Yuma Middle School

 

School Information

School Name:  Yuma Middle School
School Address: 500 S. Elm St., Yuma, CO 80759
School Phone: 970.848.2000
School Fax: 970.848.4261
Principal: Donna Fields
Principal Email: fieldsd@yumaschools.org
Web Address: http://www.yumaschools.org

2011 Demographics

Number of Students: 238
Percent Eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch:75.9%
Percent of Limited English Proficient: 28.7%
Percent of Special Education:10%
Racial/Ethnic Percentages:

• White: 54%
• Black: 0.8%
• Hispanic: 44.3%
• Other: 0.8%

 

Student Achievement Data:

The Colorado Department of Education now tracks the amount of “growth” every student achieves in the state in Reading, Writing and Math, relative to his/her peers who scored similarly the previous year.  Average growth (a “year’s worth of growth”) is the 50th percentile.  Yuma students have, on average, year after year, achieved much more than a year’s worth of growth in each grade and every measured area:  Reading, Writing and Math.  In fact, Yuma is in the Top 10% for growth scores in the state of Colorado for middle schools the last 3 years in all 3 areas:  Reading, Writing and Math.

This chart shows Yuma’s 7th and 8th grade growth percentage performance on the CSAP compared to state averages.  Note how percentages have grown from at or below the state’s expectations to achieving well above the state averages.

Percent passing in format showing State/Yum for comparison.

	Reading, 7th grade	Math, 7th grade	Writing, 7th grade	Reading, 8th grade	Math, 8th grade	Writing, 8th grade
2008	50/57	50/45	50/63	50/52	50/42	50/39
2009	50/79	50/53	50/81	50/69	50/65	50/70
2010	50/67	50/70	50/73	50/59	50/80	50/56

While Colorado state scores have been relatively stagnant or even falling, Yuma Middle School students have consistently improved performance on the CSAP every year.  Over the past three years Yuma has moved from low achieving and low growth in 2008 in all areas to high achievement and high growth in all areas.

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

We are committed to providing interventions to all students who do not achieve at 80% mastery of our power essential learnings in reading and math.
 Yuma has reduced the following achievement gaps in Math, Reading and Writing.  Listed are the results for closing the achievement gap in 2010 alone:

• 6th Grade Math White-Hispanic Gap from 2009 - 2010 closed by 5pts.
• 6th Grade Reading White-Hispanic Gap from 2009-2010 closed by 11pts.
• 7th Grade Math White-Hispanic Gap from 2009- 2010 closed by 18 pts.
• 8th Grade Math White-Hispanic Gap form 2009-2010 closed by 38 pts.
• 8th Grade Reading White-Hispanic Gap from 2009- 2010 closed by 9 pts.
• 8th Grade Writing White-Hispanic Gap from 2009-2010 closed by 10 pts.

In three years, suspensions have declined 50%, plus a 50% reduction in disciplinary referrals to the office, since the introduction of our PBS “Positive Behavior Supports."

 

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

1. Monitoring student learning on a timely basis.

On a weekly basis Yuma staff members analyze multiple sources of data from summative and formative assessments to improve instructional practices and student learning outcomes.  Throughout the year we analyze state assessment and growth data, Harris Surveys, School Accountability Reports, AYP, grade data and failure rates, attendance information, and SWIS behavior data; often disaggregated to the individual student level. 

Yuma has a comprehensive RTI model to monitor student learning on a timely basis and provide needed support.  See below.

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

Yuma has a comprehensive RTI model, in which we enlist various interventions to meet the individual learning and behavioral needs of every student.  RTI teams comprised of teachers, administrators, counselor, parents and the student meet to problem solve and determine the course of action. 

Over four years, we have collaboratively developed and implemented numerous interventions and co-curricular programs that support the curriculum while meeting individual student learning needs.   We have held tightly to the core value that targeted instruction by teachers or other experts that is not optional for students who need it will meet the additional learning needs of our most at risk students.  We also believe in extended learning opportunities versus traditional summer school.  The Yuma RTI Model, which has evolved from non-existent, now includes: 

• Flex:  A program at the end of the day that focuses on enrichment for our students attaining 80% mastery of Power Essential Learnings, and targeted interventions for Reading, Writing, Science, and Math.  Teachers are given trump days so that allows no other subject to take the student for interventions on those days.  Students are then stamped in planners and placed on a one note system so that all students are accounted and in their required intervention rooms.
• Read 180 and System 44:  A prescriptive, double-dosing reading program for students 2 grades or more below grade level, unsatisfactory to medium partially proficient on the Colorado State Assessment, and showing significant skill deficiencies on Benchmark Tests and Common Assessments.
• Compass Learning – A prescriptive, double-dosing math program for students who are unsatisfactory to medium partially proficient on the Colorado State Assessment plus showing significant skill deficiencies on Benchmark Tests and Common Assessments.
• Principal’s Flex:  A program that focuses on non-intentional learners.  At Yuma Middle School zeroes on assignments are not an option so students who habitually do not complete their required work are assigned to the Asst. or Head Principal for intervention.  Teachers send all missing assignments or uncompleted work to the office to be filed in the Principal’s Flex folder.  Students are kept with parental or guardian consent until all work is completed in a satisfactory manner.
• Newcomer ELD:  A program that takes all NEP performing students on CELA and has them meet with the ESL teacher 90 minutes every other day to develop language acquisition.
• Check-in:  Failing students on the down list three weeks in a row meet with the Dean of Students every week to go over grades and their academic plan of improvement.

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

At Yuma Middle School, Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment serve as the vehicle for translating professional development into individual student learning.  We have implemented a standards-based, “guaranteed and viable” curriculum (Marzano).  Our PLC/content teams meet weekly and work on using the curriculum documents to establish essential learnings for each unit, learning goals for each class period, and active learning opportunities based on best practices.   The learning goals are posted and communicated, and serve as the focus of every lesson, allowing teachers to progress monitor student mastery of essential learnings and provide classroom-based interventions.

Yuma administrative team serves as Learning Leaders.  Collaboratively with the staff we have developed new evaluation and observation forms and established “partnerships” that require regular administrative participation in department meetings and weekly PLC/content team work. 

We have evolved into a collaborative structure involving all stakeholder groups and marked by more flexibility, a focus on data and school goals, and a commitment to our mission, vision and core values.

All teams, including administrators, now meet at least weekly and focus professional development on modeling the “L” in PLC through progress monitoring of student achievement data, goal development and analysis of best instructional practices.  Each team has the autonomy and resources to implement additional needs, including release days, training, and new materials.

Early Outs focus on ELL and differentiation strategies, common assessment and curriculum alignment, plus cross curricular and vertical alignment for all Reading and Math programs K-12.

 

List awards and recognitions your school has achieved

-Yuma is in the Top 10% for growth scores in the state of Colorado for middle schools the last 2 years in all 3 areas:  Reading, Writing and Math.

-High Performing School 2009-2010:  Yuma Middle School has earned this rating from the Colorado Department of Education based on state standardized test results (CSAP.)

-Winner of the four and five star rating from Edison Schools 2009 and 2010 This is based off of academic growth and performance and closing the achievement gap in comparison to all Edison Schools in the nation.

-Winner of the YSD-1 Gain-Maker Award for 2008-2009 and 2009-2010