• Category 3

    Selected in 2017

  • Grades: pre k - 5
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 9,748
    Student Enrollment: 402
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 0.1%
    White/Caucasian: 70%
    Hispanic: 0%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 0%
    Native American: 16%
    Other: 13.9%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:25
    % Reduced Lunch: 44%
    % ELL Learners: 3%
    Founded: 2001
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Beckie Murphy
  • CONTACT:
    2722 E. Seldon Road
    Palmer, AK 99645
    907-352-2301
    Kelly.OMalley@matsuk12.us
Larson Elementary School
Palmer, AK
Data is key to our student achievement at Larson.
Describe specific programs in place to ensure that families are involved in the success of your school and students.
At Larson, we target 4 major family events a year and offer before and after school programs throughout the year. We have a Pastries with Parents event, Craft Night, Math Night and Family Picnic each year. In addition, we have band/choir concerts, grade level events and encourage our parents to participate in field trips.
Describe the most successful activity your school has initiated to strengthen ties to your community.
Larson is known for its before and after school activities providing parents and students with opportunities for school involvement.
Describe your philosophy of school change or improvement.
Larson is in a continuous improvement cycle. We use our staff meeting and grade level meetings to examine our efficacy and fidelity to programs and instructional strategies to ensure we, as a collective team, are meeting the needs of each of our students.
What are your school’s top two goals for the next year?
Next year we will be setting goals in the area of Social Emotional Learning and Writing.
What is the single most important factor in the success of your school that others could replicate?
Dedicated teachers who go above and beyond to communicate with parents the academic, social emotional and general needs of each and every student in our building.
Describe the program or initiative that has had the greatest positive effect on student achievement, including closing achievement or opportunity gaps, if applicable.
Our RTI program (which uses direct targeted instruction) has the greatest impact on closing the achievement gap for our students. We have an Instructional Coach that coordinates our interventions and ensures that every child gets their targeted need met.
Explain how Title I funds are used to support your improvement efforts.
We use Title 1 funds to support our Tutor Advisors, pay for our Instructional Coach, before and after school activities and support our parent outreach.
Identify the critical professional development activities you use to improve teaching and student learning.
At Larson we are strategically targeting Professional Development in the areas of technology, small group instruction and goal setting. Teachers are analyzing achievement data and reviewing their own practice to work towards a continuous improvement cycle.
Describe how data is used to improve student achievement and inform decision making.
Data is key to our student achievement at Larson. We have regular meetings with teachers to go over individual student data, we look at strengths, needs and match intervention and acceleration programs to each learner.
Describe your school culture and explain changes you’ve taken to improve it.
Larson's school culture can best be described as a place where teachers are dedicated, parents are happy and students are learning everyday.
Stats
  • Category 3

    Selected in 2017

  • Grades: pre k - 5
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 9,748
    Student Enrollment: 402
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 0.1%
    White/Caucasian: 70%
    Hispanic: 0%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 0%
    Native American: 16%
    Other: 13.9%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:25
    % Reduced Lunch: 44%
    % ELL Learners: 3%
    Founded: 2001
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Beckie Murphy
  • CONTACT:
    2722 E. Seldon Road
    Palmer, AK 99645
    907-352-2301
    Kelly.OMalley@matsuk12.us