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Lewis Carroll Elementary School

 

School Information

School Name:  Lewis Carroll Elementary School
School Address:  1 Skyline Blvd., Merritt Island, FL 32953
School Phone:    321-452-1234
School Fax:  321-452-1064
Principal:  Pennie Wade
Principal email:  wade.pennie@brevardschools.org

 

Demographics

Number of Students:  855
Number Eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch:  27.47%
Percent of Limited English Proficient:  1%
Percent of Special Education: 18.47%
Racial/Ethnic Percentages:
- White  81.5%
- Black  6.7%
- Hispanic  2.8%
- Asian/Pacific Island  3.4%
- Other  5.6%

 

Student Achievement Data:

Student Achievement Data: The data from the Florida Department of Education shows that Lewis Carroll Elementary is making significant progress towards the goal of students meeting high learning standards. Brevard Public Schools consistently scores above the state average in FCAT results, so we compared scores to the district averages. The trends show Lewis Carroll Elementary students score above the district average.

Percent of Students Passing Statewide Assessment (Lewis Carroll/Brevard Public Schools)


Grade 3
2002-03
(school/
district)
2003-04
(school/
district)
2004-05
(school/
district)
2005-06
(school/
district)
2006-07
(school/
district)
2007-08
(school/
district)
Math
85/74
86/75
91/78
92/80
90/81
94/83
Reading
84/75
83/75
87/78
90/81
85/78
91/81
Writing
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Science
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A

Grade 4
2002-03
(school/
district)
2003-04
(school/
district)
2004-05
(school/
district)
2005-06
(school/
district)
2006-07
(school/
district)
2007-08
(school/
district)
Math
77/72
83/79
72/72
89/78
73/77
81/79
Reading
82/72
88/79
78/81
78/76
82/78
85/80
Writing
78/55
74/72
75/78
81/79
80/81
66/79
Science
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A

Grade 5
2002-03
(school/
district)
2003-04
(school/
district)
2004-05
(school/
district)
2005-06
(school/
district)
2006-07
(school/
district)
2007-08
(school/
district)
Math
67/63
67/61
71/65
69/66
77/70
78/71
Reading
74/71
82/73
83/77
85/77
86/82
81/78
Writing
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Science
N/A
N/A
N/A
59/57
73/64
70/61

Grade 6
2002-03
(school/
district)
2003-04
(school/
district)
2004-05
(school/
district)
2005-06
(school/
district)
2006-07
(school/
district)
2007-08
(school/
district)
Math
80/67
70/67
74/69
81/70
72/68
82/74
Reading
84/72
83/77
79/74
87/78
77/78
82/80
Writing
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Science
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A

 

 

Please comment on any aspect of the data that you believe is particularly significant.

Within the first year of implementation PLC practices (2001-2002), student achievement measured by local, district, state, and national indicators began to rise. The data in the spreadsheet above depicts the scores of our students scoring 3, 4, and 5 on the Florida Comprehension Assessment Test (FCAT). These scores depict the percentage of students that are proficient in each of the academic areas shown. As you can see by the results of our FCAT testing these PLC practices have been very successful. We excel in comparison to the rest of the state and we continue to work to be better. Our motto at Lewis Carroll Elementary is “as good as we are-you can always get better” and we know that this goal can only be accomplished through staff development. We have a wealth of knowledge under our school roof. It is important to tap those resources first.

 

Please present additional information that indicates your efforts to build a professional learning community have had a positive impact on students and/or teachers.

In addition to our positive FCAT results, I believe having PLCs as a foundation for school improvement has empowered our teachers. They see one another sharing among peers and it gives them the confidence to share. For some it takes a little longer than others but over the years I have seen many additional leaders emerge from these PLC groups. It also establishes camaraderie and support. The teachers find that they are not the only one having the same academic concerns. This shared knowledge has a direct impact on student achievement.

Because of the increased levels of learning and uniqueness of learning strategies we have had visitors form around the country and as far away as Japan to observe. We have faculty members that share PLC strategies in District committees and also present at the national level.

 

Please elaborate strategies you have found to be effective in the following areas:

1. Monitoring student learning on a timely basis.

Each grade level team meets collaboratively for at least one hour during the instructional week. Grade level teams have common planning times and free lunch periods each day. These times give them ample opportunity to discuss student needs as first diagnosed through student data. Progress monitoring of student achievement is an ongoing and consistent process at Lewis Carroll Elementary. There are many assessments that are used for evaluation tools. Dibels testing assesses student fluency and as we know student fluency is closely correlated to reading success. The Dibels assessment is completed by all students in Kindergarten through sixth grade three times a year. The Scholastic Reading Inventory screens 2nd through 6th grade students’ comprehension skills three times each academic year. Along with these assessments there are three mandated assessments to evaluate students reading skills in grades Kindergarten through sixth. There are also required diagnostic tests in writing, math, science, and social studies to continually assess student progress across curriculum areas. Teachers use running records and create informal assessment tools to evaluate students’ academic progress. All these assessment are great for beginning base line data. During preplanning and at the beginning of the school year grade level teams look over the data and create SMART goals. These teams meet weekly to brainstorm curriculum strategies in areas such as fluency and comprehension. They also work to create learning strategies to meet student needs in math and science. They plan hands on activities that are fun, rigorous, and relevant. Grade level teams create formative assessments as they see students struggling with concepts and standards. They share assessment tools and adjust those tools as the students’ needs change. Grade level teams recreate mandatory district assessments so students can learn to mastery. Teachers observe and quiz students randomly. They work with students in skill groups. When mastery of skills occur grade level teams work together to create enrichment activities. Sometimes grade level teams break up into groups. Each teacher chooses a skill to teach. The children move to a teacher for a specific skill or enrichment activity.

2. Creating systems of intervention to provide students with additional time and support for learning.

Each grade level team works together to review and prioritize the standards that need to be taught. They create or review pacing guides for each curriculum area. These pacing guides are reviewed every couple of weeks to keep the team on track.

The grade level collaborative teams work together to create formative assessments to evaluate the students’ progress. They meet weekly to plan ways to address students’ needs or to create enrichment.

As needed teachers will create a rotation schedule where each teacher chooses a skill to teach and the students rotate to meet their needs. This is our “walk to intervention”.

Lewis Carroll Elementary is an inclusion school. An exception education teacher and an assistant moves throughout the grade level working with academically at risk students. Trained parent reading mentor volunteers also rotate throughout a designated grade level to support students.

3. Building teacher capacity to work as members of high performing collaborative teams that focus efforts on improved learning for all students.

At Lewis Carroll Elementary School each grade level team works collaboratively to focus on the students’ academic needs. Each team plans one day a week after school and they also have common planning and lunch times which allows for communication and sharing if they are so inclined.

During their after school collaboration time teachers review formative assessments as well as district mandated assessments to plan and set goals. The team looks at the ways they will use human and material resources to meet these goals. One of the most effective reasons that these collaborative teams work so well is that they are open to share strategies in a risk free environment. They respect each other and have established relationships. Another reason these teams work so well is that they commit together to help each other’s students meet or exceed the standards. Teachers will work with each other’s students in tutorials and work with another teacher’s entire class teaching reading skills. This way all the team’s teachers know all the team’s students.

Two initiatives drive the culture of Lewis Carroll Elementary School. First is ITI and the second is Dr. William Glasser Quality School training. Each initiative is based on a brain compatible learning environment which promotes self reflection and collaboration. All stakeholders need to work together to create a quality learning environment for students and staff.

Over fifteen years ago the staff at Lewis Carroll endeavored on the journey to initiate the research based Susan Kavolac Integrated Thematic Model (ITI). ITI incorporates many important best practices. One of the components is the importance of a brain compatible learning environment. Another component is a character education focus. The Lifelong Guidelines and LIFESKILLS are taught and modeled throughout the school community. A very important component is the curriculum aspect of this model. All learning is theme based. Standards are taught with quality rather than quantity of curriculum. Students make connections to more knowledge than what the Sunshine State Standards focuses. This initiative continues to be an on going staff development focus. Last summer Lewis Carroll sent all our beginning teachers to a week long model teaching week so we can continue this important initiative.

In 1998 a second initiative that became available in our school district was Quality School training from the Glasser Institute. As a school based decision we decided to embark on the Quality School journey. The Quality School was already embedded in our culture. This initiative would improve and take our school to the next level. Relationships are the key component of the Quality School. If students know you truly care he/she would care to learn. Students and teachers in a Quality School want to succeed because it feels good not for an intrinsic reward. Students and teachers are taught to continually self reflect to improve his/her situation. As a school community this was our belief. The training has added to an already caring culture. This initiative is another reason students want to be at school.

Both of these initiatives require a great deal of continuous modeling, collaboration, and staff development to be effective and much of the training is accomplished through PLCs.

 

List awards and recognitions your school has achieved

- Principal of the Year
2007 State Finalist
- Art Principal of the Year
In recognition of Outstanding Support of Visual Arts Education in 2006
- Award of Excellence
Lewis Carroll was recognized with the Award of Excellence by the Susan Kovalik Integrated Instructional Model for our Journey to Excellence in 2005.
- Quality School
Lewis Carroll Elementary was designated a Dr. William Glasser Quality School in 2005.
- Teacher of the Year Finalist
Lewis Carroll Elementary teacher selected as 2003 TOY finalist for Brevard County-Area III
- Non-profit Business Partner of the Year State Finalist
Lewis Carroll Elementary non-profit business partner (U.S. Navy Fleet Ballistic Missile Operational Test Support Unit Two) selected as a 2003 Florida Non-Profit Business Partner of the Year finalist
- Odyssey of the Mind
4th Place in the 2006 Florida State Competition
- Baton Twirling
1st Place in the 2003 Millennium Twirling Competition
- Future Problem Solvers
5th Place in the State 2006 5th Place in the State 2008
- Lego Robotics Team
1st Place 2003 Florida Sunshine State Tournament 2008 State Competition