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Several years ago, our school was struggling in a remote rural area devastated by the loss of its high school. We became determined to create and maintain a community culture of success and pride in the school. We began a mission to expect much, encourage often, share success, and persevere. We assigned one of our Title I paraprofessionals to become a Parent/Community Liaison. She contacts parents, business leaders, and community members to invite them to visit and volunteer in classrooms. She coordinates student council schoolwide monthly service projects to give back to the community.

Describe specific programs in place to ensure that families are involved in the success of your school and students.

Many activities have been held to encourage families to visit our school including holiday programs, a school carnival, breakfast reading clubs, and class activities. However, as we began to transform the school into a successful environment with high expectations for all students, we determined that it was essential to shift our focus to a training and support model for families.

We began involving parents in the success of their children. We helped students set goals focusing on our BEARS motto.
B – Better yourself
E – Encourage yourself and others
A – Accept challenges
R – Read daily
S – Seek positive solutions.
When students do well, we make sure the parents know about it. They have come to expect that their child will excel. Teachers have set a standard of 100% participation in parent/teacher/student conferences and continue follow-up communications until they reach this goal. We have celebrations with the parents noting students’ outstanding displays of character, improvement and progress, outstanding academic and service achievements. Parents are now encouraged by their children to attend school sponsored activities.

Early morning parent/guardian training sessions are also held on a regular basis at the school with Title I funding. Teachers, the principal and the instructional coach provide attendees with instruction and materials aligned with current curriculum and strategies being used in our classrooms. We assist parents in developing strategies they can implement at home to support student learning. Parents then eat breakfast with their children and join them in the classrooms for a first-hand look at the strategies in action.

We also know that strong families help create strong learners, so we are committed to helping support the families of our students. The principal, counselor and teachers make home visits to families. We have arranged for county support agencies to provide services at the school for those who are unable to find transportation to get to agencies 30 miles away. Resources are coordinated to help families provide for basic needs. All staff members pitch in to help families so that our students come to school ready to learn.

Describe the most successful activity your school has initiated to strengthen the ties to your community.

Several years ago, our school was struggling in a remote rural area devastated by the loss of its high school. We became determined to create and maintain a community culture of success and pride in the school. We began a mission to expect much, encourage often, share success, and persevere. We assigned one of our Title I paraprofessionals to become a Parent/Community Liaison. She contacts parents, business leaders, and community members to invite them to visit and volunteer in classrooms. She coordinates student council schoolwide monthly service projects to give back to the community. Foster Grandparents and Volunteers of America are trained and placed in support roles. Announcements of school events, progress and accomplishments are placed in city newsletters and the county newspaper. The result has been a tremendous increase in pride and ownership. The entire community celebrates and supports our students who are thriving in a climate of high expectations and success. Most importantly, our students see themselves as successful and active learners. Bruin Point Elementary is now the focal point and pride of this coal mining community.

What are your school’s top two goals for the next year?

Increase student reading comprehension of varied texts by administering schoolwide comprehension assessments, utilizing data to target instruction, and developing strategies to guide students to use analysis of evidence and reasoning.

Increase student math proficiency by providing students with effective integration of standards-based and inquiry based instruction.

What is the single most important factor in the success of your school that others could replicate?

Our Bruin Point team uses an “all hands on deck” approach to student learning and success. We believe that we are all collectively responsible for helping each student set and achieve their individual goals. Teachers and all paraprofessionals receive intensive training in research based instruction and are supported by the principal and instructional coach. We work as a cohesive unit to constantly monitor individual student progress and find the best resource in the building to provide necessary interventions. It is not at all uncommon for students to receive Tier II or III interventions from teachers or paraprofessionals assigned to other grades.

Describe how data is used to improve student achievement and inform decision making.

Data analysis is conducted every 4-6 weeks based on an expectation that every child will succeed by having teachers and paraprofessionals use research based strategies and targeted interventions in a seamless delivery of core curriculum. Each student’s literacy and numeracy data is examined and effectiveness of interventions is evaluated in a collaborative effort by the teacher, paraprofessional, principal, instructional coach, and support professionals. Instruction and interventions are modified based on the data to meet specific needs of the child. The team also looks for resources outside of the classroom (cross-grade access, specialist interventions, volunteer tutors, etc.) to help students meet their goals.

• Category 1

  Selected in 2012

• Grades: k - 6
  School Setting: rural
  Town Population: 1,600
  Student Enrollment: 130
  Student Demographics:
  

  Black/African American: 1%
  White/Caucasian: 87%
  Hispanic: 12%
  Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
  Asian: 0%
  Native American: 0%
  Other: 0%
  

  Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:18
  % Reduced Lunch: 71%
  % ELL Learners: 0%
  Founded: 2007
• PRINCIPAL:
  Leslie Jewkes
• CONTACT:
  P.O. Box 399
  Sunnyside, UT 84539
  435-888-4474
  jewkesl@carbonschools.org