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Surfside Elementary School

 

School Information

School Name:  Surfside Elementary
School Address:  475 Cassia Blvd., Satellite Beach, FL 32937
School Phone:  (321) 773-2818
School Fax:  (321) 777-1841
Principal:  Susan Murray
Principal email:  murray.sue@brevardschools.org

 

Demographics

Number of Students:  411
Number Eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch:  16.99%
Percent of Limited English Proficient:  .24%
Percent of Special Education:  12.28%
Racial/Ethnic Percentages:

- White:  89.19%
- Black:  1%
- Hispanic:  4%
- Asian/Pacific Island:  .81%
- Other:  5%

 

Student Achievement Data:

Percentage of students meeting high standards on FCAT test for grade level 4-6.

Grade: 6
Math
Reading
Writing
Science
Promotion Rate
2005-06
89
90
N/A
N/A
100%
2006-07
85
95
N/A
N/A
100%
2007-08
91
95
N/A
N/A
100%

Grade: 5
Math
Reading
Writing
Science
Promotion Rate
2005-06
81
88
N/A
67
100%
2006-07
88
93
N/A
91
100%
2007-08
89
91
N/A
83
100%

Grade: 4
Math
Reading
Writing
Science
Promotion Rate
2005-06
93
93
86
N/A
100%
2006-07
94
100
98
N/A
100%
2007-08
95
92
77
N/A
100%

 

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

Surfside is considered to be a high performing school in a high performing district. FCAT scores range from Level 1 to Level 5 with 1 being the lowest. Each year Surfside, have had less than 10 Level 1 students in grades 3rd-6th in reading and mathematics. Due to the scores in 2006-07, Surfside Elementary was ranked 14th in the state of Florida. The school was ranked 8th in the state in science. Each year the scale scores for the school are significantly higher than the district and state average.

For 2007-08:

4th grade reading: 24 points higher than district 39 points higher than state
4th grade math: 26 points higher than district 40 points higher than state
5th grade reading: 22 points higher than district 37 points higher than state
5th grade math: 11 points higher than district 22 points higher than state
5th grade science: 20 points higher than district 44 points higher than state
6th grade reading: 24 points higher than district 47 points higher than state
6th grade math: 20 points higher than district 48 points higher than state

The school has received a school grade of “A” from the state of Florida for the past 6 years and anticipates receiving an “A” for 2007-2008.

 

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

  1. Grade level teams use common assessments and meet regularly with administrators to analyze data, make instructional decisions, and to modify instruction.
  2. Grade level teams and administrators use data to make instructional decisions.
  3. Grade level teams and administrators monitor student performance on a regular basis, particularly the lowest 25% in reading and mathematics.
  4. 100% of the faculty acts as a writing coach for 4th grade students. Each student has a 1 on 1 coach.
  5. Teacher leaders share best practices in all curriculum areas at faculty meetings.
  6. Teacher leaders model for their peers and conduct staff development throughout the year.

 

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

1. Monitoring student learning on a timely basis. 

Common assessments such as DIBELS, reading benchmarks, lexiles, writing, math and science benchmarks, etc. are given for each grade level. Teachers meet with administrators on a regular basis approximately every other week to share results and make decisions about interventions and strategies for further assistance. These common assessment results give teachers information about student performance and assist them with re-teaching and are also predictors of success on the state assessment. The principal keeps a notebook to monitor student performance. A data page is made for each student and new results are recorded. Past test results are also included. Student progression can be monitored very carefully. If students begin to have difficulties, interventions are put into place. Meetings are also held before interim and progress reports (report cards) go home to parents. These meetings ensure that teachers are reporting accurate results to parents and that comments, etc. are appropriate. An administrator also reads the interims and progress reports before they go home.

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

All students in grades K-6 participate in a 90-minute uninterrupted reading block on a daily basis. An additional 20-30 minutes is in each class schedule for reading intervention. Students are presented information in a whole group setting, but also include small group instruction based on need during the 90-minute block. Students who need additional interventions work in a small group or one on one with the teacher for needed strategies and practice outside of the 90-minute block for intervention. The Varying Exceptionalities (VE) teacher works as a resource teacher and goes into the basic classroom for additional support. This inclusion model allows the exceptional education students to remain in their classrooms and receive necessary support. Other students who are working below grade level also receive support. Typically, the VE teacher works with a small group as well as assists during whole group instruction. Her schedule allows her to work in several classrooms for the entire 90-minute reading block. She also works with students who are substantially deficient in a traditional “pull-out” method when necessary.

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

All grade levels work as teams and have a common planning time. They each have common assessments. The results of the common assessments as well as strategies are discussed and shared at team meetings. Staff development is very important at Surfside Elementary. There are many teacher leaders who have outstanding results. These teachers share best practices at faculty meetings and on professional development days. Typically, there is a theme each year. For the 2007-2008 school year, the school received a great deal of technology equipment from the district such as document cameras, projectors, etc. The principal purchased scriboards and laptop computers for each teacher. The theme for the year and professional goal of the principal was to increase the use of technology tools to enhance instruction in all curriculum areas. The teacher leaders provided a great deal of training for the entire staff on all professional development days and at faculty meetings. After school sessions were held as well. District trainers also conducted training at the school. The feedback from teachers was tremendous and they felt they their needs were met not only as a school, but also as a grade level team. The inservice sessions were tailored to school and grade level needs. They had “local experts” down the hall that could assist with implementing their new technology skills. 100% of the staff completed an “Inventory of Teacher Technology Skills to assess teacher proficiency - School Averages:

  1. Basic Operations – 94%
  2. Productivity – 92%
  3. Communication – 96%
  4. Research – 91%
  5. Planning, Management, Instruction – 96%
  6. Social, Ethical, Legal and Human Issues – 94%

Data is also used to determine training needs for the faculty and staff. Each year data is analyzed and shared with the teachers. Goals are set and strategies are written in a School Improvement Plan. Input is received from all stakeholders and the plan is implemented each year with successful results.

 

List awards and recognitions your school has achieved:

2007 – 2008

    1. Ranked 14th in state for 2007 (school grade)
    2. Ranked 8th in the state for 2007 for science
    3. Science Teacher – Regional Winner for PRISM (Promoting Regional Instruction in Science and Mathematics)
    4. State winners for Poetry and Poster Career contest (1st and 3rd place)
    5. Future Problem Solving team - district and state winners (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 6th)
    6. Added art teacher as National Board Certified (17% of staff)
    7. Music Demonstration School 2007-2010
    8. Started Lego/Robotics club – summer camp 2008
    9. 7 of 12 students placed at Area Science Fair (district level)
    10. Science enrichment camp for summer 2008- fee supported
    11. Exemplary Internal Accounts Audit – 0 findings/comments
    12. Math Team placed 6th in the district
    13. Eighteen books submitted for district “Discovering Quality Literature” – 13 received 1st place; 4 received 2nd place, and 1 in 3rd place. One book was selected as best of show for third grade
    14. Three teams participated in district Book Bash competition – all three teams received highest honor – exemplary
    15. 5th place in state competition for collecting pop tabs to support Ronald McDonald House
    16. Earned over 7,000 volunteer hours for the school year

Three teachers have received national recognition:

  1. President Bush in Washington, D. C, recognized fifth grade mathematics teacher and sixth grade science teacher selected as Florida’s National Representative for Outstanding Excellence in Teaching Mathematics and Science – both.
  2. Third grade teacher recipient of the Outstanding Leaders in Cable Award. She was recognized in Washington, D. C. at the Smithsonian Institute for outstanding teacher using cable TV in the classroom. A British film production company read about the award and came to Surfside Elementary to film the school and the teacher for an educational program aired in Great Britain.