Professional Development Schools Network

Rhoades Elementary School

502 S. Auburn Street
Indianapolis, IN 46241
Telephone: 317-243-4488
FAX: 317-243-5718

Principal: Karen Boatright
Grade Levels: K-6

Rhoades Elementary School Web Site 

 
Annual Review
Revised Goals

Based on March 24, 2005, PDS Site Review Report

Rhoades Elementary School is located on the West Side of Indianapolis. It is one of eleven elementary schools in MSD Wayne Township Metropolitan School District. The school houses 793 students in grades pre-K through sixth grade. Approximately 75.1% of the students receive free or reduced lunch. Rhoades has 40% mobility rate. It is considered an urban fringe school. There are 46 certified staff members at Rhoades. Rhoades is a Title 1 school. Rhoades also houses two GT classrooms for Grades 3–6.

GOAL 1. Teacher Preparation:

Student teachers will have experience in the following:

  1. Curriculum integration to improve student achievement through school-based seminars, data analysis (including LAMP), and implementation of co-teaching models.
  2. Creating and maintaining a safe, nurturing classroom environment.
  3. Involving parents/community members in student learning.
  4. Participating in a variety of professional activities.
  5. Learning the components of a balanced literacy program.
  6. Participating in action research.

Strategies:

  1. Rhoades will continue an intensive teacher preparation program, supervising 20–25 student teachers per school year. It is a goal that Rhoades will house methods/practicum courses as well as student teachers.
  2. The Rhoades teachers will create a team approach to the training and nurturing of student teachers. Student teachers would be assigned to a 2–3 member team. The student teacher may teach primarily in one room, but the team of experienced teachers will provide opportunities, expertise, and guidance.
  3. There will be training provided in action research, performance assessment techniques, and data analysis.
  4. Rhoades teachers will volunteer to share their expertise in weekly student teacher seminars and through "Grand Rounds" modeling.

Sixteen Ball State student teachers were placed at Rhoades for student teaching during the 2005-06 school year. The students worked collaboratively with a team of three teachers. Each student teacher was placed with one primary classroom supervisor, but also worked under the guidance and expertise of two other teachers. The student teachers at Rhoades had a variety of experiences and training in curriculum integration. The students attended trainings by the Rhoades reading consultant, Dr. Susan Page. This professional development focused on reading comprehension strategies, guided reading, the 4-step mini lesson format, and vocabulary. In addition to this training, they participated in writing performance assessments, collaborative planning, analyzing data, creating and giving assessments, and technology integration. Student teachers also received training in various reading assessments including DIBELS. All student teachers gained experience in guided reading at both the primary and intermediate levels. During the weekly seminars, the student teachers learned and discussed process writing, student-led conferencing, technology integration, integration of the multiple intelligences into lesson planning, differentiation and assessment, classroom management, and reading instruction. The student teachers participated in parent-teacher conferences, student-led conferences, tutoring, faculty meetings, and other professional development opportunities offered at the school.

GOAL 2. Staff Development:

Cooperating teachers will serve as effective mentors and coaches in research-based instructional practices. They will continue to improve the implementation of the co-teaching models.

Strategies:

  1. Faculty members will participate in professional development activities that will result in an increase use of research-based instructional practices in literacy, use of differentiation strategies in literacy and math, and the creation and implementation of a balanced assessment system.
  2. In-service time will be allotted to attend professional development in literacy instruction and differentiation. Grade-level teams will work collaboratively to create assessments.
  3. There will be faculty book-studies on research-based instructional practices.

Cooperating teachers and support teams have served as effective mentors and coaches in research-based instructional practices. All certified staff have participated in a variety of professional development activities throughout the year. Professional development has included literacy instruction and writing, using 6+1 Traits of Writing with Dr. Susan Page, and implementation of a balanced assessment system and analyzing data to improve differentiated instruction. The staff participated in a book study, Building Background Knowledge by Robert Marzano.

GOAL 3. Research:

How do Action Research and Data Analysis impact student achievement?

Strategies:

  1. Participate in action research in order to improve student achievement.
  2. Create beginning and end of the year criterion-referenced assessments.
  3. Increase collaboration of data analysis results and setting instructional goals.
  4. Increase students' awareness of goal setting and tracking progress.
  5. Present action research results.

All certified staff worked with their teams to conduct a yearlong research study on a specified area of literacy. The teams presented the action research data and analysis on a science board format to the administrators and staff on April 8, 2006. The Rhoades staff continued their data driven focus by administrating frequent assessments that included weekly language arts and math, quarterly criterion-referenced assessments, monthly DIBELS for reading, and district beginning and ending of the year assessments. Teachers have begun to include students in goal setting and tracking progress.

GOAL 4. Student Learning:

Student Achievement scores in math, writing, and reading comprehension will increase 10% by 2008.

Strategies:

  1. Staff will collaboratively score math problem-solving tasks each quarter.
  2. Staff will track and display the number of students demonstrating mastery of basic math facts and skills.
  3. Students will participate in Daily Math Skills Review aligned with Larry Ainsworth's Five Steps to Balanced Math Program.
  4. The staff will integrate student writing and math skills/problem-solving concepts taught in special area classes (art, music, pe).
  5. Teachers will analyze data to differentiate instruction in math and literacy to meet the needs of all learners.
  6. See the School Improvement Plan on the remainder of strategies employed to improve student achievement in language arts, and reading comprehension.

The 2005-2006 school year was an award winning year for Rhoades Elementary that ultimately reflected the growth in student learning and achievement. In September 2005, Rhoades was named a National Blue Ribbon School under No Child Left Behind. In February 2006, Rhoades and Ball State University were the recipients of the 2006 Nancy Zimpher Award for Best Professional Development School Partnership. Rhoades added an ESL program and Gifted and Talented Program. With the addition of these new student populations, Rhoades must continue to focus on instructional strategies that will address the various learning needs of our students and positively impact student achievement.