DeLaura Middle School

 

School Information

School Name:  DeLaura Middle School
School Address:  300 Jackson Avenue, Satellite Beach, FL 32937
School Phone:  321-773-7581  
School Fax:  321-773-0702
Principal:  Jeremy A. Salmon
Principal email:  salmonj@brevard.k12.fl.us

 

Demographics

Number of Students:  684
Number Eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch:  8.7%
Percent of Limited English Proficient:  0.4%
Percent of Special Education:  9.3%
Racial/Ethnic Percentages:
- White  86.25%
- Black  2.48%
- Hispanic  4.53%
- Asian/Pacific Island  .14%
- Other  5.40%

 

Student Achievement Data:

Scale: % at or above proficient on the Illinois annual proficiency examination administered by the Illinois State Department of Education to all juniors.

Grade 7	2004-05 (DeLaura/State)	2005-06 (DeLaura/State)	2006-07 (DeLaura/State)	2007-08 (DeLaura/State)
Reading	87/53	85/61	82/63	87/65
Math	87/53	84/55	87/59	86/61

Grade 8	2004-05 (DeLaura/State)	2005-06 (DeLaura/State)	2006-07 (DeLaura/State)	2007-08 (DeLaura/State)
Reading	79/44	79/46	78/49	82/53
Math	84/59	89/60	88/63	89/67
Writing	98/93	96/83	94/86	97/80
Science	351/291	67/32	71/38	69/40

* DeLaura Middle School serves grades 7 & 8.  Seven elementary schools (K-6) feed into DeLaura.

 

Please comment on any aspect of the data that you believe is particularly significant.

Consistently, DeLaura Middle School’s 7th graders perform at the high achievement level in both reading and math. 7th graders are not tested at a state level for writing, science, and social studies. For six consecutive years, DeLaura Middle School has received A++ state recognition.

Neverthless, we were concerned that our scores had been relatively flat for the past few years. Therefore, this last year we formed a data team to help Delaura change the flat results that we had been achieving. The data team is comprised of core teachers, an assistant principal for curriculum and the principal. Our goal is to take all our state assessment data and analyze each area and strand. Over the summer the team met five times and broke the scores down—1st by school, teacher, and individual student. We were looking for areas that could be targeted through instruction in the classroom both in the content area as well as across the curriculum. At the conclusion of the summer our team had a plan for this year.

In summary the plan included teachers, working with teachers in a collegial fashion, and targeting individual student needs by student and by groups within a given classroom. Also the plan included presenting a different strategy to our faculty at every faculty meeting. Each department was represented on the data team and the data team member updated individual teachers at each department meeting. Next the team recommended incorporation of strategies into our school improvement plan. We did just that in reading, mathematics, science and writing. Social studies took on a broader roll in writing within there social studies classes by requiring students to outline, write in complete sentences, and experience a wider use of technology, i.e., Photostory.

We have not received all the results from this year’s state assessments but have high expectations of improved student achievement. I make this inference based on the recent release of our FCAT Writing scores. Our scores were the highest they have ever been with 97.8% of our 335, 8th graders on grade level. The combined score for writing was 4.8 a .4 point increase from last year’s scores. Our scale score was 354 of a possible 500 and this was up from the 2007 scores which were 335. We had a 19 point increase from the 2007 results.

 

Please present additional information that indicates your efforts to build a professional learning community have had a positive impact on students and/or teachers.

At DeLaura teachers, school counselors, and administrators meet regularly to analyze achievement data. In math and science our scores were the highest in Brevard and on the Florida A++ Plan our scores have increased steadily and 92% of our mathematics students were on grade level.

 

Please elaborate strategies you have found to be effective in the following areas:

1. Monitoring student learning on a timely basis.

- Our practice of a school-wide MOCK Writing exercise, provides the students a structured setting to practice essay writing. Our Language Arts teachers are trained to review and analyze student response, identifying areas of concern as well as performance improvements. Teachers meet with each student in a one on one conference to review their writing.

- Classworks – DeLaura utilizes a computer based program for Math and Language Arts. It includes all the benchmarks and Sunshine State Standards that need to be met at each grade level. Inputting FCAT results creates a customized program for each student, teaching deficient skills identified on the test. Diagnostic tests measure the skills each student needs to work on.

- In addition, FCAT Explorer, an online educational program available for Florida's students is utilized to reinforce reading and math skills outlined in the Sunshine State Standards.

- World Language and several math courses are currently administering common Semester Exams with other subject areas following within the next year.

- Students are given interim and 9-week grade reports

- Academic team of teachers meet daily to discuss curriculum and student performance

- At risk students are counseled weekly and complete weekly progress reports

- Teachers complete Professional Monitoring Plans. These plans are used for all students with FCAT Level 1 or who have been retained in their current grade. Also teachers may set a PMP in motion based on the academic need and performance of a student to help improve in a core content area. The PMP is a computer-based product that can be monitored by the students counselor, teachers, and by administration. Each plan is updated by the student’s teacher a minimum of once a quarter, once the student is on grade level the PMP is closed but may be reopened if the student should require assistance later. At the end of the school year the plan is reviewed by the student, parent and teacher and a paper copy is placed in the student’s record.

2. Creating systems of intervention to provide students with additional time and support for learning.

- Teachers provide academic support before and after school

- At-risk student are assigned to a weekly Academic Success Club

- Teams have weekly study sessions for students

- 7th and 8th grade students identified “at risk” through FCAT scores, quarterly grades or by a team of teachers are pulled from an elective or physical education course for academic support. Such students are supervised in the Classworks lab for skill proficiency.

3. Building teacher capacity to work as members of high performing collaborative teams that focus efforts on improved learning for all students.

Our entire school structure is based on teams that meet on a regular basis to support student learning:

- Interdisciplinary Teams 6 academic teams (Language Arts, math, science, and history teachers) meet 3-5 times weekly.

- 4 academic Departments- (math, LA, science, history, and 2 related arts) meet bi-weekly.

- Team Leaders (department/team leaders, administration, and other school leadership members) meet weekly.

Furthermore, all teachers have been trained in Vertical Teaming with feeder elementary and high schools and trained in writing rubrics to consistently monitor student learning.

 

List awards and recognitions your school has achieved

- “A” School for 6 years
- Participated in Florida Read Aloud (Guinness Book of World Records)
- Music Demonstration School
- All State Music Award (Band, Chorus, and Orchestra)
- Student Network for Absenteeism Prevention
- Annual Science Fair
- 8th Grade students participate in the PSAT
- Ranked 13th in the state last year under Florida A++