• Category 2

    Selected in 2020

  • Grades: pre k - 5
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 1,100
    Student Enrollment: 66
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 4.5%
    White/Caucasian: 87.9%
    Hispanic: 0%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 0%
    Native American: 7.6%
    Other: 0%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:9
    % Reduced Lunch: 72%
    % ELL Learners: 0%
    Founded: 1870
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Jolene Paden
  • CONTACT:
    430 Elm St
    Chetopa, KS 67336
    620-236-7244
    jpaden@usd505.org
Chetopa Elementary School
Chetopa, KS
Our philosophy is centered on the notion of rigor and relevance as we embrace school change."

Describe specific programs in place to ensure that families are involved in the success of your school and students.
Seesaw, Google Classroom, Facebook
Describe the most successful activity your school has initiated to strengthen ties to your community.
Chetopa Elementary was afforded the opportunity to be part of an after school program known as Kansas Reading Roadmap. The program connected the school to the community and families. Families would come to the school to participate in fun activities, read with their students and eat dinner as a family. Kansas Reading Roadmap supported many of our low social economic families and helped them feel connected to the school. Chetopa teachers facilitated the program aiding in building relationships not only between teachers and students, but the school and community as well.
Describe your philosophy of school change or improvement.
Every student at Chetopa Elementary can learn and achieve to high standards with early intervention and support of teachers and staff. Our philosophy is to relate this idea to rigor and relevance when considering school change or improvement. A major change for us is being one-to-one with technology in our classrooms. Teaching through technology with such programs as Google Classroom, Ed Puzzle, Kami, Google Meets, Wonders online, Go Math etc. brings rigor to the curriculum and offers students 21st century learning skills.
What are your school’s top two goals for the next year?
The top two goals for our school is 1) 80% of students meet the benchmark goals. 2) 100% of students show growth with reading.
What is the single most important factor in the success of your school that others could replicate?
Our Title 1 teacher is the driving force behind the success of this program. She is very knowledgeable and has a great rapport with all teachers, paras, students and the administration. She looks at different ways to bring out the best in both staff and students. In addition, she constantly reviews students' data and makes the necessary adjustment for students to accomplish their goal.
Describe the program or initiative that has had the greatest positive effect on student achievement, including closing achievement or opportunity gaps, if applicable.
We believe, collectively the monthly diagnostic testing, the core curriculum reading program, the after school program and utilizing a supplemental online Math and ELA personalized learning software program known as IXL, not to mention the cohesiveness of the staff significantly contribute to the positive effect of student achievement and closing achievement gaps. Indiscriminately, these initiatives enable us to identify the academic level of students and offer interventions or instruction that give students the necessary skill set for growth.
Explain how ESEA federal funds are used to support your improvement efforts.
We use ESEA federal funds for a number of resources, supports and supplements such as Phonics Programs, Resources for Title 1, para support for Title 1 MTTS groups.

Phonic Programs that are evidence based. Resources for Title 1 that support reading and training paras for MTTS groups.
Describe how data is used to improve student achievement and inform decision making.
Acadience Reading Benchmark Assessments, QPS and PAST diagnostic testing are administered monthly, bi-weekly, and weekly by our Title 1 teacher. This data is shared and reviewed during monthly collaboration meetings. Results from the data determine the MTSS groups for which the students are assigned. MTSS groups offer individualized instruction at the learning level of the student and allows students to grow at their own pace. Teachers set learning goals and monitor student progress towards those goals.
Describe your school culture and explain changes you’ve taken to improve it.
Chetopa Elementary School serves close to 70 students in grade Pre-K through 5th. The comradery of our elementary teachers stands out above all the rest. Teachers work together to identify and meet student needs. The fact we are a small school allows the students to work one to one with teachers, build strong student/teacher relationships and support student growth academically. Differentiation instruction is a priority for all teachers when meeting the needs of each student. The collective focus of closing the educational gap for every student and bringing them up to grade level is the most important consideration for Chetopa Elementary.
Stats
  • Category 2

    Selected in 2020

  • Grades: pre k - 5
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 1,100
    Student Enrollment: 66
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 4.5%
    White/Caucasian: 87.9%
    Hispanic: 0%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 0%
    Native American: 7.6%
    Other: 0%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:9
    % Reduced Lunch: 72%
    % ELL Learners: 0%
    Founded: 1870
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Jolene Paden
  • CONTACT:
    430 Elm St
    Chetopa, KS 67336
    620-236-7244
    jpaden@usd505.org