##### *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 [Mrs. Juliane
Fouse-Shepard]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other) (As it should appear in the
official records)

Official School Name [Newton D. Baker School of
Arts]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

(As it should appear in the official records)

School Mailing Address\_\_\_\_[3690 West 159^th^ St.]{.underline}
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

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

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_[Cleveland]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_[Ohio]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_[44111-5706]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

City State Zip Code+4 (9 digits total)

County
\_\_\_\_\_\_[Cuyahoga]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
School Code Number\*\_\_\_[IRN# 027102]{.underline}\_\_[CMSD#
6415]{.underline}

Telephone [( 216) 252-2131]{.underline} Fax [(216) 889-4040
\_\_\_\_\_\_]{.underline}

Website/URL [cmsdnet.net]{.underline} E-mail
[Juliane.Shepard@cmsdnet.net]{.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. Barbara Byrd-Bennett]{.underline}

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

District Name [Cleveland Municipal School District]{.underline} Tel.
[(216) 574-8000]{.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 Ms. Margaret Hopkins

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

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

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

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

*\*Private Schools: If the information requested is not applicable,
write N/A in the space.*

**PART I ‑ ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATION**

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

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

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

1\. Number of schools in the district: \_\_[61]{.underline}\_ Elementary
schools

\_\_[25]{.underline}\_ Middle schools

\_\_[18]{.underline}\_ Junior high schools

\_\_[20]{.underline}\_ High schools

\_\_[13]{.underline}\_ Other

\_\_[137]{.underline}\_ TOTAL

2\. District Per Pupil Expenditure: \_[\$11,121]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_

Average State Per Pupil Expenditure: \_[\$8,755]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_

**SCHOOL**

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

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

4\. [5]{.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**                             

  **K**       28        34                     62           **8**                             

  **1**       23        48                     71           **9**                             

  **2**       36        45                     81           **10**                            

  **3**       30        29                     59           **11**                            

  **4**       36        42                     78           **12**                            

  **5**       28        54                     82           **Other**                         

  **6**       38        40                     78                                             

                                    **TOTAL                                                   **511**
                                    STUDENTS                                                  
                                    IN THE                                                    
                                    APPLYING                                                  
                                    SCHOOL**                                                  
  ----------- --------- ----------- ---------- --------- -- ----------- --------- ----------- ---------

6\. Racial/ethnic composition of [25]{.underline} % White

the students in the school: [55]{.underline} % Black or African American

[17]{.underline} % Hispanic or Latino

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

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

**100% Total**

7\. Student turnover, or mobility rate, during the past year:
\_\_\_[6]{.underline}\_\_\_\_%

  --------- -------------------------------------------- ------------------
  **(1)**   Number of students who transferred ***to***  11
            the school after October 1 until the end of  
            the year.                                    

  **(2)**   Number of students who transferred           18
            ***from*** the school after October 1 until  
            the end of the year.                         

  **(3)**   Subtotal of all transferred students \[sum   29
            of rows (1) and (2)\]                        

  **(4)**   Total number of students in the school as of 511
            October 1                                    

  **(5)**   Subtotal in row (3) divided by total in row  .06
            (4)                                          

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

8\. Limited English Proficient students in the school:
\_\_[.002]{.underline}\_%

\_\_\_\_[1]{.underline}\_\_Total Number Limited English Proficient

Number of languages represented: \_\_\_[2]{.underline}\_\_\_\_

Specify languages: English & Spanish

9\. Students eligible for free/reduced-priced meals:
\_\_[100]{.underline}\_\_\_%

Total number students who qualify: \_\_\_[511]{.underline}\_\_

10\. Students receiving special education services:
\_\_\_[13]{.underline}\_\_\_%

\_\_\_[68]{.underline}\_\_\_Total Number of Students Served

> Number of students with disabilities

\_[2]{.underline}\_\_Autism \_\_\_\_Orthopedic Impairment

\_\_\_\_Deafness \_\_[1]{.underline}\_Other Health Impaired

\_\_\_\_Deaf-Blindness \_[27]{.underline}\_Specific Learning Disability

[13]{.underline} \_Emotional Disturbance \_[18]{.underline}\_Speech or
Language Impairment

\_[3]{.underline}\_\_Hearing Impairment \_\_\_\_Traumatic Brain Injury

> \_[2]{.underline}\_\_Mental Retardation \_\_\_\_Visual Impairment
> Including Blindness

\_[2]{.underline}\_\_Multiple Disabilities

11. Number of full‑time and part‑time staff members.

    **Number of Staff**

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

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

Classroom teachers \_\_[19]{.underline}\_\_\_
\_\_\_\_[0]{.underline}\_\_\_

Special resource teachers/specialists \_\_[12]{.underline}\_\_\_
\_\_\_\_[0]{.underline}\_\_\_

Paraprofessionals \_\_\_[3]{.underline}\_\_\_
\_\_\_\_[0]{.underline}\_\_\_

> Support staff \_\_\_[0]{.underline}\_\_\_
> \_\_\_\_[5]{.underline}\_\_\_
>
> Total number \_\_\_[35]{.underline}\_\_ \_\_\_\_[5]{.underline}\_\_\_

12\. Average school student-"classroom teacher" ratio:
\_[27:1]{.underline}\_

13\. Attendance Patterns:

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

  Daily student attendance  98 %        97 %        96 %        94 %        92 %

  Daily teacher attendance  93 %        92 %        94 %        87 %        90 %

  Teacher turnover rate     3 %         7 %         12 %        5 %         5 %

  Student dropout rate      N/A         N/A         N/A         N/A         N/A
  (middle/high)                                                             

  Student drop-off rate     N/A         N/A         N/A         N/A         N/A
  (high school)                                                             
  ------------------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

**PART III ‑ SUMMARY**

Newton D. Baker School of Arts is an elementary school in the West Park
residential area that draws students from all over the city of
Cleveland. As the only elementary school in the city to teach from an
arts-based curriculum, Baker offers inner city children the unique
opportunity to develop artistically and academically. Our student
population consists of general and special education students in grades
kindergarten through sixth. Our special education population includes
students who are gifted, learning disabled, cognitively delayed and
severely emotionally disturbed. Students are assigned to the school
through a lottery system based on parental choice.

As you enter the driveway of Newton D. Baker, one sees the children's
creativity prominently displayed on an otherwise typical school
building. The colorful mosaic tile mural, which was student produced,
embodies our school mission. The mural displays the integration of
academics and the arts in its finest form. As you come through the
driveway you will park next to the baseball diamond, which is used for a
variety of physical education activities. The colorfully painted design
on the entrance door personifies yet another student-created project. As
you enter, you will hear students of varying abilities creating
harmonies in their instrumental music class. You are ushered through our
main hallway by "Welcoming Wildcats". These caricatures were a part of
the school's float made for participation in the 1996 Cleveland
Bicentennial Parade. They now stand proudly as a part of our rich
history, directing your attention to the school mission statement
displayed in the main hallway. The staff, parents and community united
to develop a mission statement that would be a clear statement of our
school's purpose:

> *The students, staff, parents and community of Newton D. Baker School
> of Arts believe that all students will achieve academic excellence
> through an active learning environment, arts integration and positive
> school behavior in preparation for future career opportunities*.

Baker's history as a former junior high has made the building conducive
to our comprehensive arts program by giving us space to incorporate the
visual and performing arts classes. Proceeding through the first floor,
you will encounter kindergarten, first and second grade classrooms. The
dance room, with its state-of-arts dance floor paid with funds from our
corporate sponsor Eaton Corporation, vocal and instrumental music rooms
and auditorium/drama room are also located on the first floor, along
with a full service cafeteria where meals are cooked on the premises.
The second floor houses third, fourth, fifth and sixth grade classes. A
visual art room, photographic dark room, radio room and media center are
also located on the second floor. A technology lab, located in the media
center, is used for computer instruction for Baker's population.
Teacher-facilitated computer instruction has been enhanced by the use of
the TVator, the Internet and various software programs. The Ohio
SchoolNet Plus Grant allowed us to install computers in every classroom.
We have also acquired twenty-two Dell computers that have been dispersed
throughout the building for classroom use. The gym, stage prop rooms and
our Parent Resource Room are at the basement level.

Parent groups are an integral part of the Baker community. Our *Baker
Booster Club* supports the arts integration program by holding parent
workshops and helping raise money for arts materials. *Circle of the
Arts, Inc.* is a group of parents, community leaders, arts and business
professionals committed to academic excellence through arts integration.
This group was formed in the fall of 2004 to write grants and raise
money to support the school mission of integrating academic subjects
with the arts. Most classrooms have a willing group of parent and
community tutors who volunteer their time and expertise to help our
students meet their academic goals.

Our classroom and special subject teachers weave the Cleveland Municipal
School District's Academic Content Standards, the Ohio Proficiency
learning outcomes and a viable arts program together to establish a
comprehensive and cohesive curriculum. Our academic classes include
literacy, language arts, math, social studies, science, health, physical
education and the arts. These subjects are integrated with dance,
drama/theater, vocal and instrumental music and visual art.

The arts program at Baker has been impacted by the District's financial
difficulties. Staff reductions have reduced our visual art program to
one teacher, decreasing student contact time from 80 to 40 minutes per
week. Our drama program was reduced from five to three days per week,
and our dance program was eliminated. A core team of Newton D. Baker
staff met with our corporate sponsor, Eaton Corporation, to formulate a
plan to offer dance twice a week. This dance artist-in-residence is
funded by another Eaton donation. Amidst these program changes, the
staff of Newton D. Baker strives to improve student achievement on
Standardized Tests and continues to receive national recognition through
the continued integration of academics and the arts.

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

**1.** **Assessment Results in Reading and Math**

The testing procedures at our school, District and State are currently
in transition. We are in the second year of a reading achievement test
for third graders administered by the State, The Ohio Achievement Test
(OAT). Our first year of this test, the 2003-2004 academic year, was
extremely successful. Our overall percentage of passage on the OAT was
87%, 12% over the State's goal of 75% passage. We surpassed our
District's average by 40%. The District had a 47% passage. We also
surpassed the State's average by 9%. The website that can illustrate our
scores comparatively to the District and State of Ohio is
[http://www.ode.state.oh.us](http://www.ode.state.oh.us/) and
[www.ed.gov/offices/om/fpco/fprpg](http://www.ed.gov/offices/om/fpco/fprpg).

This test is criterion-based and determined by the State's reading
benchmarks. The test is given twice yearly, early October and mid March.
The children are expected to meet the proficient level of the test. This
test has fulfilled the assessment qualifications for the *No Child Left
Behind Act.*

After careful review of our OAT results, we have determined that our one
subgroup that is lagging in test performance from their cohorts is the
African American Male from an economically disadvantaged background.
Twenty percent of this subgroup did not pass the OAT last year. However,
8% of that group was already receiving Individualized Education Plans
(IEP). The IEP indicated that these children were already identified as
having deficiencies and had a specialized plan formulated for them. Ten
percent of the 20% that did not pass did reach the Basic Level of the
criteria of the test demonstrating that although they were not
proficient in reading, they met the basic standards of the test.

Our 4^th^ grade test results in reading were determined by the Ohio
Fourth Grade Proficiency Test. However, the students will be tested
using the Ohio Achievement Test for fourth graders this year. The past
three years we have done well in the reading portion of the Ohio Fourth
Grade Proficiency Test. During the 2003-2004 academic year, 85% of our
children scored proficient, exceeding Ohio's goal of 75% by 10%. This
also represented a 15% increase from the following year. We attributed
this growth to ongoing interventions for at-risk students.

The subgroup lagging behind its cohorts in the 4^th^ grade reading test
for the 2003-2004 academic year was the White group. There was a gap of
9% between the White cohort and African Americans. The Hispanic group
had a 100% passage, which meant that the White group lagged behind the
Hispanic group by 22%.

During the 2002-2003 academic year there was a marked difference between
the African American group and the White group. That year there was a
38% difference in the groups. The Hispanic and White subgroups had 100%
passage while the African American group had 62% passage.

During the 2001-2002 academic year there was less than 10% difference in
the subgroups' reading proficiency scores. What can be noted from our
scores is that the Hispanic passage of the reading portion was the most
successful and consistent from the subgroups.

A look at our writing scores showed very little difference between our
African American and White subgroups on the 2003-2004 Ohio Fourth Grade
Proficiency test. The African American subgroup passage rate was 88.89
%, which was 13.89 % more than the state standard of 75%. The White
subgroup passage rate was 95.24%, which was 20.24% more than the state
standard of 75%. The Hispanic group, which had posted 100% passage on
reading, had 75% passage rate for writing which met the state standard
of 75%. This was a significant discrepancy for the Hispanic subgroup. We
have attended to the discrepancy in the Hispanic subgroup this year by
having an additional instructor for writing in the 3^rd^, 4^th^ and
6^th^ grades. We feel that the extra concentration on writing will yield
successful writers and test takers.

Our math scores are based on the 4^th^ Grade Ohio Proficiency Test. In
2003-2004 our fourth grade student population had an 80% passage rate.
The State's standard was 75%. Our African American subgroup's passage
rate was 79%, which surpassed the State's standard by 4%. Our White
subgroup had a passage rate of 95%, which exceeded the state's standard
by 20%. Our Hispanic subgroup had a passage rate of 80%, which topped
the state's standard by 5%. Our Hispanic group represented our average
passage rate. There was a significant discrepancy between our White
subgroup and the other groups in 2003-2004. However, this discrepancy
did not appear in previous years. The discrepancy was only 6% during the
2002-2003 academic year, and it was the African American group posting
the highest percent passing of 66%. The White subgroup that year posted
only 60%.

**2.** **Using Assessment Data**

For the last four years Newton D. Baker staff used multifaceted methods
and administered several instruments to test students initially and then
tracked their progress. Every child in the building was administered the
Jerry Johns Reading test by October. This reading inventory demonstrated
the child's vocabulary and reading level. The Jerry Johns assessment
allowed us to examine each child's reading skills. Children that were
performing below grade level were then given further diagnostic tests to
determine their specific weaknesses. Once these weaknesses were
identified the children have a prescribed long range plan created for
them. These at-risk children were able to participate in several
interventions.

Children performing at grade level were also monitored throughout the
year so their individual growth was continuous and sustainable. Students
who scored above grade level with the Jerry Johns assessment had the
opportunity to participate in activities with our Gifted & Talented
Program so they had a challenging and rewarding experience.

We also used the Cleveland Municipal School District's (CMSD) assessment
in reading, Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS)
and the Stanford Achievement Test. The staff met at each grade level to
identify student weaknesses and created curriculum maps to address those
concerns. The information derived from our tests was disseminated not
only to the homeroom teachers but also to Arts teachers. The homeroom
teachers and Arts teacher collaboratively planned strategies that
addressed our children's weaknesses through integrated lessons, small
group instruction and tutoring.

We continued auditing our children's progress by assessing them midyear
with another Jerry Johns test, CMSD interims and the results of the
Third Grade Ohio Achievement Test, given in October. The staff continues
to utilize curriculum mapping and tailors instruction to meet the needs
of our children.

We also utilize the CMSD Data Farm. The information we derive from the
Data Farm gives us a comprehensive view of each child in regard to
standardized testing. The information we derive from the Data Farm helps
us further address each child's specific needs.

At Newton D. Baker we understand that it is crucial for us to examine
the available data and create strategies so each child can post
sustainable growth and become proficient in content areas.

**3.** **Communicating Student Performance to the Community.**

We communicate and disseminate our assessment data in several ways to
the parents, students and the community. The parents receive their
child's testing data through CMSD individual reports. The testing data
is explained to the families at parent teacher conferences. The parents
also receive information from the Family Liaison, Intervention Based
Assessment Team and through the Ohio Individual Report. They receive
school-wide information through our Family Newsletter, Principal Letter,
Open House, Parent Meetings, Testing Celebration Event, School Report
Card, office bulletin board, and CMSD website.

Our neighborhood receives our test results in several ways. We share our
information with our neighborhood by reporting our success to a small
local neighborhood magazine. The Kamm's Corner Development Corporation's
(KCDC) magazine has a circulation of 60,000. KCDC has been a vital tool
in communicating with our neighborhood. The local Kiwanis Club has also
helped us share information with our neighboring community.

Our larger community, The City of Cleveland, has been given access to
information about our success in the following ways: District's website,
The Plain Dealer, School's Report Card and through our Arts outreach
activities.

Our partnership with the Eaton Corporation has also assisted us in
getting our students' performance data throughout the city by their
relationship with the news media and presence on Art Boards. Eaton has
opened many doors for us in regard to disseminating our mission and
success. Eaton's guidance and support has helped us transmit our success
throughout the city and county.

**4.** **Sharing School Successes**

Newton D. Baker has shared and will continue to share its successes with
other schools through Professional Development Inservices, Learning
Walks, Principal Leadership Seminars, Mentoring, Professional
Partnerships and our Academic Achievement Plan. Our staff has led many
professional development inservices for other schools in language arts
instruction, Interactive Math instruction, Comprehensive Arts
Curriculum, Science Fair training and family liaison activities. We have
participated in Learning Walks for the past two years. This not only
allows us to share our successes, but also gives us the opportunity to
acquire useful information. Our Principal participates in Principal
Leadership Seminars on a regular basis. Her leadership and facilitation
of seminars makes her an effective messenger of our success.

We have had the opportunity to mentor many new and struggling teachers
in the District. Our Visual Art teacher was able to share her art and
social studies integrated curriculum with her cohorts at other schools.
The Vocal Music teacher has devised a science and music curriculum for
the primary grades. She has had many District colleagues visit our
school to learn about this hands-on integrated curriculum. We have been
used as a model or pilot school for award winning programs such as *Read
Baby Read* *Book Club* and the Cleveland Opera's *Music! Words! Opera!*
Residency.

Newton D. Baker maintains excellent partnerships with our local
colleges. Case Western Reserve, Ashland, Baldwin Wallace and Cleveland
State are universities that utilize Newton D. Baker as a place where
future educators can learn and develop their teaching skills. We have
students that come to our school for on-site field visits, practicum and
student teaching experiences. We realize the importance of sharing our
success with people entering the field of education. Our teachers,
children and staff become effective mentors to these future teachers.

Our Academic Achievement Plan (AAP) is another tool to share our
success. This plan is a blueprint for continuous improvement to ensure
student success. This plan is revised annually to ensure that all of our
students' needs are addressed. The AAP is a powerful working document
and evidence of our success.

**PART V -- CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION**

**1. Our Curriculum**

Our classroom and special subject teachers integrate the Cleveland
Municipal School District's Academic Content Standards and the Ohio
Proficiency learning outcomes. This establishes a comprehensive and
cohesive curriculum. Our academic classes include Language Arts, Math,
Social Studies, Science, Physical Education and the Arts. These subjects
are integrated with drama, dance, vocal and instrumental music and
visual art. Newton D. Baker strives to improve student achievement on
the OPT/Off Grade tests through the academics and arts. Nearly 100% of
the staff has been trained in the Comprehensive Arts Curriculum (CAC)
model and successfully motivate students by teaching through an
integrated arts-based curriculum.

Language Arts: Our school is a print-rich environment. In each classroom
and throughout the hallways, cafeteria and gym, the commitment to
literacy is evident. Our commitment to CAC successfully aligns us to the
English Language Arts Standards. We integrate the arts across
curriculum, especially through literature. Our children are challenged
to higher-level thinking and writing when CAC practices and language
arts units are presented in tandem. To enhance our literacy plan, we
utilize an 80-minute literacy block. This allows teachers to use a
variety of instructional strategies for effective literacy instruction.

To support our efforts, grade level teachers meet weekly for curriculum
planning across all content areas. These professional sharing sessions
focus on successful practices: journal writing, peer reading, sustained
silent reading, cooperative grouping and other teaching techniques.

We have created several intervention strategies for children who need
added support in language arts. We have a tutoring/mentoring program for
children in grades 2 --5. These children are given one on one
instruction to address their needs in reading and writing. We have an
Extended Day Program that addresses 3^rd^, 4^th^ and 6^th^ grade
language arts deficiencies. Through state grants we have created a
language arts resource room to assist all staff in creating remediation
lessons for grades kindergarten through sixth.

Math: Our math program is aligned with Cleveland Municipal School
District's Standards and the State of Ohio Proficiency outcomes. We have
implemented the Math standards at every grade level. Our teachers are
utilizing an engaging problem-solving program called Interactive Math,
developed by a recently retired Baker teacher. This program engages the
children to achieve through humor, accelerated timeline, hallway math
and self-assessment. All students are expected to self-disclose
mistakes, a method that has been proven to be more effective than
providing correct answers. This program provides a minimum of 25
exposures to each State-learning objective.

Interventions and safety nets that are implemented for the at-risk
students are Extended Day Tutoring, Lunch Buddies and Arts Math Mentors.
Using Interactive Math, our students learn a minimum of sixty tools that
promote understanding and lead to proficient problem solvers.

Social Studies: Our school implements a variety of strategies to assist
our students in becoming proficient in social studies, good citizens and
effective problem solvers. Our students are involved in the following
programs: Conflict Mediations, DARE, Junior Achievement, Career Week,
American Red Cross, annual school wide cultural theme, Student Council,
and a literacy-based social studies text.

Science: Newton D. Baker School of Arts has been successful in the
state's science proficiency exam for the last several years because our
science program has been aligned with the District and State of Ohio's
standards. The classroom teachers collaboratively plan and teach lessons
utilizing the scientific method, inquiry based learning, the writing
process and integrating the arts into instruction. Our science
curriculum includes the following techniques and resources: Science warm
up activities, direct instruction, discovery-based learning, cooperative
learning groups, project based learning, school science fair,
science/music integrated lessons, tutoring and literature books.

Physical Education: Our school has a newly renovated gymnasium that
allows our physical education instructor to implement the State of
Ohio's standards in physical education.

Our integrated arts program is what sets us apart from the rest of the
District. The staff is committed to developing our students academically
and artistically. The comprehensive Arts Curriculum (CAC) approach
involves integrating all academic curriculum with the arts. The students
at Newton D. Baker are immersed in a daily integration of the arts and
academic curriculum. Our arts teachers work with classroom teachers to
correlate instructional units based on the academic standards and yearly
arts plan. This involves selecting a specific artist, developing
essential questions and individual arts integration units that are
implemented throughout the year. Teachers work at their weekly grade
level meetings to develop subject curriculum that reflect the
integration of the arts.

Through collaboration, professional development and grants, the staff
has created and developed three programs that have benefited our
students: Science through Music, Math through Keyboards, and Social
Studies through Visual Art. These programs are collaboratively taught,
assessed and shared. Our student achievement scores in science, social
studies and math have shown dramatic increases since the implementation
of these programs.

**2. Reading Curriculum**

Newton D. Baker provides a diverse, multifaceted language arts
curriculum that enables us to reach every child. Homeroom teachers have
a daily 80-minute Literacy Block. The Literacy Block utilizes
standards-based lessons that give the students the chance to read
literature, use accountable talk, work in flexible groups and employ the
writing process.

Each student has the opportunity to extend his/her literature time at
least one period per week with our Librarian in the Media Center. A
collaborative effort is evident when the Media Specialist designs
lessons that extends classroom learning. Our library houses a wide array
of trade books that have been purchased through staff-written grants.
The children are able to test their comprehension on the literature
using the Accelerated Reader program. The children may self-check for
understanding. The Accelerated Reader program also keeps a running
record of the books the student has read as well as the child's reading
level.

There are intervention programs in place for the children who are
struggling in the language arts. We are in the fifth year of the
OhioReads grant, a mentoring/tutoring program for children who are
struggling in reading. Our mentoring program won recognition from the
State of Ohio in 2003. Through District and grant funding, we received
national recognition as an exemplary site for participation in the
*Helping One Student To Succeed (HOSTS)* program for four years. Due to
drastic cuts this year, we lost the funding for HOSTS but continued with
the mentoring program renamed *Baker Book Buddies.* We currently have 45
children from grades 2-5 working on their reading skills with adult
volunteers once a week. The one-on-one instruction with the children has
proven to be very successful. The average gain has been 1.6 grade levels
in reading every year.

We also provide a book club for our second, third and fourth graders
called *Read Baby Read (RBR).* The purpose of *RBR* is to expose
children to multicultural trade books and build a home library for the
children. *RBR* is funded by a nonprofit organization called *A Cultural
Exchange*. We have utilized this program for eight years. Our assessment
data shows that children in this group value reading and improve their
reading versus their cohorts who do not participate. The Cleveland
Public Library is a corporate sponsor for *RBR*.

**3.** **Arts Curriculum**

We have developed an Artist-in-Residency program that furthers our
integration of academic subjects and the arts using professional
artists. This program helps us accomplish our mission by exposing our
students to different facets of the arts. The benefit of this program is
the artists are able to share with our students their profession, skills
and philosophy. Our children are able to create and learn from a working
artist. Our corporate sponsor, Eaton Corporation, funds most of this
innovative and interactive program.

The children not only acquire new skills in the arts but they will also
learn their core academic curriculum through this program. The Cleveland
Opera is an example of how effective an artist-in-residence can be. The
children hone in on crucial language arts standards while participating
in *Music! Words! Opera!* The Cleveland Opera has written a curriculum
that aligns itself with the District's and State of Ohio's writing and
reading standards. The collaboration between our school and the
Cleveland Opera results in published works by our children, community
productions, accomplished writers and enthusiastic patrons of opera.

Other Artist-in-Residence collaborations that have been successful at
our school include:

Science through Dance, Strings Instruction, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Sculpture, Storytelling through Puppetry, Playwriting, Cleveland Art
Museum and Cleveland Orchestra. The artists-in-residence program is
effective because our staff collaborates with the artists to create
units that address our children's academic and artistic needs.

**4. Instructional Methods**

Our teachers utilize a variety of instructional methods in our school so
that we may reach every child. Our staff develops lessons that attend to
a variety of learning styles. The strategies that we used are research
based and are best practices. Throughout the school you will observe
teachers using a variety of instructional practices to reach our
children.

Some of our instructional practices include flexible grouping, learning
centers, whole group instruction, direct instruction, cooperative
learning groups, inquiry and discovery, accountable talk, peer tutoring,
mentoring, reciprocal teaching, web quests, arts infusion and hands-on
activities. These instructional techniques are used throughout the
content areas.

Flexible grouping allows us to target a skill to a small group that
needs reinforcement in a content area. Learning centers are interactive
and independent activities where a child can explore and self check a
skill. Whole group instruction and direct instruction are traditional
practices. Inquiry and discovery learning is where the child sets forth
to discover the information through scientific inquiry methods.
Accountable talk is where the children are able to restate their
learning in academic terms and are also able to make oral judgments
based on their newly acquired knowledge. Peer tutoring, mentoring and
reciprocal teaching is where the child learns through teaching another
child. This is where a child can apply and synthesize their new
knowledge. Web quests are where the children research, investigate, and
discover using the Internet. Art infusion strategies are used throughout
our content areas to solidify the children's knowledge and reach our
mission on developing children artistically and academically. Hands-on
activities and manipulatives are used in our math, science, language
arts, physical education and the arts. As older students internalize and
synthesize these instructional practices, they are used as authentic
role models for the younger children.

5.  **Professional Development Program**

We have created a Professional Development Work Plan by our staff and
incorporated into our Academic Achievement Plan (AAP). This blueprint
guides us by focusing on improving student achievement. Critical Friends
is a professional development practice where we meet to share our
instructional practices. Children's work is brought to the table to
discuss, strategize and create solutions for pending concerns. Our
Critical Friends group has been an invaluable tool to meet all our
children's needs.

LearningWalks is another professional development practice we are
utilizing at our school that has net substantial results. LearningWalks
is an evidence gathering activity. The LearningWalks program is an
organized walk through a school's halls and classrooms using the
Principles of Learning to focus on the instruction core. Our
participation in this program has presented us the opportunity to expand
our existing knowledge and has helped us facilitate our children's
learning more effectively. Accountable talk and reciprocal teaching are
two of the instructional methods that we acquired through the
LearningWalks and have used in our classroom successfully.

Additional professional development is aimed at increasing staff's
knowledge in the application of skills used with the inclusion of
special needs students. The teachers and aides consistently implement
these strategies and techniques derived from the professional
development.

Our professional development changes periodically as we analyze the data
from our students' achievement and ongoing assessments. We create
professional development for our staff that will address the students'
needs at Newton D. Baker School of Arts.

**PART VII - ASSESSMENT RESULTS**

**STATE CRITERION-REFERENCED TESTS**

Subject\_[READING]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_ Grade\_\_\_[3]{.underline}\_\_
Test\_\_ [Ohio Achievement Test]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Edition/Publication Year\_ [2004]{.underline}\_\_ Publisher [Ohio
Department of Education]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

  ----------------------------------------------------------- -----------
                                                              2003-2004

  Testing month                                               March

  **SCHOOL SCORES**                                           

  \% At or Above Basic                                        92

  \% At or Above Proficient                                   87

  \% At Advanced                                              58

  Number of students tested                                   77

  Percent of total students tested                            100

  Number of students alternatively assessed                   0

  Percent of students alternatively assessed                  0

                                                              

  SUBGROUP SCORES                                             

  1.\_[African American]{.underline}                          

  \% At or Above Basic                                        88

  \% At or Above Proficient                                   80

  \% At Advanced                                              49

  Number of students tested                                   49

  2.\_[White]{.underline}                                     

  \% At or Above Basic                                        100

  \% At or Above Proficient                                   100

  \% At Advanced                                              76

  Number of students tested                                   25

  2.\_[Hispanic]{.underline}                                  

  \% At or Above Basic                                        100

  \% At or Above Proficient                                   100

  \% At Advanced                                              67

  Number of students tested                                   3

                                                              

  **STATE SCORES**                                            

  \% At or above Limited                                      100

  \% At or Above Basic                                        90

  \% At or Above Proficient                                   78

  \% At or Above Accelerated                                  59

  \% At Advanced                                              33
  ----------------------------------------------------------- -----------

**STATE CRITERION-REFERENCED TESTS**

Subject\_[READING]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_ Grade\_\_\_[4]{.underline}\_\_
Test\_\_ [Ohio Proficiency Test]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Edition/Publication Year [2004]{.underline} Publisher\_ [Ohio Department
of Education]{.underline}\_\_\_

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

  Testing month                        March       March       March       March       March

  **SCHOOL SCORES**                                                                    

  \% At or Above Basic                 100         95          77          N/A         N/A

  \% At or Above Proficient            85          70          74          N/A         N/A

  \% At Advanced                       15          9           7                       

  Number of students tested            90          93                                  

  Percent of total students tested                                                     

  Number of students alternatively     N/A         4                                   
  assessed                                                                             

  Percent of students alternatively    N/A         0                                   
  assessed                                                                             

                                                                                       

  SUBGROUP SCORES                                                                      

  1.\_\_[African American]{.underline}                                                 

  \% At or Above Basic                 87          87          96                      

  \% At or Above Proficient            87          62          79                      

  \% At Advanced                       13          8           9                       

  Number of students tested            63          72                                  

  2.\_\_\_[White]{.underline}                                                          

  \% At or Above Basic                 89          100         100                     

  \% At or Above Proficient            78          100         88                      

  \% At Advanced                       11          29          0                       

  Number of students tested            15          18                                  

  3.\_\_\_[Hispanic]{.underline}                                                       

  \% At or Above Basic                 100         100         100                     

  \% At or Above Proficient            100         100         83                      

  \% At Advanced                       0           0           17                      

  Number of students tested            4                                               

  4.\_\_[Ecomically                                                                    
  disadvantaged]{.underline}                                                           

  \% At or Above Basic                 100         95          77                      

  \% At or Above Proficient            85          70          74                      

  \% At Advanced                       15          9           7                       

  Number of students tested            90                                              

                                                                                       

  **STATE SCORES**                                                                     

  \% At or Above Below Basic           100         100         N/A         N/A         N/A

  \% At or Above Basic                 92          91          N/A         N/A         N/A

  \% At or Above Proficient            71          66          63          59          49

  \% At Advanced                       15          9           7           7           6
  ------------------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

**STATE CRITERION-REFERENCED TESTS**

Subject\_[MATHEMATICS]{.underline}\_\_\_ Grade\_\_\_[4]{.underline}\_\_
Test\_\_ [Ohio Proficiency Test]{.underline}\_\_\_\_

Edition/Publication Year [2004]{.underline} Publisher\_ [Ohio Department
of Education]{.underline}\_\_\_

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

  Testing month                                             March       March       March       March       March

  **SCHOOL SCORES**                                                                                         

  \% At or Above Basic                                      93          72          85                      

  \% At or Above Proficient                                 80          64          85                      

  \% At Advanced                                            42          22          34                      

  Number of students tested                                 90          93                                  

  Percent of total students tested                                                                          

  Number of students alternatively assessed                                                                 

  Percent of students alternatively assessed                                                                

                                                                                                            

  SUBGROUP SCORES                                                                                           

  1.\_\_[African American]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_                                                          

  \% At or Above Basic                                      93          72          94                      

  \% At or Above Proficient                                 79          66          86                      

  \% At Advanced                                            33          17          28                      

  Number of students tested                                 63          71                                  

  2.\_[White]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_                                                   

  \% At or Above Basic                                      100         75          100                     

  \% At or Above Proficient                                 95          60          70                      

  \% At Advanced                                            76          50          65                      

  Number of students tested                                 21          18                                  

  3\. Economically disadvantaged                                                                            

  \% At or Above Basic                                      93          72          85                      

  \% At or Above                                            80          64          85                      

  \% At Advanced                                            42          22          34                      

  Number of students tested                                 90          93                                  

                                                                                                            

  **STATE SCORES**                                                                                          

  \% At or Above Below Basic                                100         100         N/A         N/A         N/A

  \% At or Above Basic                                      77          70          N/A         N/A         N/A

  \% At or Above Proficient                                 66          59          63          59          49

  \% At Advanced                                            26          15          17          16          11
  --------------------------------------------------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------