• Category 2

    Selected in 2013

  • Grades: pre k - 5
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 2
    Student Enrollment: 160
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 0%
    White/Caucasian: 6%
    Hispanic: 16%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 0%
    Native American: 78%
    Other: 0%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:12
    % Reduced Lunch: 77%
    % ELL Learners: 1%
    Founded: 1932
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Alice Murner
  • CONTACT:
    3560 Deer ST, P.O Box 86
    Neah Bay , WA 98357
    360-645-2649
    amurner@cfsd.wednet.edu
Neah Bay Elementary School
Neah Bay , WA
I believe that before a major change takes place it is important to make sure the staff are involved and have buy in. If the staff feels it is important for student learning and they take the initiative, the process will go much smoother for all involved.
Describe specific programs in place to ensure that families are involved in the success of your school and students.
The most successful activities our school has initiated to strengthen family involvement have been our family hours, positive contacts, and welcoming atmosphere. In addition, we work hard to ensure that the Makah culture is incorporated into as many aspects of our school as possible (5th grade dance performance, language classes, Thunderbird etc...)
Describe the most successful activity your school has initiated to strengthen ties to your community.
The most successful activities our school has initiated to strengthen family involvement have been our family hours, positive contacts, and a welcoming atmosphere. In addition, we work hard to ensure that the Makah culture is incorporated into as many aspects of our school as possible (5th grade dance performance, language classes, Thunderbird etc...)
Describe your philosophy of school change or improvement.
I believe that before a major change takes place it is important to make sure the staff are involved and have buy in. If the staff feels it is important for student learning and they take the initiative, the process will go much smoother for all involved. In addition, I also believe that parents and community are key to a successful change. Take the time to help parents understand the change that is taking place and meet with them about concerns they may have. Finally, change is a process that takes time. Make sure that the program, initiative, or strategy has a a solid research base and give it at least five years to have a positive impact.
What are your school’s top two goals for the next year?
Continue our transition to Common Core and to continue to improve and perfect our standards based grading system which includes our assessment for learning framework.
What is the single most important factor in the success of your school that others could replicate?
Consistency over time, staying with the plan. Standards based teaching and learning and assessment for learning.
Describe the program or initiative that has had the greatest positive effect on student achievement, including closing achievement or opportunity gaps, if applicable.
Consistency over time has been the key for us. We started with a researched based 90-minute reading block in 2002 and have continued this model since then. Each year we add one or two important programs or strategies and stick with these for at least 5 years.Most of our big initiatives and curriculum changes we have made over the last 12 years continue today. For example, in 2007 we moved to a standards based teaching and grading model and continue to use and refine it each year. Also, we have in the last three years incorporated the Assessment For Learning framework. This helps our students and teachers understand where they are at in the learning process, where they need to go to meet standard and how to get there. Our teachers have embraced this model and the students are provided with opportunities to look at strong and weak work, receive continuous descriptive feedback, assess their own learning, and then have an opportunity to adjust their work so it meets standard.
Explain how Title I funds are used to support your improvement efforts.
Our building uses Title I funds for before and after school tutoring, professional development, intervention teams, intervention teacher, reducing class sizes, and supplement professional development materials.
Identify the critical professional development activities you use to improve teaching and student learning.
In the last few years the critical professional development activities we have used to improve teaching and learning are: assessment for learning, standards based instruction and grading, collaboration time, book studies, and math content sessions.
Describe how data is used to improve student achievement and inform decision making.
We have been tracking student data with great detail for the last 8 years. At the beginning of each year teachers are given a "data tracker", one page look at where their students are at academically (tier based). This gives teachers data before school starts so they can start planning groups and instruction. Each teacher is also given a portfolio for each student. The portfolios contain all pertinent testing data back to kindergarten. Once the teachers have all the data they are given early release or paid time to dissagragate the data. Within the first few weeks of school several more classroom based assessments are given by the teacher. Within the first month of school interventions are started for students who are below standard. Interventions can last from 10 min to 60mins per day. Staff and teachers progress monitor students and either continue or change interventions depending on the results of the data. This process will continue for the entire school year.
Describe your school culture and explain changes you’ve taken to improve it.
Students and staff feel unity across grade levels. This has been accomplished by our morning assembly, our Thunderbird mascot, and character character traits. In addition, our students take responsibility for their own learning. This has been accomplished by our lessons and focus on a growth mindset and continued encouragement and high expectations from all staff. In addition, constant parent contact about how their children are doing both academically and socially.
Stats
  • Category 2

    Selected in 2013

  • Grades: pre k - 5
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 2
    Student Enrollment: 160
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 0%
    White/Caucasian: 6%
    Hispanic: 16%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 0%
    Native American: 78%
    Other: 0%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:12
    % Reduced Lunch: 77%
    % ELL Learners: 1%
    Founded: 1932
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Alice Murner
  • CONTACT:
    3560 Deer ST, P.O Box 86
    Neah Bay , WA 98357
    360-645-2649
    amurner@cfsd.wednet.edu