• 
  
  
  
  
  
  

Teachers Accentuating the Positive (TAP) Program pairs all staff members with students who have demonstrated the need for positive behavioral growth based on a universal behavior screener. After making a connection with their assigned student, our staff strives to verbally recognize the positive behaviors the student exhibits

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

An accurate predictor of student achievement includes the parent’s involvement in their child’s education. Therefore, JA takes the responsibility to create an environment that encourages family learning. We encourage parents to express high, but realistic, expectations for their child's achievement. We provide and ask parents to become involved in their child’s education, their child’s celebrations, and their child’s opportunities. The following opportunities are available to all parents:
Academic Opportunities:
• Family Science Night and Reading Night
• Title I Parent Night
• Curriculum Night
• Off –site field trips
Opportunities for Parent Communication:
• Parent conferences
• Communication through newsletters, agendas, conferences, RTI meetings, and periodic e-mails.
Opportunities for student celebrations and activities:
• Honor’s Day Programs
• PTO activities and School Store activities
Fine Arts Recognition :
• Musical Performances
• Drama Productions
• Art Night

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

Jefferson Academy strives to maintain and strengthen the unique partnership between our school and members of our community by providing educational experiences that extend beyond our traditional classroom environment.
Each September, our 4th grade students travel to one of Georgia’s coastal islands to complete a 4 day Marine Biology Study. In May, our 5th grade students travel to Washington, D.C. for a five day tour and study of our United States government. All students are encouraged to invite a parent, grandparent, adult sibling, or other family member to be a part of this learning experience.
Special partnerships and connections are developed between our faculty and our stakeholders. In addition to strengthening the relationships between our staff, our students, and our parents, these trips serve to deepen each stakeholder’s understanding and appreciation of the curriculum and demonstrate the real world relevance of what our students are learning in the classroom setting.

Describe your philosophy of school change or improvement.

Most schools and teachers have related beliefs – a philosophy of education that influences what and how students are taught. Jefferson Academy believes that it our responsibility as educators to gauge a student’s prior knowledge, and then carefully orchestrate cues, classroom activities, and penetrating questions to push students to higher levels of understanding. Teachers should serve as guides and facilitators in assisting students to reach their goals. The emphasis should be on the future, and on preparing students to become “fully functioning” adults.

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

Jefferson Academy’s wishes to fully implement PBIS. Positive Behavior Interventions and Support will help individuals whose problem behaviors are barriers to reaching their full academic and behavioral potential. The PBIS interventions will be designed to reduce problem behaviors and increase adaptive, socially appropriate behaviors. Prevention of problem behaviors will be our focus, rather than responding after a behavior occurs.
Secondly, we will initiate student-led/student-involved conferences. We want our students to become accountable for their own work. The student-led conferences will be used as a learning tool to help expand the student’s organizational skills as they compile their student portfolio. Additionally, students will develop and expand oral communication skills as they lead parents through the conferencing process. Lastly, it is our hope that these conferences build self-confidence, allowing students to recognize their accomplishments.

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

Jefferson Academy believes that one of the most important factors in raising student achievement is hiring and retaining highly qualified teachers that utilize effective teaching practices. Research shows that teacher subject-matter knowledge is greatly associated with student learning. In this era of high standards and high expectations, hiring highly qualified teachers is critical to the quality education of a child. Teachers must engage students in the learning process while maintaining high expectations. In addition, teachers must be trained to understand and value criteria and methods for student assessment. Finally, it is extremely important that a teacher can “unlearn” when necessary.

Describe the program or initiative that has had the greatest positive effect on student achievement, including closing achievement or opportunity gaps, if applicable.

The program that has had the greatest positive effect on student achievement at Jefferson Academy is our Literacy Block, an extra fifty minute block of instructional time during the academic day. The students are grouped homogeneously to allow for differentiated instruction to support the remediation and acceleration process. Students with identified academic needs receive skills development and software interventions to support their RTI plan. Special Education students receive researched based programs to support their IEP. Students performing on grade level participate in project-researched based learning opportunities. Gifted identified students participate in the Stock Market game.
Other initiatives that have proven to contribute to high student achievement include after-school tutoring opportunities two times each week, lunch and learn opportunities throughout the week, and small group instruction using flexible grouping.

Explain how Title I funds are used to support your improvement efforts.

JA believes that all children should have an equitable opportunity to receive quality instruction. Therefore, our school has utilized Title I funds to hire additional classroom paraprofessionals to assist with Title I classroom support.
In addition, our school is fortunate that the majority of the parapros who serve our Title I students have college degrees. This provides for a quality staff.
JA fully understands how the utilization of technology helps to develop a 21st century learner who exhibits creativity, the ability to think critically, and the capacity to collaborate. By aligning our fiscal purchases with our vision, we have been able to utilize Title I funds to purchase various technology items such as laptops, tablets, student response systems, document cameras, and mimios. These technological supports assist our instructional effort, give our students a means of demonstrating their knowledge, and allow our students to be actively engaged in the learning process.

Identify the critical professional development activities you use to improve teaching and student learning.

Research shows that inspiring and informed teacher are the most important school-related factor influencing student achievement, so it is critical when determining our professional development and support for both new and experienced educators. Some of the most recent topics of professional development at Jefferson Academy have included:
* Dissection and use of the Common Core Georgia Performance Standards
* Effective use of classroom technology and software programs to support academic achievement
* Utilization of Agriculture in the Classroom to support the science curriculum
* Implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) to support students with behavioral needs
* Use of BYOT (Bring Your Own Technology) in the classroom to promote collaboration and extend the learning process

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

Data is used in multiple ways at Jefferson Academy. Universal Screening checks, Common Formative Assessments, and Common Summative Assessments are used to make instructional decisions for all enrolled students.
The Universal Screening tests are used to identify growth in the content areas of reading fluency, reading comprehension, math concepts, and behavior. Common Formative (CFA) and Summative Assessments (CSA) are also administered at each grade level. Teachers collaboratively create these Formative Assessments which allow for common discussions at grade level meetings.
Lastly, teachers complete a Behavioral Screener on each of their students at the end of each year. This teacher rating identifies students that struggle with classroom behaviors, externalizing behaviors, and socialization behaviors.

Describe your school culture and explain changes you’ve taken to improve it.

JA is implementing the following strategies to help establish a positive school culture for all learners: The Dragon ROAR (Respectful, On Task, Always Safe, Responsible) allows homeroom teachers to select a “Student of the Day” based on a teacher created rubric. Each morning a student name is drawn as the school-wide representative, and all students who were selected wear a medal symbolizing their achievement. Daily winners participate in a monthly luncheon to celebrate their achievement; Teachers Accentuating the Positive (TAP) Program pairs all staff members with students who have demonstrated the need for positive behavioral growth based on a universal behavior screener. After making a connection with their assigned student, our staff strives to verbally recognize the positive behaviors the student exhibits; the Check-In/Check-Out (CICO) Program provides opportunity for students to consult with a staff member to receive praise, encouragement, & positive guidance on a daily basis.

• Category 1

  Selected in 2013

• Grades: 3 - 5
  School Setting: rural
  Town Population: 9,601
  Student Enrollment: 714
  Student Demographics:
  

  Black/African American: 11%
  White/Caucasian: 77%
  Hispanic: 8%
  Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
  Asian: 2%
  Native American: 0%
  Other: 2%
  

  Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:25
  % Reduced Lunch: 33.5%
  % ELL Learners: 5%
  Founded: 2007
• PRINCIPAL:
  DeMaris Gurley
• CONTACT:
  99 Dragon Dr
  Jefferson, GA 30549
  706-367-2300
  dgurley@jeffcityschools.org