• Category 1

    Selected in 2012

  • Grades: pre k - 6
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 485
    Student Enrollment: 134
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 2%
    White/Caucasian: 96%
    Hispanic: 0%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 0%
    Native American: 0%
    Other: 2%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:14
    % Reduced Lunch: 50%
    % ELL Learners: 0%
    Founded: 1880
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Carolyn Blevins
  • CONTACT:
    Post Office Box 144
    Mount Pleasant , AR 72561
    870-346-5194
    carolyn.blevins@melbourneschools.org
Mount Pleasant Elementary
Mount Pleasant , AR
One week of staff development in the summer is dedicated to disaggregating the data received from the benchmark and NRT results. Strengths and weaknesses of classroom instruction in math and literacy are determined at this time.
What is the single most important factor in the success of your school that others could replicate?
Mount Pleasant Elementary’s success can be attributed to the teachers and staff sharing a common bond with the parents and community. The goal is to make this school the best possible learning environment for the children and for it to be a an integral part of the community. The Mount Pleasant community and school have always worked closely to instill in the students a sense of pride in who they are and what is necessary for them to become productive citizens in the United States. Traditions unique to this area have been developed and culminated by the community and school. Our parents and community are our strength.
What is the single most important factor in the success of your school that others could replicate?
Mount Pleasant Elementary’s success can be attributed to the teachers and staff sharing a common bond with the parents and community. The goal is to make this school the best possible learning environment for the children and for it to be a an integral part of the community. The Mount Pleasant community and school have always worked closely to instill in the students a sense of pride in who they are and what is necessary for them to become productive citizens in the United States. Traditions unique to this area have been developed and culminated by the community and school. Our parents and community are our strength.
Identify the professional development activities you use to improve the teaching portion of the teaching and learning process.
Mount Pleasant Elementary teachers and their administrator participate in professional development that assists in improving instructional methods. We, like our students, learn best practices through modeled instruction by highly qualified educators in all subject areas. Just as we set high expectations for our students, we must also set high expectations for our teaching. The faculty and staff look for professional development that assists them as they teach the requirements of the Common Core State Standards. The professional development must be practical and useful and benefit all of our students.

Based on the results of the Benchmark, teachers analyze their strengths and weakness in their individual classrooms. They are encouraged to attend staff development during the school year, but the majority of professional development is completed during the summer months. Each teacher discusses his/her individual professional development plan with the principal. Strengths and weaknesses are identified as they cooperatively develop a plan of action. Each teacher completes a survey indicating the instructional needs we should develop as individuals and as a school to help our students reach proficient or advanced and to prepare them for life beyond elementary school.

Mount Pleasant Elementary benchmark scores have averaged 95% in literacy and math for the past three years, and we want to maintain that level. Collectively, it was determined that more staff development is needed on responding to open response items for both math and literacy. Another area of concern is found in essay writing in Content and Style. More intense instruction is needed in Geometry, Measurement, and Data Analysis in math.

The 2012 staff development that was requested by the teachers included the following: Common Core State Standards and Mapping, Responding to Open Response in Literacy and Math, CGI, Writing in the Elementary Classroom, Data Analysis, Teacher Evaluation, IPADS, and Creative Technology.

As we participate in data disaggregation, it becomes apparent where the areas of concern lie in the student performance, as well as in teacher performance. Teachers seek out professional development that strengthens their instructional strategies for the student learner expectations.
Describe how data is used to improve student achievement and inform decision making.
Through analysis of the summative and formative assessment data obtained from the Augmented Benchmark Testing and the NRT, teachers and administrators at Mount Pleasant Elementary determine instructional goals and strategies necessary to continue making adequate yearly progress. One week of staff development in the summer is dedicated to disaggregating the data received from the benchmark and NRT results. Strengths and weaknesses of classroom instruction in math and literacy are determined at this time.

The data analysis process begins by looking at the results of the combined population school summary report of Below Basic, Basic, Proficient, and Advanced in math and literacy from the spring testing. The next step is to make a chart of the school summary report and the school roster information reflecting the three-year data. The information includes: the average percentage of students scoring advanced or proficient; comparison of multiple-choice and open response percentages in math, reading, and writing. Comparisons are made to determine strengths and weaknesses in instruction of the math strands, reading strands, and writing domains for the current year and the three-year averages. Once this information is found, teachers analyze the item-by-item results for each class by determining the student learner expectation that was tested for those combined scores that fell below the 60th percentile. This process is then repeated for the students with disabilities.

Teachers, administrators, and paraprofessionals work in small groups to analyze and discuss the results of the CRT and NRT. Areas of concern, instructional strategies needed to improve, reviewing of curriculum mapping, and listing of students in need of an academic improvement plan are all determined. Based on the strengths and weaknesses found in the strands of student learner expectations, teachers can then make modifications in their vertical and horizontal mapping, plan instructional strategies, as well as formulate goals for the Mount Pleasant Elementary School Improvement Plan. Plans of action are discussed and developed. As the year progresses, a variety of assessment strategies are used to track student progress.
Describe how data is used to improve student achievement and inform decision making.
Through analysis of the summative and formative assessment data obtained from the Augmented Benchmark Testing and the NRT, teachers and administrators at Mount Pleasant Elementary determine instructional goals and strategies necessary to continue making adequate yearly progress. One week of staff development in the summer is dedicated to disaggregating the data received from the benchmark and NRT results. Strengths and weaknesses of classroom instruction in math and literacy are determined at this time.

The data analysis process begins by looking at the results of the combined population school summary report of Below Basic, Basic, Proficient, and Advanced in math and literacy from the spring testing. The next step is to make a chart of the school summary report and the school roster information reflecting the three-year data. The information includes: the average percentage of students scoring advanced or proficient; comparison of multiple-choice and open response percentages in math, reading, and writing. Comparisons are made to determine strengths and weaknesses in instruction of the math strands, reading strands, and writing domains for the current year and the three-year averages. Once this information is found, teachers analyze the item-by-item results for each class by determining the student learner expectation that was tested for those combined scores that fell below the 60th percentile. This process is then repeated for the students with disabilities.

Teachers, administrators, and paraprofessionals work in small groups to analyze and discuss the results of the CRT and NRT. Areas of concern, instructional strategies needed to improve, reviewing of curriculum mapping, and listing of students in need of an academic improvement plan are all determined. Based on the strengths and weaknesses found in the strands of student learner expectations, teachers can then make modifications in their vertical and horizontal mapping, plan instructional strategies, as well as formulate goals for the Mount Pleasant Elementary School Improvement Plan. Plans of action are discussed and developed. As the year progresses, a variety of assessment strategies are used to track student progress.
Stats
  • Category 1

    Selected in 2012

  • Grades: pre k - 6
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 485
    Student Enrollment: 134
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 2%
    White/Caucasian: 96%
    Hispanic: 0%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 0%
    Native American: 0%
    Other: 2%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:14
    % Reduced Lunch: 50%
    % ELL Learners: 0%
    Founded: 1880
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Carolyn Blevins
  • CONTACT:
    Post Office Box 144
    Mount Pleasant , AR 72561
    870-346-5194
    carolyn.blevins@melbourneschools.org