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Thomas Jefferson Middle School

 

School Information

School Name: Thomas Jefferson Middle School
District Name:Brevard Public Schools
School Address:1275 South Courtenay Parkway, Merritt Island, FL 32952
School Phone:321-453-5154
School Fax:321-459-2854
Principal:Sherri Bowman
Principal email:bowman.sherri@brevardschools.org
Web Address:www.jefferson.brevard.k12.fl.us

 

Demographics

Number of Students:680
Percent Eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch:32.4%
Percent of Limited English Proficient:1.5%
Percent of Special Education:18.4%
Racial/Ethnic Percentages:

  • White: 78.5%
  • Black:  6.7%
  • Hispanic: 6.2%
  • Asian/Pacific Island: 2.9%
  • Other: 4.9%

 

Student Achievement Data:

Source of comparison data

Percentage of students passing: School scores/State (Comparison) Scores

Grade: 7
Math
Reading
2007-09
 74/61
77/65
2008-09
79/61
86/68
2009-10
82/62
82/69

Percentage of students passing: School scores/State (Comparison) Scores

Grade: 8
Math
Reading
Writing
Science
2007-08
85/67
71/54
98/92
73/40
2008-09
83/67
70/55
98/94
66/43
2009-10
88/69
76/56
99/95
73/42

 

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

  • Florida does not report FCAT (Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test) data in writing or science for 7th grade students.
  • Jefferson has received a grade of A from the Florida Department of Education for 11 straight years under Florida’s A+ Plan.
  • Jefferson 7th grade students consistently outperform the state in reading and math. 
  • In 2009-10 Jefferson 7th grade students demonstrated a 4 point decline in reading.  Jefferson employs three 7th grade Language Arts teachers.  One of these teachers was on leave for much of the year and her situation was such that we were not allowed to hire a short-term substitute for her class.  Instead, her students were forced to endure a revolving door of substitutes for most of the year.  After analyzing the data we determined that the 7th grade students on this teacher’s academic team were responsible for the 4 point decline.  Had the teacher not been on leave we believe 7th grade results would have been the same as the 2008-09 school year, if not slightly better.
  • Jefferson 8th grade students consistently outperform the state in reading, math, science, and writing.
  • Progress in 8th grade science has been inconsistent over the past three years. In 2007-2008 we had 73% of students meeting proficiency in science. That number fell to 66% in 2008-2009, but increased 7% in 2009-2010 to 73% at proficiency.  We believe the decline in 2008-09 is largely attributable to an ineffective inclusion program for our students with disabilities, the prolonged absence of one of our 8th grade science teachers, and transition from the old Sunshine State Standards to the new Next Generation Sunshine State Standards. A number of factors contributed to the resurgence in science in 2009-10 including improved inclusion programs for our students with disabilities, improved curriculum alignment with the new standards, differentiated instructional strategies, increased use of inquiry based instruction, data meetings, and common assessments.   
  • Students with disabilities made Adequate Yearly Progress in math in 2009-10 for the first time in three years even though the target score increased each year during that three year span.

 

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

Student achievement data over the past five years have shown a rising trend in student performance.  The percentage of Jefferson students meeting high standards in reading and math has increased each year for the past five years.  Reading performance has grown from 78% to 85% meeting high standards.  Math performance has grown from 81% to 91% meeting high standards. This achievement increase coincides with an increase in our free/reduced lunch population from 23% to 32% and includes a students with disabilities population that is twice the size of the nearest comparable school in our county.  Jefferson’s efforts in creating effective PLCs have enabled teachers to better understand the needs of their students, diagnose learning issues, monitor student progress, and design effective classroom instruction for all students.  In math and reading Jefferson’s students are among the highest performing in Brevard county.  Jefferson students are the highest performing group in our school district in writing.  In 2010 Jefferson 7th grade students ranked 130th of 888 schools measured in reading in Florida, or the top 15% of students tested.  Our 8th grade students ranked 91st of 888 schools measured in reading in Florida, or the top 10% of students tested.

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

1. Monitoring student learning on a timely basis.

  • Jefferson has a data room that is used for progress monitoring of students.  We post common assessment data for all students in math, science, social studies, and language arts (FAIR).  Each teacher posts his/her common assessment results on the board so there is a visual representation of student progress.  Students not at proficiency are easily seen on this board.  We also post the percent proficient on each assessment.
  • Common assessment data are used to identify students below proficiency so interventions can be prescribed.  The data become the basis for department meetings.  Teachers analyze their assessment results to determine the efficacy of their instruction.  Each department uses this data as a basis for discussion of what is working and what is not.  Teachers share successes and challenges. 
  • Interim grade reports are sent home every 4 ½ weeks.  Report cards are sent home every 9 weeks.  In addition, parents have access to real time student grades via a program called EdLine.
  • Academic teams meet weekly to discuss student performance.
  • Academic teams prescribe interventions to struggling students and record this information in a program called A3 Vision.  It combines current student data with a record of interventions used by a child’s teachers.  All teachers that serve the child have access to this data so that they can see the effectiveness of the interventions over time.
  • All students take a state reading assessment known as FAIR (Florida Assessment in Reading).  FAIR is administered three times per year.  Each student takes a broad screen of reading comprehension.  If the student fails to score 85% on the broad screen he/she is automatically given further screening tests, the MAZE and/or Word Analysis test.  The MAZE measures the student’s ability to read fluently and accurately.  The World Analysis measures a student’s ability to spell words based on their phonetic sounds.  These are grade level words.
  • Progress Monitoring Plans are written for all Level 1 (substantially below grade level) students in reading and math by his/her teacher.  These plans are revised quarterly.  Each PMP contains specific strategies to improve student performance.  The student and parent receive copies of the PMP.  Progress is monitored by achievement in class.
  • All non-proficient reading students, and proficient students in our lowest 25%, create personal goals to improve his/her reading performance.  Each child receives a form with their FCAT test data from the prior year broken down by reading strand.  FAIR scores from the prior year are also listed. The child’s reading or language arts teacher meets with him/her individually and discusses why the child received their FCAT grade.  They also discuss what must be done to improve to grade level performance.  Students set measurable goals with the assistance of the teacher.  The goals are tied to FAIR performance, which is administered in September, December, and March.  FAIR is based on FCAT standards, so performance on the FAIR assessment correlates strongly with FCAT reading performance.
  • Jefferson administers mock science and writing tests for 7th grade students to prepare them for the actual tests once they reach the 8th grade.  The results of these tests are analyzed by the 7th grade teachers to help drive their instruction.

 

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

Jefferson has a system of interventions that are designed to automatically respond when students are not learning.  The system is based on Response to Intervention and is designed in three tiers.  Tier 1 services are provided to all students daily.  Tier 2 services are provided to small groups of students as needed.  Tier 3 services are provided to individual students when Tier 1 and 2 have not worked.  Our plan is shown below.

Tier I Interventions (All Students):

  1. Outstanding, research-based daily instruction.
  2. Homeroom/Study Hall -20 minutes/day
    1. All students expected to study or work on class assignments after Jefferson News program.
  3. Meeting daily with faculty advisor during Homeroom
    1. Teacher consults with every student every week to motivate, encourage, and determine problems.
    2. Teacher refers social issues via email to guidance counselor.  Disciplinary issues referred to administration.
  4. The day after each common assessment is used as a re-teaching & enrichment period based on student performance.
    1. Assessment data are reviewed in next department meeting to determine efficacy of instruction.
  5. Progress reports at 3-6-9 week intervals pulled by Guidance Services Professional
    1. All students on failure list are automatically assigned to Tier II interventions.  Written intervention assignments given by homeroom teacher to student.

ALL TIER 2 AND 3 INTERVENTIONS ARE RECORDED IN THE A3 SOFTWARE DURING TEAM MEETINGS
Tier II Interventions (Some Students):  Teachers complete RtI Forms 1, 2, 3A, & Appendix 5

  1. Before/after school tutoring
    1. Schedule posted in each team member’s classroom and promoted regularly
  2. No Zero Zone 
    1. Students receive No Zero Zone assignment/intervention from their homeroom teacher.
    2. Students take their make-up assignments to the media center during the period assigned.
    3. Students supervised by media center staff. 
    4. Students that fail to report for No Zero Zone will be considered out of area and subject to disciplinary consequences.  Teacher reports these students to the Dean’s office.
    5. Academic team makes notes in A3 program regarding the intervention prescribed, duration, and results.
  3. Meeting with counselor
    1. Counselor meets with students during available period and calls parents
  4. Failing students report for mandatory tutoring every Wednesday during clubs
    1. Team Leader assigns all failing students to the team’s tutoring room for 45 min
  5. Academic Support Program
    1. Letter mailed to parents with program schedule
  6. Team conference with parent
    1. Team Leader calls to schedule conference and invites any necessary school personnel

Tier III Interventions (Individual students still failing a course after 6 weeks of a marking period):

  1. No Zero Zone plus:
  2. Failing students pulled from elective one day per week for three weeks and assigned to intervention room to make up missing assignments and/or work on Classworks and/or re-teaching assignments. 
  3. Academic team meets to problem solve issue(s) facing the student and create specific, measurable intervention.  Team ensures that RtI forms are complete.
  4. Students still failing after 9+ weeks of a semester are referred to the Individual Student Problem Solving Team (IPST)
    1. IPST reviews collected data and designs specific intervention for student, including diagnostic assessment.
    2. IPST determines eligibility for ESE services.

 

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

  • Jefferson’s master schedule is written to provide dedicated time for academic teams and departments to plan together each day.
  • Academic teams are scheduled to meet weekly.
  • Departments are scheduled to meet twice per month.
  • Team leaders meet with the principal and assistant principal twice per month.
  • School administration employs the Classroom Walkthrough process to collect data on teaching and learning in the classroom.  This data records the frequency of effective teacher behaviors in six domains.  It also records the frequency that students are participating in different types of activities, high yield learning strategies utilized, and the level of learner engagement.  Classroom Walkthrough data are shared with teachers during team meetings to provide an objective view of what is happening in their classrooms.  This information promotes teacher reflection and collaboration.
  • Jefferson routinely sends teacher leaders to workshops and conventions to develop leadership capacity on campus.  Currently, we have training cadres on campus for Thinking Maps, B.E.S.T. (Brevard Effective Strategies for Teaching), and Classroom Walkthrough.  We use our teacher leaders as much as possible to equip our staff with effective instructional techniques.

 

List awards and recognitions your school has achieved

  • Recognized as an “A” school for 11 straight years under Florida’s A+ Education Plan
  • Music Enrollment Award (35% or greater enrolled in band, orchestra, or chorus)
  • Fox 35 News “Cool School of the Week”
  • Five Star School Award
  • Golden School Award
  • Boys and Girls Track Award (undefeated for two straight years)
  • Energy Conservation Award
  • County Spelling Bee Winner (2008)
  • Book Bash Award (superior ranking in all areas)
  • 2010 Budget Audit-Perfect Score