• Category 3

    Selected in 2020

  • Grades: 2 - 5
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 3,523
    Student Enrollment: 460
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 67%
    White/Caucasian: 18%
    Hispanic: 10%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 2%
    Native American: 0%
    Other: 3%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:20
    % Reduced Lunch: 86%
    % ELL Learners: 8%
    Founded: 1961
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Ashley Walters
  • CONTACT:
    11412 Dryden road
    Princess Anne, MD 21853
    410-651-0931
    awalters@somerset.k12.md.us
Greenwood Elementary School
Princess Anne, MD
We strive to provide various activities and events to strengthen our relationships with all stakeholders.
Describe specific programs in place to ensure that families are involved in the success of your school and students.

Describe the most successful activity your school has initiated to strengthen ties to your community.
We strive to provide various activities and events to strengthen our relationships with all stakeholders, including our school community. Over the last several years, we have expanded our partnerships with various community business, organizations, civic groups, and faith based groups, to provide additional opportunities and resources for our students and their families. All of these partners continue to work with us regularly, providing not only financial resources, but also volunteers, mental health services, and additional academic resources.

During the 2019-2020 school year we were able to expand our partnership with the Maryland Food Bankand various donors to open a food pantry at our school to provide to all families in our community. Even during the current pandemic we have been able to schedule drive-through food distributions for the community. This partnership has allowed our staff to build and expand relationships with students’ families and give back to the community.

Describe the program or initiative that has had the greatest positive effect on student achievement, including closing achievement or opportunity gaps, if applicable.
I am confident that our tier 2 and 3 intervention, in addition to our after school tutoring groups, are making a significant impact on student achievement. This form of small group instruction and remediation is very much needed, especially after our Spring 2020 school closure and our students not having access to devices. Now that our students have devices and many are completing their work synchronously with their teacher in Google Classroom daily, our students have more opportunity to receive additional support needed to catch up. We analyze data regularly to ensure all of our students are receiving the most appropriate instruction and remediation, suited to meet their needs. Our after school tutoring groups continue to expand, and beginning in 2021 we will be utilizing high school seniors to mentor and tutor some of our students as well. We are excited to continue to build upon our existing tutoring program!
Explain how ESEA federal funds are used to support your improvement efforts.
We seek feedback from stakeholders on how to allocate our funds. We start in the spring, for the following school year, with teachers to identify which resources they need and survey our parents on how they want us to spend the funds. Our team continues to survey our stakeholders throughout the year and discusses the feedback shared in order to budget our funds. We utilize funds to host family engagement events in order to provide activities for our families, including childcare, a meal and instructional supplies. We have targeted funds for after school tutoring, something stakeholders requested, in order to help students who may need additional support. Even though our students are currently learning virtually, we continue to offer this tutoring after school, weekends, and over holiday breaks. We also utilize our funds to hire additional staff to teach intervention groups. Being able to offer tier 3 intervention, in both math and reading, has been beneficial for our students.
Describe how data is used to improve student achievement and inform decision making.
We use Classroom Focused Improvement Process to provide tiered instruction & interventions. We have a multi- level process to acquire, disaggregate, & use data. Formative assessments to determine our Tier 1 & 2 interventions; helping our students to be more effective on assessments. We disaggregate by standard or specific skill. From this data, students are provided 30 minutes of intervention, reinforcement, or extension from paraprofessionals, instructional coaches, and teachers.

We use data cards & our testing platform to make instructional decisions. We provide relevant PD for our staff as needs arise. We know that data may look different with face to face, virtual, and asynchronous instruction; however, we still continue to use this process to make instructional decisions.



Describe your school culture and explain changes you’ve taken to improve it.
The PBIS committee has worked hard to strengthen our behavioral interventions and supports to improve school culture and discipline. A group of staff participated in an analysis of our current discipline practices and data and identified and adapted essential school-wide expectations which were shared schoolwide. After, a small committee was developed to establish a house system at GES, which would be to identify four core values: respect, responsibility, preparedness, and kindness. GES held meetings which celebrated students & staff of the month for displaying our core values. Additionally, character lessons have been incorporated in the virtual SEL lessons provided by Student Services staff. Virtual events are utilized to reinforce our emphasis on community & a positive culture. The GES Essentials & house system have been a tremendous undertaking, but it was an important shift as it created the opportunity for our staff to embrace our shared role in character education.

Stats
  • Category 3

    Selected in 2020

  • Grades: 2 - 5
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 3,523
    Student Enrollment: 460
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 67%
    White/Caucasian: 18%
    Hispanic: 10%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 2%
    Native American: 0%
    Other: 3%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:20
    % Reduced Lunch: 86%
    % ELL Learners: 8%
    Founded: 1961
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Ashley Walters
  • CONTACT:
    11412 Dryden road
    Princess Anne, MD 21853
    410-651-0931
    awalters@somerset.k12.md.us