• Category 1

    Selected in 2018

  • Grades: pre k - pre k
    School Setting: urban
    Town Population: 34,000
    Student Enrollment: 346
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 20.8%
    White/Caucasian: 42.8%
    Hispanic: 12.4%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0.6%
    Asian: 15%
    Native American: 0.3%
    Other: 8.1%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:13
    % Reduced Lunch: 40%
    % ELL Learners: 19%
    Founded: 1954
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Tracy Novack
  • CONTACT:
    193 West Park Place
    Newark, DE 19711
    302-454-2290
    tracy.novack@christina.k12.de.us
West Park Place Elementary School
Newark, DE
Ideas, interests, and careers are sparked through technology.
Describe specific programs in place to ensure that families are involved in the success of your school and students.
On program that increases family involvement is brown bag lunch. Once a month parents and families are encouraged to visit school to each lunch with their loved one. This is always well attended and provides opportunities for parents to engage students, teachers, and administrators during the school day.
We also have curriculum nights and other family engagement programs in the evening. During these evening events, families engage in learning activities including hands on science experiments, experience the various ethnicities/cultures represented at our school, and focus on literacy initiatives to name a few.
The school provides ongoing communication with families using through a variety of mediums including the school website, classroom apps such as Classroom Dojo, the school newsletter, and through email distribution lists. In addition to curriculum events, West Park Place has a mentoring program. The volunteer mentors are from the community and reside in the neighboring houses. Each week mentors and mentees meet to play games and have meaningful conversations. To connect and give back to our community, West Park participates in food drives with donations given to Newark Area Welfare. Another way of connecting has been through the beginning of a partnership with Exceptional Care for Children, a hospital facility for medically fragile children. Together, the school has donated over 1500 items such as books, toys, clothing and health and wellness items.
What is the single most important factor in the success of your school that others could replicate?
There is not a single factor that we deem most important in the success of our school but there are multiple factors. These multiple factors include maintaining a student first mindset, acceptance of all students for who they are, maintaining high expectations for students, engaging parents, and integrating technology as a tool for teaching and learning.
Using technology to facilitate learning is one of the important factors in the success of our school that other schools can replicate. We’ve placed a focus on increasing student access to technology and increasing the use of technology for instructional purposes. In keeping teaching and learning a priority, we have invested in professional development to improve the effectiveness of technology as a learning tool. Technology enhances instruction and helps us to create individualized learning that has revolutionized our ability to reach each student where they are. Abstract ideas and concepts are made concrete and accessible through technology use. Children who have not traveled outside of their neighborhoods are able to experience the world through technology; students who struggle with comprehension are able to learn through computer based strategies; historical events come to life and help students make connections that will stay with them for the rest of their life. In seconds teachers are able to identify resources like visual aids that support student understanding. Students are able to communicate live with astronauts living on the International Space Station and see the effect of weightlessness in real time. Ideas, interests, and careers are sparked through technology.
Describe the program or initiative that has had the greatest positive effect on student achievement, including closing achievement or opportunity gaps, if applicable.
One factor that has had a great impact on student achievement including closing achievement or opportunity gaps has been providing comprehensive supports for students. We identify students who need additional instructional support, support students via mentors and counseling services, and providing small group/flexible group instruction through reading/math interventions. Teachers use formative and summative achievement data to identify specific student strengths and needs. All students receive small group instruction in either reading or math through intervention services. Students are grouped according to needs (skills) which allows teachers and instructional support personnel to really focus on those skills were students have deficits. These deficits are addressed in small group. Once a student has mastered a set of skills, he/she is able to progress to the next level of needs. Various research based intervention tools are used to supplement instructional delivery including direct instruction and computer based resources.
Describe how data is used to improve student achievement and inform decision making.
We take a school wide approach to using data to improve outcomes for students believing that all stake holders have a role in this process. Achievement, attendance, discipline and other data are triangulated and used to inform our decisions in the classroom and school as a whole. Teachers analyze achievement data to determine areas of strengths and weaknesses, and use that to guide instruction.

We also collect and anaylze school climate data which helps us to maintain a family like learning environment that is conducive to learning. On a monthly basis, our committee meets to analyze discipline data, determine areas of need, identify strategies for supporting students, plan for implementing supports, and discuss monitoring/progress.

Attendance data is analyze and helps us to determine trends in this area monthly. This data is used to develop plans of support for students that include strategies for improving attendance, connect families to health resources, and selecting school wide attendance incentives.
Describe your school culture and explain changes you’ve taken to improve it.
West Park Place is an inclusive, nurturing, and diverse student environment. Over ten countries are represented in our student enrollment and 20% of our students are English Language Learners. Our staff is an experienced group with over 60% having over 20 years of experience. This experience gives staff an edge when collaborating with each other, parents and administration. Building leaders are represented across grade levels and curricular areas. West Park has been successful in continually raising student achievement. To continue to improve our school, West Park is developing student leaders. Students are given a voice. Our counseling program includes classroom guidance and instruction using a program to introduce and revisit skills for social and academic success, such as empathy, emotion management and skills for learning. Our next endeavor is becoming a Leader in Me school. This model is to empower students with leadership and life skills they need to thrive in the 21st Century. It helps students develop the skills and self-confidence they need to lead their lives and succeed in school and beyond.
Stats
  • Category 1

    Selected in 2018

  • Grades: pre k - pre k
    School Setting: urban
    Town Population: 34,000
    Student Enrollment: 346
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 20.8%
    White/Caucasian: 42.8%
    Hispanic: 12.4%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0.6%
    Asian: 15%
    Native American: 0.3%
    Other: 8.1%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:13
    % Reduced Lunch: 40%
    % ELL Learners: 19%
    Founded: 1954
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Tracy Novack
  • CONTACT:
    193 West Park Place
    Newark, DE 19711
    302-454-2290
    tracy.novack@christina.k12.de.us