• Category 2

    Selected in 2016

  • Grades: k - 5
    School Setting: urban
    Town Population: 675,000
    Student Enrollment: 487
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 17%
    White/Caucasian: 29%
    Hispanic: 40%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 1%
    Asian: 1%
    Native American: 1%
    Other: 11%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:25
    % Reduced Lunch: 70%
    % ELL Learners: 10%
    Founded: 1983
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Wendy Godwin
  • CONTACT:
    1160 Keith Drive
    Colorado Springs, CO 80916
    719-579-2115
    wgodwin@hsd2.org
Wildflower Elementary School
Colorado Springs, CO
The most successful activity our school has initiated to strengthen ties to our community is our annual fall carnival. This event encourages ... parent and community participation.
Describe specific programs in place to ensure that families are involved in the success of your school and students.
At Wildflower we provided several opportunities for our families to be a part of the school day. One program, VIP’s or Very Important Parents, are parents that participate on a regular basis. Our VIP’s assist teachers with classroom help, they perform various duties, and they also go on field trips. Wildflower recognizes these wonderful parents at the end of the school year with an end of the year party. Another family activity is our Family Nights. During these family nights, parents can come to school with their child and have a fun night of learning and eating. We have done a Bingo for Books Night, Camping Night, Valentine’s Day Dance, Field Day, Thanksgiving Day Feast, just to name a few. Our school accountability committee was formed this year which includes parents, teachers, community members, and stakeholders. This committee helps to drive our initiatives throughout the school year.
Describe the most successful activity your school has initiated to strengthen ties to your community.
The most successful activity our school has initiated to strengthen ties to our community is our annual fall carnival. This event encourages the greatest amount of parent and community participation. Additional family involvement events throughout the year are Bingo for Books, Field Day, Jump Rope for Heart, Giving Tree, and Stamp out Hunger Food Drive. Facebook and Twitter strengthen community connections by allowing parents to be aware of current updates. Finally, this year we have also established a School Accountability Committee which serves to brainstorm ideas to involve the community and provides accountability to our parents. Another fairly new method of communications which almost all our teachers use is a system called “Class Dojo” which keeps educators and parents connected via computer or phone and this has really proved to be a very effective way of communication with our parents and community.
Describe your philosophy of school change or improvement.
Wildflower Elementary is a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence that engineers a safe environment of rigor, eagerness to excel, and community investment while providing a learning experience tailored to meet the potential of our students. As the academic and social needs of our students change, so does instruction. The staff and families at Wildflower continuously strive to be innovative and take on the challenges to support the needs of all students.
What are your school’s top two goals for the next year?
Each new school year begins with all staff members setting goals that will drive instruction, as well as challenge our students to meet their full potential. These goals, which are based upon the strengths and areas of need, help to create a plan for success. Our goals for next year include continuing to close the achievement gap by meeting the needs of all students through the effective use of interventions. We will strive to further engage, motivate, and move students to the next academic level.
What is the single most important factor in the success of your school that others could replicate?
One of the most important factors in the success of our school is having administrators who encourage “out of the box” thinking. As time goes on, new teachers are brought into an environment where their colleagues are independent and creative thinkers. Over time, this has the effect of amassing a group of educators who are reflective and eager to challenge themselves to come up with new and better ways to improve student achievement. Therefore, we have staff who takes ownership and genuine pride in what happens in our school. Furthermore, a huge factor of success is a quality departmentalized collaborative team of educators who share the vision of the school. Departmentalization ensures that teachers become experts in their field and produces teamwork among staff and students being put in
The retention of staff is our also a key factor in our success. We are a team, and any staff member is more than willing to help another.
Describe the program or initiative that has had the greatest positive effect on student achievement, including closing achievement or opportunity gaps, if applicable.
Departmentalization has proven to be a driving force behind the academic success of students at Wildflower. In grades Kindergarten through Fifth, teachers specialize in a targeted academic area. This allows for teachers to develop an in-depth knowledge of their content, leading to engaging and rigorous lessons.
Explain how Title I funds are used to support your improvement efforts.
Additional instructional paraprofessional support in both literacy and math, teacher compensation for extended learning opportunities before and after school, online subscriptions for both literacy and math, student bussing and admission charges for educational field trips, student support materials including incentives and motivational materials, classroom technology such as SMART boards, student I-pads, projectors, and document cameras, student reading materials, professional teacher resources (both supplies and books), substitute coverage for teacher peer observations inside and outside of the school, supplies and catering for parent involvement events, overtime for paraprofessionals to attend parent events and trainings.
Identify the critical professional development activities you use to improve teaching and student learning.
In our school district, Harrison School District 2, teachers are provided with several professional development opportunities. All new District 2 teachers are required to complete a three week training, giving them an insight into the expectations of the district as well as providing them with effective instructional strategies. During the school year, professional development continues, in order to support all teachers with learning opportunities and district initiatives. Some activities are district-mandated, and others are school initiated. Wildflower focuses on raising the level of questioning and writing across the curriculum. These two initiatives have increased the level of rigor in lessons, deepened the level of questions that are being asked by teachers and students, and also helped teachers to unpack the standards.
Describe how data is used to improve student achievement and inform decision making.
Teachers and administrators at Wildflower use test scores, DOLs (daily demonstrations on learning), and classroom assignments to track students’ learning and decide what can be done to help students learn. Teachers then use this data to help them decide what needs to be retaught. Additionally, we use the end of year state data to identify areas of potential growth where we can concentrate our efforts for the next school year. We identified CIA training and Eureka Math training as critical professional development activities we use to improve teaching and student learning. Kagan strategies have also been used successfully to create a positive class environment. The increased engagement with students and promote critical thinking. Other data sources that Wildflower uses to analyze student growth and mastery at the standard level include STAR, AIMSweb, CBMs, CMAS Readiness, and common assessments. Content specific meetings are held regularly based on data to address strengths, weaknesses, and areas of growth
Describe your school culture and explain changes you’ve taken to improve it.
Teachers and administrators at Wildflower use test scores, DOLs (daily demonstrations on learning), and classroom assignments to track students’ learning and decide what can be done to help students learn. Teachers then use this data to help them decide what needs to be retaught. Additionally, we use the end of year state data to identify areas of potential growth where we can concentrate our efforts for the next school year. We identified CIA training and Eureka Math training as critical professional development activities we use to improve teaching and student learning. Kagan strategies have also been used successfully to create a positive class environment. The increased engagement with students and promote critical thinking. Other data sources that Wildflower uses to analyze student growth and mastery at the standard level include STAR, AIMSweb, CBMs, CMAS Readiness, and common assessments. Content specific meetings are held regularly based on data to address strengths, weaknesses, and areas of growth

Stats
  • Category 2

    Selected in 2016

  • Grades: k - 5
    School Setting: urban
    Town Population: 675,000
    Student Enrollment: 487
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 17%
    White/Caucasian: 29%
    Hispanic: 40%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 1%
    Asian: 1%
    Native American: 1%
    Other: 11%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:25
    % Reduced Lunch: 70%
    % ELL Learners: 10%
    Founded: 1983
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Wendy Godwin
  • CONTACT:
    1160 Keith Drive
    Colorado Springs, CO 80916
    719-579-2115
    wgodwin@hsd2.org