Saturn Elementary School

 

School Information

School Name:  Saturn Elementary School
School Address:  880 Range Road, Cocoa, FL 32926
School Phone:    321-633-3535
School Fax:  321-633-3539
Principal:  Michael D. Miller
Principal email:  miller.michael@brevardschools.org

 

Demographics

Number of Students:  725
Number Eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch:  67%
Percent of Limited English Proficient:  2%
Percent of Special Education: 23%
Racial/Ethnic Percentages:
- White  57%
- Black  30%
- Hispanic  5%
- Asian/Pacific Island  1%
- Other  8%

 

Student Achievement Data:

Percent of Students Passing Statewide Assessment (School/State)

Grade 3-6	2004-05 (school/state)	2005-06 (school/state)	2006-07 (school/state)
Math	81/60	82/62	84/63
Reading	83/62	84/68	82/70
Writing	85/74	92/76	93/78
Science	N/A	N/A	65/42

Click here to see graphs of the data.

 

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

During the past nine years Saturn Elementary has raised the academic performance in reading from 48% to 82% and in math from 30% to 84% and writing 85% to 93%.

Our Exceptional Student Education students have raised their academic performance from 27% to 67% in reading and from 34% to 62% in math.

In light of Saturn’s socio-economic and demographic population, the academic success we’ve been able to achieve is substantial.

Saturn’s accomplishments have led to over 20 visits by other schools, state and district wide.

Saturn has been proud to share the effective practices in place in our inclusion classrooms and SuccessMaker labs.

 

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

Positive Impact on Teachers:

1. Vertical Leadership Teams have been created and meet regularly. These teams are comprised of a cross section of teachers across grade levels to focus on improving student performance in a specific discipline. Writing, Science, Reading, and Math leadership teams align the curriculum across the grade levels. Events specific to each subject are discussed and planned, and teachers can articulate ideas or concerns. Together, teachers formulate annual goals specific to each grade level to enhance academic success school wide. Leadership teams present mini-in-service professional development at faculty meetings to further promote our learning community. Saturn is moving effectively away from individualism and toward team oriented goals. Teaching practices and classroom instruction have dramatically changed. Teachers planning and collaborating with common goals together preparing meaningful lessons for all students have made an enormous difference. Precious time is spent wisely and students are actively engaged in learning as a result. Grade levels meet weekly on one of their planning times with administrators to discuss the progress of the students. Below grade level students are discussed. All teachers and administrators share ideas on how best to help the child. As a team, ideas are discussed to enhance learning for all students. Grade levels also meet on Thursday after school each week to plan as a group for the next week. This way all classes are aligned and working on the same standards. This helps the beginning teacher not feel so overwhelmed and also helps the veteran teacher gain new ideas to use in the classroom. School SMART Goals are established for each grade level that corresponds with our state standards.
   For example:
   2nd Grade – Students will participate in daily activities addressing the five components of reading each day. Students will be administered weekly and monthly tests to measure performance.
   4th Grade – Ninety percent of students will reach the February 2008 Success Maker reading goal of 5.9.
   6th Grade– Seventy percent of students will score 70% or higher in Reading as per Scott Foresman Unit Benchmark Tests
   
   
2. Professional development has also had a huge impact on Saturn’s academic success. Listed below are some of the training teachers have received:

   a. Book Study of Reading with Meaning to improve comprehension strategies for teachers in grades K-2.
   b. “Comprehension Toolkit” training for teachers in grades 3-6.
   c. Vocabulary training for teachers K-6 to learn strategies that improve student’s vocabulary.
   d. Glasser Quality School- 25th in Nation
   e. Instituted professional learning community with other schools to share effective practices.
   f. Technology training

3. We have 2 National Board Certified teachers who facilitate teacher training at our school and at the district level. Presently, we have four teachers seeking National Certification. Positive Impact on Students: 1. Differentiated instruction has been implemented on a school-wide basis. Students are finding success with small group instruction and computer labs that allow students to work on their own individual reading and math levels. 2. ESE students have excelled with the inclusion model and the ability to work on individual reading and math levels in the computer lab with Successmaker.

 

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

1. Monitoring student learning on a timely basis.

Saturn has the ability to monitor student learning on a daily basis in grades K-6. We set monthly reading and math goals and can monitor each student’s learning on a daily basis with SuccessMaker and the classroom. For example, a strand’s report is analyzed on a daily basis. After reading the report, the classroom teacher goes back and pulls small groups and works one on one with students to meet individual learning needs as necessary. This is a reflective process as the next day’s scores will either show improvement or areas that still need attention. Small groups are pulled during center time so students don’t miss out on any activity going on in the classroom. One hundred fifty computer work stations placed in six labs provide all students in grades one through six with the opportunity to work on reading and math, on their own level, five days a week. The teachers monitor, motivate, and encourage their students each day to reach the monthly goals set by Saturn teachers using SuccessMaker in order to attain the Level 3 FCAT target for reading and math. Students can see, on a daily basis the progress they are making in reading and in math. Teachers and students take ownership in the progress of each student. When the students see their scores on a daily basis and are shown how they can improve, they take ownership in their progress. Often students give up their recess time to go to the lab a second time during the day in order to reach the goals that are set by the program. Reports are created showing areas of difficulty and given to the teacher so that they may gear their classroom instruction to meet the student’s needs more effectively. A variety of recognition programs are developed by each classroom teacher to motivate their students daily as gains are made. These assessments are used throughout the year:

1. Success Maker Reading/Math computer program (daily and weekly reports)
2. Fast ForWord
3. Teacher Observation/Performance Assessments
4. DIBELS
5. FCAT: Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test
6. Scholastic Reading Inventory (3 times a year)
7. District Level Benchmark Assessments
8. Running Records/Error Pattern Analysis
9. Reading Counts

In addition to the above mentioned assessments Saturn’s grade levels, working as teams, have created Reading Logs to assess reading frequency, comprehension and vocabulary understanding. The Reading Logs are tweaked each grading period to include more dimensions as the class progresses in reading and reading vocabulary. Student participation assessments like the Reading Logs allow students to “own” their work and to self-assess as the teachers track them as well. Most of the grade level teams have also incorporated reading, writing and science journals that allow the teacher to monitor student progress daily and weekly, and to identify problems expeditiously. In math, the grade level teams are using “Mad Minute Math” with colorful charts posted all over the school, tracking student progress on various math concepts throughout the year. Other informal assessment occurs daily with teacher created word walls, interactive bulletin boards and competitive academic games. The end result from all these teacher/team created assessments is the ability to share what works well and the opportunity to modify the successful tools for other grade levels across the curriculum, fostering a sharing, collaborative effort school-wide.

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

SuccessMaker – computer program gives students daily practice on reading and math to reach their monthly goals, classroom teachers can determine which students would benefit from small group intervention on specific concepts.

Early Bird Lab – students can work on reading and math programs 30 minutes before school.

ASP – Academic Support Program is an after school program which meets twice a week for one hour of additional reading and math skills.

Immediate Intensive Intervention Groups (iii) – Students identified as below grade level receive additional reading instruction.

FCAT Blitz – The students attend Saturday mornings from 9 A.M.-Noon for the months of January, February and March to review material in a game format to help prepare for the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.

Inclusion/Co-Teaching Model – At Saturn there is a designated Exceptional Student Education (ESE) teacher per grade level. This teacher services all ESE students within that grade level. Each grade level’s ESE students are placed in regular classrooms depending on the need. Some students receive their services on a consult basis and need the least amount of support. Other students require a peer tutor to keep them organized and on task. Resource students receive their services within their homeroom or are pulled out for reinforcement. In the co-teach inclusion class, there are two teachers who share responsibility for planning and delivering instruction and assessments for all the students whether they are ESE or general education. During part of the day we also have paraprofessionals that work with small groups of students that need reinforcement. We have found that inclusive education teaches all children teamwork, and how to interrelate and function together with others of different abilities. They learn to value diversity, see the ability of others to contribute, and it gives children a sense of unity. Saturn has seen a marked increase in student self-confidence and academic progress as a result. One of our SLD female students scored a Level 1 (lowest) on our state test when she was in a third grade self contained class. The following year, after being in one of our inclusion classrooms, she scored a Level 3 in Reading! Another one of our male students went from a Level 1 to a perfect Level 5 (highest) in Reading after being in an inclusion classroom. There are many other students who have success stories of their own much like these whether they went from failing scores to passing or just making incredible gains in the curriculum. Formerly frustrated and confused students are now proud to walk into the classrooms knowing that they are valued as individuals and learners!

Below are also programs that we have implemented to provide students with additional support for learning:

1. Open access library before and after school for the student and their family to use.
2. Reading buddies
3. Trend Setters academic support in School Age Child Care
4. Rolling Readers
5. University of Central Florida summer practicum students
6. NASA Pre-Student Teacher Institute summer site

Title 1 Academic Specialist works directly with classroom teachers in grades one through six, daily and weekly on reading and math skills, closely monitoring the daily SuccessMaker scores, assessing the strengths and weaknesses making sure that students are mastering the skills at 70% or higher, on a daily basis. Curriculum adjustments are made based on the analysis of data. Teachers then meet with the principal weekly with SuccessMaker scores. These weekly meetings closely monitor EVERY student’s progress.

Reading Coach – The Reading Coach models research-based practices for teachers and provides intervention strategies to use in the classroom. She also supports the staff by providing on-going staff development.

1. Facilitate DIBELS and SRI testing for the school
2. Provide on-going assessment for Kindergarten students in DIBELS
3. Monitor student achievement in DIBELS and SRI
4. Provide diagnostic assessments for Level 1 and Level 2 students in order to identify weaknesses in the 5 areas of reading
5. Provide teachers with DIBELS and SRI reports that are put in their Reading Data binders for reflective application
6. Family nights in reading, math, science and writing to provide parents with tools to assist their students at home.

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

Saturn teachers meet on a weekly basis with grade level team members to collaborate plans and pacing for the week. Saturn teachers also meet monthly in curriculum leadership teams for the four core subjects of reading, math, science, and writing. These leadership teams, consisting of one teacher from each grade level K-6, meet to discuss and plan school wide professional development needs specific to their subject.

Saturn’s teachers also plan collaboratively to place effective and innovative strategies in all classrooms. Saturn has realized the benefits of using comprehensive data in making decisions for student achievement. Teachers disaggregated student FCAT test data. Teachers identified individual student’s levels, strengths and weaknesses, and set goals for improving student performance. Test scores have improved from 1999 to 2007. Saturn’s percent of students scoring a level three in reading have risen from 51% to 82%. Saturn’s percent of students scoring a level three in math have risen from 26% to 84%. Saturn’s percent of economically disadvantaged students scoring a level three in reading have risen from 54% in 2003, to 74% in 2007 and in math from 48% to 78%. ESE students scoring a level three or higher in reading have risen from 27% in 2003, to 67% and in math from 34% to 62%. A true change in a school as an educational institution ultimately involves a discernable fundamental shift in the culture of that school. Each individual member of the school community can accomplish this over time with a commitment to distributed accountability for student achievement. From Mr. Miller’s inaugural theme “Team Saturn” in the 1999-2000 school years it was evident that the foundation was being set to change the school climate by introducing this notion of collective responsibility. Despite a demarcation of job responsibilities, teachers have come to understand that many of the roles overlap in this shared accountability. We all became responsible for the learning, growth, and development of all students. Several essential beliefs were adopted. These core beliefs have helped to create a culture of high performance learning: that all students can learn to high standards, individual effort on the part of ALL members of the school’s community make a measurable difference in student learning, and each individual has the power to make a difference. Collaboration, planning, and working together, has led to improved learning and achievement. These recurring themes are reflected throughout daily school routines. What has emerged, and confirmed by the data, can be clearly seen as a significant change in the overall culture of our elementary school and community.

The following are tools/training implemented at Saturn:

1. Thinking Maps training on the use of concept mapping
2. Ed Line- used by teachers to keep families informed of student weekly progress
3. Grade Quick program to easily desegregate student progress by assignments and tests
4. 21st Century Classroom technology in every classroom: document cameras, LCD players, DVD technology, surround sound system, Internet capabilities

Florida School Grade as designated by the State of Florida

1. 1999 C
2. 2000 C
3. 2001 C
4. 2002 A 410 Points
5. 2003 B 438 Points
6. 2004 A 449 Points
7. 2005 A 440 Points
8. 2006 A 463 Points
9. 2007 A 624 Points

As you can see from the data, Saturn has made an uphill climb since the year 1999. The State of Florida grades schools on a scale from A-F. As noted above, Saturn was a C school for three years in a row. In 2002, we jumped from a C to an A. In 2003, we had enough points to earn A status, but there was a clause in the scoring guidelines that stated there could not be more than a ten point spread between the bottom 25% and the top performing students. In essence our high students, showed too much gain. Since then, the clause has been removed and we have continued to teach all of our students and maintain the school grade of A.

The data from the years 2002 to 2007, represent Saturn student scores in grades three through sixth in both Reading and Math compared to the State of Florida. Saturn’s consistent success belies the fact that our student population is extremely transient in nature. Also factored into the learning equation is the volatility of our exceptional education student population which can change weekly. The student that arrives at Saturn is immediately immersed in our academic curriculum and “brought up to speed” in all areas in a relatively short amount of time. The very fact that our success is consistent and has remained so throughout the past 6 years, illustrates the collaborative strategies of every grade level team to teach all students to achieve the highest possible goals irregardless of their previous schooling or disruptive home life.

 

List awards and recognitions your school has achieved

- 2007 Governors Sterling Award
- 25th School in the nation to receive Glasser Quality School
- Five Star School Award
- Gold Key Award
- Five Star Cafeteria Award
- Golden School Award
- Gold Key Award-School Age Child Care
- NAEYC accredited Pre-Kindergarten program
- Sterling Award Visitation School