The
Vision of the Tiverton School Department
“Excellence
in Education”
The
The Tiverton School
Department is committed to providing a foundation for learning that
incorporates the unique talents and abilities of all our students. We will challenge, guide, and support
students on their journeys to becoming productive members of their community.
The
goals of the Tiverton School Department:
By 2008, all Tiverton
Students will demonstrate proficiency with state and district defined learner
expectations and all schools will be high performing in accordance with Rhode
Island Department of Education school ranking guidelines.
The Tiverton School
Department will continually strive to attain the resources necessary to
support, enhance, and expand the learning opportunities we offer in our schools
and community.
The goals of the Tiverton
School Department will be achieved through six objectives related to improving
student achievement:
1. Improving accountability for teaching and
learning in our district.
2. Ensuring “highly qualified” teachers for
all students.
3. Providing instructional programming to
meet the diverse needs of all learners.
4. Establishing support services based on the
needs of students at risk.
5. Increasing family and community
involvement in our schools.
6. Providing educational facilities to
optimize student learning.
** An action plan
for obtaining each of these objectives can be found at the
Department’s website Tivschools.com
The Tiverton School Department operates under the laws of
the State of
Performance:
Based on 2004 data
provided by the RI Department of Education report “Information Works” our
schools received the following rankings:
**
Walter Ranger High Performing
(Sustaining)
Pocasset Moderately Performing (Improving)
**
given to a
school which has demonstrated significant improvement in student achievement on
the state
assessments in
both English Language Arts and Math.
in the state to
receive this award.
Cost
per student:
Our per pupil
expenditure for the 2004-05 school year is $9,956. This is the eighth lowest per pupil expenditure in the state.
Special Education:
School districts
across our country struggle to contain costs that are associated with providing
special support services to its students.
Since Tiverton is a member of the Newport County Regional Special
Education Collaborative we are able to contain costs associated with providing
support services. In fact Tiverton is
ranked fourth lowest out of 36
school districts in special education spending.
Value:
While the School Department’s
budget request does increase the tax rate slightly, the School Committee,
Administration and the employees of the Tiverton School Department work hard to
provide an excellent education for every dollar spent.
District Initiatives:
Data Driven Planning:
This
year the school department developed plans for school improvement based on the
abundance of information we have on all our schools. Each year we receive results from the state
assessments in Language Arts and Math as well as the results from our School
Accountability for Learning and Teaching (SALT) Surveys, which show the
progress the district is making with academic achievement and school
improvement initiatives. We also obtain
information from SALT reports from our middle and elementary schools and the
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) Report for the high
school. This data shows the strengths
and weaknesses in each school and makes specific recommendations for
improvement that must be reflected in our district strategic plan and each
individual school improvement plan.
Action plans to address the areas identified as in need of improvement
are required, and must be evident in our yearly application to receive state
and federal funding.
Using
the specific data we have on our schools to design our strategic plan is
important to helping teachers, families, and members of the community
understand where these initiatives are coming from and how they will increase
student achievement and the overall performance of our schools.
Professional Development:
Providing
professional development opportunities that address the school department’s
needs, as identified through data we have received from the state has become a
top priority in our district planning. Continuous
teacher training and support is also necessary to address many of the mandates
connected to the No Child Left Behind Act and the RIDE
High School Regulations.
Personalized Literacy Plans
Literacy
instruction has been greatly impacted by the requirement for school districts
to provide reading support to all students reading below grade level
proficiency. The following action steps
have been developed to address these requirements:
Personal
Literacy Plans are completed electronically and will be connected to a new
student information system database that is being implemented through grant
funding to align with state requirements for management of student data. Student
progress in reading is reviewed quarterly and schools must report the number of
students receiving support through Personal Literacy Plans.
Twelve
teachers and administrators in our district will be attending a grant funded
2-week summer literacy training to further our understanding of assessment and
instruction through the use of technology.
Teachers will also receive computer equipment for their classrooms and
assessment tools.
Grade Level Expectations and Annual
Testing for Students in Grades 3-8.
Initiatives
to increase student achievement have taken place in mathematics and science, as
well as literacy. Extensive training and
curriculum work has taken place to align instruction with the grade level
expectations recently developed by
High School Regulations
Action
plans in additional areas have been developed to assure compliance with the RI
Board of Regents High School Reform Initiative that was enacted last year; the
school department has provided several professional development opportunities
for the high school faculty. Guidance,
health teachers, and nurses have been developing a K-12 integrated health
program and a comprehensive guidance plan.
Advisor/Advisee models have been examined by middle school and high
school staffs in order to meet the requirement for more personalized learning
environments. The high school began
implementing such a model in September 2005.
Several
initiatives are in place to address the new state requirements for graduation
by proficiency. Teachers were required
to increase the rigor of end-of-course exams.
All exams have been revised to align with new high school grade span
expectations for learning and to incorporate a performance-based component that
requires students to apply their learning to a specific task or project.
Teachers at the high school have continued working with digital portfolios
which will meet the technology component of the high school regulations. These digital portfolios will also support
students in completing a senior project which is another new requirement for
high school graduation under the Board of Regents High School Reform
Initiatives. Beginning with the Class of
2008 every student will need to complete a Senior Project in order to graduate.
Facilities:
The
high school roof on the third floor as well as the auditorium roof was
replaced. New lights were installed in
the high school gymnasium. The roof over
the kitchen at the middle school was also replaced.
In
order for our elementary schools to meet the new fire codes, fire sprinklers
were installed in hallways outside the cafeterias at
The
construction of the athletic fields and renovation of the high school is
scheduled to begin in June 2005.
Construction of the new elementary school which will be located just
north of the high school will start in August 2005.
School
Highlights
2004-2005
Vision: “Excellence through
Achievement.”
Mission Statement:
To
create a community of active learners where all students are challenged to
achieve their potential and become responsible citizens in a safe,
welcoming environment.
Academic Improvements:
Better School Climate:
Communication:
The mission of the Ranger School is to provide
experiences and instruction that enables all children to achieve to their
fullest potential.
Academic Improvements
Examines test results and classroom practices. Looks for
standards-based instruction, success for all students, foundational skills, small personalized learning communities,
and well-prepared teachers
KITES
Kid Writing
Guided Reading
Literacy
Circles
Science
Notebooks
Exemplars
Problem Solving
D’Nealian
Handwriting
Reading
Recovery
Remedial Math
Remedial
Reading
Special Education Resource services
School Climate
Is responsible for reviewing data and evidence of the
school’s strengths and weaknesses related to the three main dimensions:
empowering decision making at all levels, engaging families, and making
community connections
Reviews issues related to the health and safety of our
students.
Character Counts Program
After-School Book Club
High Five Program
Feinstein Program
Jump Rope for the Heart
Pennies for Patients
Math Club
Communication
POCASSET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Academic:
Communications:
TIVERTON MIDDLE SCHOOL
Academic Achievement:
Communication
·
Seniors Matthew Stukus
and Hillary Whitehead were named National Merit Scholarship recipients.
·
The RI Board of Regents designated
·
NEASC has commended the high school in its four
year accreditation report for its progress in the Senior Project and recognized its for implementing several RI reform initiatives
·
The Class of 2005 scored above the state average
in both state assessments and SAT scores.
·
The high school math team has been the “Island
Division Champion” for the past two years.
·
Members of the Peer Helping Network participate
in Ninth Grade Orientation Day and Eighth Grade Open House.
·
The Advisor/Advisee personalization program is
faculty led and student driven.
·
The state recognized Peer Helping Network is a
student- led organization that creates a safe and accepting environment for all
students.
·
The addition of a school resource officer has created
a community intervention for students and parents in need.
Communication:
·
The
high school publishes
quarterly newsletters.
·
The Guidance Department sponsors Parent
Discussion groups.
·
The high school web site is consistently updated
and staff voice mail is available 24/7.
·
Parent-Teacher Conferences are held four evenings.
·
Open House for parents is held in September and
SIT meets monthly.
·
Eighth Grade Open House is held each spring for
parents of incoming freshmen.