1858 Route 12 • Gales Ferry, Connecticut 06335 • (860) 464-7664 • Fax: (860) 464-5138
72-02
Strategic School Profile 2006 - 2007Elementary School K-3 Edition | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Gales Ferry School
This profile was produced by the CT State Department of Education in accordance with CT General Statutes 10-220(c).
SCHOOL NEED
STUDENT RACE/ETHNICITY
EFFORTS TO REDUCE RACIAL, ETHNIC, AND ECONOMIC ISOLATION Gales Ferry School administration and faculty provided many opportunities to students as we worked to reduce racial, ethnic and economic isolation. Most of our classroom teachers have been trained in Responsive Classroom and implemented components of this program in their classrooms. Morning meetings provided time for students to communicate and share with one another and with their teachers. Teachers and students had ongoing discussions about appreciating diversity and building a community of learners. Several teachers planned weekly social skills lessons on acceptance and tolerance with our school guidance counselor. Our second grade team continued their Festival of Lights program during December. At that time, they developed an awareness of the many holidays celebrated in countries around the world. A special luncheon with students to let them taste and experience foods from different cultures was a culminating activity for this unit. SCHOOL RESOURCES
*State law requires at least 900 hours for grades 1 through 12 and full-day kindergarten, and 450 hours for half-day kindergarten. TECHNOLOGY
This school does not have a functional satellite link. LIBRARY MATERIALS
*Because a certain number of volumes are needed for a library of adequate breadth and depth, a small school may need a higher number of volumes per student. STAFFING RESOURCES
SCHOOL PROCESSES
*Interdisciplinary Approach World Language - Formal instruction (at least 1 hour per week) in a world language is not offered in this school. In Connecticut , 3.2% of K-3 schools offer world language instruction.
HOME AND SCHOOL COMMUNICATION AND SUPPORT At Gales Ferry School a monthly newsletter noting upcoming events and activities is published by the school administration. From time to time articles detailing instructional initiatives are also included. Many teachers regularly share information about their instruction via classroom newsletters. During the 2007-2008 school year we will encourage parents to share their email addresses with us so we can employ another avenue of home-school communication. Each fall a Parent Information Night is conducted. During that program teachers share their instructional objectives and their classroom expectations. While formal parent teacher conferences are held each November, teachers schedule additional conferences throughout the year when the need arises. Parents participate on the school Wellness Team. Parents and community volunteers contribute many hours to our school programs. Our dedicated Parent Teacher Organization has been instrumental in providing enriching experiences for our students through cultural programs, field trips and hands-on science programs. STUDENT PERFORMANCE
Connecticut Mastery Test, Fourth Generation, % Meeting State Goal: The Goal level is more demanding than the state Proficient level, but not as high as the Advanced level, reported in the No Child Left Behind Report Cards.
These results reflect the performance of students with scoreable tests who were enrolled in the district at the time of testing, regardless of the length of time they were enrolled in the district. Results for fewer than 20 students are not represented. For more detailed CMT results, go to www.ctreports.com. To see the NCLB Report Card for this school, go to www.sde.ct.gov and click on "No Child Left Behind". EVIDENCE OF SUSTAINED IMPROVEMENTS IN STUDENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS School administrators visit classrooms on a regular basis. Student work is collected and reviewed with teachers at regularly scheduled grade level meetings. Faculty input is solicited in order to plan effective professional development. Both special education teachers spend time in the regular classrooms supporting their students. One special education teacher co-taught a first grade math class five afternoons a week during the 2006-2007 school year. During the 2007-2008 school year one teacher looped with her students to grade 2. Parents were given the option to participate in this classroom. All agreed to loop to grade 2 with this teacher. Since this classroom is also the inclusion classroom, a special education teacher will co-teach this class. Another first grade teacher agreed to loop with her students. This first grade teacher sent a letter of introduction and a description of the looping classroom to the parents of all kindergarten students. The class quickly reached its limit. Our low class sizes in first grade, our kindergarten and first grade academy programs and our first grade early literacy paraprofessionals contributed significantly to our literacy results. Our Kidwriting program has had a very positive effect on student writing. On the spring math assessment 95% of our second graders reached the proficient level or better while 93% scored at proficient or better on the spring Developmental Reading Assessment. In writing, 82% of our second graders obtained a score of 6 or better. A new K-2 science curriculum will be implemented during the 2007-2008 school year. Faculty representatives from various grade levels served on this curriculum committee and provided valuable input. SUPPLEMENTAL SCHOOL INFORMATION Gales Ferry School administration and faculty provided many opportunities to students as we worked to reduce racial, ethnic and economic isolation. Most of our classroom teachers have been trained in Responsive Classroom and implemented components of this program in their classrooms. Morning meetings provided time for students to communicate and share with one another and with their teachers. Teachers and students had ongoing discussions about appreciating diversity and building a community of learners. Several teachers planned weekly social skills lessons on acceptance and tolerance with our school guidance counselor. Our second grade team continued their Festival of Lights program during December. At that time, they developed an awareness of the many holidays celebrated in countries around the world. A special luncheon with students to let them taste and experience foods from different cultures was a culminating activity for this unit.
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