Forrest City School District Mrs. Shirley Taylor, Principal 149 Water Street Forrest City, AR 72335 Document Generated On February 26, 2014
TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 1 Description of the School 2 School's Purpose 3 Notable Achievements and Areas of Improvement 4 Additional Information 5
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
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 in a historic section of Forrest City, Arkansas. Lincoln was the original home of Lincoln High School which consists of two large sections including a music room. Forrest City is located in the delta region of Arkansas and is surrounded by a largely farming community. The Forrest City School District consist of one pre-school, two elementary schools, one middle school, one junior high school, one high school, and alternative schools for K- 8 and 9-12. serves all fifth and sixth grade students in the Forrest City School District. In the 2011-12 school year the FCSD merged the two remaining elementary schools to form a K-2 and a 3-4 elementary school. Until this time Lincoln was the first opportunity for students to be in the same building. Lincoln has experienced declining enrollment in the past few years. The current enrollment is 419 students. There are 183 African American males, 3 Hispanic males, 36 Caucasian males, and 1 Asian. There are 173 African American females, 3 Hispanic females, and 20 Caucasian females. In addition, Lincoln qualifies under the United States Department of Agriculture Special Assistance Certification and Reimbursement Provisional 2 Alternative for every student to eat free lunches. The staff at Lincoln consists of 38 certified, 5 classified, and one grandmother volunteer. Administrative staff consists of one principal and one assistant principal. In the 2010-11 school year, Lincoln Middle School became, a district conversion public charter school. Accelerated turnaround efforts were needed to produce a greater and faster decline in the percentage of students at basic and below basic in literacy and math. Lincoln will use a school wide interdisciplinary approach for instruction in literacy, mathematics, and science. The goal is to produce high academic achievement in the school by using monthly curriculum modules, periodic assessments, frequent communication and involvement of parents, instructional leadership coaching, academic and conduct rewards, and a safe and orderly environment. Our school continually seeks ways to provide a quality education to all students that enter our doors. We desire that all of our students become productive citizens in our society. Page 2
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. 's purpose is to provide a quality education for all students. Vision: will become an ideal school. It will be known for its highly qualified teacher, friendly staff, and enthusiastic students. Achievement scores increase while discipline problems decrease. will strive to establish a partnership with parents and the community. Our outstanding administrators, faculty, and staff will be recognized for their great strides in a quality education. Mission: will use researched-based instructional strategies to provide opportunities for enrichment and accelerated achievement in literacy, mathematics, and science. We will strive to meet the needs of the whole child and maximize parental involvement and preparation for college by providing a safe environment where students can achieve proficiency in these academic areas. Page 3
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. In the last three years has endeavored to create an atmosphere of change. We have allowed for time whereby staff members can collaborate within subject areas to improve student achievement. Time has been allowed for each grade level to have a remediation and/or enrichment period. With the charter school we were awarded a $440,000 implementation grant. This one time grant provided for instructional materials to augment our science, math, and literacy curriculum. A waiver was obtained to service students for a five week period from Social Studies for additional teaching in reading instruction. A school wide literacy initiative was implemented to incorporate literacy into math, science, and other disciplines. High yield strategies are emphasized. This is the third year our school has utilized the two teacher design for our students. This has decreased travel in halls. Another change has been the implementation of morning assembly. This is the second year that all students and staff gather in our cafeteria to be greeted by the principal and a student announcer. The pledge to the flag and a school good behavior pledge are recited. The number of discipline incidents has decreased dramatically. This allows for increased time on task. Students are recognized for a Character Word of the Month, Student of the Week, Accelerated Reader goals, Science Lab, and contributing to our Box Top collection. Staff is awarded for Employee of the Month. Students have access to 3 computer labs and 90 laptop computers. Teachers have access to Smart Boards, Mobies, CPS units, Elmos. This year through Title I funding we will be able to purchase Ipads for teachers. For two years in a row teachers were asked to present at the National America's Choice conference. Our school has received 2nd place in Regional Quiz Bowl competition, and students have received many of the highest awards for participating in Gifted and Talented Project Fair. Our school has been awarded $500 form Exxon Mobil and the St. Francis Donor's Choice for use in the classrooms. With changes come challenges. Our student population has declined in the last three years. Industries have moved away from the area decreasing the number of employment opportunities to support a higher socioeconomic status. Our staff population has also decreased. Leaving staff are replaced for necessity purposes. In the past two years, our staff has attended CCSS professional development to provide a deeper and richer level of instruction. Our school is currently in school improvement and listed as a Focus School-Needs Improvement. Our achievement scores have decreased in the last two years. We have assessed the root cause to be the use of high yield teaching strategies. Job embedded professional development is being utilized within the building and from outside consultants. Our goal is to use interim measurable objectives to monitor instructional progress. We realize that using best practices consistently will provide enriching, engaging, and authentic instruction for our Targeted Achievement Gap Group (TAGG) and our non-tagg Group. Page 4
Additional Information Provide any additional information you would like to share with the public and community that were not prompted in the previous sections. has experienced changes. However, we continue to make changes to the curriculum that will promote student learning. We have formed a School Climate Team to maintain a positive school culture. Our School Leadership Team focuses on instructional objectives to maximize student learning. Renovations that were needed have taken place for the last three years at Lincoln. Facilities have been updated with lighting, heating and air, and new tiles. At least one computer is in each classroom for student use in addition to our labs. We take pride in shaping and molding the educational process for our students, parents, community, and staff. Page 5