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Data analysis is an integral component of our academic and behavioral programs at Westdale. Grade level teams meet on a monthly basis to analysis data and plan for instructions. All students participate in Universal Screening three times a year in reading and math (AIMSweb). Each is followed up by grade level meetings to analyze this data. Students who are below grade level are progress monitored on as prescribed basis (weekly or bi-weekly). All students are strategically monitored on a monthly basis. This data is used to inform instruction and make adjustments to academic and behavioral interventions.

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

Parent Universities provide parents with opportunities to learn how to support their child in school. We have an active PTO that focuses on providing funds to support field trips, virtual field trips, technology, and classroom activities.

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

Parent Universities held through out year have helped us strengthen our partnership with parents. We also have a partnership with a local church that has helped us strengthen our ties with the greater community. They provide volunteers to help within the school as readers and tutors. They also sponsor our weekend backpack program that sends backpacks of food home with students who may not eat over the weekend.

Describe your philosophy of school change or improvement.

Our overall school wide reform strategy is MTSS. To make MTSS successful we must work as a collaborative team to provide a program for each student based on their needs.

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

1. Improve writing instruction
2. Continue to focus on building relationships as staff and with students and parents.

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

The relationships we have with each other that allow use to successfully collaborate. Without teamwork and collaboration, we would not be successful.

Describe the program or initiative that has had the greatest positive effect on student achievement, including closing achievement or opportunity gaps, if applicable.

Creating a system of MTSS that requires collaboration of all staff.

Explain how Title I funds are used to support your improvement efforts.

Title I funds are primarily used to cover salaries of people who provide interventions on daily basis to students.

Identify the critical professional development activities you use to improve teaching and student learning.

Great Expectations, MiBLSi (Michigan Integrated Behavior and Learning Support Initiative), CHAMPS (PBIS), and weekly grade level meetings.

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

Data analysis is an integral component of our academic and behavioral programs at Westdale. Grade level teams meet on a monthly basis to analysis data and plan for instructions. All students participate in Universal Screening three times a year in reading and math (AIMSweb). Each is followed up by grade level meetings to analyze this data. Students who are below grade level are progress monitored on as prescribed basis (weekly or bi-weekly). All students are strategically monitored on a monthly basis. This data is used to inform instruction and make adjustments to academic and behavioral interventions.

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

Our school culture is extremely collaborative. Grade levels meet on a weekly basis to collaboratively plan core instruction. We meet monthly at grade levels for Data Days. During Data Days we analyze student data and use this to plan for instruction. We also have student problem solving meetings on as need basis for students who are not making progress academically and behaviorally. 90% of our staff has participated in Great Expectations professional development which has also helped shape our culture.

• Category 1

  Selected in 2014

• Grades: pre k - 2
  School Setting: suburban
  Town Population: 41,000
  Student Enrollment: 352
  Student Demographics:
  

  Black/African American: 26.1%
  White/Caucasian: 56%
  Hispanic: 15.6%
  Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
  Asian: 1.7%
  Native American: 0.6%
  Other: 0%
  

  Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:27
  % Reduced Lunch: 67%
  % ELL Learners: 2%
  Founded: 1955
• PRINCIPAL:
  Karen Volk
• CONTACT:
  705 South Center Road
  Saginaw, MI 48638
  989-797-1827
  kmvolk@stcs.org