##### *2006-2007 No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon Schools Program*

*U.S. Department of Education*

**Cover Sheet** Type of School: (Check all that apply) \[ X \]
Elementary \[ \] Middle \[ \] High \[ \] K-12 \[ \]Charter

Name of Principal [Mrs. C. J. Albertson]{.underline}

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

Official School Name [John Glenn Elementary]{.underline}

(As it should appear in the official records)

School Mailing Address\_\_\_\_\_[308 N. Main
Street]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

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

\_\_\_\_[Donahue]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_[IA]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_[52746-0168]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

City State Zip Code+4 (9 digits total)

County
\_\_\_\_\_\_[Scott]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_State
School Code Number\*\_[82-4784-0436]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Telephone [( 563 ) 282-9627]{.underline} Fax [( 563 )
282-9720]{.underline}

Web site/URL [www.north-scott.k12.ia.us]{.underline} E-mail
[cj.albertson@north-scott.k12.ia.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. Timothy Dose]{.underline}

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

District Name [North Scott Community School District]{.underline} Tel.
[( 563 ) 285-4819]{.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 . Paul Dierickx]{.underline}

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

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

(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**

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

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 on the same campus with one principal, even K-12 schools,
    must apply as an entire school.)

2.  The school has made adequate yearly progress each year for the past
    two years and has not 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 2006-2007 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 2001 and has not received the No Child Left
    Behind -- Blue Ribbon Schools award in the past five years.

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

6.  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
    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]{.underline}\_\_
Elementary schools

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

\_\_[1]{.underline}\_\_ Junior high schools

\_\_[1]{.underline}\_\_ High schools

\_\_\_\_\_ Other

\_\_[7]{.underline}\_\_ TOTAL

2\. District Per Pupil Expenditure: \_[\$7,584 (2005-06)]{.underline}

Average State Per Pupil Expenditure: \_[\$7,477 (2004-05)]{.underline}

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

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

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

4\. [7]{.underline} Number of years the principal has been in her/his
position at this school.

[NA]{.underline} 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**       12        14                     **26**       **8**                             

  **1**       23        15                     **38**       **9**                             

  **2**       16        9                      **25**       **10**                            

  **3**       20        16                     **36**       **11**                            

  **4**       27        18                     **45**       **12**                            

  **5**       23        15                     **38**       **Other**                         

  **6**       25        25                     **50**                                         

                                    **TOTAL                                                   **258**
                                    STUDENTS                                                  
                                    IN THE                                                    
                                    APPLYING                                                  
                                    SCHOOL →**                                                
  ----------- --------- ----------- ---------- --------- -- ----------- --------- ----------- ---------

6\. Racial/ethnic composition of [92]{.underline} % White

the school: [3]{.underline} % Black or African American

[5]{.underline} % Hispanic or Latino

[0]{.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:
\_\_\_[10]{.underline}\_\_\_%

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

  ------------------------- --------------------------- ------------------
  **(1)**                   Number of students who      19
                            transferred ***to*** the    
                            school after October 1      
                            until the end of the year   

  **(2)**                   Number of students who      7
                            transferred ***from*** the  
                            school after October 1      
                            until the end of the year   

  **(3)**                   Total of all transferred    26
                            students \[sum of rows (1)  
                            and (2)\]                   

  **(4)**                   Total number of students in 258
                            the school as of October 1  

  **(5)**                   Total transferred students  .100775
                            in row (3) divided by total 
                            students in row (4)         

  **(6)**                   Amount in row (5)           10%
                            multiplied by 100           
  ------------------------- --------------------------- ------------------

8\. Limited English Proficient students in the school:
\_\_\_[0]{.underline}\_\_\_\_%

\_\_\_[0]{.underline}\_\_\_Total Number Limited English Proficient

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

Specify languages:

9\. Students eligible for free/reduced-priced meals:
\_\_[26]{.underline}\_\_\_\_%

Total number students who qualify: \_\_[67]{.underline}\_\_\_\_

> 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:
\_\_[10]{.underline}\_\_\_\_%

\_\_\_[27]{.underline}\_\_\_Total Number of Students Served

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

\_\_[2]{.underline}\_Autism \_\_[0]{.underline}\_Orthopedic Impairment

\_\_[0]{.underline}\_Deafness \_\_[1]{.underline}\_Other Health Impaired

\_\_[0]{.underline}\_Deaf-Blindness \_\_[0]{.underline}\_Specific
Learning Disability

\_\_[5]{.underline}\_Emotional Disturbance \_ [6]{.underline}\_Speech or
Language Impairment

\_\_[0]{.underline}\_Hearing Impairment \_\_[0]{.underline}\_Traumatic
Brain Injury

> \_\_[2]{.underline}\_Mental Retardation \_\_[0]{.underline}\_Visual
> Impairment Including Blindness
>
> \_[11]{.underline} 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) \_\_\_[1]{.underline}\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Classroom teachers \_\_\_[14]{.underline}\_\_ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Special resource teachers/specialists \_\_\_[4]{.underline}\_\_\_
\_\_\_\_[3]{.underline}\_\_\_

Paraprofessionals \_\_\_[5]{.underline} \_ \_
\_\_\_\_[2]{.underline}\_\_\_

> Support staff \_\_\_[2]{.underline}\_\_\_
> \_\_\_\_[3]{.underline}\_\_\_
>
> Total number \_\_\_[26]{.underline}\_\_ \_\_\_\_[8]{.underline}\_\_\_

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

students in the school divided by the FTE of classroom teachers, e.g.,
22:1 \_[18:1]{.underline}\_\_

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

  ------------------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
                            2005-2006   2004-2005   2003-2004   2002-2003   2001-2002

  Daily student attendance  97%         96%         97%         96%         97%

  Daily teacher attendance  95%         95%         97%         94%         94%

  Teacher turnover rate     5%          15%         5%          15%         15%

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

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

**PART III -- SUMMARY**

JOHN GLENN ELEMENTARY, "Home of the Patriots", is one of five
elementaries (all named for astronauts) scattered across rural Scott
County, Iowa. Along with a 7-8 junior high and a 9-12 high school, these
five elementaries comprise the 3000 student North Scott Community School
District lying in the 250 sq. miles just outside a large metropolitan
area called the Quad-Cities (Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa; Rock Island
and Moline, Illinois). The fact that John Glenn lies in the tiny rural
town of Donahue, Iowa, with it's small-town closeness and community
support but within 15 miles of this metropolitan area of 350,000 people
and vast opportunities, provides our students excellent perspectives and
experiences. Additionally, Scott County is located along the Mississippi
River and encompasses some of the best farmland available in our country
from which many of the John Glenn students hail. Again, this bucolic
atmosphere contrasts with our large school district and its vast energy
and offerings.

John Glenn has the third highest free & reduced rate in our district.
Our student population once hailed predominantly from economically
stable 2-parent farm homes with extended family members nearby. Times
have changed in rural America and, as more and more small farms are sold
into conglomerates, older farm houses become rental properties and have
therefore begun to provide a more itinerant population than John Glenn
had once been accustomed to. A major percentage of our families have
both parents working outside the home, often in multiple jobs, and yet
many remain in the category of "working poor". Even with these
hardships, John Glenn parent-teacher conferences have a consistent
attendance rate of 97% or more, activities are highly attended, and our
needs are supported with vigor!

The mission of John Glenn Elementary is summarized in our motto, "All
Students Learning....*Whatever It Takes*". We believe strongly in
finding and making available all resources necessary to provide students
what they need -- as individuals -- in order to facilitate their
successful educational experience and their growth as persons of good
character in our world. This two-fold emphasis is supported in a
plethora of ways. From the academic standpoint, our district supports us
with good financial resources, class sizes of less than 25 students at
each grade level and a full complement of educational specialists
including special teachers for art, music, physical education, talented
and gifted, special education, Reading Recovery, Title I reading/math,
and media/technology. The staff works hard to get to know, not only
their students, but their students' families, creating the critical
connection between home and school. The staff truly embraces the
*"whatever it takes"* attitude and can regularly be found working late
hours and weekends, making themselves available to meet with parents at
their convenience, and preparing differentiated lessons targeting the
special learning styles and abilities of their students. Character
development, our building's second area of emphasis, is again strongly
supported on the district level by its commitment to providing a
full-time counselor for our 258 students. While the guidance program is
comprised of classroom curriculum/instruction on problem-solving and
bullying prevention, it also provides support for the efforts of all
staff members in removing obstacles to the academic learning for which
we are specifically responsible. Among MANY initiatives, we provide peer
counseling, 'lunch buddies' through Big Brothers/Big Sisters, a
1^st^gr-6^th^gr mentoring program, a partnership with a local mental
health agency to provide an on-site therapist, and -- probably most
'famous' in our local area -- "Maple", our educational therapy dog.
Maple can be found lying patiently while otherwise reluctant readers
read aloud to the non-threatening furry head on their knee; found with
her head on the cot in the nurse's room while a child with a broken arm
waits for mom to come; found with her paw on the knee of a raging child
as she provides the patience and safety needed for them to calm more
quickly from their distress. Maple never misses work and is "one of the
family" here at John Glenn school.

The morning message each day ends with these words: "Be kind, be
responsible and be the [best]{.underline} you can be. The choice is
yours." John Glenn Elementary---a patriotic, service-oriented and
nurturing environment where every child learns and practices the value
of a firm handshake---is first and foremost committed to the academic
success of its students by providing rigorous curriculum, exemplary
instruction and "*whatever it takes*" to support each student in their
quest to be "*the best they can be*".

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

1.  **Assessment Results:** North Scott Community Schools utilize a
    variety of assessments to determine students' academic achievement
    throughout the school year. One of the key indicators of success
    used by the school system is the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS).
    These tests are scored using a large group of students from across
    the state and the nation to develop scores and norms. The ITBS are
    given to students in grades 3-8, and are used as our comparison at
    the local, state and federal levels. The Iowa Tests of Educational
    Development (ITED) are given to students in grades 9-11. Each
    student is tested in reading, language arts, math and science. The
    state establishes trajectory levels for districts and buildings as
    measures of student achievement. Student proficiency is defined as
    achieving at the 41^st^ percentile and above. In 2005-06 89% of John
    Glenn sixth graders were proficient in reading comprehension
    (compared to 75% proficient in grades 3-6) and 91% were proficient
    in math (compared to 67% proficient in grades 3-6).

Data is collected and analyzed for the following subgroups: grade level,
gender, socio-economic status (SES), and students with individualized
education plans (IEPs). The 41^st^ percentile has been set by the state
as the proficiency level for each subgroup as well. Just as all other
schools, John Glenn has disparities among some subgroups in the scores
they achieve. Some of the subgroups are so low in number that they do
not make a large enough subgroup for consideration. Low SES students
represent the primary subgroup that is considered in data analysis.
Although the LOW SES students do not achieve at the same high levels as
the group including all students, they consistently meet and exceed the
state trajectory goal. In 2004-05 75% of the low SES students in grade 4
at John Glenn were proficient in reading as well as math. In 2005-06 82%
of the low SES students in grade 6 were proficient both in reading and
in math.

All students participate in the testing and no subgroups are excluded. A
student must meet the state's full academic year of attendance
requirement to be included in the reported results. The testing takes
place each November with results returned and reviewed in January. These
results are disaggregated for subgroup reporting but only groups of ten
or more are reported out to the public.

We have established content area standards, which identify the
information, skills and vocabulary that the district believes should
drive the focus of instruction and student learning at each grade level.
The Iowa Tests of Basic Skills are one measure used to determine the
extent to which students are achieving these content standards.

Information on the state assessment system can be obtained at the
following website:

www.iowa.gov/educate

2.  **Using Assessment Results:** While classroom teachers check for
    understanding regularly throughout daily instruction, it is trends
    and aggregate data that help the professional zero in on gaps in
    their teaching and their students' individual learning. John Glenn
    teachers use two basic forums for examining data generated by
    assessment -collaborative teaming and Student Success Teams (SST).
    Collaborative teaming is usually between same-grade teacher teams
    and looks at the broader picture of classroom mastery, efficacy of
    instruction, etc. SSTs look at individual student needs and develop
    a plan for implementation of differentiated strategies targeted at
    his/her specific strengths and weaknesses. Therefore the membership
    of an SST would include the targeted student's current homeroom
    teacher, previous year's homeroom teacher, a representative from
    special areas, counselor, principal and, often, parent.

When, through this analysis of data, it is determined that a child needs
extra attention, many opportunities are available to John Glenn
students. The flexibility of guided reading groups allows a student to
move into a group designed specifically for their area of weakness not
simply reading every day with the "bluebirds" or the "crows". Students
with greater needs are provided with other opportunities which might
include: Reading Recovery, Title I, "Read Naturally", homework club,
after-school remediation, and specifically designed instructional
adaptations such as grade-level acceleration, mentor/peer tutors,
technology alternatives and cross-grade level instruction.

3.  **Communicating Assessment Results:** Ongoing student performance is
    reported to parents in a number of ways. Informally, all parents are
    provided with email addresses and direct-line telephone numbers of
    their children's teachers. Daily papers and tests are returned in
    "take-home folders". Teachers take full advantage of these means to
    communicate---daily if necessary---with the parents of the children
    in their rooms.

Formal communication from the building generally comes in the form of
newsletters and grade reporting. Most classrooms have a weekly
newsletter (some now generated as web pages rather than hand-outs) as
well as the principal's larger monthly newsletter "The Orbit" and
"mini-Orbits" as needed. All of these items are available in the John
Glenn portion of the district website (www.north-scott.k12.ia.us).
Report cards are sent home on a quarterly basis with mid-term progress
reports given in the form of twice-yearly parent-teacher conferences or
a written document in the other two quarters. It is at these
parent-teacher conferences that parents are given a detailed explanation
of the scores achieved on all standardized assessments given during that
time frame. Building data are provided in the newsletter format. Also
various articles by the superintendent in the local newspaper explain
what each assessment is and why the assessment is given. An Annual
Progress Report provided to the State Department of Education is also
made public to the Area Education Agency and the community. This, too,
can be found on the district website.

4.  **Sharing Success:** John Glenn teachers are proud of their
    profession and are willing and able to share their expertise. They
    are often called upon to present implementation plans and overviews
    of district initiatives at School Board meetings and community
    information forums. They use every opportunity to attend
    professional development workshops, the area education agency and
    other avenues for sharing and networking with out-of-district
    professionals 'in the trenches'. Within the district, they are often
    called upon to facilitate and/or share information for their grade
    level/subject area meetings.

Sharing with our community is important to us. Our monthly newsletters
are made available in local businesses, mailed to retired employees, and
others who generally express an interest. These newsletters always
include our celebrations of student and staff successes as well as the
usual news items and announcements. The local newspaper is very
supportive and the district webpage also allows for a place to share our
stories of success. These areas as well as local television coverage, a
district recognition reception and building celebration assembly will
all be ways we intend to share the good news of this award....looking
ahead to ways to encourage other schools with our story. The nomination
itself has already been a great honor---receiving the actual award would
be a distinction for which our entire community would take obvious pride
for years to come.

**PART V -- CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION**

**1. Curriculum:** Working with the district curriculum director and in
cohort teams, our faculty has worked to create and align the standards
and benchmarks from which we develop our comprehensive curriculum. The
full language arts program includes standards for oral communication,
reading, writing, listening and research. Essential components of the
mathematics curriculum are number sense, estimation & computation,
geometry & measurement, data analysis/statistics/probability,
algebra/functions and problem solving. Experimenting, collecting and
interpreting data, making predictions, and drawing conclusions combine
to make the sciences (life, earth and physical) an interesting subject
area for our students. Social Studies is filled with history, geography,
economics, civic/government and culture---researching the past while
recognizing connections to our present provides the basis for this
curriculum. Special areas of art, physical education, music and
library/media work hard to incorporate reading as a tool within the
context of their own well-defined standards and benchmarks. The fine
arts are also areas where diverse cultures are explored, media
techniques and processes are implemented and students are given
opportunities to gain confidence in performance. Additionally, the
physical education department is especially prominent in supporting the
health curriculum as well as our character driven emphasis on
cooperative play, personal responsibility and respect. Great effort has
been placed on cross-walking these efforts to provide common language
across curricular areas as well as relevance and continuity for students
as they progress from grade level to grade level.

While the John Glenn staff designs regular instruction based upon
differentiated learning within the classroom setting, many additional
opportunities are provided to further support students with special
academic needs -- special education, Reading Recovery, Title I, and a
talented and gifted program. Technology is an important tool to learning
in the 21^st^ century and John Glenn provides up-to-date computer
technology in many formats: a full eMac lab in the media center, iMacs
on every teacher's desk, a minimum of 3 student computers in each
classroom, a wireless mobile laptop lab, and, most recently, a classroom
set of video iPods for students to use in blogging homework assignments
and studying from actual teacher-taped instruction. All technology is
networked and internet-accessible.

John Glenn Elementary is a professional learning community and bases all
of its academic efforts on PLC's three tenets: (1) What do we want
students to know? (2) How will we know when they know it? and (3) What
will we do if they do not know it? In the past four years, we have put
extra efforts and resources into finding the time and structure to
provide adequate collaborative planning opportunities for teachers and
staff to meet as teams to answer these questions and take part in
meta-analysis of their craft on a regular basis. Resultant instruction
is based on best practice for the needs of our students and is driven by
our well-formulated and aligned standards and benchmarks. Regular and
coordinated professional development based on district and site-based
goals and a monthly building 'focus topic' across grade levels play a
large role in coordinating instructional initiatives, focusing staff on
the essential elements necessary for student success and ensuring
fidelity in the implementation of these efforts.

Along with these efforts, the small size of our classes and school
allows us to do many cross-curricular enrichment activities beyond the
core curriculum. Each year, we close the doors of the school and take
the entire staff and student body off-site. On a rotating basis, we
experience a science-based "Ecology Day" highlighting outdoor education
at the Wapsi Environmental Center or a history-based "Heritage Day"
highlighting turn-of-the-century living at Pioneer Village.
Additionally, every grade level is assigned one particular area or bed
around the school grounds and uses its design and landscaping as a
hands-on educational experience in the life-cycle portion of their
science curriculum. As a final project in their study of ancient Egypt,
sixth graders create their own mosaic tiles, and complete interest-based
projects that are then displayed in a museum format complete with
'tickets', docents, and interactive exhibits

2a. **Reading:** We believe that reading is the key to all other
academic and future success. Our job as elementary specialists is to
provide a solid foundation in reading from which students will be able
to build all other academic skills to their fullest potential.
Therefore, we believe that a comprehensive reading program must provide
instruction in vocabulary, phonemic awareness, comprehension, phonics
and fluency...the basics of the first stage of reading, "learning to
read". This stage is particularly important at the primary levels where
we incorporate Vigotskyan theory, phonics and Tucker signing which
incorporates a picture and motor skill element to the letter/sound
recognition skill. Working to address the multiple intelligences of our
students, reading instruction includes guided reading, working with
words and shared reading. Data from diagnostic assessments is used to
create flexible groupings for instruction. The use of the six
'"Strategies That Work" (Gouldvis and Harvey) are used across all grade
levels at John Glenn.

While "learning to read" continues throughout all six grades at John
Glenn, the second stage of reading, "reading to learn", usually begins
in the middle grades. Again, diagnostic and common assessments are used
to develop flexible guided reading groups with the addition of
literature circles and novel studies. Fluency and vocabulary development
become additional areas of emphasis in order to provide students with
the skills necessary to use their reading in other curricular areas such
as social studies and science. Using "think aloud-talk aloud" strategies
are important at this stage.

Finally, stage three, "loving to read", is accomplished at John Glenn
through many activities: twice yearly book fairs, a library helpers
club, a guest reader program from the local Rotary Club, a summer
readers incentive program/celebration and many classroom and/or
building-wide reading incentives such as "Book It" and "Read Across
America". A student favorite at John Glenn is called "Stop, Drop, and
Read" where EVERYONE---custodians included!---carry personal reading
material and, at the sounded alert, stop wherever they are for five
minutes and read for their own enjoyment.

**3. Additional Curriculum Area (Language Arts):** While it is hard to
separate out the teaching of language arts from the teaching of reading,
there *are* several specific components to the language arts portion of
the John Glenn literacy program that deserve specific delineation. Along
with guided reading, working with words and shared reading, writing is
one of the four main blocks in a comprehensive literacy experience. It
would be safe to say that very few reading activities at John Glenn take
place without accompanying writing opportunities. Daily journaling
begins in kindergarten (!) with pictures that grow into 'sentences' of
lines for words with only beginning and ending sounds and eventually end
the year as full-fledged short paragraphs and "play plans".

All students write, edit and illustrate at least one book per year for
formal publication in our Writing Center, where parent volunteers make
'hard' covers and bind the final product. This level of publication is
motivational for creativity but also for providing a purpose for
practicing grammatical editing and computer keyboarding and word
processing skills. Other activities such as visiting artists and field
trips provide motivational purposeful opportunities for relevant writing
experiences.

In 2004, John Glenn staff began training in and implementing the "6+1
Writing Traits". Use of this instructional strategy and common language
across grade levels has shown great improvement. For years the North
Scott District has had in place a holistic writing sample process in
which students take a writing sample twice a year---beginning and
end---and compare skill growth (self, teacher, and parent). Since the
use of 6+1, anecdotal comments from all three of these stakeholder
groups have shown positive growth.

**4. Instructional Methods:** The educational staff at John Glenn
Elementary, emphasizing best practice, uses a variety of instructional
methods to address the individual learning styles of its students.
Through the intentional use of [Differentiated Instruction]{.underline}
(Tomlinson), special care is taken to design a multitude of ways to
reach each child's individual preferences, learning styles, and academic
needs. Specific instructional initiatives at John Glenn Elementary
include the following:

All instructional staff have received training in [Guided
Reading]{.underline} (Fountas & Pinnel), our building's modality for
instructional delivery of reading. As this method has become routine in
the classrooms, teachers have expanded the format to include shared
reading, working with words, literature circles, novel studies and work
stations. Our building uses no reading textbook series, but instead uses
a well-stocked 'book room' of sets of specifically selected trade books
from which teachers select topic, skill, genre and ability level for
individual and small group instruction. An extended study of [Strategies
That Work]{.underline} (Harvey & Goudvis) has provided internal
structure for teaching within these groupings by addressing the key
components of making connections, questioning, inferring, visualizing,
determining importance and synthesizing. Believing strongly that reading
and writing go hand in hand, we extended our building studies to include
[6+1 Writing Traits]{.underline} (Culham). This is a framework that
provides a shared vision and vocabulary for describing/teaching the
*qualities* of writing: ideas, organization, voice, word choice,
sentence fluency, conventions, and presentation. This instructional
method focuses on classroom discussion surrounding the rating of writing
samples for each trait and then examining how the trait can be
skillfully integrated ("synthesized") into purposeful writing

With the strong emphasis that we have placed on literacy skills, data
began to show us that math instruction was beginning to suffer in our
quest for reading excellence. Therefore, last year we wrote and received
an \$8500 grant entitled [Math Manipulatives for Instruction and
Assessment]{.underline}. Key areas we addressed and are monitoring for
success are conceptual application, authentic assessment, immediate
remediation, modeling, and knowledge/skill connections.

Other instructional methods used at John Glenn include: technology
integration, character development, drill and practice,
extension/enrichment, remediation, field trips, assemblies, fine arts
performances & exhibits, parent/community involvement.....all pieces of
the puzzle we call *"whatever it takes".*

5\. **Professional Development:** Through the use of the Iowa
Professional Development Model North Scott Community Schools makes it
their goal to use professional development for the specific purpose of
raising student achievement. Our district develops goals each year and
each building determines its own goals to support the district goals and
the special needs of their own students.

Professional development at North Scott consists of 6 main structures:
(1) Nine Full-Day Inservices -- usually used for district presentations
and/or grade level collaborations; (2) Eight 2-hr. Late Starts -- used
for building goals and initiatives; (3) Weekly 1-hr. Staff meetings at
the building level; (4) Book Study groups; (5) Generous Professional
Leave opportunities to participate/attend best practice seminars,
workshops and conventions pertaining to currently approved topics; and
(6) For-Credit Courses offered in-district on topics of current
importance to district goals. John Glenn teachers and their
administrator often hold positions of leadership in these professional
discussions.

Gone are the days of using inservice time to put up new bulletin boards.
John Glenn teachers use this invaluable time to learn about their craft,
coach & support each other, evaluate student data and develop strategies
to best help students be successful. A common use of building-level
professional development time is looking at assessment data, identifying
problems or trends, and discussing ways to approach these areas of
concern for better student success. This has been an especially good use
of professional learning community collaborative planning time.

**PART VII -- Assessment Results**

Subject: **Reading** Grade: **3** Test: **Iowa Tests of Basic Skills**

Edition/Publication Year: **1993/2000** Publisher: **Riverside
Publishing Company**

  ----------------------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- -------------
                                **2005-06**   **2004-05**   **2003-04**   **2002-03**   **2001-02**

  **Testing Month**             November      November      November      November      November

  \% Students Meeting State     **79%**       **81%**       **88%**       **94%**       **74%**
  Standard for Proficiency                                                              
  (Intermediate +High =                                                                 
  Proficient)                                                                           

  \% of students scoring in     **21%**       **16%**       **37%**       **11%**       **17%**
  High range                                                                            

  Number of Students Tested     **43**        **37**        **43**        **36**        **42**

  \% of Students Tested         **100%**      **100%**      **100%**      **100%**      **100%**

  Number of students            **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**
  alternately assessed                                                                  

  Percent of students           **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**
  alternately assessed                                                                  

  **Note: Subgroups are not                                                             
  large enough to preserve                                                              
  student confidentiality if                                                            
  reported.**                                                                           
  ----------------------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- -------------

Subject: **Math** Grade: **3** Test: **Iowa Tests of Basic Skills**

Edition/Publication Year: **1993/2000** Publisher: **Riverside
Publishing Company**

  ----------------------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- -------------
                                **2005-06**   **2004-05**   **2003-04**   **2002-03**   **2001-02**

  **Testing Month**             November      November      November      November      November

  \% Students Meeting State     **79%**       **77%**       **86%**       **89%**       **66%**
  Standard for Proficiency                                                              
  (Intermediate +High =                                                                 
  Proficient)                                                                           

  \% of students scoring in     **26%**       **15%**       **40%**       **14%**       **20%**
  High range                                                                            

  Number of Students Tested     **43**        **34**        **43**        **36**        **41**

  \% of Students Tested         **100%**      **92%**       **100%**      **100%**      **98%**

  Number of students            **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**
  alternately assessed                                                                  

  Percent of students           **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**
  alternately assessed                                                                  

  **Note: Subgroups are not                                                             
  large enough to preserve                                                              
  student confidentiality f                                                             
  reported.**                                                                           
  ----------------------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- -------------

Subject: **Reading** Grade: **4** Test: **Iowa Tests of Basic Skills**

Edition/Publication Year: **1993/2000** Publisher: **Riverside
Publishing Company**

  ----------------------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- -------------
                                **2005-06**   **2004-05**   **2003-04**   **2002-03**   **2001-02**

  **Testing Month**             November      November      November      November      November

  \% Students Meeting State     **89%**       **91%**       **90%**       **90%**       **66%**
  Standard for Proficiency                                                              
  (Intermediate +High =                                                                 
  Proficient)                                                                           

  \% of students scoring in     **14%**       **16%**       **28%**       **36%**       **14%**
  High range                                                                            

  Number of Students Tested     **36**        **45**        **39**        **39**        **35**

  \% of Students Tested         **100%**      **100%**      **100%**      **100%**      **100%**

  Number of students            **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**
  alternately assessed                                                                  

  Percent of students           **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**
  alternately assessed                                                                  

  **Note: Subgroups are not                                                             
  large enough to preserve                                                              
  student confidentiality if                                                            
  reported.**                                                                           
  ----------------------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- -------------

Subject: **Math** Grade: **4** Test: **Iowa Tests of Basic Skills**

Edition/Publication Year: **1993/2000** Publisher: **Riverside
Publishing Company**

  ----------------------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- -------------
                                **2005-06**   **2004-05**   **2003-04**   **2002-03**   **2001-02**

  **Testing Month**             November      November      November      November      November

  \% Students Meeting State     **67%**       **84%**       **87%**       **87%**       **74%**
  Standard for Proficiency                                                              
  (Intermediate +High =                                                                 
  Proficient)                                                                           

  \% of students scoring in     **25%**       **27%**       **18%**       **36%**       **14%**
  High range                                                                            

  Number of Students Tested     **36**        **45**        **39**        **39**        **35**

  \% of Students Tested         **100%**      **100%**      **100%**      **100%**      **100%**

  Number of students            **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**
  alternately assessed                                                                  

  Percent of students           **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**
  alternately assessed                                                                  

  **Note: Subgroups are not                                                             
  large enough to preserve                                                              
  student confidentiality if                                                            
  reported.**                                                                           
  ----------------------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- -------------

Subject: **Reading** Grade: **5** Test: **Iowa Tests of Basic Skills**

Edition/Publication Year: **1993/2000** Publisher: **Riverside
Publishing Company**

  ----------------------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- -------------
                                **2005-06**   **2004-05**   **2003-04**   **2002-03**   **2001-02**

  **Testing Month**             November      November      November      November      November

  \% Students Meeting State     **91%**       **98%**       **90%**       **89%**       **92%**
  Standard for Proficiency                                                              
  (Intermediate +High =                                                                 
  Proficient)                                                                           

  \% of students scoring in     **19%**       **23%**       **31%**       **17%**       **16%**
  High range                                                                            

  Number of Students Tested     **46**        **43**        **38**        **35**        **38**

  \% of Students Tested         **100%**      **100%**      **97%**       **100%**      **100%**

  Number of students            **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**
  alternately assessed                                                                  

  Percent of students           **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**
  alternately assessed                                                                  

  **Note: Subgroups are not                                                             
  large enough to preserve                                                              
  student confidentiality if                                                            
  reported.**                                                                           
  ----------------------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- -------------

Subject: **Math** Grade: **5** Test: **Iowa Tests of Basic Skills**

Edition/Publication Year: **1993/2000** Publisher: **Riverside
Publishing Company**

  ----------------------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- -------------
                                **2005-06**   **2004-05**   **2003-04**   **2002-03**   **2001-02**

  **Testing Month**             November      November      November      November      November

  \% Students Meeting State     **70%**       **88%**       **79%**       **83%**       **74%**
  Standard for Proficiency                                                              
  (Intermediate +High =                                                                 
  Proficient)                                                                           

  \% of students scoring in     **31%**       **23%**       **18%**       **20%**       **11%**
  High range                                                                            

  Number of Students Tested     **46**        **43**        **39**        **35**        **38**

  \% of Students Tested         **100%**      **100%**      **100%**      **100%**      **100%**

  Number of students            **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**
  alternately assessed                                                                  

  Percent of students           **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**
  alternately assessed                                                                  

  **Note: Subgroups are not                                                             
  large enough to preserve                                                              
  student confidentiality if                                                            
  reported.**                                                                           
  ----------------------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- -------------

Subject: **Reading** Grade: **6** Test: **Iowa Tests of Basic Skills**

Edition/Publication Year: **1993/2000** Publisher: **Riverside
Publishing Company**

  ----------------------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- -------------
                                **2005-06**   **2004-05**   **2003-04**   **2002-03**   **2001-02**

  **Testing Month**             November      November      November      November      November

  \% Students Meeting State     **89%**       **88%**       **85%**       **74%**       **85%**
  Standard for Proficiency                                                              
  (Intermediate +High =                                                                 
  Proficient)                                                                           

  \% of students scoring in     **7%**        **24%**       **15%**       **19%**       **17%**
  High range                                                                            

  Number of Students Tested     **44**        **42**        **33**        **42**        **47**

  \% of Students Tested         **100%**      **100%**      **97%**       **100%**      **100%**

  Number of students            **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**
  alternately assessed                                                                  

  Percent of students           **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**
  alternately assessed                                                                  

  **Note: Subgroups are not                                                             
  large enough to preserve                                                              
  student confidentiality if                                                            
  reported.**                                                                           
  ----------------------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- -------------

Subject: **Math** Grade: **6** Test: **Iowa Tests of Basic Skills**

Edition/Publication Year: **1993/2000** Publisher: **Riverside
Publishing Company**

  ----------------------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- -------------
                                **2005-06**   **2004-05**   **2003-04**   **2002-03**   **2001-02**

  **Testing Month**             November      November      November      November      November

  \% Students Meeting State     **91%**       **79%**       **74%**       **88%**       **81%**
  Standard for Proficiency                                                              
  (Intermediate +High =                                                                 
  Proficient)                                                                           

  \% of students scoring in     **34%**       **22%**       **21%**       **17%**       **15%**
  High range                                                                            

  Number of Students Tested     **44**        **42**        **34**        **42**        **47**

  \% of Students Tested         **100%**      **100%**      **100%**      **100%**      **100%**

  Number of students            **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**
  alternately assessed                                                                  

  Percent of students           **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**         **0**
  alternately assessed                                                                  

  **Note: Subgroups are not                                                             
  large enough to preserve                                                              
  student confidentiality if                                                            
  reported.**                                                                           
  ----------------------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- -------------