Wolftrap Elementary School

 

School Information

School Name:  Wolftrap Elementary School                        
School Address:  1903 Beulah Road,
Vienna, VA  22182
School Phone:  703-319-7300
School Fax:  703-319-7397
Principal:  Dr. Anita Blain
Principal email:  anita.blain@fcps.edu

 

Demographics

Number of Students:  634
Number Eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch:  .048%
Percent of Limited English Proficient:  4.45%
Percent of Special Education:  10.97%
Racial/Ethnic Percentages:

• White  86.01%
• Black  .079%
• Hispanic  1.75%
• Asian/Pacific Island  6.52%
• Other  4.93%

 

Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL)- Wolftrap Elementary School/Fairfax County School Divsion scores

Grade 3	2005 (WES/County)	2006 (WES/County)	2007 (WES/County)
Math	98/89	96/92	99/90
Reading	91/79	98/87	94/82
Writing	n/a	n/a	n/a
Science	98/na	98/na	95/na
So. St.	98/91	100/92	98/92
Other

 

Grade 5	2005 (WES/County)	2006 (WES/County)	2007 (WES/County)
Math	99/84	96/83	81/85
Reading	100/90	100/90	100/87
Writing	100/94	97/90	98/92
Science	96/85	100/86	95/88
So. St.	98/na	98/na	95/na
Other

 

Grade 6	2005 (WES/County)	2006 (WES/County)	2007 (WES/County)
Math	n/a	95/69	91/71
Reading	n/a	99/91	99/88
Writing	n/a	n/a	n/a
Science	n/a	n/a	n/a
So. St.	91/na	96/na	90/98
(7th math)	n/a	100/60	100/66

 

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

Wolftrap Elementary School consistently exceeds the passing rates of both the School Division and the Commonwealth of Virginia on the Standards of Learning tests.  Fluctuations in passing rates at Wolftrap are generally minor but when there is a significant drop in performance from one year to the next, the PLC strategies are used to intervene on a curricular level as well as an individual student level.

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

With the retirement of the principal who implemented the PLC model with the staff, teachers were strong in their desire to continue the components of the model that were in place.  There was no “backsliding” because a new administrator came into the building.  The PLC model has continued to function at Wolftrap during the three years that a new principal has led the staff.

Many teachers at Wolftrap stepped up to take on school-wide leadership under the framework of the PLC.  The model made it much easier to identify key leadership roles in the building and to coach teachers into assuming leadership at their grade level, at the school level and at the district level.

Because there is such consistency in scores at Wolftrap, the review of student data shows anomalies clearly and teachers have a curricular focus as well as an individual student focus to address any issues that caused a drop in scores from one year to the next.

 

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

1. Monitoring student learning on a timely basis.

The most effective strategy at Wolftrap for monitoring student learning on a timely basis has been the creation of common assessments.  Standardization of rubrics and performance expectations across a grade level have made it easy to pinpoint students whose performance shows the need for timely intervention.

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

The PLC concept provided a framework for the cooperation of all staff members at a grade level, as well as the support teachers (special education, gifted/talented, reading, etc) in addressing the needs of students who needed additional time and support for learning.  The PLC model institutionalized the idea that student progress is the responsibility of every staff member so there was open communication between classroom teachers and specialists and immediate intervention with a coordinated and comprehensive plan for students.

3. Building the capacity of teachers to work as members of high performing collaborative teams who focus the efforts of their team on improved learning for students.

The creation of common planning time, coupled with expectations for the use of that time, did the most to build teacher leadership capacity.  In addition, the PLC culture encouraged any staff member to present an idea or strategy for improving learning.  Many of the innovations implemented after the PLC model took hold were suggested by a teaching team after collaborative discussion and decision-making.

 

List any awards and recognition garnered by your school

Wolftrap Elementary School was, and continues to be, a school with exceptionally high standards and high expectations for staff expertise and student performance.  Both the former and the current principal were recognized by the School Division for their exceptional leadership and commitment to excellence for all students.  Many staff members have been asked to serve on school system curriculum committees and have presented at local and state conferences.

When students from Wolftrap move on to middle and high school, the feedback to staff at Wolftrap is that they were exceptionally well-prepared for the academic, organizational and intellectual challenges they faced.