##### U.S. Department of Education September 2003

**2003-2004 *No Child Left Behind---Blue Ribbon Schools Program***

# Cover Sheet

Name of Principal [Mr. Ron Kiviniemi]{.underline}

(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other) (As it should appear in the
official records)

Official School Name [Pisgah Forest Elementary]{.underline}

(As it should appear in the official records)

School Mailing Address [1160 Ecusta Road]{.underline}
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

(If address is P.O. Box, also include street address)

[Brevard North Carolina]{.underline}
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_[28712-7579]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

City State Zip Code+4 (9 digits total)

Tel. [(828)877-4481]{.underline} Fax [(828)884-2551]{.underline}

Website/URL <http://www.transylvania.k12.nc.us/schools/pfe/pfeindex.htm>

E-mail <rkivinie@transylvania.k12.nc.us>

I have reviewed the information in this application, including the
eligibility requirements on page 2, and certify that to the best of my
knowledge all information is accurate.

Date\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

(Principal's Signature)

Name of Superintendent [Dr. Sonna Lyda]{.underline}

(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other)

District Name [Transylvania County Schools]{.underline} Tel. [( 828
)884-6173]{.underline}

I have reviewed the information in this application, including the
eligibility requirements on page 2, and certify that to the best of my
knowledge it is accurate.

Date\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
(Superintendent's Signature)

Name of School Board

President/Chairperson [Mrs. Teresa McCall]{.underline}

(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other)

I have reviewed the information in this package, including the
eligibility requirements on page 2, and certify that to the best of my
knowledge it is accurate.

Date\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

(School Board President's/Chairperson's Signature)

**PART I ‑ ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATION**

The signatures on the first page of this application certify that each
of the statements below concerning the school\'s eligibility and
compliance with U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights
(OCR) requirements is true and correct.

1.  The school has some configuration that includes grades K-12.
    (Schools with one principal, even K-12 schools, must apply as an
    entire school.)

2.  The school has not been in school improvement status or been
    identified by the state as "persistently dangerous" within the last
    two years. To meet final eligibility, the school must meet the
    state's adequate yearly progress requirement in the 2003-2004 school
    year.

3.  If the school includes grades 7 or higher, it has foreign language
    as a part of its core curriculum.

4.  The school has been in existence for five full years, that is, from
    at least September 1998.

5.  The nominated school or district is not refusing the OCR access to
    information necessary to investigate a civil rights complaint or to
    conduct a district‑wide compliance review.

6.  The OCR has not issued a violation letter of findings to the school
    district concluding that the nominated school or the district as a
    whole has violated one or more of the civil rights statutes. A
    violation letter of findings will not be considered outstanding if
    the OCR has accepted a corrective action plan from the district to
    remedy the violation.

7.  The U.S. Department of Justice does not have a pending suit alleging
    that the nominated school, or the school district as a whole, has
    violated one or more of the civil rights statutes or the
    Constitution\'s equal protection clause.

8.  There are no findings of violations of the Individuals with
    Disabilities Education Act in a U.S. Department of Education
    monitoring report that apply to the school or school district in
    question; or if there are such findings, the state or district has
    corrected, or agreed to correct, the findings.

**PART II ‑ DEMOGRAPHIC DATA**

**All data are the most recent year available.**

**DISTRICT** (Questions 1‑2 not applicable to private schools)

1\. Number of schools in the district: [4]{.underline} Elementary
schools

[2]{.underline} Middle schools

[0]{.underline} Junior high schools

[2]{.underline} High schools

[1]{.underline} Other (6^th^ --12^th^ grade alternative school)

[9]{.underline} TOTAL

2\. District Per Pupil Expenditure: \_\_\_[\$6914.00]{.underline}\_\_\_

Average State Per Pupil Expenditure: \_\_\_[\$6696.00]{.underline}\_\_\_

**SCHOOL** (To be completed by all schools)

3\. Category that best describes the area where the school is located:

> \[ \] Urban or large central city
>
> \[ \] Suburban school with characteristics typical of an urban area
>
> \[ \] Suburban
>
> \[ x \] Small city or town in a rural area
>
> \[ \] Rural

4\. [3]{.underline} Number of years the principal has been in her/his
position at this school.

If fewer than three years, how long was the previous principal at this
school?

5\. Number of students enrolled at each grade level or its equivalent in
applying school:

  ----------- --------- ----------- ---------- --------- -- ----------- --------- ----------- ---------
  **Grade**   **\# of   **\# of                **Grade      **Grade**   **\# of   **\# of     **Grade
              Males**   Females**              Total**                  Males**   Females**   Total**

  **K**       38        47                     **85**       **7**                             

  **1**       38        45                     **83**       **8**                             

  **2**       38        49                     **87**       **9**                             

  **3**       55        37                     **92**       **10**                            

  **4**       34        43                     **77**       **11**                            

  **5**       45        43                     **88**       **12**                            

  **6**                                                     Other                             

                                    **TOTAL                                                   512
                                    STUDENTS                                                  
                                    IN THE                                                    
                                    APPLYING                                                  
                                    SCHOOL**                                                  
  ----------- --------- ----------- ---------- --------- -- ----------- --------- ----------- ---------

6\. Racial/ethnic composition of [90]{.underline} %White

the students in the school: [5]{.underline} %Black or African American

[3]{.underline} %Hispanic or Latino

[2]{.underline} %Asian/Pacific Islander

[0]{.underline} %American Indian/Alaskan Native

**100% Total**

7\. Student turnover, or mobility rate, during the past year:
[16.01%]{.underline}

> (This rate includes the total number of students who transferred to or
> from different schools between October 1 and the end of the school
> year, divided by the total number of students in the school as of
> October 1, multiplied by 100.)

  ----------- ---------------------------------- ------------------------
  **(1)**     Number of students who transferred 38
              ***to*** the school after October  
              1 until the end of the year.       

  **(2)**     Number of students who transferred 40
              ***from*** the school after        
              October 1 until the end of the     
              year.                              

  **(3)**     Subtotal of all transferred        78
              students \[sum of rows (1) and     
              (2)\]                              

  **(4)**     Total number of students in the    487
              school as of October 1             

  **(5)**     Subtotal in row (3) divided by     0.1601
              total in row (4)                   

  **(6)**     Amount in row (5) multiplied by    16.01
              100                                
  ----------- ---------------------------------- ------------------------

8\. Limited English Proficient students in the school:
[3.5%]{.underline} \_\_\_[18]{.underline}\_\_Total Number Limited
English Proficient

Number of languages represented: [4]{.underline}

Specify languages: Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, Tagalog

9\. Students eligible for free/reduced-priced meals: [46%]{.underline}

\_\_\_[237]{.underline}\_Total Number Students Who Qualify

> If this method does not produce a reasonably accurate estimate of the
> percentage of students from low‑income families or the school does not
> participate in the federally‑supported lunch program, specify a more
> accurate estimate, tell why the school chose it, and explain how it
> arrived at this estimate.

10\. Students receiving special education services: [9.8%]{.underline}

[50]{.underline} Total Number of Students Served

> Indicate below the number of students with disabilities according to
> conditions designated in the Individuals with Disabilities Education
> Act.

[2]{.underline} Autism [0]{.underline} Orthopedic Impairment

[0]{.underline} Deafness [4]{.underline} Other Health Impaired

[0]{.underline} Deaf-Blindness [10]{.underline} Specific Learning
Disability

[0]{.underline} Hearing Impairment [21]{.underline} Speech or Language
Impairment

[8]{.underline} Mental Retardation [0]{.underline} Traumatic Brain
Injury

[0]{.underline} Multiple Disabilities [0]{.underline} Visual Impairment
Including Blindness

[5]{.underline} Developmentally Delayed

11. Indicate number of full‑time and part‑time staff members in each of
    the categories below:

    **Number of Staff**

**[Full-time]{.underline}** **[Part-Time]{.underline}**

Administrator(s) [1]{.underline} [0]{.underline}

Classroom teachers [24]{.underline} [0]{.underline}

Special resource teachers/specialists [10]{.underline} [4]{.underline}

Paraprofessionals [20]{.underline} [0]{.underline}

> Support staff [5]{.underline} [9]{.underline}
>
> Total number [60]{.underline} [13]{.underline}

12\. Average school student-"classroom teacher" ratio:
[21.3]{.underline}

13\. Show the attendance patterns of teachers and students as a
percentage. The student dropout rate is defined by the state. The
student drop-off rate is the difference between the number of entering
students and the number of exiting students from the same cohort. (From
the same cohort, subtract the number of exiting students from the number
of entering students; divide that number by the number of entering
students; multiply by 100 to get the percentage drop-off rate.) Briefly
explain in 100 words or fewer any major discrepancy between the dropout
rate and the drop-off rate. (Only middle and high schools need to supply
dropout rates and only high schools need to supply drop-off rates.)

  ------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
                           2002-2003   2001-2002   2000-2001   1999-2000   1998-1999

  Daily student attendance 97.1        96.9        96.6        96.7        96.9

  Daily teacher attendance 96.6        97.4        95.9        96.5        95.5

  Teacher turnover rate    2.7         5.6         2.8         2.8         9.9

  Student dropout rate     NA          NA          NA          NA          NA

  Student drop-off rate    NA          NA          NA          NA          NA
  ------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

**Part III -- Summary**

Pisgah Forest Elementary (PFE) is the second largest of only four
elementary schools in Transylvania County with 512 students in grades
kindergarten through fifth grade. The student population is 90% White or
multi-racial, 5% Black, 3% Hispanic, and 2% Asian/Pacific Islander.
Limited English Proficient students of four different language groups
constitute 3.5% of the student population. There is an open enrollment
policy within the county schools resulting in students from other
attendance districts transferring to PFE. Children from all
socio-economic groups are a part of the Pisgah Forest Elementary School
community.

The school is located less than one mile from the entrance to Pisgah
National Forest. The school was built in 1990, replacing two smaller
schools. The community took great pride in the new school and
immediately became involved in supporting the students and staff. The
school was built next door to the new county recreation facility, so
many community activities take place in and around the school. As
parents and educators from the two former schools came together as a new
school family, the Ranger Organization of Parents and Educators (ROPE)
was created and the students became known as the Pisgah Forest Rangers.
Ranger Pride became the theme with the total community involved in
providing a quality education for every child with an emphasis on
academic excellence.

From the opening of the school until the present, there has been an
upward trend in overall test scores. Schools in North Carolina are
recognized each year according to the percentage of students reaching
the level of proficiency in the areas of reading, math and writing with
additional recognition for high growth in each area. Pisgah Forest
Elementary has been recognized as a School of Distinction for four years
in a row beginning with the 1997-98 school year and then two years as a
School of Excellence with High Growth (2001-2002 and 2002-2003).
Additionally, PFE reached all AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) goals as
set by the No Child Left Behind initiative.

Over the past four years, the two major industries in Transylvania
County have closed leaving many families with one or both parents
unemployed. New challenges have faced the school as a result of the
plant closings. The financial strain has raised the free and reduced
lunch numbers to 46%. A Universal Breakfast Program was put in place for
all the county schools providing free breakfast for all children. Many
unemployed parents have enrolled in Blue Ridge Community College to be
retrained for other jobs leaving less time for homework help for their
children. A homework lab and flexible remediation times are provided to
meet these needs.

The mission of Pisgah Forest Elementary involves all of the stakeholders
working together to meet the needs of all children as they become
independent thinkers, lifelong learners and productive citizens. The
School Improvement Team, a support group made up of parents, staff and
community members, established the mission of the school. Additionally,
each classroom community adopts its own mission aligned with the school
mission. Students are involved in knowing what the goals are in each
academic area and tracking individual progress toward those goals. An
active media center provides books, materials, and equipment to support
the goals. Over the past five years, the entire print collection has
been reviewed and renewed with over one-third of the collection being
replaced with new books. In addition to print media, students are guided
to access online information in a 30-station computer lab or at one of
five computers in each classroom, all networked and Internet connected.
The media center has a professional support section and a parent support
section with resources to address different topics as all stakeholders
work together to meet the needs of all children.

The PFE staff includes 24 classroom teachers, four at each grade level,
who are supported by 10 resource teachers or specialists, 20
paraprofessionals and a host of parent and community volunteers. Many of
the community volunteers are from the large retired population living in
the county. They have donated their time, experience and financial
resources to support the school.

Pisgah Forest Elementary is a school with visionary leadership, a highly
qualified staff, and strong community support. Students are actively
engaged in learning and the results are evident in the assessment
results. PFE would be a fine example to other schools and would welcome
the honor of being named a Blue Ribbon School.

**PART IV -- INDICATORS OF ACADEMIC SUCCESS**

During the final weeks of each school year, students in grade 3, 4 and 5
take the state-required multiple-choice North Carolina End-of Grade
tests in Reading and Mathematics. The scores on the tests are one way to
assess how well each child is doing in school and how the school as a
whole is doing compared to other schools in North Carolina. The North
Carolina-developed tests are closely aligned with the state-mandated
curriculum described in the North Carolina *Standard Course of Study,*
which is closely aligned with national curriculum standards. The
end-of-grade tests have two primary purposes. The first is to provide an
accurate measurement of individual student skills and knowledge as
specified in the North Carolina *Standard Course of Study*. The second
is to provide an accurate measurement of the knowledge and skills
attained by groups of students for the school, the school system, and
the state for the North Carolina Accountability Program. Four
achievement levels represent predetermined performance standards and are
reported for each student in reading and in math.

> **Level I:** Students performing at this level do **not** have
> sufficient mastery of knowledge and skills in the subject area to be
> successful at the next grade level.
>
> **Level II:** Students performing at this level demonstrate
> **inconsistent** mastery of knowledge and skills in the subject area
> and are **minimally** prepared to be successful at the next grade
> level.
>
> **Level III:** Students performing at this level **consistently**
> **demonstrate** mastery of the grade-level subject matter and skills
> and are **well-prepared** for the next grade level.
>
> **Level IV:** Students performing at this level consistently perform
> in a **superior** manner **clearly beyond** that required to be
> proficient at grade-level work.

For the 2002-2003 school year, 96.7 per cent of the students in grades
3, 4, and 5 at Pisgah Forest Elementary achieved at Level III or Level
IV in both reading and math, indicating that they were clearly
well-prepared for the next grade level. The remaining 3.3% were not
forgotten. Remediation, a second opportunity to take the test or summer
school resulted in all students proving themselves proficient for the
next grade level.

An analysis of the past five years scores yields some interesting
information. There were 82.1 percent of the third grade students in
1998-1999 at or above the proficient level (III or IV) in reading. That
same group of students in 1999-2000 as fourth graders had 89.3 percent
at or above the proficient level. As fifth graders in 2000-2001, 94.6
percent of the group scored at or above that desired level of
proficiency. There certainly were minor variations in the class make-up
due to students moving in or out of the school; however, the increasing
proficiency rate was certainly the result of teachers using the
assessment information to adjust instruction and target students who
needed interventions or modifications. The same trend occurred over the
last three years, with the third grade group beginning with 88.9 percent
in reading (2000-2001), fourth grade at 96.7 percent (2001-2002), and
fifth grade at 100 percent (2002-2003). The same trend occurred from
grade level to grade level in the area of math with one occasion when
the class dropped from 100 percent proficiency to 98.9 percent the
following year. It was noted that for those three years, the percentage
of students scoring at the advanced level according to state standards
had increased from 48.9 percent to 69.5 percent to 94.3 percent by fifth
grade. This was the result of teachers who have been challenged to
continue to work toward proficiency of all students while moving those
who are already proficient to levels of excellence.

It should also be noted that the analysis of data by subgroups shows no
significant difference in growth or levels of achievement for students
in different socioeconomic groups. For the school year 2002-2003, Pisgah
Forest Elementary met all of the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) goals
and showed high growth (110 percent of expected growth) in both reading
and math. The challenge now is to continue the high levels of
proficiency and mastery guaranteeing that every child will continue as
an independent thinker, a lifelong learner and a productive citizen.

**Using assessment data to improve student performance**

By annually reviewing assessment data and developing leading indicators
to measure progress toward the end of year goals, teachers are becoming
more adept each year at modifying instruction and actually improving
student performance for all students. A drill-down approach to
understanding the assessment data provides information for setting
school goals, grade level goals, classroom goals, and individual goals.
The analysis and adjustments seek to go beyond minimal proficiency to
maximum growth for each student in reading and in math. Grade level
teams and individual teachers in consultation with the principal and
lead teacher look for trends that indicate strengths and weaknesses in
instruction. Special education teachers provide direct instruction and
collaborative support as special needs students are served in least
restrictive settings. A team of classroom teachers who are trained and
certified in the area of gifted education provide instructional and
resource support to ensure that the brightest students continue to make
gains in reading and in math. Flexible grouping within and across grade
levels allows students of all ability and achievement levels to be
engaged in meaningful study and practice. Students are also a part of
the process as they maintain data folders charting their own progress on
a daily or weekly basis. Personalized education plans for students not
making adequate progress are put into place early in the year. Homework
lab, before or after school remediation, peer tutoring, as well as
individual and small group interventions led by resource specialists,
instructional assistants and volunteers guarantee that every effort is
made to improve student performance.

## Communication with stakeholders

Assessment results are communicated in a multitude of ways. Teachers use
daily communication logs or assignment books to give parents immediate
information about daily performance. Weekly newsletters help parents
know what is happening in the classroom. These communication logs and
newsletters prompt parents and students to have their own dialogue about
daily learning. Midterms and report cards go home on established
quarterly dates giving information about classroom performance and
progress toward grade level or individual goals. Parent conferences are
welcomed at any time, but are specifically planned for the end of first
and third grading periods. Quarterly assessment results are communicated
to parents at report card time or at parent conferences while end of
year assessment results are sent with final report cards. Grade levels
plan and conduct parent meetings at the beginning of each year to help
parents know what to expect in that grade. Other grade level and
classroom meetings are planned by teachers to address pertinent topics.
Parents and community members are a part of the School Improvement Team,
which meets quarterly to monitor progress toward school goals. The
Ranger Organization of Parents and Educators (ROPE) meets monthly. The
"principal's report" is a regular part of the agenda with a few words
about academic performance and achievement. A monthly school newsletter
includes a message from the principal addressing strategic priorities
and school improvement efforts. The school website links parents and
community not only to classroom but to the county website where
assessment results can be accessed. The state report card for Pisgah
Forest Elementary is sent to every parent and is available to anyone
through a link on the Transylvania County Schools website. The community
newspaper provides information to the public about school performance on
assessments. The newspaper also spotlights schools as they are
recognized for academic achievement. The mission of the school can only
be realized when all stakeholders have updated and accurate assessment
information.

## Sharing our successes

Pisgah Forest Elementary will continue to share its successes with other
schools. An established partnership with the other elementary schools in
the system has already brought PFE teachers together with other teachers
for a sharing of ideas and mutual support. A partnership with Brevard
College and Western Carolina University brings interns and student
teachers into the school. This partnership allows current teachers to
share successful strategies and winning philosophies with future
teachers. Visits from other school systems are common now and will
continue to be welcome. Pisgah Forest is a demonstration site for Wilson
Reading. Outside observers continue to come to see the Wilson program in
practice. All teachers will be encouraged to take advantage of
opportunities to share their successes as presenters at conferences and
workshops. Another way that Pisgah Forest will share its success is by
further development of the school website. This will allow other schools
to see examples of classroom strategies and student work that have
resulted in outstanding student achievement for all students.

The curriculum at Pisgah Forest Elementary School is a direct reflection
of the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. It is built upon the
subject and skill areas of English language arts, mathematics, social
studies and science, but also includes 21^st^ century information and
computer skills, healthful living, guidance components, and thinking
skills. A strong arts education program is also an essential part of our
curriculum. The curriculum is individualized for students with all
ranges of abilities.

The English language arts curriculum is a spiraling curriculum that
seeks to develop skills in oral language, written language and
media/technology. Each grade level has the common goals of developing
and applying strategies and skills to read, write and comprehend text.
The English Language Arts curriculum includes an essential grammar and
language conventions component that is most visible in the writing
program.

The most recent revision in the math course of study has organized the
curriculum into five strands: Number and Operations, Measurement,
Geometry, Data Analysis and Probability, and Algebra. Each grade level
addresses all the strands. The math curriculum for kindergarten through
second grade builds an understanding of the number system and fluency
with math facts. Instruction and practice of computational skills and
when to apply them also begins early. The curriculum spirals through the
grades with skills being introduced, developed and then secured through
practice and application. In grades three through five, students
continue to build computation skills, but the emphasis is on building
confidence in problem solving and a depth of understanding that allows
students to apply their computational skills to a variety of contexts.

The Social Studies curriculum begins at kindergarten with a study of
self and family and an awareness of other families around the world and
then broadens to include our place in the community at first grade.
Second graders concentrate on regional studies including local,
regional, US and world regions. The third grade curriculum focuses on
people who have made a difference by being contributing members of
society. Fourth grade is a study of North Carolina history, geography,
the economy and the state political structure. Then the fifth graders
are ready for a comprehensive study of the US compared and contrasted
with Canada, Mexico and Central America. The social studies curriculum
alone is so broad and deep that it is imperative that it be integrated
into the other subjects. Reading and vocabulary building, using research
to gather, synthesize, and report, analyzing, interpreting, creating,
and using resources, applying decision making and problem solving
techniques and incorporating technology are the skills that are common
to all the curriculum areas.

The science content is specified at each grade level but the unifying
strands are the nature of science, science as inquiry, science and
technology, and science in personal and social perspectives. Each grade
level curriculum includes a unit of life science, earth science, and
physical science. Again the curriculum spirals allowing the students to
build a strong understanding of plants and animals, weather and the
structure of the earth, movement, sound and light, and electricity and
magnetism. Much of the learning in science involves hands-on learning,
actual and virtual field trips, and learning from experts in the field.

Study of the arts is provided through weekly classes in music and art
along with periodic artists-in-residence and community performers. The
music and art teachers have specific grade level curriculum to follow
that insures that students have exposure to all elements of the arts
during their elementary years. Classroom teachers, the guidance
counselor, the physical education teacher and the school resource
officer share the healthful living and guidance curriculum.

In order to fully implement the total curriculum, Pisgah Forest teachers
have worked to integrate the content areas into the skills areas. Our
goal is to prepare students to live and compete in a constantly changing
world with the skills necessary to communicate and operate within their
communities and the knowledge base necessary to understand and interact
as problem-solvers and decision makers.

All students in the school have access to the entire curriculum but some
with modifications and an understanding that there are multiple paths to
learning. Teachers are provided with curriculum updates regularly and
encouraged to plan interdisciplinary units that help the learners make
connections between the disciplines. Collaboration with teammates and
resource teachers helps make a monumental task manageable.

## The Reading Curriculum

Pisgah Forest teachers have chosen to provide a balanced reading
instruction program. This includes direct phonics instruction, the
building of a sight word vocabulary, reading and discussion to increase
vocabulary and reading comprehension, and an independent reading
program. Each classroom is a literacy rich environment combining direct
instruction of reading skills with ongoing thematic units that draw
students into the experience of reading and writing. *McGraw-Hill
Reading* is the basal program for all grade levels chosen because of its
strength in the area of **comprehension**, the child-oriented reading
selections and the leveled readers that supplement the program. The core
program is extended with novel units and content area reading.

Kindergarten teachers incorporate a 30-minute daily *Fundations* lesson
from *Wilson Reading* *Systems* into their language arts classroom
instruction. These lessons focus on carefully sequenced skills that
include print knowledge, alphabet awareness, **phonological awareness**,
**phonemic awareness**, **decoding**, vocabulary, fluency, and spelling.
K-2 teachers have developed a common **sight word** list for each grade
level hoping to increase reading fluency. Parents are involved in the
process with sight word practice and take-home books. Literacy council
volunteers are a visible part of the school as they read with individual
students. Targeted small group intervention through the Title I program
is provided for students needing additional instruction, another
approach or extra practice to build skills and increase fluency and
comprehension. While direct reading instruction continues in grades 3-5,
the focus shifts from "learning to read" to "reading to learn".
Selections at all grade levels are chosen to supplement and support the
science and social studies programs.

All grade levels encourage and monitor **independent reading**. The
*Accelerated Reader* program is used to assess independent reading with
rewards from the AR cabinet for points earned. The media coordinator
plays a major role helping students select books that match reading
level and student interest. Upper grade levels use *Renaissance
Learning's STAR Reading* assessment to establish an independent reading
level and reading goals for each student.

## The Math Curriculum

An understanding of math is essential for all students so they can
become lifelong learners, independent thinkers and productive citizens.
The mathematics course of study for North Carolina and Pisgah Forest
Elementary is organized into five strands: Number and Operations,
Measurement, Geometry, Data Analysis and Probability and Algebra. Skills
are not taught in isolation, but integrated into meaningful, real world
problems. Each of the strands is taught according to the developmental
stages of the students. The use of manipulatives provides a concrete
understanding as students learn basic number facts and develop an
understanding of our number system. Long before they learn various
algorithms to solve problems, students are led to develop their own
problem-solving methods. All grade levels provide students opportunities
for cooperative work as skills are established, then independent work to
secure the skills. There is a natural integration of math with science
that occurs at all grade levels. Students conduct investigations and
record the findings. Calendar math in all classrooms help students
understand the measurement of time. Each grade level has its own goals
and objectives, but our intent and practice is to have a spiraling
curriculum that introduces concepts, provides recurrent instruction and
practice and then secures the concepts at the appropriate grade level.
On-going assessment helps to target students who need remediation, extra
practice or another path to the learning. In addition to the regular
program, teachers use the Compass Learning software program to prescribe
individual math paths based on assessment results and daily classroom
performance.

## Instructional Methods 

Pisgah Forest teachers use a variety of instructional methods in an
effort to meet the needs of all students. We know and believe that all
children can learn, but that there are multiple paths to learning. It is
common practice to assess prior knowledge either through formal pretests
or informal class discussions. Learning centers and workshops are common
in the early grades. Direct instruction followed by small group
discussions or explorations is a method used at all grade levels.
*Thinking Maps*, a type of graphic organizer, are used to guide students
to organize information. Students are taught to connect certain thought
processes to specific maps. For example, every grade level uses *Circle
Maps* for brainstorming, *Bubble Maps* for describing and *Flow Maps* to
understand the causes or the effects of an event. A developmental
writing program, *Write From the Beginning*, follows up on this concept
using the *Thinking Maps* to build structure in writing. Teachers and
students use classroom computers and the computer lab to gather and
store information, and then prepare multimedia projects and
presentations on topics of study. Instructional assistants have been
trained and are used at each grade level to do small group reading using
selected books or novels to build reading comprehension and fluency.
Guest speakers or experts in a particular field are invited to
classrooms to share a wealth of knowledge or a specific expertise. Field
trips related to areas of study add a richness and real-world flavor to
the learning. Each classroom is equipped with a television and VCR or
DVD player so that appropriate program clips can be incorporated into
the learning. Drama and role-playing is used to better understand a book
character or event or in guidance to see another person's viewpoint.
Resource teachers provide small group or individual preteaching and
reteaching as needed or enrichment and extension to go beyond the
basics. Our goal is to engage every child in learning and to help each
one make meaningful connections as they learn.

## Staff Development

Staff development at Pisgah Forest is an ongoing process. Some workshops
are planned and offered to all staff while other staff development
opportunities are individually chosen. At the beginning of each year,
all staff members conduct a self-evaluation and set individual or team
goals for the year. A mid-year peer review checks on progress toward
improvement goals. Surveys of staff, parents, and students are used by
the School Improvement Team to identify staff development needs. Based
on these needs, the staff development calendar starts to take shape.
Some classes or workshops are offered during after-school hours, while
others have been scheduled during the day with release time for
teachers. Eleven teachers attended a two-day Wilson Reading workshop
that will allow them to provide reading interventions for at-risk
students. Local technology workshops and state-provided workshops like
*ExplorNet's EnTech* program focus on using technology as a tool in the
classroom. One recent workshop helped teachers go "Beyond the Book" by
designing *WebQuests* to use with their students. The National Board
Certification process is definitely part of the staff development plan.
Four teachers have already earned certification and many others are in
the process. Many teachers are enrolled in graduate programs.
Instructional assistants who do not already have a two or four year
degree are currently enrolled in classes to receive Department of Labor
certification. This program has had a positive impact on the grade level
teams as assistants have increased their knowledge and skills. A
regional educational center offers high quality training in specific
areas. State level conferences are attended according to area of
certification and interest. Educational office professionals keep their
certification current through regional and state training. Staff
development is important for every staff member as the needs of the
school and students change. Continual improvement for all is the goal.

Pisgah Forest Elementary

> **NC End of Grade Test Results**
>
> **3^rd^ Grade Reading**

  ---------------------------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
                                     2002-2003   2001-2002   2000-2001   1999-2000   1998-1999

  [Testing Month]{.underline}        May         May         May         May         May

  **SCHOOL SCORES**                                                                  

  \% At or Above Basic -- Level II   98.7        97.7        96.7        97.8        96.8

  \% At or Above Proficient -- Level 93.2        88.4        88.9        81.5        82.1
  III or IV                                                                          

  \% At Advanced -- Level IV         58.1        46.6        43.3        33.7        45.3

  Number of students tested          74          86          90          92          95

  Percent of total students tested   100         98.9        100         100         100

  Number of students excluded        0           1           0           0           0

  Percent of students excluded       0           1.1         0           0           0

                                                                                     

  SUBGROUP SCORES                                                                    

  1 Socioeconomic Status --                                                          
  Free/Reduced Lunch                                                                 

  \% At or Above Basic -- Level II   96.6        100         95.5                    

  \% At or Above Proficient -- Level 89.7        79.2        72.7                    
  III or IV                                                                          

  \% At Advanced -- Level IV         55.2        29.2        36.4                    

  Number of students tested          29          24          22                      

  2\. Socioeconomic Status- Not                                                      
  Free/Reduced                                                                       

  \% At or Above Basic -- Level II   100         96.8        97.1                    

  \% At or Above Proficient- Level   97.7        91.9        94.0                    
  III or IV                                                                          

  \% At Advanced -- Level IV         61.4        53.2        46.3                    

  Number of students tested          45          62          68                      

                                                                                     

  **STATE SCORES**                                                                   

  \% At or Above Basic -- Level II   96.1        95.8        94.3        93.8        93.1

  \% At or Above Proficient -- Level 82.6        79.8        76.4        74.4        73.6
  III or IV                                                                          

  \% At Advanced -- Level IV         45.5        41.0        38.0        36.4        36.9

                                                                                     

                                                                                     

                                                                                     
  ---------------------------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

State percents are rounded to the nearest tenth; due to rounding data
may not sum to 100%.

Pisgah Forest Elementary

> **NC End of Grade Test Results**
>
> **3^rd^ Grade Math**

  ---------------------------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
                                     2002-2003   2001-2002   2000-2001   1999-2000   1998-1999

  [Testing Month]{.underline}        May         May         May         May         May

  **SCHOOL SCORES**                                                                  

  \% At or Above Basic -- Level II   100         97.8        100         100         96.8

  \% At or Above Proficient -- Level 97.2        84.9        92.2        75.8        78.9
  III or IV                                                                          

  \% At Advanced -- Level IV         50.7        46.5        48.9        33.7        33.7

  Number of students tested          74          86          90          92          95

  Percent of total students tested   100         98.9        100         100         100

  Number of students excluded        0           1           0           0           0

  Percent of students excluded       0           1.1         0           0           0

                                                                                     

  SUBGROUP SCORES                                                                    

  1 Socioeconomic Status --                                                          
  Free/Reduced Lunch                                                                 

  \% At or Above Basic -- Level II   100         95.8        100                     

  \% At or Above Proficient -- Level 96.6        75.0        81.8                    
  III or IV                                                                          

  \% At Advanced -- Level IV         41.4        16.7        40.9                    

  Number of students tested          29          24          22                      

  2\. Socioeconomic Status- Not                                                      
  Free/Reduced                                                                       

  \% At or Above Basic -- Level II   100         98.4        100                     

  \% At or Above Proficient -- Level 100         88.7        95.5                    
  III or IV                                                                          

  \% At Advanced -- Level IV         54.5        32.3        52.2                    

  Number of students tested          45          62          68                      

                                                                                     

  **STATE SCORES**                                                                   

  \% At or Above Basic -- Level II   98.1        96.8        95.8        94.4        93.7

  \% At or Above Proficient -- Level 88.8        77.3        73.6        71.8        70.0
  III or IV                                                                          

  \% At Advanced -- Level IV         42.9        34.2        30.3        31.8        29.8

                                                                                     

                                                                                     

                                                                                     
  ---------------------------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

State percents are rounded to the nearest tenth; due to rounding data
may not sum to 100%.

Pisgah Forest Elementary

> **NC End of Grade Test Results**
>
> **4th Grade Reading**

  ---------------------------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
                                     2002-2003   2001-2002   2000-2001   1999-2000   1998-1999

  [Testing Month]{.underline}        May         May         May         May         May

  **SCHOOL SCORES**                                                                  

  \% At or Above Basic -- Level II   100         100         100         97.1        100

  \% At or Above Proficient -- Level 97.5        96.7        85.3        89.3        87.4
  III or IV                                                                          

  \% At Advanced -- Level IV         56.3        47.8        37.9        35.9        40.8

  Number of students tested          84          92          95          103         103

  Percent of total students tested   98.8        100         100         100         100

  Number of students excluded        1           0           0           0           0

  Percent of students excluded       1.2         0           0           0           0

                                                                                     

  SUBGROUP SCORES                                                                    

  1 Socioeconomic Status --                                                          
  Free/Reduced Lunch                                                                 

  \% At or Above Basic -- Level II   100         100         100                     

  \% At or Above Proficient -- Level 96.7        100         79.4                    
  III or IV                                                                          

  \% At Advanced -- Level IV         53.3        22.2        29.4                    

  Number of students tested          30          18          34                      

  2\. Socioeconomic Status- Not                                                      
  Free/Reduced                                                                       

  \% At or Above Basic -- Level II   100         100         100                     

  \% At or Above Proficient --Level  98.0        95.9        87.9                    
  III or IV                                                                          

  \% At Advanced -- Level IV         64.7        54.1        41.4                    

  Number of students tested          54          74          61                      

                                                                                     

  **STATE SCORES**                                                                   

  \% At or Above Basic -- Level II   95.8        95.3        93.9        93.0        92.6

  \% At or Above Proficient -- Level 83.7        77.1        74.5        72.0        71.4
  III or IV                                                                          

  \% At Advanced -- Level IV         41.8        32.4        31.3        29.7        27.6

                                                                                     

                                                                                     

                                                                                     
  ---------------------------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

State percents are rounded to the nearest tenth; due to rounding data
may not sum to 100%.

Pisgah Forest Elementary

> **NC End of Grade Test Results**
>
> **4th Grade Math**

  ---------------------------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
                                     2002-2003   2001-2002   2000-2001   1999-2000   1998-1999

  [Testing Month]{.underline}        May         May         May         May         May

  **SCHOOL SCORES**                                                                  

  \% At or Above Basic -- Level II   100         100         100         99.9        100

  \% At or Above Proficient -- Level 96.4        100         98.9        92.2        98.1
  III or IV                                                                          

  \% At Advanced -- Level IV         88.1        69.5        66.3        47.8        69.6

  Number of students tested          84          92          95          103         103

  Percent of total students tested   98.8        100         100         100         100

  Number of students excluded        1           0           0           0           0

  Percent of students excluded       1.2         0           0           0           0

                                                                                     

  SUBGROUP SCORES                                                                    

  1 Socioeconomic Status --                                                          
  Free/Reduced Lunch                                                                 

  \% At or Above Basic -- Level II   100         100         100                     

  \% At or Above Proficient -- Level 90.0        100         98.9                    
  III or IV                                                                          

  \% At Advanced -- Level IV         83.3        44.4        52.9                    

  Number of students tested          30          18          34                      

  2\. Socioeconomic Status- Not                                                      
  Free/Reduced                                                                       

  \% At or Above Basic -- Level II   100         100         100                     

  \% At or Above Proficient -- Level 100         100         100                     
  III or IV                                                                          

  \% At Advanced -- Level IV         96.2        74.3        41.4                    

  Number of students tested          54          74          61                      

                                                                                     

  **STATE SCORES**                                                                   

  \% At or Above Basic -- Level II   99.3        99.1        98.8        97.9        97.1

  \% At or Above Proficient -- Level 94.7        88.9        86.7        84.5        82.6
  III or IV                                                                          

  \% At Advanced -- Level IV         59.1        43.0        40.0        40.8        39.6

                                                                                     

                                                                                     

                                                                                     
  ---------------------------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

State percents are rounded to the nearest tenth; due to rounding data
may not sum to 100%.

Pisgah Forest Elementary

> **NC End of Grade Test Results**
>
> **5th Grade Reading**

  ---------------------------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
                                     2002-2003   2001-2002   2000-2001   1999-2000   1998-1999

  [Testing Month]{.underline}        May         May         May         May         May

  **SCHOOL SCORES**                                                                  

  \% At or Above Basic -- Level II   100         98.9        98.9        99.0        100

  \% At or Above Proficient -- Level 100         95.5        94.6        96.9        95.0
  III or IV                                                                          

  \% At Advanced -- Level IV         62.1        51.1        50.0        53.6        53.8

  Number of students tested          87          88          92          96          81

  Percent of total students tested   100         100         98.9        100         98.9

  Number of students excluded        0           0           1           0           1

  Percent of students excluded       0           0           1.1         0           1.2

                                                                                     

  SUBGROUP SCORES                                                                    

  1 Socioeconomic Status --                                                          
  Free/Reduced Lunch                                                                 

  \% At or Above Basic -- Level II   100         97.0        100                     

  \% At or Above Proficient -- Level 100         93.8        100                     
  III or IV                                                                          

  \% At Advanced -- Level IV         55.2        42.4        42.1                    

  Number of students tested          32          33          19                      

  2\. Socioeconomic Status- Not                                                      
  Free/Reduced                                                                       

  \% At or Above Basic -- Level II   100         100         98.6                    

  \% At or Above Proficient -- Level 100         98.2        93.1                    
  III or IV                                                                          

  \% At Advanced -- Level IV         69.1        56.4        51.4                    

  Number of students tested          55          55          73                      

                                                                                     

  **STATE SCORES**                                                                   

  \% At or Above Basic -- Level II   98.1        97.3        96.6        95.6        95.0

  \% At or Above Proficient -- Level 88.7        84.5        82.6        79.1        75.8
  III or IV                                                                          

  \% At Advanced -- Level IV         43.7        40.0        39.4        38.1        32.7

                                                                                     

                                                                                     

                                                                                     
  ---------------------------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

State percents are rounded to the nearest tenth; due to rounding data
may not sum to 100%.

Pisgah Forest Elementary

> **NC End of Grade Test Results**
>
> **5th Grade Math**

  ---------------------------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
                                     2002-2003   2001-2002   2000-2001   1999-2000   1998-1999

  [Testing Month]{.underline}        May         May         May         May         May

  **SCHOOL SCORES**                                                                  

  \% At or Above Basic -- Level II   100         100         100         98.6        100

  \% At or Above Proficient -- Level 98.9        97.7        98.9        97.9        95.1
  III or IV                                                                          

  \% At Advanced -- Level IV         94.3        79.5        87.0        53.6        77.8

  Number of students tested          87          88          92          96          81

  Percent of total students tested   100         100         98.9        100         100

  Number of students excluded        0           0           1           0           0

  Percent of students excluded       0           0           1.1         0           0

                                                                                     

  SUBGROUP SCORES                                                                    

  1 Socioeconomic Status --                                                          
  Free/Reduced Lunch                                                                 

  \% At or Above Basic -- Level II   100         100         100                     

  \% At or Above Proficient -- Level 96.9        90.9        100                     
  III or IV                                                                          

  \% At Advanced -- Level IV         90.6        69.7        42.1                    

  Number of students tested          32          33          19                      

  2\. Socioeconomic Status- Not                                                      
  Free/Reduced                                                                       

  \% At or Above Basic -- Level II   100         100         100                     

  \% At or Above Proficient -- Level 100         100         98.6                    
  III or IV                                                                          

  \% At Advanced -- Level IV         96.4        85.5        94.7                    

  Number of students tested          55          55          73                      

                                                                                     

  **STATE SCORES**                                                                   

  \% At or Above Basic -- Level II   98.9        98.3        97.8        96.2        96.2

  \% At or Above Proficient -- Level 92.5        88.5        86.7        82.9        82.4
  III or IV                                                                          

  \% At Advanced -- Level IV         61.8        53.2        50.1        48.6        46.9

                                                                                     

                                                                                     

                                                                                     
  ---------------------------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

State percents are rounded to the nearest tenth; due to rounding data
may not sum to 100%.