• Category 2

    Selected in 2013

  • Grades: pre k - 5
    School Setting: urban
    Town Population: 100,000
    Student Enrollment: 505
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 0%
    White/Caucasian: 62%
    Hispanic: 35%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 1%
    Native American: 1%
    Other: 1%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:18
    % Reduced Lunch: 77.3%
    % ELL Learners: 17%
    Founded: 1968
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Curry Newton
  • CONTACT:
    543 28 3/4 Road
    Grand Junction, CO 81501
    970-254-5900
    curry.newton@d51schoools.org
Nisley Elementary School
Grand Junction, CO
Every educational decision we make for a child has logic and data to back it up. We monitor the fidelity of interventions as well as student progress often. We set our goals for student learning higher than district and state expectations.
Describe the most successful activity your school has initiated to strengthen ties to your community.
Our school does a lot to strengthen ties to our community. One of our most successful events are our BEAR Nights in which we invite families and students to come build the team that will drive the instruction of our children. It's not uncommon for us to have over 500 people attend these evenings. Parents, cousins, grandparents...all come to partner in the learning of our children.
Describe your philosophy of school change or improvement.
Together we are all in this. The staff must be a team across the school and in every grade level if you have a shared vision that everyone gets on board with the school can change and improve. Is this what best for kids that is the driving question behind everything we do your when we see a structure that we believe needs to be looked at the first thing we determine is how it will positively impact our students. Because we look to change or improvement through this lens, we remain focused on the child. We estimate as many decisions as possible as a staff so we're all on board. We have very transparent processes and input is solicited from everyone. We have very robust conversations about changes. We don't have to agree on everything but we do agree to disagree agreeably.
What are your school’s top two goals for the next year?
We are always looking to hit the elusive proficiency mark. Our learners grow. But, that's not enough. We want our children to see themselves as successful lifelong learners.
Describe the program or initiative that has had the greatest positive effect on student achievement, including closing achievement or opportunity gaps, if applicable.
It’s not necessarily a program or initiative that changes student achievement. What is more important is implementing any one program with fidelity. Aligning systems and processes vertically k-5 allows us to work smarter not harder. We hold each other accountable for knowing where everyone of our 505 learners are academically and behaviorally. We know their next steps in what we’re doing to get them there. The consistency of the implementation of our programs helps our students close the gap we had several school wide expectations to aid in student achievement.
Describe how data is used to improve student achievement and inform decision making.
Nisley teachers are exceptional at collecting relevant data, using it to inform instruction and being able to justify our next steps for learning. We know our kids…really well. We look at a whole body of evidence to determine if a student is growing. We diagnose beautifully and efficiently so we can support kids in getting them where they need to be. Every educational decision we make for a child has logic and data to back it up. We monitor the fidelity of interventions as well as student progress often. We set our goals for student learning higher than district and state expectations.
Describe your school culture and explain changes you’ve taken to improve it.
Nisley is an amazing.We work unbelievably hard to take care of the whole child&family.We offer parenting classes.We completed a $275K playground project from a Colorado Health Foundation grant.Our families spend time on our campus 7 days a week.It can be incredibly difficult to watch our students on their journeys through life- they have more on their plates than they should.We are there to support them academically, but we are also there to hug, wipe a tear, &instill authentic hope & prove to them they’re lifelong learners. As a staff,we actively make sure we are also there for each other. The feel of this building is a great one…one of acceptance and love.We are friends outside of school, we watch each other’s kids, support each other’s activities, we rally around one another in celebrations and hardships.We are dedicated not only to Nisley, but each other. It is a beautiful thing to be a part of something bigger than the individual. It’s a beautiful thing to be a Nisley Grizzly.
Stats
  • Category 2

    Selected in 2013

  • Grades: pre k - 5
    School Setting: urban
    Town Population: 100,000
    Student Enrollment: 505
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 0%
    White/Caucasian: 62%
    Hispanic: 35%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 1%
    Native American: 1%
    Other: 1%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:18
    % Reduced Lunch: 77.3%
    % ELL Learners: 17%
    Founded: 1968
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Curry Newton
  • CONTACT:
    543 28 3/4 Road
    Grand Junction, CO 81501
    970-254-5900
    curry.newton@d51schoools.org