##### *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 [Ms. Karla Davis]{.underline}

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

Official School Name [Greathouse/Shryock Traditional Elementary
School]{.underline}

(As it should appear in the official records)

School Mailing Address [2700 Browns
Lane]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

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

[Louisville]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_[Kentucky]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
[40220-1299]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

City State Zip Code+4 (9 digits total)

County [Jefferson]{.underline} State School Code Number
[275]{.underline}

Telephone [(502) 485-8259]{.underline} Fax [(502) 485-8768]{.underline}

Web site/URL [www.jefferson.k12.ky.us]{.underline} E-mail
[karla.davis@jefferson.kyschools.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. Stephen W. Daeschner, Ph.D.]{.underline}

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

District Name [Jefferson County]{.underline} Tel. [(502)
485-3252]{.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. Joseph L.
Hardesty]{.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)

**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 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: [87]{.underline} Elementary
schools

[22]{.underline} Middle schools

[0]{.underline} Junior high schools

[19]{.underline} High schools

[22]{.underline} Other

**[150]{.underline}** TOTAL

2\. District Per Pupil Expenditure: [\_\$10,824]{.underline}

Average State Per Pupil Expenditure: \$[9,252]{.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
>
> \[ X\] 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**       56        40                     **96**       **8**                             

  **1**       53        43                     **96**       **9**                             

  **2**       47        48                     **95**       **10**                            

  **3**       49        47                     **96**       **11**                            

  **4**       55        57                     **112**      **12**                            

  **5**       52        64                     **116**      **Other**                         

  **6**                                                                                       

                                    **TOTAL                                                   611
                                    STUDENTS                                                  
                                    IN THE                                                    
                                    APPLYING                                                  
                                    SCHOOL**                                                  
  ----------- --------- ----------- ---------- --------- -- ----------- --------- ----------- ---------

> ***\[Throughout the document, round numbers 1 or higher to the nearest
> whole number.***
>
> ***Use decimals to one place only if the number is below 1.\]***

6\. Racial/ethnic composition of [72]{.underline} % White

the school: [20]{.underline} % Black or African American

[1]{.underline} % Hispanic or Latino

[7]{.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:
[5%]{.underline}

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

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

  **(2)**                   Number of students who      26
                            transferred ***from*** the  
                            school after October 1      
                            until the end of the year   

  **(3)**                   Total of all transferred    33
                            students \[sum of rows (1)  
                            and (2)\]                   

  **(4)**                   Total number of students in 611
                            the school as of October 1  

  **(5)**                   Total transferred students  .054
                            in row (3) divided by total 
                            students in row (4)         

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

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

[0]{.underline} Total Number Limited English Proficient

Number of languages represented: [N/A]{.underline}

Specify languages:

9\. Students eligible for free/reduced-priced meals: [10%]{.underline}

Total number students who qualify: [63]{.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: [11%]{.underline}

[68]{.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.

[1]{.underline} Autism \_\_\_\_Orthopedic Impairment

\_\_\_\_ Deafness [17]{.underline} Other Health Impaired

\_\_\_\_Deaf-Blindness [2]{.underline} Specific Learning Disability

\_\_\_\_Emotional Disturbance [50]{.underline} Speech or Language
Impairment

\_\_\_\_Hearing Impairment \_\_\_\_Traumatic Brain Injury

> \_\_\_\_Mental Retardation \_\_\_\_Visual Impairment Including
> Blindness
>
> \_\_\_\_Multiple Disabilities

\*This totals to 70 instead of 68 because 2 of the Other Health Impaired
also receive speech services.

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

    **Number of Staff**

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

Administrator(s) [2]{.underline} \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Classroom teachers [24]{.underline} \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Special resource teachers/specialists [7]{.underline} [5]{.underline}

Paraprofessionals \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

> Support staff [20]{.underline} [1]{.underline}
>
> Total number [53]{.underline} [6]{.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 [25:1]{.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%         98%         98%         97%         98%

  Daily teacher attendance   95%         93%         95%         94%         92%

  Teacher turnover rate\*    9%          9%          12%         9%          9%

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

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

\*All teacher turnovers are due to retirements except for one in
2004-2005.

**[PART III ‑ SUMMARY]{.underline}**

Greathouse/Shryock Traditional Elementary School in Louisville, Kentucky
has a strong history of academic excellence and success. Six locations
served as sites from the years 1877 to the present as larger facilities
were built to accommodate continuous growth in population and
enrollment. Our school was named after the Greathouse family who was
prominent in the early history of our community. The move to our present
location on Browns Lane in 1980 included merging with Gideon Shryock
Elementary, named for an acclaimed Kentucky architect. This final change
in location and name coincided with the Jefferson County Board of
Education's decision to diversify educational opportunities in our
community by creating optional programs. The traditional program was
created to provide a structured climate for learning with an emphasis on
patriotism and moral values.

Greathouse/Shryock Traditional Elementary School is committed to
providing a traditional learning environment where each student is
responsible for his or her own social, academic, and physical well-being
in order to become a contributing member of our diverse society. The
Traditional Program stresses basic skills in a highly organized
environment. Our program has stringent academic standards and high
expectations for students. There are defined discipline and dress codes
as well as nightly homework. We encourage meaningful parent involvement
and provide frequent communication to parents to strengthen continuity
between home and school. Our children achieve at high levels because
there is a partnership agreement between the school, student, and
parent.

Our 611 students in kindergarten through fifth grade represent a diverse
population that comes from suburban and urban communities and reflects
all socioeconomic levels. Parent satisfaction is evidenced through
comprehensive school surveys and by the large number of students that
apply for the random lottery admission to our program each year. With
over 2,000 members, our PTA membership is the district's largest one for
elementary schools. PTA members logged in more than 2,200 volunteer
hours last school year in an effort to provide quality programs and
services for our students.

We believe that a caring, knowledgeable staff is instrumental for
student success. Our experienced teachers closely follow the Kentucky
Core Content for Assessment and JCPS performance standards and
curriculum guides to provide a rigorous instructional program. While
instruction is primarily textbook based, there are opportunities for
creative projects and hands-on experiments. Our instruction focuses on
the higher levels of Bloom's taxonomy. Staff members have high
expectations for all students. Analysis of student work and frequent,
core content assessments enable staff members to identify students who
have not mastered identified concepts. An Extended School Services
program, along with small group tutoring sessions, provides additional
instruction for struggling students. Parent and community members
volunteer weekly as reading mentors through the Every1Reads program.
These collaborative efforts have enabled us to make steady academic
gains to an overall index of 105.9 while also significantly reducing, if
not eliminating, achievement gaps.

Greathouse/Shryock offers an extensive list of extracurricular
activities and co-curricular programs including an academic team
(comprised of assessment, problem solving, and quick recall teams), art
club, basketball, cheerleading, chess, chorus, conservation (Fish &
Wildlife), cross country, dance club, DARE (Drug and Alcohol Resistance
Education), GSTV newscast, safety patrol, scouting, soccer, walking
club, and 4-H Clubs. These programs enable students to follow their
interests and further develop their individual talents. Our school is
involved in our community through the American Junior Red Cross,
cultural arts assembly programs, Crusade for Children, Dare to Care Food
Drive, Fund for the Arts, Health Promotion School of Excellence, Jump
Rope for Heart, Junior Achievement, Metro United Way, and United Negro
College Fund. We also serve as a host site for the YMCA Childcare
Enrichment Program which offers before and after-school childcare in an
effort to meet the needs of working parents.

Our school continues to fill a need in our community while providing a
top quality education. Our test scores are the highest elementary scores
in our district and among the top in our state. We are a school with a
proud past, but always with an eye toward the future in an effort to
move from good to great.

**[PART IV -- INDICATORS OF ACADEMIC SUCCESS]{.underline}**

1.  **Assessment Results:**

The Commonwealth of Kentucky uses the Commonwealth Accountability
Testing System (CATS) as its state-mandated assessment. CATS is
administered during a two week window each spring with test results
available within five to six months. This assessment consists of the
Kentucky Core Content Test (KCCT), the Comprehensive Test of Basic
Skills (CTBS), and non-academic indicators including attendance and
retention. Every two years schools that have met or exceeded their goals
are classified as progressing. Schools falling below their assistance
point receive a scholastic audit and may be eligible for assistance by
highly skilled educators to continue progress toward the state goal of
proficiency. Greathouse/Shryock has exceeded state goals three out of
the past four bienniums. The first biennium goal was only missed by one

tenth of a point.

Third grade students are assessed using the CTBS in language arts and
math. The CTBS is a multiple choice assessment designed to assess basic
skills. It comprises 5% of our school's accountability index. Fourth and
fifth grade KCCT assessments are a mixture of multiple choice, open
response and portfolio assessments designed to assess student mastery of
the Kentucky Core Content for Assessment, as well as higher order
thinking and communication skills. Fourth graders are assessed in the
areas of reading, science, portfolio writing, and practical living, and
fifth grade students are assessed in arts & humanities, math, social
studies, and on-demand writing. Kentucky's goal is for all students to
reach a proficiency index of 100 on a 140 point scale by the year 2014.
The KCCT allows students to score one level above proficient into the
distinguished level. There are also two categories below proficient: the
novice and apprentice levels. According to the 2006 KCCT,
Greathouse/Shryock has an academic index of 105.3 in comparison to the
district index of 81.3 and the state index of 83.8. Testing results can
be found at [www.kentuckyschools.org](http://www.kentuckyschools.org/).

The KCCT for reading in 2006 demonstrated that our school is currently
scoring 101.9, with the goal of 100 by the year 2014. In reading, 91% of
all students scored proficient or distinguished. Test data indicates 83%
of Exceptional Child Education (ECE), 78% of African American students,
and 74% of students receiving free/reduced lunch scored proficient or
above. Our data shows a 4% increase in proficiency for free/reduced
lunch students between 2005 and 2006. Since 2002-2003, the achievement
gap between African American and other students has decreased by 8
points. We currently have less than 1% of all students scoring at the
lowest level (novice) and over 90% scoring at the proficient level or
above.

In mathematics our school is currently scoring 113.9 with the goal of
100 by the year 2014. We have 92% of our students scoring proficient or
above. From 2002 to 2006, we made a 25 point gain in mathematics. There
was a reduction in the African American achievement gap from 25 points
in 2002 to a -2 point gap in 2006, therefore completely eliminating the
gap. The groups of students with disabilities and free/reduced lunch at
Greathouse/Shryock were too small to calculate a score (below 10
students). However, we currently have no students scoring novice, the
lowest level, and almost half of our students scoring above the state
standard at the distinguished level. Greathouse/Shryock ranks 17th in
the state of Kentucky for highest 5^th^ grade math scores.

2.  **Using Assessment Results**:

Staff members receive a copy of the Kentucky Performance Report (KPR).
Individual student reports are given to accountability grade level
teachers. Staff members analyze assessment data by content area looking
for trends, achievement gaps, and patterns. The Kentucky Performance
Report is reviewed in both horizontal and vertical teams. Team reports
are posted on chart paper and shared with staff members during faculty
meetings. Staff members discuss and share their areas of strength, make
recommendations for professional development based on assessment data
and identified staff needs, and plan changes in instruction and/or
curriculum. This information is used to develop our Comprehensive School
Improvement Plan, which drives instruction and professional development.
Greathouse/Shryock also relies on formal and informal assessments
throughout the school year. These assessments consist of open response
and multiple choice items. Student results are analyzed and
disaggregated and the knowledge gained from the analysis enables staff
members to adjust their instruction in order to meet student needs.
Staff members in ALL grade levels are responsible and accountable for
student achievement and take part in this process.

Students entering kindergarten are given a brief assessment individually
in the Spring before they enter our school. Basic skills selected from
the Kentucky Early Learner Profile identify areas for growth. This
assessment provides parents with information about our expectations for
kindergarten entry level students while also helping staff members
create heterogeneous, balanced classrooms.

3.  **Communicating Assessment Results:**

Our parents attend orientation sessions at the beginning of each school
year. Teachers use this time to discuss academic expectations and to
introduce our assessment system. Frequent communication between the home
and school is a hallmark of the traditional program. Student progress is
reported to parents each six weeks in the form of a district report
card. The district also sets aside two parent teacher conference days so
that teachers can give parents an in-depth explanation of individual
student progress in a one-on-one setting. In addition, Greathouse sends
home a weekly report to parents each Monday to communicate work/study
habits and behavior grades. Other forms of on-going communication
include: daily agendas, Monday folders, classroom newsletters, school
newsletters, staff newsletters, email, school websites, telephone calls,
notes to parents, and displays of proficient student work throughout our
classrooms and hallways.

Formal CATS assessment results are routinely shared with students,
parents, and the community through PTA meetings, School Based Decision
Making Council meetings, the school marquee, the school newsletter,
school and Kentucky Department of Education websites, the local
newspaper, and on our School Report Card. Individual student reports are
sent via US mail to parents. We also host a parent workshop each fall on
increasing student achievement. Assessment and achievement gap data are
reviewed at the beginning of the workshop.

4.  **Sharing Success**:

Greathouse/Shryock continues to share successful strategies with other
professionals within and outside the district. The Kentucky Association
of School Councils (KASC) recently emailed and telephoned our principal
to inquire about our success. This organization distributes newsletters
and emails to School Based Decision Making Councils throughout Kentucky.
School success is shared informally each month by the principal at
school based administrative team meetings with other elementary school
principals. Teachers also share successful strategies each month during
their team meetings and by leading professional development sessions for
colleagues. Email communication has made it easy to quickly and
efficiently work with professionals outside our building. We share
success with our community by hosting an open house for prospective
parents each January. Trained staff members and PTA volunteers give
building tours, answer questions, and share our success with parents
from our community.

**[PART V -- CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION]{.underline}**

1.  **Curriculum:**

Greathouse/Shryock's curriculum is derived from Kentucky Core Content
for assessment and national standards. Teachers follow Jefferson County
pacing guides to ensure that all content is covered during the school
year. Student performance is closely monitored through continuous
assessments to ensure mastery of the curriculum. All students have
access to the core curriculum and are taught at high levels. They are
expected to achieve at high levels by producing proficient or
distinguished work. Developmentally appropriate instruction and real
world applications help students reach their goal of proficiency.

Language Arts- The elementary reading curriculum enables students to
effectively comprehend and understand how to use different types of
reading materials (literary, informational, persuasive, practical
workplace) and to read for a variety of purposes at a level of quantity
and difficulty appropriate for the grade level. Students learn to use
the writing process and criteria for effective writing to develop story
structures and language patterns through drawing, symbols, letters, and
words. Students develop a writing portfolio containing samples of each
genre of writing.

Mathematics- Instruction in math includes the study of concepts and
skills in number, computation, geometry, measurement, probability,
statistics, and algebra. A hands-on approach is used to introduce
concepts before moving to paper and pencil activities.

Science- Inquiry centered science instruction around life, physical, and
earth/space concepts nurtures and keeps the natural curiosity of
students alive. Students use the scientific method to make observations,
conduct investigations, use equipment, collect data, and communicate
their results.

Social Studies- Students are taught basic concepts from the five strands
of social studies: government and civics, history, geography, economics,
and culture/society. Students learn about their world by focusing on
school, families, neighborhoods, and communities. Grade four is a
geography based study of the regions of the United States, including an
in-depth study of Kentucky. Students in grade five are taught a
chronological history of the United States which includes a study of
America's government, economy, and culture.

Arts & Humanities- Instruction focuses on students creating, performing,
and responding to the art forms of Visual Art, Dance, Drama, and Music.
Students learn to appreciate and understand the purposes of arts in
different cultures.

Practical Living- Instruction focuses on concepts of health, physical
education, consumerism, and vocational studies. All students participate
in moderate to vigorous physical activity each week. Two physical best
tests are given to students annually, one at the beginning of the year
and one at the end of the year. We are a charter member of the Health
Promotions Schools of Excellence program. This program provides schools
with \$1,700 to promote good health practices to students, staff, and
parents. Our PTA provides \$1,000 which is matched by our school
district, giving our school \$3,700 for this endeavor.

Computer Skills- Areas of instruction include: operations and concepts,
word processing, database, spreadsheet, ethics and legal issues,
telecommunications, and keyboarding.

**2**. **Reading:**

We use the JCPS 5-Block Reading model to develop proficient readers
through word work, guided reading, self-selected reading, writing, and
community reading & conversation. Students receive instruction from a
literature based program by Houghton Mifflin, which provides instruction
in phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary development, fluency, and
comprehension. Higher level thinking skills of predicting, summarizing,
questioning, inferring, visualizing, analyzing, and synthesizing are
also addressed. These skills are taught using multiple genres with
fourth grade focusing on science related content and fifth grade
focusing on social studies related content. Leveled readers by Irene
Fountas are also included in this program so that students receive
reading instruction at their individual reading levels. Students also
read leveled books independently through a computerized reading
comprehension program, Accelerated Reader by Renaissance Learning. Our
PTA works closely with this program to reward students each month for
accumulated points. The DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early
Literacy Skills) assessment is given to kindergarten and first grade
students to monitor progress and drive instructional practices. The
Houghton Mifflin program includes an assessment system designed to track
student progress to ensure that each child is reading at or above grade
level. Our PTA supports our reading initiatives through the Rock and
Read program where a volunteer reads weekly to classrooms as well as
through the Every1Reads Program where students are provided one-on-one
reading support. Some intermediate classes have adopted kindergarten
reading buddies where students read together during the self selected
reading block.

3.  **Math:**

Mathematics instruction is based upon a comprehensive program of skills
and real world applications by Harcourt Brace. Instruction includes the
study of concepts and skills in number, computation, geometry,
measurement, probability, statistics, and algebra. Students receive at
least sixty minutes of math instruction daily. In early primary
classrooms math concepts are also integrated into calendar and circle
time activities. Late primary and intermediate classrooms include daily
math reviews on the overhead to begin math instruction each day. Quickly
reviewing concepts on a daily basis gives students the repetition needed
to fully understand the math core content. Mad minute drills are also
used in late primary and intermediate classrooms to help with speed and
accuracy of basic math facts. Harcourt Brace's program includes writing
about math, using manipulatives to solve problems, and extensive problem
solving. When students answer open response questions in math, they have
to understand the concept, not just how to get the answer. We also have
a mini computer lab set up for teachers to bring students to work on
math software which includes practice with basic facts and problem
solving.

4.  **Instructional Methods:**

Various research based methods of instruction are used at
Greathouse/Shryock. Instructional practices include: direct instruction,
guided practice, reviewing prior learning, reviewing assessment answers,
listening, monitoring, and assessment. Students are grouped in a variety
of ways for instruction (whole group instruction, small group
instruction, small group independent work, and individual independent
work). Robert Marzano's strategies of identifying similarities and
differences, note taking, summarizing, and use of graphic organizers are
used consistently in classrooms. Lessons are planned and modeled to
address different learning styles: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic.
Field trips are also used to enhance classroom instruction. These
out-of-classroom experiences greatly add to students' understanding of
ideas and concepts. Examples of trips include: Fort Harrod, Huber's
Farm, Junior Achievement Exchange City, Kentucky Center for the Arts,
Kentucky Folk Life Festival, Louisville Science Center, Louisville Zoo,
Safety City, Speed Art Museum, Stage One, and Swimming Lessons.

Teachers meet in horizontal and vertical teams to ensure consistency in
core content instruction between and among grade levels. Common planning
time is used to provide intentional, rigorous classroom instruction.
Continuous assessment is a critical part of our instructional process.
Teachers use data to determine and to adjust their instruction on a
daily basis. This ensures that students are progressing. Extended School
Services and small tutoring groups are used to reinforce concepts and to
provide additional instruction. Another powerful intervention tool used
at Greathouse/Shryock is our Student/Staff Support Team. This is a
collaborative problem solving team involving teachers and our counselor.
They meet to provide support and strategies to assist teachers in
helping all students reach proficiency. Classroom interventions include:
rewording directions, shortening assignments, providing extra time for
assignment completion, daily agenda checks, and one-on-one tutoring.

5.  **Professional Development**

Professional development at Greathouse/Shryock is long-term, focused,
research-based, job-embedded and data driven. It is directly tied to
student needs as determined by assessment data in order to improve
instruction. Our district provides a wide variety of district-based
professional development sessions. Teachers select professional
development sessions that increases their knowledge in specific,
identified content areas. Professional development is individualized
through the growth plan process. Teachers collaborate with the principal
to identify, select, and plan activities and strategies to grow in the
agreed upon area. Growth plans are written yearly and revised as
necessary. We also offer school-based professional development sessions
led by the principal, teacher leaders, and district support staff. These
sessions are planned as needed throughout the year and include book
studies, technology tutorials, and small group workshops. In addition,
common planning time within grade levels is used monthly for
job-embedded professional development. This time is used to review data,
to analyze work, and to discuss instructional strategies found in Robert
Marzano's *[Classroom Instruction That Works]{.underline}*. Professional
development also occurs weekly during faculty meetings. Staff members
share information, analyze student work, align curriculum, and reflect
on current practices.

**[PART VII -- ASSESSMENT RESULTS]{.underline}**

According to the 2006 Kentucky Core Content Test (KCCT),
Greathouse/Shryock scored 105.9. The goal is for all Kentucky schools to
reach a score of 100 by the year 2014. We have already met this goal in
the following content areas: Math, Practical Living, Reading, and Social
Studies. We currently have three content areas below the goal of 100:
Arts & Humanities (86), Science (98), and Writing (93). These content
areas continue to be areas of focus in our Comprehensive School
Improvement Plan.

Our data shows that we are consistently reducing the number of novice
students from 6.21% in 2000 to 5.69% in 2006. The following content
areas have no novice scores: math and social studies. Reading and
science both have less than 1% of students scoring at the novice level.
Our Comprehensive School Improvement Plan focuses on increasing the
percentages of students scoring at the proficient level or above. In
math, reading, and social studies over 90% of our students are
proficient or above.

Although our data shows few significant achievement gaps between
subgroups, we strive to close, if not eliminate, achievement gaps
completely. Our math data shows that we completely closed the gap
between African American and white students in 2006 by going from a 29
point gap in 2003 to a -2 point gap in 2006. This is credited to
continuous assessment and identification of students not mastering
concepts. Fifth grade math teachers provided small group instruction
before school to identified students. A parent workshop was also held to
involve parents in our improvement efforts. This data is evidence that
all students can achieve at high levels if exposed to a rigorous
curriculum and given the expectation and support needed to meet goals.
Our focus must now shift to eliminating achievement gaps in reading in
the same way we did for math. We currently have a 16 point gap between
African American and white students, a 20 point gap between free/reduced
lunch and white students, and a 20 point gap between exceptional child
education students and white students. Our Instructional Leadership Team
and Site Based Decision Making Council are already working on strategies
which will become part of our Comprehensive School Improvement Plan.

**Kentucky Core Content Tests (KCCT) 5^th^ Grade**

  ------------------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
  **Math**                             2005-2006   2004-2005   2003-2004   2002-2003   2001-2002

  **Greathouse Math Index**            114         102         106         89          91

  **District Math Index**              84          73          75          66          64

  **State Math Index**                 84          74          77          68          66

                                                                                       

  **Greathouse Data** Testing Month    April       April       April       April       April

  \% at or above the state standard    92          81          82          62          65
  (P/D)                                                                                

  \% above the state standard (D)\*    41          25          36          16          14

  Number of students tested            115         114         112         104         104

  Number of students alternatively     0           0           0           0           0
  assessed                                                                             

  Percent of students alternatively    0           0           0           0           0
  assessed                                                                             

                                                                                       

  **Subgroup Scores**                                                                  

  1\. African American                                                                 

  Number of students tested            18          26          19          25          28

  \% at or above the state standard    94          66          63          40          47
  (P/D)                                                                                

  \% above the state standard (D)\*    33          12          5           8           4

  2\. White Students                                                                   

  Number of students tested            93          81          86          78          75

  \% at or above the state standard    92          85          85          69          72
  (P/D)                                                                                

  \% above the state standard (D)\*    41          26          40          19          17

                                                                                       

  3\. Free/Reduced Lunch                                                               

  Number of students tested            8           7           6           11          9

  \% at or above the state standard    \*\*        \*\*        \*\*        45          \*\*
  (P/D)                                                                                

  \% above the state standard (D)\*    \*\*        \*\*        \*\*        0           \*\*

                                                                                       

  4\. Exceptional Child Education                                                      
  (ECE)                                                                                

  Number of students tested            5           10          10          12          9

  \% at or above the state standard    \*\*        50          80          25          \*\*
  (P/D)                                                                                

  \% above the state standard (D)\*    \*\*        30          40          8           \*\*
  ------------------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

**\*The Kentucky state standard is Proficiency (P). Students exceeding
the standard are considered Distinguished (D).**

**\*\*Scores were omitted because fewer than 10 students were tested.**

**Kentucky Core Content Tests (KCCT) 4^th^ Grade**

  ------------------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
  **Reading**                          2005-2006   2004-2005   2003-2004   2002-2003   2001-2002

  **Greathouse Reading Index**         102         102         100         100         100

  **District Reading Index**           85          83          83          78          77

  **State Reading Index**              89          87          87          83          82

                                                                                       

  **Greathouse Data** Testing Month    April       April       April       April       April

  \% at or above the state standard    91          91          88          86          88
  (P/D)                                                                                

  \% above the state standard (D)\*    14          14          11          11          13

  Number of students tested            108         110         110         101         100

  Number of students alternatively     0           0           0           0           0
  assessed                                                                             

  Percent of students alternatively    0           0           0           0           0
  assessed                                                                             

                                                                                       

  **Subgroup Scores**                                                                  

  1\. African American                                                                 

  Number of students tested            27          19          26          20          24

  \% at or above the state standard    78          84          69          65          83
  (P/D)                                                                                

  \% above the state standard (D)\*    4           5           4           5           5

  2\. White Students                                                                   

  Number of students tested            73          86          77          77          76

  \% at or above the state standard    94          93          94          91          90
  (P/D)                                                                                

  \% above the state standard (D)\*    15          13          12          10          16

                                                                                       

  3\. Free/Reduced Lunch                                                               

  Number of students tested            15          10          4           3           11

  \% at or above the state standard    74          70          \*\*        \*\*        82
  (P/D)                                                                                

  \% above the state standard (D)\*    7           0           \*\*        \*\*        9

                                                                                       

  4\. Exceptional Child Education                                                      
  (ECE)                                                                                

  Number of students tested            12          6           8           13          14

  \% at or above the state standard    83          \*\*        \*\*        62          71
  (P/D)                                                                                

  \% above the state standard (D)\*    8           \*\*        \*\*        8           7
  ------------------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

**\*The Kentucky state standard is Proficiency (P). Students exceeding
the standard are considered Distinguished (D).**

**\*\*Scores were omitted because fewer than 10 students were tested.**

**Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS) 3^rd^ Grade**

  ------------------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
  **Reading**                          2005-2006   2004-2005   2003-2004   2002-2003   2001-2002

                                                                                       

  **Greathouse Data** Testing Month    April       April       April       April       April

                                                                                       

  Total Score (National Percentile)    75          81          75          83          77

  Number of students tested            91          94          95          91          96

  Number of students alternatively     0           0           0           0           0
  assessed                                                                             

  Percent of students alternatively    0           0           0           0           0
  assessed                                                                             

                                                                                       

  **Subgroup Scores**                                                                  

  1\. African American (National       62          75          56          69          55
  Percentile)                                                                          

  Number of students tested            16          30          18          22          22

                                                                                       

  2\. White Students (National         77          83          79          88          81
  Percentile)                                                                          

  Number of students tested            71          59          74          62          72

                                                                                       

  3\. Free/Reduced Lunch (National     \*          68          51          \*          \*
  Percentile)                                                                          

  Number of students tested            0           10          10          5           5

                                                                                       

  4\. Exceptional Child Education      \*          \*          \*          \*          \*
  (ECE) (NP)                                                                           

  Number of students tested            0           9           9           9           6

                                                                                       

  **Math**                             2005-2006   2004-2005   2003-2004   2002-2003   2001-2002

                                                                                       

  **Greathouse Data** Testing Month    April       April       April       April       April

                                                                                       

  Total Score (National Percentile)    87          86          79          77          75

  Number of students tested            91          94          95          91          96

  Number of students alternatively     0           0           0           0           0
  assessed                                                                             

  Percent of students alternatively    0           0           0           0           0
  assessed                                                                             

                                                                                       

  **Subgroup Scores**                                                                  

  1\. African American (National       77          76          65          57          54
  Percentile)                                                                          

  Number of students tested            16          30          18          22          22

                                                                                       

  2\. White Students (National         88          89          83          83          79
  Percentile)                                                                          

  Number of students tested            71          59          74          62          72

                                                                                       

  3\. Free/Reduced Lunch (National     \*          73          63          \*          \*
  Percentile)                                                                          

  Number of students tested            0           10          10          5           5

                                                                                       

  4\. Exceptional Child Education      \*          \*          \*          \*          \*
  (ECE) (NP)                                                                           

  Number of students tested            0           9           9           9           6

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

**\*Scores were omitted because fewer than 10 students were tested.**