• Category 1

    Selected in 2017

  • Grades: k - 5
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 820
    Student Enrollment: 121
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 2%
    White/Caucasian: 81%
    Hispanic: 0%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 1%
    Native American: 16%
    Other: 0%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:12
    % Reduced Lunch: 36%
    % ELL Learners: 0%
    Founded: 1927
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Charles Sykora
  • CONTACT:
    401 S Blvd W. / PO Box 414
    Wall, SD 57790
    605-279-2156
    Charles.Sykora@k12.sd.us
Wall Elementary School
Wall, SD
The biggest factor that led to our school's success is the ability of the staff to collaborate.
Describe specific programs in place to ensure that families are involved in the success of your school and students.
Wall Elementary does not carry out any one program. The expectation of the school is that teachers are responsible for communicating with their students' families and provide learning opportunities for students and their families beyond the school day.
Describe the most successful activity your school has initiated to strengthen ties to your community.
Wall Elementary School employs several activities that strengthen ties to the community. Teachers schedule special activities in their classrooms that involve participation with parents/guardians and community stakeholders. The school sends invitations to parents/guardians and community stakeholders for school wide events. A distribution list of community email addresses has been developed and used to communicate school events and activities.
Describe your philosophy of school change or improvement.
School improvement means improving achievement for all students. It involves determining student needs and interests and working to implement them into the daily lessons. School improvement means including parents of gap students as well as non-gap students.
What are your school’s top two goals for the next year?
The top goals include but are not limited to finding additional time for teachers to collaborate and finding ways to improve parent/guardian involvement.
What is the single most important factor in the success of your school that others could replicate?
The biggest factor that led to our school's success is the ability of the staff to collaborate. The results of collaboration have been increased knowledge of student learning, successful and unsuccessful strategies, new teaching methods, and more discussion of student needs has improved learning throughout the school and district.
Describe the program or initiative that has had the greatest positive effect on student achievement, including closing achievement or opportunity gaps, if applicable.
The program that has had the biggest impact on our student achievement has been the South Dakota Reading First Initiative. While taking part in Reading First, the staff received valuable training that taught them how to collect and use data. The staff became more proficient in the collaboration process. This knowledge has been carried over into our math program, which has led to greater math achievement.
Explain how Title I funds are used to support your improvement efforts.
Wall Elementary uses Title I funds to cover Title I staff. Staff is able to use their experience and help general education teachers find strategies that address student needs.
Identify the critical professional development activities you use to improve teaching and student learning.
Professional development activities that have improved learning and teaching include personalized professional development. During these activities teachers developed teaching goals that correspond with Danielson's Framework for Teaching, and end of year assessments. Staff have been able to discover their interests, which result in the implementation of new teaching practices beyond the week or so after attending a workshop or conference.
Describe how data is used to improve student achievement and inform decision making.
Wall Elementary School uses several assessments in English/Language Arts and Mathematics throughout the school year. During collaboration meetings student data is consulted and adjustments are made based on the monitoring done for those who are strategic or intensive. Data is saved and passed on for use the following year. Saved data is consulted if teachers wish to look for patterns in student learning.
Describe your school culture and explain changes you’ve taken to improve it.
The school culture is one where we work to ensure everyone is cared for and respected. The school was part of the Dakota Character Initiative where desired character traits were determined and taught throughout the first year. Since then the school has continued emphasizing good character and addressing what each trait looks like in action.
Stats
  • Category 1

    Selected in 2017

  • Grades: k - 5
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 820
    Student Enrollment: 121
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 2%
    White/Caucasian: 81%
    Hispanic: 0%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 1%
    Native American: 16%
    Other: 0%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:12
    % Reduced Lunch: 36%
    % ELL Learners: 0%
    Founded: 1927
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Charles Sykora
  • CONTACT:
    401 S Blvd W. / PO Box 414
    Wall, SD 57790
    605-279-2156
    Charles.Sykora@k12.sd.us