• Category 1

    Selected in 2012

  • Grades: pre k - 5
    School Setting: suburban
    Town Population: 10,826
    Student Enrollment: 483
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 2%
    White/Caucasian: 90%
    Hispanic: 5%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 2%
    Native American: 1%
    Other: 0%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:19.5
    % Reduced Lunch: 59%
    % ELL Learners: 2%
    Founded: 1955
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Mike Mitchener
  • CONTACT:
    245 N Delos
    Haysville, KS 67060
    316-554-2273
    mmitch@usd261.com
Nelson Elementary
Haysville, KS
The Literacy First initiative has had the greatest positive effect on student achievement in our building. This process has given us the tools that we need to create a solid foundation of fluent readers which directly impacts all subject areas.
Describe specific programs in place to ensure that families are involved in the success of your school and students.
We are fortunate to have a strong Family Community Engagement with involved parents, grandparents and staff. We have a recognized (in KPIRC-Kansas Parent Information Resource Center) Parent Resource Room put in place which provides parents with a computer to use and other resources to utilize such as Anti-Bully material being available. As well, we have Parent Nights, 3 Foster Grandparents, and have students get actively involved in community service projects such as Food Drives and Pennies for Patients. Our P.T.A. work has been recognized at the state level with such opportunities for family and community involvement as:
*OWLS Nest (Nelson Outdoor Wildlife Learning Station)
*Art in the Park Day (The Nelson Gym is turned into a Park with local
artists in during a day in February)
*Morning Walking Program that local citizens can join in on
*Volunteer Program
*Dads ’N Donuts
*Moms ’N Muffins
*Grandparents to Lunch Week
*"International Walk to School Day" participation
*Family Movie Nights
*Nelson Singers" touring singing group
*TAPs after school Tutoring Program
In addition to the above listed items, we also have a Site Council made up of parents, business people, BOE representation, and educators which meet regularly as an advisory group.
Describe the most successful activity your school has initiated to strengthen the ties to your community.
The most successful activity our school has initiated to strenghthen ties to our community is putting in place many Partnerships both Business and other. These include but are not limited to:
*Texas Road House--Attendance & No Tardy Motivation System
*Haysville Public Library Summer Reading Program
*Cherry Berry--Nelson Nights
*Sonic--Sonic Nights
*Homeland--Homeland One Card Incentive
*Target--"Take Charge of Education Program"
*Noah’s Donuts
*Ministerial Alliance Connection (Food Bank Support etc.)
*HAC--Haysville Activity Center Initiatives
*Haysville Police Dept. Connections (D.A.R.E. Program, Access to
Resource Officer and Crisis Management Support)
* Fire Dept. Station #34 Connections
*Local VFW Support such as Teacher of the Year Program
It has been said, that it "Takes a Village to Raise a Child" and this is certainly the case at Nelson Elementary School. We are most thankful for the entire village.
Describe your philosophy of school change or improvement.
As we embarked on a mission to change the way we do business at Nelson; we pieced together several different initiatives to ensure success. These pieces included:
*Non-negotiable, uninterrupted two hour reading block
*Non-negotiable, uninterrupted ninety minute math block
*Structure and implementation of MTSS building-wide
*Application of Schoolwide Title 1
*Implementation of PBIS
*Implementation of Literacy First
*Implementation of "Capturing Kids Hearts"
*Calibration and implementation of walkthroughs by the Leadership
Team
Together, our staff kept student achievement as the forefront of our focus. We tie student achievement to all PLC discussions and building-wide collaborations. If it’s not what’s best for kids, then why are we doing it? This mindset has helped us raise the bar for student success and created a road map to help us exceed the high expectations that we have set.
What are your school’s top two goals for the next year?
Our top two goals for next year:
*We will focus on implementing the Common Core State Standards with
fidelity at all levels.
*We also are focusing on continuing to increase student achievement in
Reading and Math.
What is the single most important factor in the success of your school that others could replicate?
Using data to design skill specific interventions for students that are implemented with fidelity.
Describe the program or initiative that has had the greatest positive effect on student achievement.
The Literacy First initiative has had the greatest positive effect on student achievement in our building. This process has given us the tools that we need to create a solid foundation of fluent readers which directly impacts all subject areas.
Explain how Title I funds have supported your improvement efforts.
Title 1 funds have supported us by making it possible to create a coach in every building to facilitate professional learning at the building level. It allows working with staff to enhance instruction and focus on student learning and success. Since our building is schoolwide title, every student becomes a focus and is affected by the increased rigor in every classroom. The funds have also allowed for each building to invite consultants to come in and observe our journey through the process, and provide feedback as to our next right steps.
Identify the professional development activities you use to improve the teaching portion of the teaching and learning process.
The Literacy Resource Specialist (LRS) provides Literacy First training to all new staff. The LRS provides weekly staff development to the following targeted groups:
*Grade Level Professional Learning Communities
*Effective instruction with emphasis on rigor
*Model Lessons
*Team Teaching
*Maneuvering through the data bases
*Using data to drive instruction
*Para Educators
*The Literacy First Process
*How to implement interventions
*How to collect data
*Management of small groups
*How and when to progress monitor
Describe how data is used to improve student achievement and inform decision making.
All students in our building are assessed in the areas of:
*Phonological Awareness
*Phonics
*Fluency
*Math Computation and Application
From these assessments, teachers are able to place students into flexible skill groups to provide explicit instruction based off of the skills that they need. These groups are differentiated by skill level so all students are working in their zone of proximal development. Students are reassessed on an as needed basis and groups are adjusted accordingly. For students that need additional support, para educators provide intervention opportunities in a small group or one-on-one setting. Students are progress monitored to identify mastery of the skill. For students that are exceeding expectations, additional opportunities are provided to increase the rigor.
Describe your school culture and explain changes you’ve taken to improve it.
When we began the implementation of the MTSS process in our building, we had to change the way we looked at our students. We went from a more sporadic method of intervention to a more focused, specific identification process. When the specific skill need was identified, we geared lessons to be intense and explicit. This changed the culture and climate of our building completely. The use of data to drive our instruction was imperative so we had to be intentional with the data pieces that we used and calibrate accordingly so we were all on the same page. Together this created a more united front with the way we educated kids and communicated with each other and with parents.
Stats
  • Category 1

    Selected in 2012

  • Grades: pre k - 5
    School Setting: suburban
    Town Population: 10,826
    Student Enrollment: 483
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 2%
    White/Caucasian: 90%
    Hispanic: 5%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 2%
    Native American: 1%
    Other: 0%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:19.5
    % Reduced Lunch: 59%
    % ELL Learners: 2%
    Founded: 1955
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Mike Mitchener
  • CONTACT:
    245 N Delos
    Haysville, KS 67060
    316-554-2273
    mmitch@usd261.com