• Category 2

    Selected in 2017

  • Grades: k - 4
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 36,000
    Student Enrollment: 351
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 14.1%
    White/Caucasian: 48.2%
    Hispanic: 25.6%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 2.1%
    Native American: 0%
    Other: 9.7%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:18
    % Reduced Lunch: 83%
    % ELL Learners: 25%
    Founded: 1942
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Susan Gahan
  • CONTACT:
    1725 Abbie Dell Ave
    New Albany, IN 47150
    812-542-5501
    sgahan@nafcs.k12.in.us
Fairmont Elementary School
New Albany, IN
We believe that all students can learn. We believe that all students are everyone's students. We believe that school can be challenging and fun for students and teachers.
Describe specific programs in place to ensure that families are involved in the success of your school and students.
We offer additional opportunities for kindergarten parents to become involved by attending kindergarten round-up, orientation and open house. In addition, we offer kindergarten parent days where parents join us and observe a lesson, meet with the literacy coach to learn how to extend and reinforce the learning. Weekly progress reports, newsletters, mid-terms,quarterly report cards and student planners are communication tools. We also utilize text messaging and Facebook. We host several parent nights to highlight curriculum and fun family activities. Translators are present at all events and translate all written communication. A licensed therapist and our school counselor work with families and community agencies to provide needed support and resources. Parents volunteer to help with Blessings in a Backpack, fundraising and building sets for our Spring Musical.Each spring we have an International Fete' to showcase native countries,foods and cultures with the help of our parents.

Describe your philosophy of school change or improvement.
We believe that all students can learn. We believe that all students are everyone's students. We believe that given the right intervention, additional time and support, and targeted instruction, all students can and will experience success. We believe that school can be challenging and fun for students and teachers.
What is the single most important factor in the success of your school that others could replicate?
Our priority became strengthening core instruction. We work to meet the majority of our student's needs during core instruction time. Educators participate in training and coaching activities so that they are highly skilled at teaching literacy and math. Pacing guides outline the skills all students need to master. Our 90 minute reading block focuses on guided reading and word study. K-2 teachers explicitly teach phonemic awareness and phonics using SRA Imagine It. Our staff implements "Five Easy Steps to a Balanced Math Program." Acceleration time is built into the daily schedule so that students can work in flexible groups based on needed skills. Our EL,Special Education, and intervention teachers are members of grade level teams to ensure targeted instruction for each student.Our Leadership/Intervention teams meet weekly to review data and student progress so that appropriate interventions/acceleration are scheduled and implemented. Learning, collaboration and results are our focus.
Explain how Title I funds are used to support your improvement efforts.
We use our Title 1 funds to have people in place to provide necessary support for our learners. We have teaching assistants in our classrooms during reading and math. All Kindergarten and 1st grade teachers have a full time assistant. We have a full time assistant principal, a literacy coach and two intervention teachers as well as an intensive interventionist who works with ;move -in students to determine and address skill gaps. Our teaching assistants are each part of an acceleration team that works in grades 2-3-4 each day to provide support or enrichment for students. These acceleration sessions are designed by our Intervention teacher who identifies needs based on CFAs, Students who are proficient in the quarterly skills are in enrichment classes that have included robotics, coding, Spanish and geography this year.
Identify the critical professional development activities you use to improve teaching and student learning.
We have a literacy coach in our building.
Describe how data is used to improve student achievement and inform decision making.
We utilize the corporation pacing guide and CFAs. Teachers have a daily common planning time to plan lessons, meet with the intervention teacher and to discuss data. Every Tuesday grade level teams meet for 40 minutes. The meeting topic is either PD(based on needs), RTI, or data. For data meetings we identify what skills we still need to address as a large group, what should be taught in acceleration (and who should teach it) as well as students who are ready for enrichment and students who may need intense intervention for a period of time.
Stats
  • Category 2

    Selected in 2017

  • Grades: k - 4
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 36,000
    Student Enrollment: 351
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 14.1%
    White/Caucasian: 48.2%
    Hispanic: 25.6%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 2.1%
    Native American: 0%
    Other: 9.7%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:18
    % Reduced Lunch: 83%
    % ELL Learners: 25%
    Founded: 1942
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Susan Gahan
  • CONTACT:
    1725 Abbie Dell Ave
    New Albany, IN 47150
    812-542-5501
    sgahan@nafcs.k12.in.us