##### *2005-2006 No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon Schools Program*

*U.S. Department of Education*

**Cover Sheet** Type of School: (Check all that apply) \_\_ Elementary
\_[X]{.underline}\_ Middle \_\_ High \_\_ K-12 \_\_Charter

Name of Principal [Mr. James Blouch]{.underline}

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

Official School Name [Lincoln Middle School]{.underline}

(As it should appear in the official records)

School Mailing Address 200 South Lincoln Avenue

Park Ridge, Illinois 60068-3812

County \_\_\_\_\_\_[Cook]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_State
School Code Number\*14-016-0640-04-1007

Telephone [(847) 318-4215]{.underline} Fax [( 847) 318-4210]{.underline}

Website/URL [http://www.D64.org](http://www.D64.org/)[.]{.underline}
E-mail [jblouch@d64.k12.il.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. Sally Pryor]{.underline}

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

District Name: [Park Ridge-Niles School District 64 Tel. (847)
318-4300]{.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\
Mr. Chris Mollet:

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 for 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 2005-2006 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 2000 and has not received the 2003, 2004, or 2005
    *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: 5 Elementary schools

2 Middle schools

0 Junior high schools

0 High schools

1 Other

8 TOTAL

2\. District Per Pupil Expenditure: \$9,926.00

Average State Per Pupil Expenditure: \$8,786.00

**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
>
> \[X\] Suburban
>
> \[ \] Small city or town in a rural area
>
> \[ \] Rural

4\. [17]{.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 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**       141       118         259

  **K**                                                     **8**       109       124         233

  **1**                                                     **9**                             

  **2**                                                     **10**                            

  **3**                                                     **11**                            

  **4**                                                     **12**                            

  **5**                                                     **Other**                         

  **6**       131       110                    241                                            

                                    **TOTAL                                                   733
                                    STUDENTS                                                  
                                    IN THE                                                    
                                    APPLYING                                                  
                                    SCHOOL**                                                  
  ----------- --------- ----------- ---------- --------- -- ----------- --------- ----------- ---------

6\. Racial/ethnic composition of [93]{.underline} % White

the students in the school: [1]{.underline} % Black or African American

[4]{.underline} % Hispanic or Latino

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

[0]{.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: 3%

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

  ------------------------- --------------------------- ------------------
  **(1)**                   Number of students who      8
                            transferred ***to*** the    
                            school after October 1      
                            until the end of the year.  

  **(2)**                   Number of students who      5
                            transferred ***from*** the  
                            school after October 1      
                            until the end of the year.  

  **(3)**                   Total of all transferred    13
                            students \[sum of rows (1)  
                            and (2)\]                   

  **(4)**                   Total number of students in 748
                            the school as of October 1  

  **(5)**                   Total transferred students  .03
                            in row (3) divided by total 
                            students in row (4)         

  **(6)**                   Amount in row (5)           3
                            multiplied by 100           
  ------------------------- --------------------------- ------------------

8\. Limited English Proficient students in the school: 0 %

3 Total Number Limited English Proficient

Number of languages represented: 1

Specify languages: Polish

9\. Students eligible for free/reduced-priced meals: 1%

Total number students who qualify: 6

> 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: 13%

98 Total Number of Students Served

> Indicate below the number of students with disabilities according to
> conditions designated in the Individuals with Disabilities Education
> Act. Do not add additional categories.

5 Autism 0 Orthopedic Impairment

0 Deafness 9 Other Health Impaired

0 Deaf-Blindness 77 Specific Learning Disability

6 Emotional Disturbance 0 Speech or Language Impairment

0 Hearing Impairment 0 Traumatic Brain Injury

> 1 Mental Retardation 0 Visual Impairment Including Blindness
>
> 0 Multiple Disabilities

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) 2 0

Classroom teachers 46 1

Special resource teachers/specialists 11 1

Paraprofessionals 11 0

> Support staff 3 0
>
> Total number 73 2

12. Average school student-"classroom teacher" ratio, that is, the
    number of

students in the school divided by the FTE of classroom teachers: 23:1

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.

  ------------------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
                            2004-2005   2003-2004   2002-2003   2001-2002   2000-2001

  Daily student attendance  96%         96%         96%         96%         96%

  Daily teacher attendance  97%         96%         94%                     

  Teacher turnover rate     11%         6%          14%         12%         6%

  Student dropout rate      0%          0%          0%          0%          0%
  (middle/high)                                                             

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

**PART III ‑ SUMMARY**

Lincoln Middle School is one of two middle schools in Park Ridge,
Illinois. The school is comprised of sixth, seventh and eighth graders
and there is little diversity in the school. The socioeconomic status of
the city is primarily upper middle class. Part of what makes Lincoln an
inviting place for students to be educated is the extensive elective
program, and its commitment to educating the whole child. The social and
emotional development of the child is as important as delivering a
rigorous academic curriculum. One of the conclusions that the
Association of Illinois Middle Schools reached when they made a three
day assessment of our learning program was, "There is a 'kid oriented'
perspective and a pervasive sense of caring at the teacher, team and
building level. Curriculum experiences in both the core and elective
settings appeared to be both interesting and challenging with many
activities supporting student interests and exploration."

Staff members who are hired at Lincoln must be knowledgeable and
endorsed in the subject they teach. We pursue teachers who want to teach
and stretch the minds of young adolescents while being caring, nurturing
individuals. We desire individuals who understand that learning will not
effectively occur unless appropriate relationships are developed with
their students. The atmosphere at Lincoln is one that promotes staff
collegiality, group problem solving and the sharing of knowledge.

The mission of Lincoln Middle School is a living document that drives
all educational decisions. It is prominently placed on the first floor
and is included on the front page of the school's bi-monthly publication
for parents. The vision of Lincoln Middle School states: *We are a
school community that provides an environment, which continually
promotes educational excellence for the early adolescent.*

The mission of Lincoln Middle School states: *The mission of our school
is to meet the intellectual and developmental needs of young adolescents
in a positive, safe and multidisciplinary environment and to prepare
them for a socially responsible life in a changing global society*

Curriculum is developed through teachers working with staff from the
central office. Improving student achievement is the critical goal of
all curriculum development/enhancement efforts. Department chairs and
teacher leaders work with teachers at all three grade levels to achieve
this goal.

Parents are supportive through their involvement in the Parent Teacher
Organization (PTO), parent-teacher conference attendance and
family/school activities. They acknowledge the importance and need for
their children to receive a meaningful and quality education.

Lincoln's Quality Improvement Team created an academic school
improvement goal to "incorporate emotional intelligence into the
curriculum". We have now refined that goal's statement to read,
"incorporating a social/emotional learning program into the curriculum".
Since our first endeavor, which began more than eight years ago, the
State of Illinois and our district have both recognized the importance
of teaching social and emotional skills to our children and have
identified specific objectives. At Lincoln we teach our kids the skills
that fall under the domains of Self-Awareness, Self-Regulation,
Motivation, Empathy and Social Skills. Within these domains we are
teaching our students about service learning. Every student and staff
member is involved in a service-learning project, and the program is
student led and facilitated by the staff. We call the project Service
Over Self (SOS).

Our after school programs include the usual intramural programs,
cheerleading, Student Government Association and one interscholastic
sport, basketball. In addition, fourteen years ago we introduced the
concept of Teen Leisure Clubs (TLC). This concept was created to reach
students who were not interested in sport activities and students who
may be considered at-risk. Examples of the 18 clubs that have been
organized include Remote Control Car Racing, Improv Club, Video Club,
Debate Club, Chess Club, and Skateboarding Club.

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

1.  **Assessment Results**

Lincoln Middle School uses a variety of assessment tests at the
national, state, and local level. We use nationally standardized tests
to provide insight into student development over time as well as provide
guidance on high school course placement. We participate in the state
assessment test called the Illinois Standards Achievement Test. The
results from these tests provide direction for our school improvement
goals that are developed annually.

Grades 3, 5, 8 and 11 took reading and math tests. The reading tests
provide us with pertinent information on our students' performance in
the areas of vocabulary development, reading strategies, comprehension
and literature. Through our students' responses to extended reading
passages we learn about their skill development in drawing inferences,
conclusions and generalizations about the text, making comparisons
across reading passages and distinguishing relevant and irrelevant
material.

The state test in math assesses student learning in the five state goal
areas: Number Sense and Computation, Algebra, Geometry, Measurement, and
Data and Probability. Students respond to multiple choice questions and
constructed response tasks that require students to show their work and
justify in writing their process and answer.

The State of Illinois has developed four performance level standards
that indicate how a student is mastering Illinois' Learning Standards as
well as an overall performance level for each public school and
district. The four levels are Exceeds Standards, Meets Standards, Below
Standards and Academic Warning. In the Exceeds category students
demonstrate advanced knowledge and skills in the subject. They can
creatively apply knowledge and skills to solve problems. In the Meets
category students demonstrate proficient knowledge in the subject. They
can effectively apply knowledge and skills to solve problems. Students
in the Below Standards category demonstrate basic knowledge and skills
in the subject, but have gaps in learning, and applying their knowledge.
Students performing in the Academic Warning category demonstrate limited
knowledge and skill development in the subject with major gaps in
learning.

Since we are a 6-8 middle school only our eighth graders took the
reading and math test. The knowledge that was assessed included what
they have learned up to and including 8^th^ grade material. The body of
knowledge that can be tested in the ISAT is found in The Illinois
Assessment Frameworks.

Our students performed very well on the state's tests with 94% of our
student body exceeding or meeting state standards. The 8^th^ grade
population includes I.E.P. students that the state considers a subgroup
of the total group of students. Those students performed exceptionally
well with 80% of them exceeding or meeting state standards in reading.

On the 3 math tests 90% of the total eighth grade population exceeded or
met state standards. The I.E.P. subgroup had 50% of the students
exceeding or meeting the standards. What is promising with this group is
there has been a steady incline in their performance level over the past
five years.

For further information on the state's assessment tests go to
<http://www.isbe.net/assessment/default.htm>

**2. Using Assessment Results**

Regular analysis of test scores and student performance assessments help
set goals for improvement in language arts and reading. By analyzing our
state assessment results and local assessments for the last 3 years,
vocabulary has been an emphasis of instruction with the addition of
curriculum for designated root words. Discussions have occurred around
increasing the number of students who exceed state standards in reading.
Spending time analyzing data and aligning skills and objectives to State
Standards, our reading test scores at or above state standard levels
have been on a steady rise from 82% in 2000/01 to 94% in 2004/05. It was
decided that I.E.P. students should use authentic literature as an
instructional tool. State results have shown more growth by earning
steadily rising scores at or above state standards from 37% in 2000/01
to 80% in 2004/05.

The math department uses both state and local assessment data to
understand and improve student and department performance. Teachers look
at data by state math standards in addition to percentages of students
meeting state expectations. Student performance on specific standards is
studied to determine areas for increased instructional focus. One
example of this is our analysis of student scores on the math extended
response tasks on the state math tests. Our analysis revealed that
students were proficient at solving the tasks but lacked skills in
explaining and justifying their process and solution. Student
performance on the explanation portion of the extended response task has
shown improvement as a result of these efforts. While students meeting
state standards on annual tests have increased by 11 percentage points
over the past seven years, the percentage of students exceeding
increased from 18% to 47%. In the same time period, the percentage of
students failing to meet state standards was cut in half.

**3. Communicating Assessment Results**

Lincoln Middle School uses a variety of resources to communicate student
performance to our parents, students and the community of Park Ridge.
The results of the state's assessment test called The Illinois Standards
Achievement Test (ISAT) and the national norm referenced test called the
California Achievement Test are shared at open Board meetings, copies of
the results are mailed home to parents and a copy stored in the
students' cumulative folder. The local newspapers will report the
school's ISAT results. Team leaders get a copy of the results and will
share the scores with their students to encourage them or show them
areas that need improvement. The principal also shares the school's
results with the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) at one of their open
evening meetings.

Our bi-monthly parent and student Take Home is another resource used to
keep parents informed of student performance. Per parent request this is
either e-mailed or their child delivers a hard copy to them. All parents
in sixth and seventh grade must meet with their child's team of teachers
at our annual fall parent teacher conferences. In that twenty-minute
session parents are informed of their child's performance in the
classroom. Every teacher has voice mail and e-mail that makes access to
teachers very easy for parents to keep informed of their child's
progress in any class. Our teachers also send

e-mails or make phone calls to parents on a regular basis updating them
on their child's grades in their class.

District 64's web page has a link to Lincoln Middle School in which
parents can select the Daily Bulletin. This link gives parents daily
information about Lincoln including any meetings that may be held in
which student performance may be a topic. There is also a Lincoln parent
representative on the District's Curriculum Council. Student performance
is often discussed and that parent then has the responsibility to attend
our PTO meeting to share what was discussed at the Council meeting.

**4. Sharing Success**

Lincoln Middle School shares its successes with other schools in the
district, local suburban area and throughout the state in a variety of
ways. At the local district level, each school improvement team (Quality
Improvement Team) provides an overview for the community of its annual
goals and plans for improvement through a presentation at a Board of
Education meeting. All of the Districts' Quality Improvement Teams meet
annually to exchange ideas and share successful strategies that have
been used to guide improvement efforts. The district's principals meet
monthly to discuss instructional issues using *Critical Friends*
protocols that help participants focus on improvement of student
learning. Middle school teachers from across the district meet bimonthly
by department to discuss instructional issues and work as professional
learning communities. Articulation with the high school and other local
elementary districts that feed into the township high schools is also
conducted on a regular basis.

Many members of the Lincoln Middle School staff are actively involved in
professional organizations related to their specific area of
instruction, middle school issues or educational leadership. Staff
members use these opportunities to network with other educators in order
to gain new ideas as well as share their expertise. Lincoln School
teachers have professionally presented at the Illinois Association of
Teachers of English conference while others have presented at the annual
National Council of Teachers of English. The principal and assistant
principal are heavily involved in the state's local principal
organization (IPA) having served as Region Director and Membership Chair
for the region. Principal Jim Blouch has recently provided a
presentation for other area principals and administrators on changes to
the 2006 ISAT tests.

Lincoln Middle School also shares it successes by frequently hosting
local student competitions and workshops. The instrumental music
department, for example, hosted the Illinois Music Educators
Association\'s annual competition this year. As a school, Lincoln is a
member of the Association of Illinois Middle-Level Schools whose first
goal is to serve as a forum for generating, gathering and sharing ideas
regarding exemplary programs, practices and policies in middle-level
education. Lincoln encourages school visits from other educators,
student teachers and individuals interested in learning about middle
school education and the school's focus on educating the whole child.

**PART V -- CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION**

**1. Curriculum**

Lincoln Middle School offers a challenging core program with an
extensive elective and support program that gives our students
opportunities to meet their developmental needs of curiosity and
exploration. During a ten period day students take nine classes. Core
classes include reading, language arts, math, science and social
studies. In addition they have required trimester classes in art, music,
health, and supplementary language arts courses. The sixth graders have
an exploratory set of required classes in art, music, health family and
consumer science, industrial technology, foreign language and
technology. In seventh and eighth grade students have a variety of
elective classes as part of their curriculum. Twenty-one elective
classes are offered to students in seventh grade and twenty-eight in
eighth grade. Students are given the opportunity to choose the elective
classes they want to take. Student ability levels are differentiated for
math and language arts. A gifted program in math, reading and language
arts meets the needs of our highest achieving students. I.E.P. students
may be offered self-contained core classes to meet their academic and
developmental needs. Inclusion is our method of instruction whenever
possible. Several yearlong classes support students who are below grade
level in reading or lack sufficient study and/or organizational skills.
Curriculum in all core areas as well as the fine arts is aligned with
the Illinois Learning Standards and reflects standards established by
professional organizations such as the National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics and the Illinois Association of Teachers of English.
Specific learning objectives are established for each grade level.

Science

The science curriculum is inquiry-based with emphasis on earth science,
life science, and physical science in sixth through eighth grades.
 Students apply scientific knowledge and reasoning in creative and
systematic ways to solve complex problems.  They develop the skills to
design and create written, oral, and visual products resulting from the
synthesis of information gained from hands-on scientific investigation.
Along the way students develop an interest and appreciation for the
world of science around them.

Social Studies

The social studies curriculum includes the study of Ancient
Civilizations, Geography of the Western Hemisphere, and American
History. Throughout all the grades, students gain a knowledge and
understanding of local, regional, national, and world geography
including the distribution of natural resources and environmental
connectedness. Lincoln Middle School students know and apply the
elements of responsible citizenship including such ideas as the need for
a rule of law in society and respect for the rights entrusted to
individuals.

Foreign Language

Students at Lincoln Middle School study either French or Spanish.
Students in sixth grade receive instruction in French or Spanish every
other day. The specific language studied is a continuation from the
language in the districts' elementary program. The seventh and eighth
grade foreign language program is a selective choice in which students
may elect to take French or Spanish for two years. This equates to
taking French/Spanish I at the high school level.

Art

Art education at Lincoln Middle School promotes students' exploration
and understanding of visual creativity. At Lincoln every student is
challenged through carefully crafted lessons and art projects to think
creatively and solve problems with ingenuity and imagination. Our
curriculum differentiates for the special needs of our students, both
cognitively and physically. The art curriculum has high expectations and
standards of performance that are derived from knowledge of the
students, research within the field of art education, and state and
national goals and standards. Lincoln provides art experiences that are
authentic and appropriate to the intellectual, social, physical, and
aesthetic development of our students.

Health

Health classes are mandatory each year for one trimester (12 weeks)
during sixth, seventh, and eighth grade. Sixth grade health classes
demonstrate an understanding of total health including a person's
physical, mental, and social growth and well-being. Seventh grade health
classes apply refusal and negotiation skills to potentially harmful
situations, and students analyze and critique their own dietary habits
for nutritional value and deficiencies. Eighth grade health classes
investigate how the various body systems interact, explore issues which
challenge teens in today's society.

Physical Education

The physical education curriculum at Lincoln offers a combination of
fitness, movement and sport skills, and social development with emphasis
on the importance of a lifetime of physical activity. Fitness and
wellness are emphasized using a variety of both team and individual
activities along with technology. It is developmentally appropriate with
a detailed scope and sequence that aligns with the Illinois Learning
Standards. Our physical education curriculum was recently recognized by
the State of Illinois as being exemplary and awarded the Blue Ribbon
Award for an outstanding physical education program.

**2. Reading**

Deeply rooted in philosophy and nurtured by best practice strategies,
the school's reading curriculum is built upon several themes
incorporated with early adolescent issues. Authentic literature, found
in a variety of novels, is the primary resource for reading instruction.
Novels, targeted for the instruction of designated skills or exposure to
specific topics, are used interchangeably to accommodate whole class,
literature circles and independent reading. Student choice is a vital
part of the reading program; it empowers students to know themselves as
readers; serve as a motivational tool, promote a lifelong love of
reading and provide ownership of their own learning. Teachers play an
active role in the selection of books by encouraging challenging book
choices, which suit both the varying reading levels and interests of
their students. Balanced by observations of Lincoln Middle School
students and current research, the value of providing choice to students
is evident when untapped enthusiasm is sparked, opinions emerge, and
students begin to take pride in their accomplishments. Likewise, real
world connections to the lives of book characters help students
understand their own emotional and social well being as they embark on
their adolescent years. Skill instruction is embedded into the reading
and writing process. Students practice their abilities to predict,
increase vocabulary, question, infer, analyze and synthesize text by
applying skills to both formal and informal writing pieces. A common
culmination activity requires students to write a paper linked to
curriculum themes such as the coming of age, acceptance, self-discovery,
peer pressure and injustice. Additionally, journal and short answer
written responses, artistic interpretations of the text, and
role-playing activities often lay the foundation for lively classroom
debates and discussions. The reading process is modeled and valued by
parents of the community, administrators, and teachers, who simply have
an amazing gift for putting a luring book in the hands of their
students.

**3.** **Mathematics**

The Lincoln Middle School mathematics program strives to meet the
intellectual and developmental needs of young adolescents by promoting
high levels of mathematics achievement for all students. Four years ago
the program made a commitment to increase the number of students taking
Algebra 1 in 8th grade. To date, we have increased that number by 50%
while maintaining successful placement of students into high school
Algebra 2 at 95%. This goal built on our successful decision eight years
ago to include more students in our pre-algebra program by eliminating
basic level math classes. Our commitment to the success of our
struggling students is supported by collaboration with the Special
Education staff, which provides support services in the Pre Algebra math
classes. This ongoing collaboration supports the implementation of
differentiated teaching strategies and the achievement of all students.
From 2000 to 2004, members of the Lincoln math department participated
in the district math curriculum review. The result of that process was
the development of a coherent K-8 math curriculum and the adoption of
rigorous text and support materials. The current curriculum is aligned
with state standards and high school expectations. This also aligns very
well with our mission and vision of our school. Incorporation of
technology to support student learning includes online support for our
textbooks and increased use of graphing calculators and computer
programs to extend student understanding. Teachers in the department
have a clear focus on monitoring student progress toward high levels of
achievement. The math department uses a variety of opportunities for
collaboration within and across grade levels to improve instruction and
meet our goal of increasing student learning. Department meeting and
staff development time is routinely used to examine practices, content,
and results.

**4. Instructional Methods**

Instructional practices stress active learning and active teaching.
Authentic project work, cooperative learning, hands-on learning,
demonstrations, active research and the use of higher order thinking
skills represent a few of these practices. Student voice is encouraged
through active conversations where all or nearly all the students are
engaged in the conversation. All relevant student ideas are encouraged
and discussed. The discussions are teacher led, but not teacher
directed. You will observe students engaged in bookwork, individual
reading, independent work, tests and quizzes while the teacher provides
assistance to individuals or groups.

Teacher led instructional practices include lecture but this type of
practice, though necessary, is kept to a minimum. More frequent teacher
led instructional practices include questions and answers, teachers
giving directions, the use of technology such as PowerPoint
presentations and video instruction with teacher interaction.

On most days teachers will prepare at least three different activities
within a lesson to insure that students move about the room. Through
brain research teachers understand that their students' attention span
is reignited each time they change an activity within a class period.

Individual teams are given forty minutes of common team planning on a
daily basis. During these meetings, the team of teachers has the
opportunity to plan integrated units of instruction. Natural connections
and cross-curriculum connections are employed to foster integrated
learning. Our state assessment tests (ISAT) and the California
Achievement tests (CAT), our national standardized norm referenced
tests, have shown improvement in our students' learning because of what
is now expected in our instructional practices.

**5. Professional Development**

Lincoln Middle School is fortunate to be in a district that supports
professional development for its teaching and support staff. Every
Wednesday throughout the school year students have early dismissal so
that the faculty can spend one and a half hours on professional
development. Twice a month at our building meetings one hour at is set
aside for professional growth. Our Quality Improvement Team through
input given by our teachers plans these activities. Guest speakers, our
own teachers' expertise and videos are used to help our staff become
better educators. The knowledge gained often will have a direct impact
on increasing our students' achievement levels.

Other Wednesday activities include department or grade level meetings.
Often the central theme of these meetings is the improvement of student
instruction or performance. Teachers will often share materials that
they have used effectively in the classroom. As an example the math
department at Lincoln is working on creating a server where teachers can
store lesson plans, quizzes, tests, and instructional practices and
strategies that the teachers have used in their classrooms. Every math
teacher can access the server to use the materials that have effectively
increased student performance in the classroom. Their plans are to
expand access to the other math teachers at the other middle school.

We have nine Professional Learning Days in which each staff member must
team up with a minimum of one other staff member to focus on
professional development. Creating or revising units of study or
individual lessons, learning new instructional methods or practices,
discussing strategies for reaching at-risk or underachieving students
and differentiating instruction for all student ability levels are
examples of how this time is being used.

**PART VII - ASSESSMENT RESULTS**

**LINCOLN MIDDLE SCHOOL**

**ASSESSMENT FOR STATE CRITERION-REFERENCED**

Subject: Reading Grade: 8 Test: Illinois Standards Assessment Test

Edition/Publication Year: 1999 Publisher: Pearson Educational
Measurement

Scores are reported here as (check one): NCEs\_\_\_\_ Scaled scores
\_\_\_\_ Percentiles\_\_X\_\_

+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
|                                  | 2    | 2    | 2    | 2    | 2    |
|                                  | 004- | 003- | 002- | 001- | 000- |
|                                  | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Testing month                    | M    | M    | M    | M    | M    |
|                                  | arch | arch | arch | arch | arch |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| **SCHOOL SCORES\***              |      |      |      |      |      |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| \% At or Above Meets State       | 94%  | 91%  | 86%  | 90%  | 82%  |
| Standards**\***                  |      |      |      |      |      |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| \% At Exceeds State              | 21%  | 19%  | 22%  | 26%  | 16%  |
| Standards**\***                  |      |      |      |      |      |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Number of students tested        | 258  | 268  | 254  | 242  | 205  |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Percent of total students tested | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Number of students alternatively | 2    | 1    | 0    | 5    | 1    |
| assessed                         |      |      |      |      |      |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Percent of students              | 1%   | .5%  | 0%   | 5%   | .5%  |
| alternatively assessed           |      |      |      |      |      |
|                                  |      |      |      |      |      |
| by the **IMAGE test**            |      |      |      |      |      |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
|                                  |      |      |      |      |      |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| SUBGROUP SCORES                  |      |      |      |      |      |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| 1\. I.E.P.                       |      |      |      |      |      |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| \% At or Above Meets State       | 80%  | 61%  | 49%  | 52%  | 37%  |
| Standards                        |      |      |      |      |      |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| \% At Exceeds State Standards    | 3%   | 0%   | 3%   | 0%   | 5%   |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Number of students tested        | 59   | 69   | 35   | 36   | 22   |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+

The Illinois Measure of Annual Growth in English (IMAGE) measures the
progress of students with limited English proficiency (LEP). In 2005,
the tests were administered in reading and mathematics in grades 3, 5,
8.

Subject: Math Grade: 8 Test: Illinois Standards Assessment Test

Edition/Publication Year: 1999 Publisher: Pearson Educational
Measurement

Scores are reported here as (check one): NCEs\_\_\_\_ Scaled scores
\_\_\_\_ Percentiles\_\_X\_\_

+--------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
|                                | 2    | 2    | 2    | 2    | 2    |
|                                | 004- | 003- | 002- | 001- | 000- |
|                                | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 |
+--------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Testing month                  | M    | M    | M    | M    | M    |
|                                | arch | arch | arch | arch | arch |
+--------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| **SCHOOL SCORES\***            |      |      |      |      |      |
+--------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| \% At or Above Meets State     | 90%  | 89%  | 85%  | 91%  | 82%  |
| Standards**\***                |      |      |      |      |      |
+--------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| \% At Exceeds State            | 47%  | 43%  | 35%  | 44%  | 27%  |
| Standards**\***                |      |      |      |      |      |
+--------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Number of students tested      | 258  | 268  | 254  | 242  | 205  |
+--------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Percent of total students      | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| tested                         |      |      |      |      |      |
+--------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Number of students             | 2    | 1    | 0    | 5    | 1    |
| alternatively assessed         |      |      |      |      |      |
+--------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Percent of students            | 1%   | .5%  | 0%   | 5%   | .5%  |
| alternatively assessed         |      |      |      |      |      |
|                                |      |      |      |      |      |
| by the IMAGE test              |      |      |      |      |      |
+--------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
|                                |      |      |      |      |      |
+--------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| SUBGROUP SCORES                |      |      |      |      |      |
+--------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| 1\. I.E.P.                     |      |      |      |      |      |
+--------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| \% At or Above Meets State     | 50%  | 46%  | 49%  | 46%  | 37%  |
| Standards                      |      |      |      |      |      |
+--------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| \% At Exceeds State Standards  | 10%  | 6%   | 3%   | 9%   | 14%  |
+--------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Number of students tested      | 59   | 69   | 35   | 36   | 22   |
+--------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+

The Illinois Measure of Annual Growth in English (IMAGE) measures the
progress of students with limited English proficiency (LEP). In 2005,
the tests were administered in reading and mathematics in grades 3, 5,
8.