• Category 1

    Selected in 2019

  • Grades: pre k - 6
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 2,337
    Student Enrollment: 0
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 9%
    White/Caucasian: 85%
    Hispanic: 2%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 0%
    Native American: 0%
    Other: 4%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:20
    % Reduced Lunch: 60.3%
    % ELL Learners: 2%
    Founded: 1912
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Mr. Joshua Weatherly
  • CONTACT:
    7980 US Highway 43
    Guin, AL 35563
    205-468-3433
    jweatherly.ges@mcbe.net
Guin Elementary School
Guin, AL
We believe in collaboration with all of our stakeholders.
Describe specific programs in place to ensure that families are involved in the success of your school and students.
Guin Elementary tries to work with our families and communities in various ways. At the beginning of the year we have a meeting with our parent leaders to discuss our school successes from the previous year and goals for the upcoming year. At this meeting, parents are allowed to ask any questions they have and make any suggestions they would like. We also are a Title 1 school. We try to have meetings at two different times during the year to discuss with parents the finances of Title 1 as well as the responsibility of Title 1 staff. Meetings are held quarterly with the City Council and the Advisory Board. The Advisory Board consist of a group of parents and individuals who have a vested interest in our school.
Describe the most successful activity your school has initiated to strengthen ties to your community.
Guin Elementary believes that the characteristic that makes our school a success is an expectation of high standards for all stakeholders. We met with our leadership team and developed core beliefs that we thought students would need in order to be successful in our school. We gave the name of those beliefs, "The Traits of the Tribe". Our school has an Indian mascot that is why we named them accordingly. These traits are posted all throughout school. When you enter the doors at Guin Elementary you are greeted with the word Leadership. We believe that every child can become a leader no matter their economic status. We have an expectation that our students will learn and that our teachers will teach to the highest standards. Alabama State standards are kept in a red binder. These binders are checked periodically. The principal reminds students prior to testing that we have a tradition to uphold and that we intend for that not to be any different from year to year.
Describe your philosophy of school change or improvement.
It is my belief as principal that if it is not broken, don't fix it. However, it is also my belief that if the data indicates that we have a weakness, then we need to address it. For example, after our testing we had noticed that we had a weakness with some of our phonics skills. We then begin a discussion with our leadership team of what could be done about the issue. We have since adopted a new phonics called Horizon's. We also looked at our INOW program. This program will help identify problems that we may have with our tardies, absences, or discipline problems. We have used a program called Learnings Earnings to reward students for good behavior as well as punctuality. Overall we do not like to change just for the sake of change. The change needs to be justified.
What are your school’s top two goals for the next year?
Guin Elementary's two goals for next year include improving our attendance rate and providing our students more digital opportunities in the classroom. First, we want to find ways that we can get our students (parents) to get motivated to get students to school. We understand that students need to have some form of motivation in order to make sure their parents get them to school. We will focus on rewarding students for attendance through positive behavior support programs. We will hold meetings with parents to inform them of the importance of their child attending school. Secondly, we want to improve our students opportunities for educational digital experiences. We have a goal to provide each student with a digital device within their classroom. Our school will provide teachers with professional development on Google Chromebooks and apps that will help them give children educational opportunities.
What is the single most important factor in the success of your school that others could replicate?
We believe in collaboration with all of our stakeholders. We believe that our successes and failures are equally shared. Our staff understands that without each other we cannot have successful academic progress. We understand that without the firm foundation that our pre-kindergarten through second provide, we would have little success in grades three through sixth. We also believe that our students make up a big part of that team. Without our students believing in themselves and accepting guidance from their teachers, we cannot achieve at our highest level. Lastly, our school has tremendous community support. The principal has a good working relationship with the school advisory board and city council. He informs them of the needs of the school and more times than not they find ways to make it happen. It is our belief that our successes are dependent on the fact that all stakeholders will do their part.
Describe the program or initiative that has had the greatest positive effect on student achievement, including closing achievement or opportunity gaps, if applicable.
Guin Elementary believes that the initiative or characteristic that has the greatest impact on students is our high expectation of all stakeholders. We have core principles that our leadership team has come up with that lead to student success. These core principles are called "Traits of the Tribe". Our school has an indian mascot and that is why we named them accordingly. These traits are posted throughout the school. When you enter our doors at the school we have the word leadership. We believe that every child can be a leader no matter their socioeconomic status. We have a belief that all students will learn and that our teachers will teach to the highest standard. Alabama state standards are kept in red binder in each room. The principal or the reading coach check these binders periodically to make sure they are being dated as they are taught. The principal reminds the students that we have a tradition to uphold and that we intend that to not be any different annually.
Explain how ESEA federal funds are used to support your improvement efforts.
We are fortunate at Guin Elementary to have ESEA funds to provide support for our students. We have two teachers that provide Tier III instruction. During this time, students are pulled for 30 minute increments in the subjects of reading in math. Both of these teachers are half a day teachers. We also have one teacher that is used for a classroom reduction unit. This allows a grade level to have fewer students in it due to overcrowding. Lastly, we use the computer program called Successmaker. This program has a yearly maintenance fee. Thanks to ESEA funds we are able to sustain this program.
Identify the critical professional development activities you use to improve teaching and student learning.
Guin Elementary's most recently attended workshops were on the new phonics program, Reading Horizons. The teachers were given extensive training, including instruction in the basic framework of the program and a hands-on approach with the activities and games that are highlighted in the program. Additional training was offered during the school year to support teachers in the implementation of the program. One final instrument that is becoming available to educators at GES is the implementation of Google Classroom. This program is designed to create a streamlined approach to classroom management, assignments, grades, and records. It will allow teachers to give immediate and direct feedback on student performance and areas of need. Additionally, the program offers a more direct and manageable communication portal with parents and guardians and a more efficient form of peer integration and cooperation. Though new, the Google Classroom shows much promise.

Describe how data is used to improve student achievement and inform decision making.
Our students are given various formative assessments throughout the year and one summative assessment at the conclusion of the year. Throughout the year we give students formative assessments in the form of Scantron. This test is given at least three times but at our school we elect to give it a fourth time. After each testing cycle we meet with our staff to discuss the results so we can make improvements where necessary. We also discuss each student and their achievement levels. We have four categories that students are placed. Teachers will take sticky notes after these testing cycles and literally move them up or down to create a visual. We also give students a end of the year summative assessment. After the completion of this test, we begin planning for our next years continuous improvement plan. During this process we will come up with at least two goals for the upcoming school year. These goals will be set based on what our data shows from INOW and our final test.
Describe your school culture and explain changes you’ve taken to improve it.
At Guin Elementary School (GES), students, staff, and visitors immediately feel welcome as they enter the building. The school provides a comfortable, safe learning environment which not only ensures academic success but promotes emotional and social growth as well. Students are met each morning by a staff member as they arrive. The morning routine consists of the Pledge of Allegiance, a moment of silence, and a character education lesson led by our school counselor. The staff at GES sets high expectations for themselves and their students. This is evident as teachers spend a large amount of time collaborating on individual students in RTI and data meetings. Ultimately, being a smaller faculty, the staff and administration of GES functions at its highest level as a family.

Stats
  • Category 1

    Selected in 2019

  • Grades: pre k - 6
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 2,337
    Student Enrollment: 0
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 9%
    White/Caucasian: 85%
    Hispanic: 2%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 0%
    Native American: 0%
    Other: 4%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:20
    % Reduced Lunch: 60.3%
    % ELL Learners: 2%
    Founded: 1912
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Mr. Joshua Weatherly
  • CONTACT:
    7980 US Highway 43
    Guin, AL 35563
    205-468-3433
    jweatherly.ges@mcbe.net