Executive Summary. Treasure Island Elementary School

Transcription

1 Miami-Dade County Public Schools Dr. Sherry Krubitch, Principal 7540 E Treasure Dr North Bay Village, FL Document Generated On March 7, 2014

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 1 Description of the School 2 School's Purpose 3 Notable Achievements and Areas of Improvement 4 Additional Information 5

3 Introduction Every school has its own story to tell. The context in which teaching and learning takes place influences the processes and procedures by which the school makes decisions around curriculum, instruction, and assessment. The context also impacts the way a school stays faithful to its vision. Many factors contribute to the overall narrative such as an identification of stakeholders, a description of stakeholder engagement, the trends and issues affecting the school, and the kinds of programs and services that a school implements to support student learning. <br><br> The purpose of the Executive Summary (ES) is to provide a school with an opportunity to describe in narrative form the strengths and challenges it encounters. By doing so, the public and members of the school community will have a more complete picture of how the school perceives itself and the process of self-reflection for continuous improvement. This summary is structured for the school to reflect on how it provides teaching and learning on a day to day basis. Page 1

4 Description of the School Describe the school's size, community/communities, location, and changes it has experienced in the last three years. Include demographic information about the students, staff, and community at large. What unique features and challenges are associated with the community/communities the school serves? is located on Treasure Island in the city of North Bay Village, Florida, which is nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the city of Miami. was built in 1955 on a 13 acre campus, and serves 663 students in the North Bay Village area, which has a population of approximately 7,400, and a section of Miami Beach (Normandy Isle). These communities consist of both a low socioeconomic population and a prominent middle class sector. Most Latin American countries are represented here, and a smaller percentage of students are of Caribbean, Asian or European descent. The school's student and community population is therefore linguistically and culturally diverse. Specifically, the ethnic distribution of our student population is 77.5% Hispanic, 11.5% White Non-Hispanic, 07.9% Black Non-Hispanic, and 03.1% Other. Our exceptional student population consists of approximately 10% of the enrollment, and our English Language Learner population consists of 35% of the enrollment. Most of our students reside in low to moderate income households where 60% of the parents do not speak English. The majority of our students live in rented apartments, including Section 8 housing, and many of the families receive other public assistance. Eighty-eight percent of our students are on free and reduced lunch, which entitles our school to receive federal Title I funding. The school consistently faces the challenge of a transient student population as families move about the South Florida community seeking more affordable housing options. The recent economic downturn has further impacted the community by forcing even more families to leave the area. employs 64 full time faculty and staff members. The ethnic distribution of the faculty and staff is 31% Black (20), 53% Hispanic (34), and 16% White (10). The school also has 13 part-time staff members. Eighty-seven percent of the instructional staff have more than six years of teaching experience, 37.5% hold graduate and post-graduate degrees, and six teachers are National Board Certified. During the school year, Treasure Island became an International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB-PYP) World School in the last three years. Page 2

5 School's Purpose Provide the school's purpose statement and ancillary content such as mission, vision, values, and/or beliefs. Describe how the school embodies its purpose through its program offerings and expectations for students. is an International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB-PYP) World School and, as such, seeks to develop our students to become internationally minded, independent, and healthy life-long learners. The mission of the school also includes creating a global community where teachers, students, staff, and families are actively engaged in encouraging one another to positively impact the world in unity and peace. Therefore, the school provides innovative opportunities for our students to engage in learning that is: 1) authentic and relevant to the real world, and 2) transdisciplinary, where the learning is not confined within the boundaries of traditional subject areas but is supported and enriched by them. In so doing, students are being molded to become inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people, and the foundation of the IB-PYP Programme fuels the school's vision to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. Student in all grades, from Pre-Kindergarten through fifth grade, study, investigate and communicate: who we are; where we are in place and time; how we express ourselves; how the world works; how we organize ourselves; and what is our responsibility to our community and world. Page 3

6 Notable Achievements and Areas of Improvement Describe the school's notable achievements and areas of improvement in the last three years. Additionally, describe areas for improvement that the school is striving to achieve in the next three years. 's most notable achievement within the last three years is its authorization as an International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme school. This prestigious designation uniquely positions the school to expertly develop students' intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills to prepare them to live, learn and work in a rapidly globalizing world. As an IB World School, Treasure Island Elementary is one of 3,674 schools in 146 countries that offer challenging and effective educational programs. Involvement in the IB program, which began with a three-year authorization process, has improved the quality of teaching by promoting the highest of standards and pedagogical leadership among the faculty. As part of the effort to provide our students with opportunities for growth and enrichment, our teachers involve their students in various community-based contests. Our students have consistently received top honors in these competitions, which are designed to encourage critical thinking, refine their communication skills, and hone their artistic talents. In addition to Treasure Island's academic focus, the school has received several health education grants totaling $8, during the past three years. Grants from the Healthy Schools Program, the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable program, and Communities Putting Prevention to Work have assisted us to promote health and wellness to our students and staff. In the next three years, the school strives to improve the number of students meeting high standards in reading, mathematics, writing and science. As an IB-PYP World School, we are committed to utilizing best practices to deliver innovative and engaging instruction to all students. Page 4

7 Additional Information Provide any additional information you would like to share with the public and community that were not prompted in the previous sections. Treasure Island Elementary students benefit daily from the effective use of technology. All classrooms are equipped with computers, and the school is further enhancing its delivery of instruction by incorporating the latest in interactive whiteboard technology. This affords our students state-of-the-art access to evidence-based, high level instructional technology resources. The school has six National Board Certified Teachers on staff. These professionals augment the experiences and skills of our total teaching staff and elevate the quality of teaching in our building. has developed an invaluable partnership with the city of North Bay Village and the North Bay Village Optimist Club. The support of the local government ensures that we are able to thrive as an IB-PYP World School by providing fiscal resources to implement effectively the program. The partnership with the North Bay Village Optimist Club affords our students the opportunities to enjoy various educational experiences beyond the school site and promotes collaboration among all stakeholders. Page 5