##### Revised 3/15/05

##### *2004-2005 No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon Schools Program*

*U.S. Department of Education*

**Cover Sheet** Type of School: [X]{.underline} Elementary \_\_ Middle
\_\_ High \_\_ K-12

Name of Principal: Dr. Barry L. Jankord

Official School Name: Meadowlark Elementary School

School Mailing Address: 816 E. 7^th^ Street

Gillette, WY 82716-4430

County: Campbell School Code Number: 560147000069

Telephone: (307) 682-4740 Fax: (307) 682-4649

Website:
[http://cyberkids.ccsd.k12.wy.us/Meadowlark/default.html]{.underline}
E-mail: [bjankord@ccsd.k12.wy.us]{.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 all information is accurate.

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

(Principal's Signature)

Name of Superintendent: Dr. Richard M. Strahorn

District Name Campbell County School District #1 Tel. (307) 682-5171

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: Dr. David Fall

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

**\[Include this page in the school's application as page 2.\]**

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 2004-2005 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 1999 and has not received the 2003 or 2004 *No
    Child Left Behind -- Blue Ribbon Schools Award.*

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: \_\_15\_ Elementary schools

\_\_\_\_\_ Middle schools

\_\_\_3\_ Junior high schools

\_\_\_3\_ High schools

\_\_\_\_\_ Other

\_\_21\_ TOTAL

2\. District Per Pupil Expenditure: \_\_\_\$8799\_\_\_

Average State Per Pupil Expenditure: \_\_\_\$9054\_\_\_

**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\. \_\_8 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 as of October 1 enrolled at each grade level or
its equivalent in applying school only:

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

  **PreK**                                                  **7**                             

  **K**       20        21                     41           **8**                             

  **1**       22        26                     48           **9**                             

  **2**       19        13                     32           **10**                            

  **3**       20        15                     35           **11**                            

  **4**       9         21                     30           **12**                            

  **5**       23        18                     41           **Other**                         

  **6**       23        22                     45                                             

                                    **TOTAL                                                   272
                                    STUDENTS                                                  
                                    IN THE                                                    
                                    APPLYING                                                  
                                    SCHOOL**                                                  
  ----------- --------- ----------- ---------- --------- -- ----------- --------- ----------- ---------

*\[Throughout the document, round numbers to avoid decimals.\]*

6\. Racial/ethnic composition of [73]{.underline} % White

the students in the school: [0]{.underline} % Black or African American

[23]{.underline} % Hispanic or Latino

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

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

**100 % Total**

Use only the five standard categories in reporting the racial/ethnic
composition of the school.

7\. Student turnover, or mobility rate, during the past year:
\_\_\_27\_\_%

> (This rate should be calculated using the grid below. The answer to
> (6) is the mobility rate.)

  ------------------------- --------------------------- ------------------
  **(1)**                   Number of students who      25
                            transferred ***to*** the    
                            school after October 1      
                            until the end of the year.  

  **(2)**                   Number of students who      48
                            transferred ***from*** the  
                            school after October 1      
                            until the end of the year.  

  **(3)**                   Subtotal of all transferred 73
                            students \[sum of rows (1)  
                            and (2)\]                   

  **(4)**                   Total number of students in 272
                            the school as of October    

  **(5)**                   Subtotal in row (3) divided .2684
                            by total in row (4)         

  **(6)**                   Amount in row (5)           26.84
                            multiplied by 100           
  ------------------------- --------------------------- ------------------

8\. Limited English Proficient students in the school: 17 %

47 Total Number Limited English Proficient

Number of languages represented: 2

Specify languages: Spanish, Pushtu

9\. Students eligible for free/reduced-priced meals: 55%

Total number students who qualify: 150

> If this method does not produce an 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: 14%

38 Total Number of Students Served

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

\_\_\_\_Autism \_\_\_\_Orthopedic Impairment

\_\_\_\_Deafness \_\_5_Other Health Impaired

\_\_\_\_Deaf-Blindness \_12_Specific Learning Disability

\_\_\_\_Emotional Disturbance

\_\_\_\_Hearing Impairment \_20_Speech or Language Impairment

\_\_\_\_Mental Retardation \_\_\_\_Traumatic Brain Injury

\_\_\_\_Multiple Disabilities \_\_1_Visual Impairment Including
Blindness

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\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Classroom teachers \_\_15\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Special resource teachers/specialists \_\_\_7\_\_\_ \_\_\_.5\_\_\_\_

Paraprofessionals \_\_11\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

> Support staff \_\_\_8\_\_\_ \_\_\_.5\_\_\_\_
>
> Total number \_\_\_42\_\_ \_\_\_1\_\_\_\_

12\. Average school student-"classroom teacher" ratio: \_\_\_18.1\_\_\_

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.)

  ------------------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
                            2003-2004   2002-2003   2001-2002   2000-2001   1999-2000

  Daily student attendance  96%         95%         94%         94%         95%

  Daily teacher attendance  94%         96%         96%         95%         94%

  Teacher turnover rate     10%         15%         10%         15%         20%

  Student dropout rate      \%          \%          \%          \%          \%
  (middle/high)                                                             

  Student drop-off rate     \%          \%          \%          \%          \%
  (high school)                                                             
  ------------------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

**PART III ‑ SUMMARY**

Meadowlark Elementary School from Campbell County School District in
Gillette, Wyoming is fully accredited through the Wyoming Department of
Education and NCA/CASI. Our current school improvement cycle is based
upon the following school goals:

-   **All students will improve their mathematical reasoning skills.**

-   **All students will improve their written communication skills.**

Meadowlark has the challenge of teaching the highest concentrations of
poverty and mobility in the district. The district-wide ESL program at
Meadowlark provides K-12 ESL instruction for all ELLs in Gillette.
During the past few school years, our faculty has been trained in
interventions relating to the nature of our student population; namely,
poverty students and second language learners. Our math and writing
committees continue to research and implement school-wide interventions
to target our school goals. These interventions include math Problem
Solving and 6+1 Traits of Writing.

In the previous school improvement cycle, student reading achievement
and social skills were targeted for improvement. Accelerated Reader and
Guided Reading are two successful reading interventions that we are
sustaining from our last NCA/CASI cycle. In the past six years, major
discipline referrals have progressively reduced over time, from 206 in
1998-99 to 10 in 2003-04. In order to maintain the continuity of
effective interventions throughout our school, math and writing
committees, as well as reading and social skills, meet monthly.

##### Beliefs

##### We believe...

-   Education is a partnership between home and school.

-   Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.

-   Learning is a lifelong process.

-   Students need a safe, productive, and pleasant learning environment.

-   Teaching requires a variety of instructional strategies to meet the
    academic, social, and emotional needs of students.

-   Consistent expectations guided by high standards are the foundation
    for student achievement and behavior.

# Mission

Meadowlark is a neighborhood school where the success of our students,
staff, and parents is achieved through teamwork that embraces diversity.

# Vision

Meadowlark students are individuals who are self-directed lifelong
learners able to make good choices. They maintain high standards in
their school, community, and workplace demonstrating:

-   Creativity

-   Responsibility

-   Cooperation

-   Respect

-   Caring

-   Honesty

-   Confidence

-   Quality

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

# 

# PART IV -- Question 1 -- Meaning of Assessment

The Wyoming Comprehensive Assessment System (WyCAS) is given to all
fourth, eighth, and eleventh grade students to test their mastery of the
math and language arts (reading and writing). WyCAS has two parts,
taking approximately nine hours to complete. The standards-based section
is used to measure student achievement on specific state standards, and
it requires about eighty percent of the testing time. It includes
multiple-choice items, constructed response items, extended response
items, and writing prompts to assess written communication skills based
upon the 6+1 Traits of Writing. The second part of WyCAS is the
norm-referenced Terra Nova assessment. This multiple-choice test takes
about twenty percent of the testing time. The results of WyCAS can be
found at www.k12.wy.us/SA/wycas/archive/TestResults/TestResults.htm.

The standards-based portion of WyCAS is reported in scaled scores with
students falling into one of four categories: novice, partially
proficient, proficient, and advanced. Each year, individual results are
reported to parents and students after school, district, and state
scores are released. In 2004, 94% of the Meadowlark 4^th^ grade students
were either proficient or advanced in math. This compared to 52% for
Campbell County School District (CCSD) and 39% for the state of Wyoming.
In reading, 89% of Meadowlark's students were proficient or advanced.
CCSD was 57% and the Wyoming average was 47%. Meadowlark had 74% of our
students at proficient or above in writing; while the district average
was 52% and the state average was 40%.

Meadowlark's WyCAS performance was validated on the norm-referenced
Terra Nova section of the test. Student scores on this portion are
reported in percentiles. Meadowlark's percentile scores were as follows:
Math 71^st^, Language Arts 75^th^, Reading 70^th^, and the Total Score
was the 75^th^ percentile. This significant jump in WyCAS achievement
was due to a dramatic change in instructional strategies that were
implemented in response to consistently low to average WyCAS performance
at Meadowlark since the state mandated test was implemented in 1999.
These specific changes will be explained in the following questions of
part four of the application.

Similar achievement was seen in our school's 2004 third, fourth, and
fifth Terra Nova norm referenced percentile scores. Terra Nova
assessments are not mandated by the state, but a summary is as follows:

[Grade Reading L/A Math Total]{.underline}

3^rd^ 68.3 62.8 75.3 70.3

5^th^ 64.1 59.6 69.4 65.6

6^th^ 62.1 61.2 74.7 67.4

Prior to third grade, our school district does not provide norm
referenced testing in math. However, our district does provide a
norm-referenced test in reading and language arts for first and second
graders. The 2004 Gates MacGinitie percentile scores for second grade
was 66 and in first grade it was 90.

# PART IV -- Question 2 -- Uses of Assessment

Meadowlark Elementary School evaluates individual student performance by
teachers at the classroom level. Teachers utilize differentiated
instruction to provide correctives and enrichment in the classroom.
Assessment also drives student placement in English as Second Language,
Gifted & Talented, Title I, Summer School, and Extended Learning
Opportunities (ELO) programs, as well as recommendations for placement
in Counseling Support Groups, before- and after-school social clubs and
activities. On a school-wide basis, we belong to the North Central
Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement
(NCA/CASI). Assessment data is the linchpin for this school improvement
model. We started our first 5-year NCA/CASI cycle in 1998, before the
standards-based WyCAS assessment and the NCLB requirements were put into
place. Two years ago, we successfully achieved our reading and social
skills goals without serious alignment to the performance-based WyCAS.
We have successfully maintained student reading and social skill
interventions by staffing standing committees focused upon these former
goals. As we looked at areas for improvement with our new NCA/CASI
cycle, written expression and mathematical problem solving came out as
targets for new school goals. The purpose of our math and writing
committees have been to research and implement instructional techniques
that were closely aligned with performance standards-based WyCAS.
Teaching multi-step and higher-level problem solving skills with
writer's workshop communication strategies has been a major shift in our
instruction, just as Guided Reading and Boys Town Social Skills were
seven years ago. The teamwork of Meadowlark's school improvement efforts
continues to drive changes with our instruction to increase student
school-wide achievement.

# PART IV -- Question 3 -- Communicating Student Performance

Meadowlark communicates student performance by building and by
classroom. We publish an annual report card in our Parent/Student
Handbook, and it is given to every family at the start of each school
year or at the time of their child's enrollment. Our report card
displays the academic achievement data discussed above. It also includes
information from the prior year on the following: staff development,
parent and community involvement, library circulation, student
participation in clubs and activities, enrollment, mobility, attendance,
percentage of free/reduced meals, and major discipline referrals. Aside
from the annual school report card, the [Meadowlark Flyer]{.underline}
is a newsletter published monthly and sent home with each student. It
includes timely information on student achievement and activities, as
well as building and classroom interventions on our school goals. The
honor roll for our intermediate students is included in the monthly
newsletter and the local newspaper, [The Gillette
News-Record]{.underline}. The [News-Record]{.underline} gave front page
and editorial coverage of our school's tremendous WyCAS performance in
July 2004. All students who have been on the honor roll the entire year
have their name engraved on a plaque that is placed in the front
hallway. Another example of building-wide recognition is Accelerated
Reader (AR). AR has been an important intervention at Meadowlark for the
past seven years. As students achieve the levels of AR achievement, they
are acknowledged with a certificate in front of their peers. Their names
also are listed under their achievement level on a bulletin board in our
school's library. In addition to these and other building-wide
communications, classroom teachers keep children and parents informed of
student performance through conversations, meetings, mailings, email,
and PowerSchool technology. Building and classroom publications are
translated in Spanish for the significant Hispanic parent population at
Meadowlark Elementary School.

# PART IV -- Question 4 -- Sharing Success

Meadowlark Elementary School can attribute much of its success with the
2004 WyCAS to the sharing from other schools in the state of Wyoming
with us. Our school's scores had been stagnant prior to 2004, often
below the state and district averages. While there were high performing
schools in our district, they did not have the highest achievement in
the state. Nor were these schools dealing with the demographics of
poverty, second language, or race that is significant at Meadowlark. In
the summer of 2003, we decided to start consulting with the very highest
performing WyCAS schools in the state. Wyoming has been described as a
small city with very long streets, and Meadowlark's challenge for change
also was a journey in terms of distance learning. Highland Park in
Sheridan (110 miles) and Jessup, a recent Blue Ribbon school, in
Cheyenne (240 miles) allowed us to visit their schools and collaborate
with staff. These visits validated the changes that our staff needed to
make with their instruction. Our recent achievement has caused
principals from throughout the state to contact our school for
information. In addition to communicating by email, Dr. Jankord has
presented our school's successful interventions to the Northeast Wyoming
Association of Elementary School Principals in October. In December, he
shared them with the secondary administrators from Campbell County
School District. In March 2005, he and our staff have been invited to
present at two different sessions of the Wyoming Department of Education
(WDE) Spring School Improvement Conference. The WDE also is relying on
the expertise of our staff to help with the new Performance Assessments
for Wyoming Students (PAWS). Since WyCAS is being transitioned to PAWS
with a new assessment company in 2005-06, seven of our teachers were
invited to review and pilot PAWS in grades three through six. We are
excited to assist other schools with WyCAS and the new PAWS.

### PART V -- CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION

#### PART V -- Question 1 -- Core Curriculum 

The core curriculum used at Meadowlark School is based upon the state
performance and content standards for the following subjects: language
arts, math, science, social studies, music, health/PE, and art.
Standards for these subjects can be found at the following web site at
the Wyoming Department of Education: www.k12.wy.us/SA/standards.asp.
Teachers in Campbell County School District utilize the state standards
when writing the formal district curriculum that is implemented at
Meadowlark School. Content standards and objectives can be found at the
following link: <http://esc.ccsd.k12.wy.us/curriculum/cs&obj.htm>. Units
within each content area are correlated to District Student Performance
Assessments (DSPAs). Specific DSPA information can be located at
<http://esc.ccsd.k12.wy.us/curriculum/unitdescr.htm>. Below is a brief
overview of the core subjects.

The language arts curriculum addresses the major components of
listening, speaking, reading, writing, and language arts integration.
The emphasis in reading includes using decoding skills, comprehension
strategies, reference, and study skills to actively read a wide variety
of texts. The emphasis in writing is using writing processes, such as
Step-Up-to-Writing and the 6+1 Traits of Writing, for students to
compose a variety of expressive and expository pieces. Grammar and
spelling are taught mainly in the context of authentic writing. However,
each grade level has a list of spelling target words that students must
master. Keyboarding and library media skills also are components of the
K-6 language arts curriculum. In addition, K-2 students are introduced
to the Spanish language with the Salsa program.

The math curriculum addresses the major components of number operations
& concepts, geometry, measurement, algebraic concepts & relationships,
statistics & probability, tools & technology, and problem solving &
mathematical reasoning. The emphasis in the elementary math curriculum
is to teach students to apply their math facts and concepts with higher
order thinking skills. The primary program utilizes the hands-on Bridges
program, integrating reading, manipulatives, and writing. The
intermediate program transitions students from intensive hands-on
applications of math skills and concepts to solving multi-step problems
and demonstrating these abilities in writing.

The elementary science curriculum includes nine components aligned with
state and national standards. These are basic concepts & knowledge,
unifying concepts & processes, science as inquiry, habit of mind,
communication, science in personal & social perspectives, history &
nature of science, science & technology, and safety.

The K-6 social studies curriculum is based upon seven state standards
that are aligned with the national standards. These include citizenship,
government, & democracy, culture & cultural diversity, production,
distribution & consumption, time, continuity & change, people, places, &
environments, social studies processes & skills, and technology.

The elementary music curriculum addresses both instrumental and general
music studies. The curriculum is aligned with the national art standards
and based on the four Wyoming standards for performing and visual arts:
creating music, artistic perception, music history and music in our
lives. The music program integrates the elements of music, including
melody, rhythm, harmony, expressive, form, texture, timbre, theory, and
history.

The health and physical education program is aligned with state and
national standards for wellness. The three elements of elementary
physical education program are movement, fitness, and personal & social
behavior. The seven elements of health are goal setting &
decision-making skills, health promotion & prevention, information &
products, self-management, influences of culture, media, & technology,
advocating for health, and interpersonal communications.

The elementary art curriculum includes creating art, artistic
perception, art history, and art in our lives. The seven elements of
art, which include color, line, shape, texture, value, form, and space,
are incorporated and intertwined with the state standards to create a
well rounded, creative, and student-centered art program.

Part V - Question 2a - Reading Curriculum & Approach

Meadowlark's reading curriculum is based upon a balanced literacy
approach. The research-based interventions that our school implemented
were researched during our last NCA/CASI School Improvement Cycle.
Guided Reading is provided for all K-6 students. Reading Recovery is an
intervention that targets the deficits of our most at-risk first
graders. Reading Booster Groups in grades 1-6 also benefit from
successful strategies derived from Guided Reading and Reading Recovery.
Moreover, our primary teachers immerse students in phonics, utilizing
the VOWAC program and Scholastic Phonics. Since students who have
difficulty reading often need a systematic approach to shore up their
deficits, the computer-based Lexia program helps us target student
deficits in phonics. Finally, the Read Naturally program helps improve
student fluency, while working on student listening and comprehension.

Our staff utilizes Running Records and the Developmental Reading
Assessment (DRA) to frequently assess student attainment of the reading
curriculum. We periodically evaluate the students' approximate reading
level by administering the computerized STAR reading assessment from
Renaissance Learning. In order to help our students become self-directed
and motivated in their reading, the computer program Accelerated Reader
(AR) provides up-to-the-minute reports on the level and success of their
independent reading. While students have daily access to AR in
classrooms and the computer lab throughout the school day, we have over
25% of our entire student body arriving an hour before school to attend
AR Club one day a week. It is because of a balanced literacy approach,
based upon research-based learning models, that we have continued to see
dramatic increases in our library's circulation, totaling nearly 18,500
books checked out by students in the 2003-04 school year.

PART V - Question 3 - Curriculum Choice & Mission

The K-12 English as a Second Language (ESL) Program for Campbell County
School District is a curricular emphasis that provides a unique
challenge to our school community. It is our mission, "Meadowlark is a
neighborhood school where the success of our students, staff, and
parents is achieved through teamwork that embraces diversity," reminds
us of our obligation to meet the challenge of English Language Learners
(ELLs) at our school. While we have more than one second language,
Spanish is the primary second language at Meadowlark. We embrace Spanish
language and culture through our weekly Spanish Club for students.
Spanish Club is held before school and has native English and Spanish
speakers in attendance. Through a local grant, we have hired an ESL
Family Literacy and Activity Coordinator. This position provides adult
literacy classes to parents, translation services to families, and helps
coordinate literacy programs within our entire community. The
coordinator also teaches enrichment Spanish to ESL students who have
satisfactory performance in their regular classrooms. Spanish enrichment
allows these students to continue developing their native language
skills while becoming proficient in English. The primary success of our
ESL population has been achieved through the teamwork of our staff. We
have devoted a strand of staff development to Sheltered English
instruction and the scaffolding in the regular classroom that is
necessary for ELLs to be successful. Our school's focus upon the
learning needs of ESL students, as well as students living in poverty,
is fundamental in achieving our mission.

PART V -- Question 4 - Different Instructional Methods

In our current NCA/CASI School Improvement Cycle, we selected, "All
students will improve their written communication skills," as one of our
goals. This caused our staff to investigate research-based interventions
that would have the greatest impact upon student achievement with WyCAS
performance standards. We chose to emphasize the 6+1 Traits of Writing
program, which we use along with Writer's Workshop. We also purchased
Trait Crates for each of our K-6 classrooms. Then, we trained staff in
Writer's Workshop and purchased Trait Crates of books for our K-6
classrooms. Writer's Workshop, coupled with the Trait Crates, provided
the training and resources to teach students to write with a high degree
of proficiency on the state mandated assessment. Meadowlark School also
has provided after-school clubs to extend the writing abilities of our
students. The Newspaper Club, Memory Book Club, Computer Club, and
Science Club provide students with different formats to demonstrate
their writing skills. In addition, the Step-Up-To-Writing instructional
program provides the expository structure to help focus student
achievement upon our writing and other school goal, "All students will
improve their mathematical reasoning skills." Students need to be able
to communicate their metacognition of mathematical reasoning in writing.
Step-Up-to-Writing and the scientific method taught in Science Club
provide our students with a framework to demonstrate their learning at
high levels by organizing their thinking and writing.

PART V -- Question 5 - Professional Development Program

The primary purpose of Meadowlark Elementary School's Professional
Development Program is to facilitate the achievement of our school goals
by meeting the academic, social, and emotional needs of our students.
NCA/CASI provides the framework for the mission and goal committees of
our school to bring about significant instructional adjustments through
professional development. We serve a high percentage of students who are
on free/reduced meals, as well as a significant percentage of English
Language Learners (ELLs), and our mission is to embrace this diversity.
Thus, we have studied the attributes that students living in poverty are
likely to bring to school. We also have provided extensive in-service
for regular classroom teachers to provide scaffolding and sheltered
English instructional strategies for ELLs. At the same time, the
district English as a Second Language Program, housed at our school,
shared in this on going training. The interventions for our school goals
are still being implemented through sustained training in the 6+1 Traits
of Writing, Trait Crates, Writer's Workshop Step-up-to-Writing, as well
as multi-step problem solving strategies and technical writing skills
for math. Another purpose of our professional development program is to
support our district goals. Our staff is provided continued training
with research-based instructional strategies, including technology-based
instruction that aligns software to student performance standards. Our
district provides training to every staff member on the classroom
management program, Time-to-Teach. This particular training helps us
sustain our school-wide Boys & Girls Town Social Skills and Bully
Prevention Program. The excellent academic achievement of our students
is attainable because we make a concerted effort to attend to the social
and emotional needs of our students. Our school mission is anchored in
our beliefs, and we are the conduit for community social services to
reach our most at-risk learners and their families. We, in turn, offer
support groups in the building by staff trained to facilitate small
discussion groups for children who have issues with making friends or
have a sense of belonging to a school community. Our overarching staff
development is essential to the success of our students.

### PART VII -- ASSESSMENT RESULTS

###### WYOMING'S STANDARD-BASED ASSESSMENT

###### 

###### READING & MATH

Grade -- 4 Assessment -- WyCAS

Edition/publication year -- 1999-2004 Publisher: Measured Progress

(The assessment is revised and changed each year.)

No groups were excluded. All students were included in the assessment.

Assessment standards for basic, proficient, and advanced, and what the
assessment results mean.

The Wyoming Comprehensive Assessment System (WyCAS) tests are designed
to measure how well students are learning the Wyoming Content and
Performance Standards. These standards, which were written by Wyoming
educators and citizens, describe what students should know and be able
to do in each content area at specific grade levels. Scores on each of
these standards-based assessments range from 200 to 280. Scores below
220 indicate novice-level performance and scores from 220 to 239
indicate partially proficient-level performance. In reading, scores from
240 to 258 indicate proficient-level performance and scores greater than
258 indicate advanced-level performance. In mathematics, scores from 240
to 256 indicate proficient-level performance and scores greater than 256
indicate advanced-level performance.

Because any single test consists of only a sample of all the possible
questions that might be asked, the score achieved by a student could
vary if he/she were asked a different sample of questions. Similarly, a
variety of other factors such as motivational level, misreading a
question, or guessing a correct answer could all affect the score that a
student might receive. The range of probable scores, represented in the
description above, depicts the range of score a student might receive if
he/she were to take many tests with questions like those on a particular
year's test. The year 2004 is the sixth year that the WyCAS was
administered. It was designed primarily to serve as a tool for school
improvement. Wyoming citizens asked for and the Legislature and the
Wyoming Supreme Court required an assessment system tied to the Wyoming
content and performance standards. This is an assessment system that
provides uniform information for all schools and districts in language
arts and mathematics.

The standards-based portion of the exam is the primary focus of WyCAS
and is designed to measure student progress in meeting these standards.
In addition to the WyCAS the norm-referenced test, Terra Nova, allows
parents to compare student and school performance to that of students
and schools across the country. Schools, districts, and the state will
use the results of WyCAS, along with other measures, to determine
strengths and weaknesses in the Wyoming educational system, and to set
improvement goals.

  -------------- ------ ------ ------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
  **State                                                                             
  Criterion -                                                                         
  Referenced                                                                          
  Test**                                                                              

                                                                                      

  **WyCAS                                                                             
  READING**                                                                           

                                      2003-2004   2002-2003   2001-2002   2000-2001   1999-2000

  Testing month                       March       March       March       March       March

  **SCHOOL                                                                             
  SCORES**                                                                            

  \% At or Above                      9           43          29          40          52
  Basic                                                                               

  \% At or Above                      29          22          25          19          22
  Proficient                                                                          

  \% At Advanced                      60          7           4           7           11

  Number of                           35          46          24          42          27
  students                                                                            
  tested                                                                              

  Percent of                          100         100         92          95          96
  total students                                                                      
  tested                                                                              

  Number of                           0           0           2           1           1
  students                                                                            
  excluded                                                                            

  Percent of                          0           0           8           2           4
  students                                                                            
  excluded                                                                            

                                                                                       

  SUBGROUP                                                                             
  SCORES                                                                              

  1\. Male                                                                             

  \% At or Above                      100         62          54          55          90
  Basic                                                                               

  \% At or Above                      83          31          23          15          30
  Proficient                                                                          

  \% At Advanced                      N/A         N/A         N/A         N/A         N/A

  Number of                           18          26          13          20          10
  students                                                                            
  tested                                                                              

  2\. Female                                                                           

  \% At or Above                      94          85          64          74          82
  Basic                                                                               

  \% At or Above                      94          25          36          35          35
  Proficient                                                                          

  \% At Advanced                      N/A         N/A         N/A         N/A         N/A

  Number of                           17          20          11          22          17
  students                                                                            
  tested                                                                              

  3\.                                                                                  
  Free/Reduced                                                                        

  \% At or Above                      94          71          71          65          69
  Basic                                                                               

  \% At or Above                      88          21          57          22          31
  Proficient                                                                          

  \% At Advanced                      N/A         N/A         N/A         N/A         N/A

  Number of                           17          24          7           22          13
  students                                                                            
  tested                                                                              

  4\. Not                                                                              
  Free/Reduced                                                                        

  \% At or Above                      100         73          53          65          100
  Basic                                                                               

  \% At or Above                      88          36          18          30          36
  Proficient                                                                          

  \% At Advanced                      N/A         N/A         N/A         N/A         N/A

  Number of                           18          22          17          20          14
  students                                                                            
  tested                                                                              

                                                                                       

  **STATE                                                                              
  SCORES**                                                                            

  \% At or Above                      35          38          36          37          39
  Basic                                                                               

  State Mean                          N/A         N/A         N/A         N/A         N/A
  Score                                                                               

  \% At or Above                      32          30          30          32          27
  Proficient                                                                          

  State Mean                          N/A         N/A         N/A         N/A         N/A
  Score                                                                               

  \% At Advanced                      15          14          14          13          11
  -------------- ------ ------ ------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

  -------------------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
  **State Criterion -                                                        
  Referenced Test**                                                          

                                                                             

  **WyCAS MATH**                                                             

                             2003-2004   2002-2003   2001-2002   2000-2001   1999-2000

  Testing month              March       March       March       March       March

  **SCHOOL SCORES**                                                           

  \% At or Above Basic       3           50          29          30          37

  \% At or Above Proficient  37          24          21          16          11

  \% At Advanced             57          0           0           7           4

  Number of students tested  35          46          24          42          27

  Percent of total students  100         100         92          95          96
  tested                                                                     

  Number of students         0           0           2           1           1
  excluded                                                                   

  Percent of students        0           0           8           2           4
  excluded                                                                   

                                                                              

  SUBGROUP SCORES                                                             

  1\. Male                                                                    

  \% At or Above Basic       100         69          46          55          50

  \% At or Above Proficient  94          19          15          25          20

  \% At Advanced             N/A         N/A         N/A         N/A         N/A

  Number of students tested  18          26          13          20          10

  2\. Female                                                                  

  \% At or Above Basic       94          80          55          52          53

  \% At or Above Proficient  94          30          27          22          12

  \% At Advanced             N/A         N/A         N/A         N/A         N/A

  Number of students tested  17          20          11          22          17

  3\. Free/Reduced                                                            

  \% At or Above Basic       94          67          43          43          38

  \% At or Above Proficient  94          21          29          17          15

  \% At Advanced             N/A         N/A         N/A         N/A         N/A

  Number of students tested  17          24          7           22          13

  4\. Not Free/Reduced                                                        

  \% At or Above Basic       100         82          53          65          64

  \% At or Above Proficient  94          27          18          30          14

  \% At Advanced             N/A         N/A         N/A         N/A         N/A

  Number of students tested  18          22          17          20          14

                                                                              

  **STATE SCORES**                                                            

  \% At or Above Basic       35          34          35          36          35

  State Mean Score           N/A         N/A         N/A         N/A         N/A

  \% At or Above Proficient  29          29          26          26          22

  State Mean Score           N/A         N/A         N/A         N/A         N/A

  \% At Advanced             10          8           7           7           5
  -------------------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------