Hickory Center Elementary School - Northwest Allen County Schools

Hickory Center Elementary School School Profile 2013-14

Richard Vorick Principal

SIP committee:

Lindsey Westhoff Andrea Chapman

Kelly Lehman Chris DeTurk

Jodie Doolin Jason Lantz

Vince Bane Susie Kilmer

3606 Baird Road

Fort Wayne, Indiana 46818

219-637-3758

fax 219-637-2081

SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION

Hickory Center Elementary school is located in Eel River Township of Northwest Allen

County. The facility was built in 1998 to house students in kindergarten through sixth

grade, and three special education programs. During our sixteen years of existence we

have reconfigured into a K-5 building. Beginning with the 2009-2010 school year our

student population was decreased with the opening of a new elementary. Our current

enrollment stands at 441 students. Hickory Center employs nineteen full-time certified

teachers, four part-time certified teachers (Music, Art, P.E. and High Ability) one

principal, one two-thirds time counselor and numerous support staff.

Hickory Center services parts of Eel River and Perry Township. Hickory Center in

Northwest Allen County School Corporation covers the smallest geographic attendance

area. Students almost exclusively come from suburban housing in an above average socio-

economic range. The attendance area for the school has a fairly high mobility rate from

year to year with Hickory Center averaging thirty to fifty new students each school year.

Hickory Center enrollment has increased from 325 students in 1998 to our highest

enrollment of 654 in 2008. These new students bring an increase in the number of ESL

(English as a Second Language), free and reduced lunch, special needs students and

students from diverse ethnic backgrounds.

School programs include a variety of learning experiences for our students: high ability

programs, special education classes for LD, MiMh and ED grade level signature pieces,

and C.L.A.S.S. (Connecting Learning Assures Successful Students) an Indiana Dept. of

Education supported teaching model.

The Northwest Allen County School community has expressed a tremendous amount of

support for the school system. Our patrons feel that Hickory Center School provides a safe

welcoming environment for students, staff and parents. This positive community support

complements our mission statement of providing students with a direction of becoming

responsible and productive citizens.

CURRICULUM

During the past two years our school corporation has developed a very comprehensive

curriculum map for Mathematics and Language Arts which includes quarterly assessments

based on the Indiana Academic Standards. Grade levels are required to review these

quarterly assessments and report progress to the building level administrator. This past

year, all Kindergarten and First grades implemented common core standards in both math

and language arts. Grades two through five implemented common core in language arts.

ASSESSMENT

In addition to the ISTEP+, IREAD-3, Hickory Center students are assessed by North West

Educational Assessment (NWEA) testing up to three times per year, a local writing prompt

twice per year, and DRA testing in the fall, winter and spring for all K-1, and select second

and third grade.

Mission Statement Hickory Center is a caring community where all students are included in classrooms that

promote mutual respect and meaningful content in an enriched learning environment. All

staff, students and parents at Hickory Center have a place in the puzzle of educating our

children to become responsible and productive citizens in a democracy.

We believe that

1. Every child is capable of learning.

2. Every child will take an active role in his or her education.

3. Every child’s education is a shared responsibility between home, school, and community.

4. Every child’s individuality is embraced and celebrated.

5. Every child has the opportunity to learn in a safe, nurturing environment.

6. Every child is encouraged to learn and practice the lifelong guidelines and LIFESKILLS daily.

7. Every child is provided a variety of meaningful learning experiences using best teaching practices.

CURRENT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMING

Each Hickory Center staff member has been supplied with a copy of the state standards

in each of the content areas, as well as the common core standards for math and

language arts..

Teachers have a current curriculum map outlining essential, important and worthwhile

skills. Each grade level is currently developing common assessments in the area of

Math (2008). Each grade level has developed signature units which address state

standards.

Hickory Center has achieved Four Star status from the state for eight times. Each year

the school’s performance data has outpaced the state and local mean scores in each

content area. Hickory Center is also rated as an A school on the PL 221 school report

card.

PARENT INVOLVEMENT

All NACS schools survey their parents on a regular basis. All of the PTO presidents of our schools meet

quarterly with all the administrators. Hickory Center has an active PTO and has parents serving on the

district’s Academic Advisory Council, and Gifted and Talented Committee. Parents are involved in the

school improvement process. The Hickory Center PTO has also established a very comprehensive after

school enrichment program which offers a wide variety of student enrichment classes.

TECHNOLOGY AS A LEARNING TOOL

Northwest Allen County Schools has a defined computer curriculum, which provides each grade level

with appropriate age skills for students to use and learn. Students first through fifth grade are given fifty

minutes per week to develop and use technology to augment and enhance the curriculum. (Kindergarten

receives one thirty-minute session per week).

Each classroom is equipped with at least two Windows based computers that are networked. Each

computer also has access to the web and students are guided to and encouraged to use curriculum based

web sites. Hickory Center also has implemented a wireless laptop computer lab. Students also have

wireless capability in four areas of the building. During the 2011-12 school year the Hickory Center

PTO purchased thirty-two I-Pads as well as several document cameras and wireless keyboards and mice.

SAFE AND DISCIPLINED SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT

As a member of the Allen County Safe Schools Committee, NACS has sent Hickory Center staff

members to many in-services on school safety. Members of the local fire and police departments perform

inspections of the buildings and offer suggestions on improving the safety of our children. We have all of

our safety and building information on the Pierce Responder System which can be accessed by every

emergency vehicle in Allen County. Hickory Center is currently in compliance with the State’s

emergency drill protocols. Hickory Center conducts all state required safety drills including: fire,

lockdown, storm and or earthquake.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT:

Staff development plans will focus on continuing to provide teachers opportunities to work

collaboratively in the following areas:

Six Plus One Writing Traits.

Development of common assessments in Math and Language Arts.

Work with Tony Frontier on Effective Teaching using the Art and Science of Teaching.

ASCD PD In Focus Web based learning.

The start of school is delayed by 30 minutes each Wednesday in order to create additional

time for professional development, planning, and school improvement activities.

The corporation maintains and institutional membership to ASCD which provides

continuous access to up-to-date professional development resources.

The main focus for Hickory Center the past three years has been to provide staff with

opportunities to develop effect classroom instructional strategies, procedures and practices. This

has been accomplished through having a CLASS coach, Web access and in house activities.

ATTENDANCE

The attendance rate of Hickory Center Elementary has remained consistent at approximately

97 percent, which is above the state average and in close proximity of the 95th percentile for

attendance. In looking further at the types of absences incurred by Hickory Center

Elementary students, the data indicates that the vast majority of absences are for illness. It

should also be noted that the second highest percentage of absences for students are vacation

requests. This coming year, all NACS students will be permitted to be absent from school for

any reason up to 10 days. After that each student’s attendance will be reviewed and

undocumented absences will be handled as truant.

GOAL#1

All students will improve in the foundation skills of reading through instruction using the

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt – Journey’s Reading Program.

IMPLEMENTATION PLAN:

Fall 2013 NACS has adopted the Journey’s Reading Program. This program makes available to

each student a comprehensive reading program that provides for instruction in foundational skills,

whole and small group instruction and assessment. Each classroom teacher has been provided

with a complete set of materials to fully implement the program. During the next three year period

the goal is to insure that each teacher has developed, refined and fully implemented the

components of the Journey’s reading program.

ASSESSMENT: During the first year of adoption each teacher/grade level will be observed and expected to

demonstrate aspects of the Journey’s reading program. This will include whole group instruction

as well as small group guided reading, word study, phonics skills and writing. During years two

and three, teachers will be expected to be able to refine instruction, include common assessments,

use of technology as well as developing a tool box for skills instruction. For year three the

expectation is that all aspects that maintain the integrity of the Journey’s program be fully

implemented.

Student’s NWEA and ISTEP results will be reviewed to determine if cohort groups have shown a

measureable growth during the assessment period. The term measureable growth will to be

determined by each grade level as compared to NACS norms and national norms.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT:

YEAR ONE

Teachers will receive a full set of Journey’s materials before the 2013 summer break.

Teachers will receive a preliminary in-service from a Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH)

representative in fall 2013 as an overall introduction.

Teachers will receive a half day in-service from the HMH representative to provide further

implementation strategies.

NACS Language Arts committee will continue to receive training from the HMH

representative and implement a Train the Trainer program.

YEAR TWO

Teachers will continue to meet and collaborate at grade level to investigate effective ways

to implement components of the Journey’s program.

The NACS Language Arts committee will provide support through the Train the Trainer

program.

Teachers will review NWEA and ISTEP scores to measure student progress.

YEAR THREE

Teachers will continue to meet and collaborate at grade level to investigate effective ways

to implement components of the Journey’s program.

The NACS Language Arts committee will provide support through the Train the Trainer

program and retrain as needed. In addition training for new personnel will be provided.

Teachers will review NWEA and ISTEP scores to measure student progress.

At the conclusion of year three the expectation is that each teacher has reviewed, refined

and is fully implementing all the components that maintain the integrity of the Journey’s

reading program.

GOAL#2

All Students will improve (the quality of) written language skills across the curriculum.

IMPLEMENTATION PLAN:

NACS has been using the 6+1 writing traits model for several years. This year as well NACS

has adopted the Journey’s Reading program which also incorporates a writing component. The

goal is for the next three years Hickory Center is to continue to provide instruction using the 6+1

model and concentrate on the mechanics of writing as well as handwriting skills in grades K-1.

ASSESSMENT:

Students will generate writing samples each quarter based on Prompt, Sample, Sample, Prompt.

These samples will be reviewed by each grade level and assessed to determine any areas of further

instruction.

ISTEP or NWEA scores using Written Language, Language Expression or Language Usage will

be used as assessment instruments. Cohort groups have shown a measureable growth during the

assessment period. The term measureable growth to be determined by each grade level as

compared to NACS norms and national norms.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT:

YEAR ONE

Collaboration time each quarter to compare student work.

Establish writing samples based on NACS prompts and sample writings.

Maintenance of grade level writing portfolios.

Use of common language used in the Six+One model across the grade levels and in

Related Arts Classes.

K-1 review handwriting instruction and develop consistent standards

YEAR TWO







Develop and implement writing activities to focus on different genres of writing for each

nine weeks.

YEAR THREE







Each grade level will develop and publish an age appropriate model writing piece.

PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS PASSING ISTEP MATH

ISTEP MATH Percent Passing

2012-13 2011-12 2010-2011 2009-10 2008-2009- Spr.

Grade 3 96% 90% 85% 92% 88%

Grade 4 89% 92% 89% 95% 89%

Grade 5 96% 99% 90% 91% 92%

75%

80%

85%

90%

95%

100%

105%

2012-13 2011-12 2010-2011 2009-10 2008-2009- Spr.

Grade 3

Grade 4

Grade 5

PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS PASSING ISTEP LANGUAGE ARTS.

This data is shown as an indicator of growth in our two goals from our previous School Improvement Plan

NWEA MATH COMPUTATION COMPARISONS

BETWEEN RIT AND 2009 and 2011 NORMS

SPRING TESTING

Math Computation Cohort Group SUBJECT Rit Score 2005/2011 Norms

Grade 2 in Spring 2009

191.3 191.3 0


204.9 203.5 +1.4


212.6 212.4 +0.2


234 220.7 +13.3


194.3 191.3 +3


206 203.5 +2.5


218.2 212.4 +5.8


233.6 220.7 +12.9


194.4 191.3 +3.1


206 203.5 +2.5


215.3 212.4 +2.9


196.4 191.3 +5.1


206.5 203.5 +3


186 179 +7


Kindergarten in Spring 2013

170 156.1 +13.9

84%

86%

88%

90%

92%

94%

96%

98%

100%

3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade

2012-13

2011-12

2010-11

2009-10

2008-09

READING

NWEA MATH INFORMATIONAL TEXT/STRUCTURES COMPARISONS

BETWEEN RIT AND 2009 and 2011 NORMS

SPRING TESTING

INFORMATIONAL TEXT

Cohort Group SUBJECT Rit Score 2011 Norms

RIT over Norm


195.3 189.2 +6.1 Grade 3 in Spring 2010

205.2 199.2 +6


210.4 206.3 +4.1 Grade 5 in Spring 2012

215.5 212.4 +3.1


196.0 189.2 +6.8


207.1 199.2 +7.9 Grade 4 in Spring 2012

213.5 206.3 +7.2


218.9 212.4 +6.5


195.3 189.2 +6.1 Grade 3 in Spring 2012

202.0 199.2 +2.8


212.0 206.3 +5.7


199.7 189.2 +10.5 Grade 3 in Spring 2013

205.0 199.2 +5.8


195.4 176.1 +19.3 Grade 2 in Spring 2014

Kindergarten in Spring 2013

183.7 155.1 +28.6

‘

173

174

175

176

177

178

179

180

2012 2013 National Normfor Lang.

Usage

Second Grade NWEA Language Usage

Plan/Oranize/Research

Understand Grammar/Usage

Punctuate/Spell Correctly

170

171

172

173

174

175

176

177

2012 2013 National Normfor Reading

Second Grade NWEA Reading

Literature

Informational Text

Foundations/Vocabulary

186

188

190

192

194

196

198

200


Usage

Third Grade NWEA Language Usage




188.5

189

189.5

190

190.5

191

191.5

192

192.5

193

193.5


Third Grade NWEA Reading

Literature

Informational Text


196

198

200

202

204

206

208

210

2012 2013 Natinoal Normfor Lang.

Usage

Fourth Grade NWEA Language Usage




197

198

199

200

201

202

203

204

205

206


Fourth Grade NWEA Reading

Literature

Informational Text


200

202

204

206

208

210

212

214

216

218

220


Usage

Fifth Grade NWEA Language Usage




202

204

206

208

210

212

214

216


Fifth Grade NWEA Reading

Literature

Informational Text


0

50

100

150

200

250

Plan/Organize/Research

UnderstandGrammar Usage

Punctuate/SpellCorrectly

NWEA LANG.USAGE GRADES 2-5 FALL 2013

2nd Grade

3rd Grade

4th Grade

5th Grade

0

50

100

150

200

250

Literature Informational Text Foundations/Vocab.

NWEA READING GRADES 2-5 FALL 2013

2nd Grade

3rd Grade

4th Grade

5th Grade

ATTENDANCE DATA

Year State Hickory Center Attendance

2012-13

2011-12 96.1% 97.6%

2010-11 95.90% 97.60%

2009-10 95.80% 96.95%

2008-09 96.10% 96.90%

2007-08 95.90% 97.30%

94.5%

95.0%

95.5%

96.0%

96.5%

97.0%

97.5%

98.0%

2011-1

2

2010-1

1

2009-1

0

2008-0

9

2007-0

8

State

Hickory Center

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Hickory Center Elementary School - Northwest Allen County Schools