Vision ELA Teachers Students Parents Administrators Links Abney Home  Blank Survey Tech Chairman  Survey Results 2007-08

Walter L. Abney Elementary 825 Kostmayer Slidell, Louisiana  70458 (985)-641-4044

Mission   Math Teachers Students Parents Administrators Science Teachers Students Parents Administrators

     The vision of Walter L. Abney Elementary School, is as it has always been, to improve, to improve academically, to increase parental, family involvement, and to prepare our students for a changing world.

     Abney Elementary will strive to develop life-long learners who are able to achieve and excel in a global society of continuing technological advancement by striving to invest in state of the art equipment and services, ensure teacher and staff development opportunities, provide for parent education, and continuously maintain and upgrade its instructional technology base. To this end, technology needs will be assessed yearly with provisions made to provide funding for equipment upgrades a minimum of every three years.

     It is with this vision in mind that we move toward our goals for the school. In striving to reach our goals we will address all stakeholders involved: teachers, administrators, students, family/community.

     Students will improve  proficiency in applying reasoning and problem solving skills to students’ reading and writing as they comprehend and respond to Literature (ELA standard 7).

     Teachers who aren't trained in Thinking Maps and/or Write From the Beginning will attend a 6 hour workshop on the rationale of Thinking Maps including strategies for implementing this process in the classroom using higher order thinking skills in context by making connections with real-life situations across a variety of ELA texts.  All faculty will participate in follow up WFTB with parish personnel to evaluate and troubleshoot implementation. The Literacy teacher will provide support through facilitation of biweekly WFSG activities, demonstration lessons, and classroom coaching.

       Teachers will be provided opportunities for instruction on use of the promethean board and flipchart design through weekly technology tune-up meetings provided by the Literacy teacher.

     Teachers will present lessons which teach students the processes needed to organize and respond to information in text using 1 of 8 thinking maps, as well as assist them in independently developing their own thinking maps. They will also help students make written response to text using the thinking maps which have been created by using the Write from the Beginning strategies. Motivation and student engagement will be maximized through a variety of tasks including use of related  Promethean Board flip charts.  Instructional delivery will be developmentally appropriate and focused on higher order thinking strategies through activities requiring  the application of knowledge in real life situations.

     Teachers will present students and parents with information,  practice, and websites that relate to study skills and resources needed to respond to information in text at home.

     Teachers and students will create concept maps related to their reading using a variety of computer activities such as the Thinking Maps software, Kidspiration and /or Inspiration, Promethean Board flipcharts and various Internet resources to supplement and augment classroom instruction, and to provide opportunities to connect student learning to real life situations.

      As a result of teacher implemented activities students will be stimulated and encouraged to use higher order thinking strategies in context including using comprehension strategies to sequence, predict, draw conclusions, compare and contrast, make inferences and determine main idea (ELA-7-E1); apply reasoning skills to life experience (ELA-7-E2), evaluate points of view and purpose (ELA-7-E3); distinguish fact/opinion, determine cause/effect/generate inquiry, and make connections with real-life situations (ELA-7-E4) across a variety of texts. Students will also regularly use technology resources to access and present information in class and at home.

     Using a thinking map implementation checklist, the administration will observe each class on the use of thinking maps strategies seen. Provisions will be made for teachers to attend training workshops in areas related to the school improvement plan as well as to upgrade technology related skills. The administration will also oversee  a technology committee who will present all stakeholders with a yearly survey to assess current technology related needs and will search for or provide funding for hardware and software updates a minimum of every three years.

     Students will improve their proficiency in applying reasoning and problem solving skills to their reading and writing as they comprehend and respond to literature (ELA Standard 7).

     K-5 students will create thinking maps both as part of group activities and independently, as well as participate in class activities involving the promethean software to demonstrate the ability to use higher order thinking skills in context by using comprehension strategies to sequence, predict, draw conclusions, compare and contrast, make inferences and determine main idea (ELA-7-E1); apply reasoning skills to life experience (ELA-7-E2); evaluate points of view and purpose (ELA-7-E3); distinguish fact/opinion, determine cause/effect, generate inquiry, and make connections with real life situations (ELA-7-E4) across a variety of texts. Students will also use the Thinking Maps they have created to provide written response to what was read (Write From the Beginning). At risk students will engage in direct tutoring through the LEAP, Title 1 & voyager programs as well as through Earobics & My Reading Coach after being identified by the DIBELS, LEAP & ILEAP assessments.

     Effectiveness of student participation will be reviewed at grade level and WFSG meetings where teachers will review selected student thinking maps pertaining to reading content material as well as student writing based on Thinking Maps using rubrics and or Wows and Wonders protocol to plan for future instruction, and to assess student comprehension and response to text as outlined in the performance tasks found in the Guaranteed Curriculum. Additional opportunities for evaluation and immediate feedback can be provided through the use of instructional flipcharts and active vote devices related to Promethean Board software.

     Using a thinking map implementation checklist, the administration will observe each class  and measure implementation through a checklist, on the use of thinking maps strategies seen. In addition updated resources for the classroom, which include technology related materials,  will be provided as they relate to the ELA subject area.  Using a thinking map implementation checklist, the administration will observe each class on the use of thinking map strategies seen.

     Access to a computer lab that will  serve an entire class of students will be made available within the school building. Thinking Maps software will be installed on these computers. Computers and equipment will be monitored by the tech coordinator and administrative support will be provided to obtain funding for upgraded materials, software, hardware, and printer ink. There will be a yearly assessment of needs  and available equipment on a yearly basis, with upgrades provided no less than every three years.

Goals for Parents and Community Outreach

     Family involvement activities will assist in the monitoring of student use of higher order thinking strategies in context including using comprehension strategies to sequence, predict, draw conclusions, compare and contrast, make inferences and determine main idea (ELA-7-E1); apply  reasoning skills to life experience (ELA-7-E2), evaluate points of view and purpose (ELA-7-E3); distinguish fact/opinion, determine cause/effect, generate inquiry, and make connections with real life situations (ELA-7-E4) across a variety of texts.
 Parents , business partners, or grants  will be sought out to provide volunteer time or funding for technology rich programs during or after school hours.

     Activities will be offered to parents that provide for response to text using Thinking Maps at Family Literacy night, and in the Title I  Parenting Center.  In grades K-5, homework activities will be sent home every other week which encourage higher order thinking.  They will be completed and then returned to school within a week.  The assignment will be designed to encourage parent/child interaction through an activity which requires higher order thinking with ELA texts.

     Parents will also receive the Home School Connection and the Reading Connection newsletters monthly.  Information will be provided to parents regarding the school’s improvement plan activities n the area of ELA at Open House, in the PTA newsletter, and on the school website.

     A special parent link will contain information and resources for parents to gauge their child’s developmental skills and grades, and provide resources and tools for research and  study skills, as well as sites for interactive practice.

     The community will be surveyed yearly to assess their needs with respect to technology as it relates to the success of their children. Provisions will be made to provide emails of school related information or bulletins to those parents wishing to be included in an online mailing list.

     Quarterly, teachers will assess student progress by monitoring success on the Guaranteed Curriculum’s performance tasks utilizing rubrics. Homework samples and the level  and quality of parental participation will be reviewed at Grade Group meetings to further plan for instruction. Parental input from Literacy Night evaluations will be reviewed by the administration within a week to determine perceptions of the activities.  Input from the Parent survey will be reviewed by Title I teachers.  Findings will be reported to the School Improvement Team quarterly.

     The principal will review input from the Literacy Night evaluation sheets with the week to determine the extent of parental participation. The Parenting Center use will be monitored by the administration quarterly. The principal will review ideas and suggestions from PTA to increase parent involvement and participation in school related functions as well as to provide ideas for ways to increase funding for updated ELA materials. The community will be surveyed yearly to assess their needs with respect to technology as it relates to the success of their children. Provisions will be made to provide emails of school related information or bulletins to those parents wishing to be included in an online mailing list.

Goals for Teachers

     Identified teachers who have not been trained in Every Day Counts will attend a one day workshop on implementing the strategies and content of Every Day counts using knowledge of the math content standards, with particular emphasis on those benchmarks outlined in the Expected Outcomes.  Materials for interactive bulletin boards will be purchased if needed.  Follow up with parish level staff will occur at the school. Additional opportunities, including WFSG, will be available to assist teachers.  Instruction will focus on delivering appropriate instruction using experiential, hands-on activity based learning experiences as found in Investigations and Every Day Counts with additional practice and interaction provided through the classroom use of the Promethean Board.

     K-5 teachers will present activity based lessons from Every Day counts and Investigations. The lessons will explicitly detail those content standards being addressed, with emphasis on the benchmarks listed in the Expected Impact below, and on constructed response questions, especially related to geometry and patterns, relations and functions. Lessons will be developmentally appropriate and focused on activity based learning which is experiential and hands on and which require students to apply knowledge of number and number relationships in real life situations.  Attention will be given to strategies for constructed response problems.
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     Teachers and students will solve math problems in a variety of contexts using the SF success.net programs which accompany the Scott Foresman Mathematics program and /or various math sites from the Internet to supplement and augment classroom instruction. Related Flip charts will be designed or accessed for interactive activities as they relate to the given objectives. These resources will emphasize using knowledge about number and number relations including comparing and ordering whole numbers, number operations, estimating, using fractions, and developing number sense to solve problems.  Applications or websites which require students to formulate constructed response answers will be especially sought out.

     As a result of teacher implemented activities students will use knowledge of numbers and number relationships in context, including constructing number meaning (N-1-E), estimating (N-2-E), comparing and ordering whole numbers (N-3-E)), understanding  and appropriately selecting basic number operations (N-4&5-E), applying basic math facts (N-6-E) using correct procedures to compute and estimate (n-7&8-E) across a variety of problem solving situations and real life applications (N-9-E). Students will demonstrate the ability to utilize number and number relation concepts as they relate to constructed response problems, especially in geometry and patterns, relations and functions (N-9-E).

     Using a math  implementation checklist for Every Day Counts, the administration will observe each class on the use of Every Day Counts and Investigations strategies seen. Feedback will be given regarding the components of the programs seen. Access to a computer lab that will  be able to serve an entire class of students will be made available within the school building. Computers and equipment will be monitored by the tech coordinator and administrative support will be provided to obtain funding for upgraded materials, software, hardware, and printer ink. There will be a yearly assessment of needs to and available equipment on a yearly basis, with upgrades provided no less than every three years.

Goals for Students

 Students will be able to use knowledge of numbers and number relationships in context including constructing number meaning (N-1-E), estimating (N-2-E) comparing and ordering whole numbers (N-3-E), understanding  and appropriately selecting basic number operations (N-4&5-E), applying basic math facts (N-6-E) using correct procedures to compute and estimate (n-7&8-E) across a variety of problem solving situations and real life applications (N-9-E). Students will demonstrate the ability to utilize number and number relation concepts as they relate to constructed response problems, especially in geometry and patterns, relations and functions (N-9-E).

     Students will solve problems as part of the Every Day Counts program in oral and/or written formats (as developmentally appropriate) and complete activities in Investigations to demonstrate the ability to use knowledge of numbers and number relationships in context including constructing number meaning, (N-1-E), estimating (N-2-E) comparing and ordering whole numbers (N-3-E), understanding  and appropriately selecting basic number operations (N-4&5-E), applying basic math facts (N-6-E) using correct procedures to compute and estimate (n-7&8-E) across a variety of problem solving situations and real life applications (N-9-E). Students will demonstrate the ability to utilize number and number relation concepts as they relate to constructed response problems, especially in geometry and patterns, relations and functions (N-9-E).

     At risk students will engage in direct tutoring through the LEAP and Title I programs after being identified by the LEAP and ILEAP assessments. After school tutoring programs will incorporate the use of websites and the Promethean board to provide opportunities and resources  for interaction with concepts .

     Grade level teachers will review oral responses during Every Day counts activities daily to plan for future instruction and to assess student application of knowledge of number and number relationships in their problem solving activities. They will also review student performance on Investigations activities using the rubrics and performance tasks in the Guaranteed Curriculum. Additional evaluation opportunities for immediate feedback of student progress can be provided through the use of the Active Vote devices of the Promethean board. Teachers will share the results at grade level meetings.

     Using a math  implementation checklist for Every Day Counts, the administration will observe each class on the use of Every Day Counts and Investigations strategies seen. Feedback will be given regarding the components of the programs seen. Access to a computer lab that will  be able to serve an entire class of students will be made available within the school building. Computers and equipment will be monitored by the tech coordinator and administrative support will be provided to obtain funding for upgraded materials, software, hardware, and printer ink. There will be a yearly assessment of needs to and available equipment on a yearly basis, with upgrades provided no less than every three years.    Attention will be given to student use of constructed response math problems and related technology applications within the class.

Goals for Parents and Community Outreach

     Activities will be offered to parents that provide opportunities for students to use their knowledge of number and number relationships in problem solving settings at Family Math Night, and in the Parenting center.  In grades K-5 homework activities will be sent home every other week which encourage higher order thinking.  They will be completed and then returned to school within a week.  The assignment will be designed to encorage parent/child interaction through an activity which requires knowledge of number and number relationships through activity based learning.

     Parents will also receive the Home School Connection newsletters monthly.  Information will be provided to parents regarding the school’s improvement plan activities n the area of Math at Open House, in the PTA newsletter, and on the school website.
     A special parent link will contain information and resources for parents to gauge their child’s developmental skills and grades, and provide resources and tools for research and  study skills, as well as sites for interactive practice.

     Quarterly, teachers will assess student progress by monitoring success on the Guaranteed Curriculum’s performance tasks utilizing rubrics. Homework samples and the level  and quality of parental participation will be reviewed at Grade Group meetings to further plan for instruction. Parental input from Math Night evaluations will be reviewed by the administration within a week to determine perceptions of the activities.  Input from the Parent survey will be reviewed by Title I teachers.  Findings will be reported to the School Improvement Team quarterly.

     The principal will review input from the Math Night evaluation sheets with the week to determine the extent of parental participation. The Parenting Center use will be monitored by the administration quarterly. The principal will review ideas and suggestions from PTA to increase parent involvement and participation in school related functions as well as to provide ideas for ways to increase funding for updated math materials. The community will be surveyed yearly to assess their needs with respect to technology as it relates to the success of their children. Provisions will be made to provide emails of school related information or bulletins to those parents wishing to be included in an online mailing list.

     Teachers identified as not having previous Thinking Maps Training will attend a 6 hour workshop on the rationale of Thinking Maps, including strategies for implementing this process in the classroom using higher order thinking skills in context by making connections with real life situations across a variety of science text. Materials will be purchased for implementation the program, and follow up, with parish level staff, will occur at the school.  Additional opportunities including work in Whole Faculty Study Groups, will be available to assist teachers.  WFSG activities will relate to Science standard 4 with emphasis on the benchmarks outlined in the Expected Impact.  Training will be provided and time given by the WFSG Literacy Teacher on the design of related Flip Charts, centers, and hands on materials, as well as sources which are grade level specific to the standards and benchmarks.

     Teachers will present lessons designed to teach the processes needed to organize information and personally respond to science materials using one of eight thinking maps, as well as assist students in developing the ability to create their  own Thinking Maps independently as they address the understandings and guiding questions found in the Louisiana comprehensive Science Curriculum Content.  These lesson will relate to Science standard 4 with emphasis on the benchmarks outlined  in the Expected Impact.

      Instructional delivery will be developmentally appropriate and focused on stimulating higher order thinking strategies through activities requiring the application of knowledge in real-life situations.  Teachers will use content appropriate Promethean flipcharts to actively involve students in acquiring information and review.   Websites which contain up-to-date information and opportunities for experimentation and questioning will be utilized to create student involvement in real life experiences as they relate to the science curriculum.

     As a result of teacher implemented activities, students will use higher order thinking strategies as they describe rocks, minerals and soil (ESS-E-A1,5-6) investigate weather and climate (ESS-E-A2), demonstrate an understanding of the water cycle (ESS-E-A3), investigate fossils (ESS-E-A7), describe objects in the sky and their relationships (ESS-E-B1,2), observe moon phases (ESS-E-B3), model changes caused by Earth’s rotation and revolution (ESS-E-B4), understand the Sun as a star (ESS-E-B5), and recognize the need for space exploration (ESS-E-B6), as they a make connections with real-life situations across a variety of science texts.

     The administration will review and respond to WFSG logs submitted at the end of each meeting. They will also monitor classroom implementation of strategies. Presenters will evaluate the need for added follow up based on evaluations. WSFG literacy teacher will present evidence of strategies presented to the teachers. Supplies and technology sources will be made available for program implementation. Time and substitutes will be provided for professional development time as needed. Access to a computer lab that will  be able to serve an entire class of students will be made available within the school building. Computers and equipment will be monitored by the tech coordinator and administrative support will be provided to obtain funding for upgraded materials, software, hardware, and printer ink. There will be a yearly assessment of needs to and available equipment on a yearly basis, with upgrades provided no less than every three years.

     Provisions will be made for the availability of software or programs that are science related such as United Streaming and Brain Pop. A subscription to Google Earth will be provided as funding becomes available. Computer software and hardware will be reviewed yearly and updated on a three year replacement plan with the intention of following or exceeding the Louisiana Technology goals to have 4 to 5 working computers in each classroom in addition to the teacher computer.  Special Education, gifted, and art classes are considered a part of this requirement.  The technology coordinator will chart man hours spent on technology support by the technology committee and the tech support personnel within the school to justify hiring full time support personnel. A technology coordinator will be provided for student and faculty assistance and training as need is indicated based on time required and indicated by the coordinators information. Until a full time coordinator is in place within  the school, the technology committee will be provided compensation in the form of time or money, for hours spent in consultation, grant writing, or education of the faculty.

Goals for Students

     As a result of teacher implemented activities, students will use higher order thinking strategies as they describe rocks, minerals and soil (ESS-E-A1,5-6) investigate weather and climate (ESS-E-A2), demonstrate an understanding of the water cycle (ESS-E-A3), investigate fossils (ESS-E-A7), describe objects in the sky and their relationships (ESS-E-B1,2), observe moon phases (ESS-E-B3), model changes caused by Earth’s rotation and revolution (ESS-E-B4), understand the Sun as a star (ESS-E-B5), and recognize the need for space exploration (ESS-E-B6), as they a make connections with real-life situations across a variety of science texts.

     K-5 students will create thinking maps independently and in group activities to demonstrate the ability to use higher order thinking skills in science contexts such as observing and describing rocks, miners and soil(ESS-E-A1,5-6) investigate weather and climate (ESS-E-A2), demonstrate an understanding of the water cycle (ESS-E-A3), investigate fossils (ESS-E-A7), describe objects in the sky and their relationships (ESS-E-B1,2), observe moon phases (ESS-E-B3), model changes caused by Earth’s rotation and revolution (ESS-E-B4), understand the Sun as a star (ESS-E-B5), and recognize the need for space exploration (ESS-E-B6). The application of reasoning skills to real life experiences and the understandings and guiding questions in the activities and assessment found in the Louisiana Comprehensive Curriculum will be emphasized.  After school tutoring for accelerated students will be provided.

     Students will use higher order thinking strategies as they describe rocks, minerals and soil (ESS-E-A1,5-6) investigate weather and climate (ESS-E-A2), demonstrate an understanding of the water cycle (ESS-E-A3), investigate fossils (ESS-E-A7), describe objects in the sky and their relationships (ESS-E-B1,2), observe moon phases (ESS-E-B3), model changes caused by Earth’s rotation and revolution (ESS-E-B4), understand the Sun as a star (ESS-E-B5), and recognize the need for space exploration (ESS-E-B6), as they a make connections with real-life situations across a variety of science texts.

     The administration will review classrooms or lesson plans  for evidence of student designed thinking maps as they relate to the standards and benchmarks discussed in the Expected Impact on students. Access to a computer lab that will  be able to serve an entire class of students will be made available within the school building. Computers and equipment will be monitored by the tech coordinator and administrative support will be provided to obtain funding for upgraded materials, software, hardware, and printer ink. There will be a yearly assessment of needs and equipment on a yearly basis, with upgrades provided no less than every three years.

     At grade level meetings and/or WFSG meetings, teachers will review, on a quarterly basis, selected student thinking maps pertaining to science content material through the use of rubrics and/or the Wows and Wonders protocol to plan for future instruction, and to assess science content standard material.

Goals for Parents and Community Outreach

     Activities will be offered to parents that provide for response to text using Thinking Maps at Family Ed night, and in the Title I  Parenting Center.  In grades K-5, information on the Parent Education website will be provided on thinking maps to encourage parent/child interaction through  activities which requires higher order thinking within Science. During Parent Ed night, training on the use of Thinking Maps as they relate to student study skills will be provided. A website for parent information will also be linked to the school website.

     Activities will be offered to parents that provide for response to science texts using Thinking Maps at Parent Education Night.  Information will be provided to parents regarding the school’s improvement plan activities in the area of Science at Open House, in the PTA newsletter, and on the school website. Parents will also receive the Home School Connection newsletter monthly.  Parents will be polled for resources for field trips, demonstrations, and resources for student learning opportunities within the community.

     Using rubrics, teachers will assess student progress by monitoring success on progress in the Louisiana Curriculum Standards. Homework samples and the level and quality of parental participation will be reviewed at Grade Group meetings to further plan for instruction. Parental input from Parent Ed Night evaluations will be reviewed by the administration within a week to determine perceptions of activities.

     At PTA meetings, the principal will request input from parents regarding resources and ideas for science related activities.  A sign up sheet or parent survey presented at the PTA meeting. The information will  be reviewed and presented to teachers as a reference source for possible field trips, speakers, or supplies. The community will be surveyed yearly to assess their needs with respect to technology as it relates to the success of their children. Provisions will be made to provide emails of school related information or bulletins to those parents wishing to be included in an online mailing list.

     Access to a computer lab that will  serve an entire class of students will be made available within the school building. Thinking Maps software will be installed on these computers. Computers and equipment will be monitored by the tech coordinator and administrative support will be provided to obtain funding for upgraded materials, software, hardware, and printer ink. There will be a yearly assessment of needs  and available equipment on a yearly basis, with upgrades provided no less than every three years.