• Category 2

    Selected in 2022

  • Grades: pre k - 5
    School Setting: urban
    Town Population: 42,517
    Student Enrollment: 333
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 11.4%
    White/Caucasian: 9.6%
    Hispanic: 63.4%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 9.3%
    Native American: 0.1%
    Other: 0%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:22
    % Reduced Lunch: 66%
    % ELL Learners: 53%
    Founded: 1972
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Alyse Zeffiro
  • CONTACT:
    13199 Kerrydale Road
    Woodbridge, VA 22193
    703-590-1262
    zeffirax@pwcs.edu
Kerrydale Elementary School
Woodbridge, VA
"We focus on building trusting relationships with families from the start so they become authentic partners in their student's learning."  
1. Tell us about your school’s success.
Despite the challenges our students and staff faced due to the pandemic and other barriers our Title I learners have, our current data shows student achievement at its highest in nine years. All State assessments in reading, math, and science were higher than pre-pandemic scores. Our school attributes our success to our work with Visible Learning and the implementation of highly impactful instructional strategies. According to the 2021-2022 Virginia School Quality Profile, Kerrydale Elementary's reading performance was 74% for all students (grades 3-5), 1% above the State performance of 73%. Kerrydale Elementary's math performance was 74% for all students (grades 3-5), surpassing the Division at 67% and the State at 66%.

Regardless of our size and diverse population, high expectations of students have remained unchanged. Kerrydale Elementary is fully accredited in all academic areas for all groups, particularly English Learners.
2. Talk about the greatest contributing factor(s) that promoted positive change in your school.
Kerrydale Elementary is in the third year of working towards becoming a Visible Learning School. Visible Learning is embedded deeply within the culture of our school. We use John Hattie's research, the world's largest evidence-based on what works best in schools to accelerate student learning. Teacher clarity, with an effect size of 0.84, is the foundation for our instructional practices. Teachers develop learning intentions and success criteria to teach the content and provide students with clarity on their learning. During weekly Collaborative Learning Team (CLT) meetings in reading and math, conversations follow a protocol to ensure they are intentional and productive. During CLT meetings, teachers unpack standards, create learning intentions and success criteria, and decide on high-impact strategies and learning experiences that are rigorous and aligned to mastery of the standard. Implementation of accelerated learning (prerequisite skills) impacted student learning as well.
3. How has ESEA funding supported the school's success?
During our tiering process, the level of support is determined by student name and need. Based upon individual students' needs, additional support is provided by staff (general education, special education, ESOL, and specialists) during high-dosage tutoring (before/after/during school) utilizing research-based strategies and/or programs. Our SOL Academy Program is an opportunity for students in grades 3-5 to receive additional support to prepare for their spring SOL in reading and math. It's a nine-week program before or after school in which instructional staff uses their unit assessment data to plan targeted, differentiated, and focused lessons using grade-level math and reading curriculum to accelerate learning and close the achievement gap. During the summer, our Kindergarten Cardinal Bootcamp program provides an opportunity for our youngest learners to get a jump start on essential skills, such as developing print concepts, alphabetic knowledge, and early numeracy
4. What professional development activities were used to improve teaching and learning?
Starting in 2018, Kerrydale Elementary began the Visible Learning Journey by engaging in extensive professional learning opportunities centered around John Hattie's high-impact instructional strategies and implementation of Visible Learning within our school. Kerrydale Elementary has completed approximately 50 hours of professional learning and implemented practice and feedback. To progress monitor implementation of teacher clarity, instructional rounds with staff are conducted at least three times a year using a teacher clarity instructional tool.  Data is collected and shared with all school staff to celebrate success and determine the next steps for further implementation.
5. Talk about the cultural shift leading up to your school's success.
In an era of tremendous change, our students, teachers, administrators, and parents have experienced immense growth through Visible Learning.  Visible Learning has been nothing short of transformative.  It's allowed us to use what works best to meet each child where they are and help them get to where they want to be. Our teachers have even had personal growth due to our school learner profile.  Collaborating around high-impact strategies, leaning on each other's strengths to meet the needs of all students, and always seeing student performance and feedback as evidence of their impact is commonplace at Kerrydale Elementary.  Visible Learning is deeply embedded in the culture of our school, and it has changed us all for the better. As a school, we are incredibly proud of the growth and overall academic achievement for all student groups despite the significant challenges the pandemic brought to our diverse Title I population.
6. How has community involvement strengthened your success?
Our Title I Family Engagement opportunities provide resources and instructional strategies for parents to implement at home with their students. Our Back to School/Title I Annual Meeting collects input for our Family School Compact and Family Engagement Policy.  We provide activities that enable our families to connect with other community members.  Back to School Night has been revamped from a traditional "sit-and-get" information night to an engaging hands-on opportunity for parents to learn about Visible Learning, Title I, and how to support their child/ren at home.  Parents are immersed in a STEM Challenge requiring them to work cooperatively and communicate with one another. This leads to a discussion surrounding our Visible Learning Learner Dispositions and what it means to be a Kerrydale Learner and builds a culture of community. It is essential that trusting relationships are built with families from the start, so they become authentic partners in their student's learning. 
Stats
  • Category 2

    Selected in 2022

  • Grades: pre k - 5
    School Setting: urban
    Town Population: 42,517
    Student Enrollment: 333
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 11.4%
    White/Caucasian: 9.6%
    Hispanic: 63.4%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 9.3%
    Native American: 0.1%
    Other: 0%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:22
    % Reduced Lunch: 66%
    % ELL Learners: 53%
    Founded: 1972
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Alyse Zeffiro
  • CONTACT:
    13199 Kerrydale Road
    Woodbridge, VA 22193
    703-590-1262
    zeffirax@pwcs.edu