• Category 2

    Selected in 2019

  • Grades: pre k - 5
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 1,200
    Student Enrollment: 425
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 29%
    White/Caucasian: 70%
    Hispanic: 1%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 0%
    Native American: 0%
    Other: 0%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:20
    % Reduced Lunch: 62%
    % ELL Learners: 1%
    Founded: 1949
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Lesa Bodnar
  • CONTACT:
    82144 Highway 25
    Folsom, LA 70437
    985-796-3820
    lesa.bodnar@stpsb.org
Folsom Elementary School
Folsom, LA
Every decision we make about academics is a "data-driven" decision.
Describe specific programs in place to ensure that families are involved in the success of your school and students.
At Folsom Elementary, we host at least 6 parental involvement nights a year. These parent nights are informative and educational to assist parents how to help their student. We also use websites, weekly assessment folders, daily calendars, robo calls, personal phone calls and email.
Describe the most successful activity your school has initiated to strengthen ties to your community.
Folsom, Louisiana is a small community. Our school is the hub of the town where families come together for programs, concerts and festivals. The most successful activity we have initiated over the years to strengthen our relationship with the community is our "Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony". Our students learn about different countries throughout the year and each class chooses a country to represent. Community volunteers help make costumes that represent the countries as well as choreograph dances from the country. As a school, we have an Olympic parade through town to the local park where we light the Olympic Torch and present the countries. Town dignitaries, businesses and families attend the Opening Ceremony. It brings everyone together where all students participate while having fun learning about other countries and their cultures.
Describe your philosophy of school change or improvement.
I believe that in order to see school change or improvement you must first build a culture of expectation and kindness in a school. I know this is probably unconventional but I realized when I was a classroom teacher I ran my class by being firm but kind and having high expectations. Students (all people really) respond to kindness and if it is sincere they will do just about anything you ask of them. To see improvement in a school you must first establish a culture of kindness and then be clear about your expectations. This applies to teachers and students.
What are your school’s top two goals for the next year?
What is the single most important factor in the success of your school that others could replicate?
Adopting the "Be Kind" philosophy
Describe the program or initiative that has had the greatest positive effect on student achievement, including closing achievement or opportunity gaps, if applicable.
In the past two years, I transitioned our special education students from being in the resource room for most of their learning to being in the general education setting. This inclusion initiative has had the greatest positive effect on closing the achievement gap in my school.
It is my belief that special education students should look like all the other students and have the same expectations with accommodations (only if needed). This has required extensive education of teachers, staff, and families as well as adjusting the placement of staff based on needs.
I have seen students with disabilities working in a general education classroom with typical peers. They become more confident, have better social interactions, increased achievement, greater access to the general curriculum, and make better grades. In the end they are much more successful, and reach potential that was unknown prior to implementing the inclusion model.
Explain how ESEA federal funds are used to support your improvement efforts.
ESEA Federal Funds enable me to employ the support staff needed to meet the needs of all students. This includes our general education students as well as our special education students. I am also able to purchase the technology I need for student use. Laptops, Chrome Books, Promethean Boards, and Computer Labs, are all used in instruction and foster engagement among our 21st century learners.
Identify the critical professional development activities you use to improve teaching and student learning.
We have Professional Learning Communities in my school. These weekly meetings are used to collaborate, analyze data, create common assessments and professional development.
They are held in the morning before school begins and we pay teachers a stipend using federal funds to attend. It is very structured and is valuable time spent working to improve instruction in the classroom.
Describe how data is used to improve student achievement and inform decision making.
Every decision we make about academics is a "data-driven" decision. We may have thought a particular program was highly effective but the data shows us otherwise. So, we plan accordingly. We use data to adjust schedules, guide our assessment design, class placement, faculty placement, parental involvement, and many other decisions. Since we use data throughout the year, we may need to make changes based on what we learn from the data. This can be difficult but necessary in order to see growth in our students.
Describe your school culture and explain changes you’ve taken to improve it.
I am honored to be the principal of Folsom Elementary School and view it as a calling - not a job. I have established a culture of excellence while meeting the needs of all students. Our classrooms are warm, inviting places where students are motivated to do their best job through the use of engaging standards based work. Our school is a Title One school with 61% of our students qualifying for free and reduced lunch and 27% of our student population are students with disabilities. We have proven to be successful in eliminating academic and opportunity gaps within our school by doing what is best for students. Our students with disabilities are included in the general education classrooms with their typical peers. This has made a substantial change in their approach to learning. They are much more confident, have better social interactions, greater access to the general curriculum, and make better grades. All of this adds to our school-wide culture of success.
Stats
  • Category 2

    Selected in 2019

  • Grades: pre k - 5
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 1,200
    Student Enrollment: 425
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 29%
    White/Caucasian: 70%
    Hispanic: 1%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 0%
    Native American: 0%
    Other: 0%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:20
    % Reduced Lunch: 62%
    % ELL Learners: 1%
    Founded: 1949
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Lesa Bodnar
  • CONTACT:
    82144 Highway 25
    Folsom, LA 70437
    985-796-3820
    lesa.bodnar@stpsb.org