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Strong research-based instructional strategies and practices endorsed by Bill Dagget and Robert Marzano have been the key to our students’ academic achievement. These strategies have been linked to challenging instructional standards that are assessed in an on-going manner, utilizing teacher and district assessments to monitor student progress.

Describe specific programs in place to ensure that families are involved in the success of your school and students.

We have established a successful partnership with our parents and community that has become an integral part of the success of our students. Parents are encouraged to participate in school activities such as sports, clubs, music, awards presentations, recognition ceremonies, and fund-raising. The local community is also invited participate in school activities, i.e., Career Day, College Day, and field trips.

Describe the most successful activity your school has initiated to strengthen the ties to your community.

Community members from throughout our county volunteer their time at WCMS. Professional and non-professional members of the community mentor selected at-risk students during the school year to provide guidance and to promote post-high school education, careers, and professions.

Describe your philosophy of school change or improvement.

It is essential that a school leader be surrounded with a staff that is willing to commit to a culture of excellence. A staff that understands that to be effective, instruction must not remain at the level of knowledge and comprehension but must provide opportunities to enable students to apply their knowledge to real-world applications such as that demanded by the new CCSS and articulated in the high levels of the Webb’s Depth of Knowledge.

What are your school’s top two goals for the next year?

Our top two goals for the next school year are to improve academic achievement in Reading and Math.

What is the single most important factor in the success of your school that others could replicate?

Teamwork is the key to our success. Working collaboratively as a staff with parents and students produces a positive, focused climate and culture of high expectations for all students that result in increased student achievement.

Describe the program or initiative that has had the greatest positive effect on student achievement.

Strong research-based instructional strategies and practices endorsed by Bill Dagget and Robert Marzano have been the key to our students’ academic achievement. These strategies have been linked to challenging instructional standards that are assessed in an on-going manner, utilizing teacher and district assessments to monitor student progress.
Our staff utilizes classroom assessments as well as district benchmark assessments (Galileo) to determine student mastery of standards and to guide instructional decision-making. Targeted Quarterly Intervention (TQI) assists the staff to prioritize instruction based upon pretest data and identifies students in need of remediation. Data-driven instruction has been a key component in the success of our students.

Explain how Title I funds have supported your improvement efforts.

Title I funding supports professional development for our staff in preparation of the new Arizona Common Core Standards in Language Arts and Math. Title I funds have also enabled our school to implement our “Think College” program for students and parents to increase college and career awareness. “Think College” workshops are held throughout the school year to promote post-secondary education for all students.

Identify the professional development activities you use to improve the teaching portion of the teaching and learning process.

Professional development is provided to our staff with emphasis on reading, writing, math, English language development, data analysis, and assessment. Teachers are guided through a thorough examination and analysis of the new reading, writing, language, and mathematics standards and instructional shifts, which accompany their implementation; i.e. Norman Webb’s Depth of Knowledge (DOK), Common Core State Standards (CCSS), Robert Marzano’s “What Works in Schools” (2003).

Describe how data is used to improve student achievement and inform decision making.

Our school administrators and teachers collaborate to modify and adjust curriculum offerings, reassignment of effective teachers, and pacing of instruction after a careful analysis of the disaggregated data from a variety of assessments.

Describe your school culture and explain changes you’ve taken to improve it.

As a proactive measure, and for continuous teacher/parent communication, student-monitoring checklists are sent home with each student on a biweekly basis throughout the school year to monitor grades and behavior. This is done in addition to the district’s required quarterly progress reports and report cards.

To encourage good citizenship and sound values, students participate in activities that promote a positive school culture; i.e. AIMS intra-murals, College Day, field trips, Career Day, as well as Character Education to engage students in ethical, anti-bullying, and character-building issues that are relevant to their every day life.

• Category 2

  Selected in 2012

• Grades: 6 - 8
  School Setting: rural
  Town Population: 23,345
  Student Enrollment: 647
  Student Demographics:
  

  Black/African American: 1%
  White/Caucasian: 1%
  Hispanic: 98%
  Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
  Asian: 0%
  Native American: 0%
  Other: 0%
  

  Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:35
  % Reduced Lunch: 92%
  % ELL Learners: 10%
  Founded: 1970
• PRINCIPAL:
  Liza Montiel
• CONTACT:
  595 W. Kino Street
  Nogales, AZ 85621
  (520) 287-0820
  lmontiel@nusd.k12.az.us