWO complete packets

and ONE CD of your application (all parts must be WORD documents) to:

Mr. Bruce Vosburgh

Director, Pennsylvania Don Eichhorn Schools: Schools to Watch

1905 Lenape Unionville Road

Kennett Square, PA 19348

ALL MATERIALS MUST BE RECEIVED on or before, August 25, 2014.

Selection Timeline:

August 25, 2014 Applications due

Confirmation of receipt of application sent via e-mail

September 22, 2014 All schools informed of the status of their application

Selected schools will be scheduled for visitations between

October and January.

By January 6, 2015 Announcement of 2012-2013 Pennsylvania Don Eichhorn

Schools

February 2015 PA STW are schools honored and featured as presenters

at the Annual PMSA PDI – State College, PA

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SIGNATURE AND PERMISSION

We are aware that applications prepared by external grant writers or paid consultants will

not be accepted and certify that this application was a collaborative process involving site

administrators, teachers and other key stakeholders. We understand that the Pennsylvania

Don Eichhorn Schools: Schools to Watch State Team may conduct a site visit to the school

between September 2014 and January 2015. We will gladly host such a visit and provide

meals for the visiting team. If selected as a Pennsylvania Don Eichhorn School: A documentation team may visit the school in order to gather further information for a case

study, such as written, photographic and/or videotaped documentation. District and school

staff would cooperate to the fullest extent possible and would assist in obtaining any

necessary releases.

Visits from other educators and media publicity would result. We will gladly participate in a

network of middle-level practitioners, share our knowledge and experience with others in

order to accelerate middle-grades reform and document these mentorship experiences using

simple forms provided by Pennsylvania Don Eichhorn Schools: Schools to Watch.

I/we would agree to participate as presenters and participants in the following:

- PMSA Professional Development Institute, February/March 2015

- National Schools to Watch Conference, June 2015

In addition, I/we would:

- Provide pertinent materials to be posted to the PAMLE and National STW websites

- Attend state training and serve as member(s) of the Pennsylvania Don Eichhorn

Schools: Schools to Watch State Team (activities include reading applications,

visiting potential Pennsylvania Don Eichhorn School sites, coaching future applicants,

etc.)

- Agree that if there is a change of principal leadership at the school, the new

principal will fulfill the obligations and take Pennsylvania Don Eichhorn Schools:

Schools to Watch training at the earliest opportunity

- Agree to annually review our programs and to keep Pennsylvania Don Eichhorn

Schools: Schools to Watch apprised of our continuous improvement

We certify that our school is currently and if re-designated will continue to be an

Institutional member of Pennsylvania Association for Middle Level Education, not in school

Program Improvement or a school being monitored and we have a well defined plan included in

future initiatives. We further certify that the Office of Civil Rights does not have any

outstanding findings of civil rights statute violations by the school or district which may

affect the school and that there are no pending suites by the Department of Justice against

the district alleging that the school, or the district as a whole, has violated one or more of

the civil rights statutes or the Constitution’s equal protection clauses.

______________________________________________________________

Principal’s Signature Date

______________________________________________________________

District Administrator’s (Superintendent or Designee) Signature Date

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PA Don Eichhorn Schools: Schools to Watch Re-designation Application Data*

School Year 2014-2015 *Recognized Schools will be required to submit these data elements annually.

SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS: Your information must be entered on this or a similar locally created form, upon agreement of the PA STW Co-Director, using Microsoft Word. Your completed form must be included as the final portion of the Schools to Watch Application. Some of the data may not be applicable to your school, so those cells may be empty. If you have any questions about your “Application Data,” please contact Bruce Vosburgh, PA STW Director [email protected]

School/Student Demographics

General School Information School Name: Cambria Heights Middle School District Name: Cambria Heights School District Street Address: 414 Glendale Lake Road City/State/Zip: Patton, PA 16668 Phone with Area Code: 814-674-6290 Fax: 814-674-5054 Website: www.chsd1.org Grades in School: 6-8 Name of the Principal: David Caldwell Email: [email protected] School Community: Urban Rural Suburban

Student Information

Enrollment Data Student Populations

5th

6th

7th

8th

9th

Total Students

Percent of Total

Enrollment African American 1 1 .3 Asian Caucasian 107 115 122 344 99.1 Latino (a)/Hispanic 1 1 .3 Native American Other 1 1 .3

Total 107 117 123 100% Male Students 52 62 65 179 52% Female Students 55 55 58 168 48% Free/Reduced Lunch Students

38 33 44 115 33%

Identified Special Education Students

22 9 11 42 12%

English Language Learner Students

0 0 0 0


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What was the average attendance rate (percent of all students) in your school during the last full school year? 94%

Would you define your student population as “mobile” or “stable”? Mobile Stable

Suspension Data, School Year: 2013-2014 In-School Suspensions

1-5 Days 6-10 Days

Student Populations

Total Number of Students in

School

Percent of Different Students

(Unduplicated Count)

Percent of

Cases (Duplicated

Count)



Percent of

Cases (Duplicated

Count)

All Students 347 3% 12% African American

1

Asian Caucasian 344 4% 12% Latino (a)/Hispanic

1

Native American Other 1 Male Students 179 2% 12% Female Students 168 2% 12% Free/Reduced Lunch Students

115

Special Education Students

42


0

Out of School Suspensions

1-5 Days 6-10 Days

Student Populations

Total Number of Students in

School



Percent of

Cases (Duplicated

Count)



Percent of

Cases (Duplicated

Count)

All Students 347 African American

1

Asian Caucasian 344 Latino 1

10

(a)/Hispanic

Native American Other 1 Male Students 179 Female Students 168 Free/Reduced Lunch Students

115


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Were there any students suspended for more than 10 days? Yes No Were there any student expulsions during the last school year? Yes No How many of your students were not promoted to the next grade at the end of the last school year? (Include actual number and the percent of the total enrollment for the grade level.)

Students Not Promoted (Retained) at the End of the Last School Year Student Populations

Grade 5

Grade 6

Grade 7

Grade 8

Grade 9

Number Not

Promoted

Percent Of Total In Grade

Number Not

Promoted


Number Not

Promoted


Number Not

Promoted


Number Not

Promoted


All Students

0 0 0

African American

Asian

Latino (a)/ Hispanic

Native American

Caucasian

Other

Male Students

Female Students

Free/ Reduced Lunch Students



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Student Achievement Data

Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)

Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), Year: 2012 Student Populations

English Language Arts Mathematics

YES NO YES NO

All Students x x African American x x Asian/Asian American

Caucasian x x Latino (a)/Hispanic x x Native American Multiracial* x x Students with Disabilities*

x x

Limited English Proficient*

Economically Disadvantaged*

x x

*Terms used on NCLB reports of AYP.

State Testing Data, 2011-2012 School Year, State: PA

Name of Test: Pennsylvania System of School Assessment

Percent of Students Passing State Assessment at the “Meets” or “Exceeds” Level (Combine Your School’s Data for “Meets” and “Exceeds” and Enter on this Chart)

5th Grade Student Populations

Language Arts

Mathematics Science Social Studies

Reading Other: Writing

Other:

All Students African American

Asian Latino (a)/Hispanic

Native American Caucasian Other Male Students Female Students

Free/Reduced Lunch Students


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Language Arts


Reading Other:

Other:

All Students 80.7 82.3 African American

NA NA

Asian NA NA Latino (a)/Hispanic

100 100

Native American NA NA Caucasian 80.6 82.2 Other NA NA Male Students 78.0 79.3 Female Students

83.7 85.5


77.5 79.4


66.7 63.7


NA NA


Language Arts


Reading Other:

Other:

All Students 92.6 90 African American

100 100

Asian 100 100 Latino (a)/Hispanic

NA NA


91.2 94.7


82.8 82.8


58.3 50.0

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NA NA


Language Arts



Other:

All Students 92.6 64.8 82.5 90.3 African American

NA NA NA NA

Asian NA NA NA NA Latino (a)/Hispanic

NA NA NA NA

Native American NA NA NA NA Caucasian 92.5 65.1 82.2 90.2 Other 100 100 100 100 Male Students 85.9 57.9 75.4 83.6 Female Students




NA NA NA NA


Language Arts


Reading Other:

Other:






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State Testing Data, 2012-2013 School Year, State: Pennsylvania

Name of Test: PSSA



Language Arts


Reading Other:

Other:








Language Arts


Reading Other:

Other:


0 100


NA NA

Native American NA NA Caucasian 82.3 85.9 Other 0 0 Male Students 83.3 78.3

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Female Students

78.1 92.7


72.3 72.2


57.2 42.9


NA NA


Language Arts


Reading Other:

Other:


NA NA


100 100


79.3 82.8


67.4 76.8


38.5 53.9


NA NA


Language Arts



Other:

All Students 89.9 75.2 89.0 86.4 African American

100 0 100 100

Asian NA NA NA NA Latino (a)/Hispanic

NA NA NA NA

Native American NA NA NA NA Caucasian 89.8 75.8 88.9 86.2 Other NA NA NA NA Male Students 88.8 77.8 85.2 80

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Female Students

90.9 72.7 92.7 92.8


82.9 68.3 80.5 46.2


46.2 30.8 30.8 78.6


NA NA NA NA


Language Arts


Reading Other:

Other:







State Testing Data, 2013-2014 School Year, State:

Name of Test:


5th Grade

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Student Populations

Language Arts


Reading Other:

Other:








Language Arts


Reading Other:

Other:







7th Grade

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Student Populations

Language Arts


Reading Other:

Other:








Language Arts


Reading Other:

Other:







9th Grade

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Student Populations

Language Arts


Reading Other:

Other:







Teacher Demographics

Teacher Populations Number

Total Number of Teachers in School 27

Number of Regular Education Teachers 23

Number of Special Education Teachers 3

Number of ESL/ELL Teachers 0

Number of “Core” Subject Teachers

Subject 5th Grade 6th Grade 7th Grade 8th Grade 9th Grade

Language Arts

2 2 2

Mathematics 1 1 1

Science 1 1 1

Social Studies 1 1 1

Teacher Certification/Licensure*

Elementary Certificate/License Grade Span: 6-8 Number: 10

Middle Grades Certificate/License Grade Span: Number:

Secondary Certificate/License Grade Span: Number: 13

Other Certificate/License Grade Span: K-12 or Number: 4

Middle Grades Endorsements* Grade Span: Number: 13 *Certificates/Licenses are “initial” credentials while “Endorsements” are “add-ons” to an initial credential. Numbers may reflect that some teachers have an initial elementary or secondary credential but also have a middle grades endorsement.

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Test data for the 2014-2015 school year is requested and should be provided as soon as

available to Bruce Vosburgh [email protected]

2/2014 revised – PA Schools to Watch


Documents

2014-2015 Application for Re-Designation