Ashe County Middle School

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Ashe County Middle SchoolSuccessful Practices in
a Rural School

• Ashe County Middle School
• Warrensville, NC

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Presentation Overview

• ACMS Who are we?
• Community, Faculty, Student Demographics
• Guiding principals and philosophy
• Recognitions
• Collaborative Leadership
• Rigor Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
• Building Personal Relationships
• As informal as possible, ask questions.

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ACMS is located in heart of the Blue Ridge
Mountains
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Demographics
The Scenic New River
Photo courtesy of Ashe Chamber of Commerce and
A.T. Barbee
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COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHICS

• Population 25,000
• Economically diverse
• 10.1 unemployment rate
• 31,297 per household income
• Major industries Christmas trees, electronics,
  farming
• 3,246 people in poverty

Photo Courtesy of Ashe Chamber of Commerce and J.
Roark
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Student Demographics

• 50 Free or reduced lunch
• 93 Caucasian
• 18 ELL Students
• 95 attendance rate
• 13 EC
• 16 AIG

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Faculty Demographics

• 49 Certified Personnel
• 7 National Board Certified
• 24 Advanced Degrees
• 7 AIG Certified
• 5 Exceptional Childrens Teachers

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• Our Schools Hierarchy

Staff development is not what the staff is
takingit is what they are providing for other
professionals
Staff Development
Staff must be reflective practitioners
Teamwork everyone focused on success for all
Student growth and achievement
Meeting student physiological needs
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Developmental Responsiveness
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Recognition

• 2008-2009 Presented at International Center for
  Leadership in Education Model Schools
  Conference (Daggett) in Orlando Best Practices
  Conference in Hawaii MEGA Conference in Lake
  Tahoe, NV and Featured at NASSPs Showcase of
  schools in San Diego, C2007
• 2008 MetLife Breakthrough School as recognized
  by National the Association of Secondary
  School Principals
• NC High Growth School
• 2006-2007 Presented at ICLE Model Schools
  Conference in Washington, DC
• Honor School of Excellence/High Growth
• Met AYP Goals
• 2006-2007 Clearing the Hurdles Issues and Answers
  in Middle School
• Sports - 1 of 8 schools featured in this book
  by NMSA
• 2005-2006 School of Distinction/Expected Growth
• National School to Watch
• 2004-2005 Honor School of Excellence/Expected
  Growth
• Met AYP Goals
• 2003-2004 Honor School of Excellence/High Growth
• Met AYP Goals
• 2002-2003 School of Excellence/High Growth
• National School to Watch
• Met AYP Goals
• 2001-2002 School of Excellence/High Growth

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Questions Concerning Ashe County Middle School?
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Collaborative Leadership
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Flow Chart for ACMS
Instructional Staff (Teachers)
Support Staff (Secretaries, Custodians,
Cafeteria, Tutors, Teacher Assistants)
Administrative Staff
Principal
Central Office Support
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Leadership

• All decisions based on what is best for children
• Shared among faculty across academic subjects and
  grade levels through Leadership Team
• Leadership Team
• Consists of team leaders, grade level chairman,
  curriculum chairman and support personnel
• Primary role is to steer the implementation of
  the School Improvement Plan and to serve as an
  advisory council to the principal
• Vehicle by which ideas are shared, communication
  is enhanced, and change is facilitated
• Determined by teacher input
• School Improvement Plan is designed to meet the
  schools current needs as well as set the path
  for the completion of future goals and vision.
• Parents are involved in leadership roles as
  members of the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)
  and principals advisory committee.

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Drive In Conference

• Held at ACMS
• Share successful strategies with our state and
  region
• National Speakers
• Joe Shannon ICLE
• John Harrison National Forum to Accelerate
  Middle Grades Reform, NCMSA
• John Nori NASSP
• Ken McEwin ASU
• Sessions
• Academic
• Developmental
• Enrichment

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Organization Structure

• Based on bridging the gap between elementary and
  high school
• Program components meet the developmental needs
  of the young adolescent
• Enforces a high standard for learning

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Organization

• Professional Learning Communities
• Six academic teams
• 3 or 4 person teams
• Compatibility/varied talents
• 40 minute team planning
• 40 minute individual planning daily
• Teams can re-organize academic time as needed
• Teams can move students around

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Community Partnerships

• Appalachian State University
• Ashe County Health Department
• North Carolina Cooperative Extension (4-H)
• Local Businesses
• Local Churches
• Wilkes Community College

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Appalachian State University

• As a part of the Appalachian State University
  Partnership, faculty members serve
• as Middle School Advisory Board members
• on focus group committees
• as a part of the Appalachian Region Math and
  Science Partnership
• ACMS is also a professional development school.
  Our school welcomes ASU student teachers and
  interns.

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Health Clinic

• Treat only students enrolled
• 95 of students enrolled
• Bill insurance, Medicaid--no bills to parents
• Acute Health Care
• Physicals
• Counseling parents, students
• Referrals to family physician, specialists
• Challenge Sustainability

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4-H SOS

• SOS - Support Our Students
• Provides safe, supervised place to participate in
  activities to
• Improve grades
• Provide cultural activities
• Stress importance of community service
• Teach good decision-making

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Questions Concerning Collaborative Leadership?
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Rigor Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
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Accountability

• Teach NC SCOS
• Quarterly assessments
• End Of Grade Academy
• Disaggregate test data by teacher and student to
  identify strengths and weaknesses
• Testing retreats for teachers

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Assessment

• Formative
• On-going
• Formal and informal
• ClassScape
• Content-Specific Writing
• Summative
• NC EOG math, reading, science
• NC Test of Computer Skills (linked to high school
  graduation)
• NC Writing Test

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Instruction

• Relevance
• - Prepare students for high school and
  real life
• Rigorous curriculum
• No Excuses approach

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Homework

• Design quality tasks
• Differentiate homework tasks
• Move from grading to checking--Focusing on
  feedback
• Decriminalizing grading
• Using completion strategies
• Establish support programs  
• Homework should not be used for new learning 
• Homework that cannot be done without help is not
  good homework!
• homeworklady.com
• Homework Survey by ICLE

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Class Organization

• Block Scheduling
• Four 80-minute blocks
• One block is Encore
• Elective Art, Spanish, Career/Life Skills,
  Exploring Technologies, Band, Chorus
• Required Computers, Health/P.E.
• Three blocks of Core Time
• Language Arts
• Math
• Science/Social Studies
• Discovery Block (30 minutes)

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CORE CLASSES

• Language Arts
• Math
• Science
• Social Studies

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Instructional Strategies

• Cooperative grouping
• Learning styles inventories
• Guest speakers
• Thinking Maps
• Guided reading
• LANGUAGE!
• Socratic seminars
• Literature circles
• Marzanos Vocabulary
• Paideia Method
• Novel studies based on
• Social Studies curriculum

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Instructional Strategies

• Interdisciplinary Units
• African Safari
• A Christmas Carol
• North Carolina Coast
• Election Unit
• Hands-on science
• Stream monitoring
• Aquifer modeling
• Integration of media and technology
• Community-based instruction for multi-handicapped
  classroom

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Instructional Strategies

• Writing taught through modeling and practice
• Writing across the curriculum
• School-wide rubric training
• Project-based learning
• Poetry notebooks
• Short story projects
• Literature projects
• Ashe County ABC Book
• Heritage Project
• Multicultural Projects

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Encore

• Exploratory time which enables students to expand
  on academic classes and discover abilities,
  talents, and interests.
• Encore 1
• Computer Skills
• Physical Education
• Encore 2
• Art
• Band
• Career Skills/Life
• Skills
• Chorus
• Exploring Technologies
• Spanish

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Encore Classes

• Elective Rotation
• - Spanish
• - Art
• - Life Skills/Career Skills
• - Exploring Technologies
• Band
• - year long
• Chorus
• - semester
• Required Classes
• - Health and PE
• - Computer Skills

Classes meet for 40 minutes/day Teachers are
certified in their area Seventh graders not in
band or chorus rotate through the other four
electives each nine weeks
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Building Positive Relationships
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Discovery Block

• Developed to meet the interests and academic
  needs of the students (remediation and
  enrichment) with a focus on building
  relationships.

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Discovery Placement

• Teachers developed classes based on their
  interests
• Students chose classes based on interests
• Interests were matched as closely as possible

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Discovery Choices 2008-2009 8th Grade Name
_______________________ Parent Signature
____________________ Interest Inventory ALL
STUDENTS MUST FILL OUT THIS SECTION. Please rank
the following interests 1-6 with 1 being the
topic that interests you the MOST and 6 being the
topic that interests you the LEAST. ________
Music ________Crafts ________Sports ________Math _
_______Reading Clubs ________Service
Projects ONLY COMPLETE THIS SECTION IF YOU ARE
INTERESTED IN ANY OF THE FOLLOWING. Please rank
the following 1-5 with 1 being the topic which
interests you the MOST and 5 being the topic that
interests you the LEAST. ________Science
Olympiad Students will bring Science to life
while focusing on problem solving. Students are
required to participate in competitions. ______
__Broadcasting Students work as a team to
produce an in-house T.V. production. ________Journ
alism - Students work to produce the school
newspaper. ________Battle of the Books Students
will read books and demonstrate their abilities
and test their knowledge by participating in
competitions. ________Techies Students serve as
technology assistants. Extensive knowledge of
Microsoft Office and basic tools
required. ________Yearbook Students will help
produce the school yearbook. Please return this
form to your teacher no later than Tuesday, April
24, 2008.
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Discovery Block

• Enrichment Sessions
• Character Education
• Advisory/Advisee
• Intramurals (Academic and Athletic)

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Discovery Block Choices

• Yearbook
• Science Olympiad
• Battle of the Books
• Broadcasting
• Journalism
• Techies
• Engineering
• Current Events
• Real World Math
• Novel Studies
• Math Counts
• Famous Women

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More Choices

• Jazz Band
• Educational Games
• Quilting
• Hot Tech
• Start Something
• Author Studies
• Hispanic Cultures
• Mythology

• Aerobics
• Service
• Creative Journaling
• Wonder Years
• Health and Wellness
• History of Baseball
• Strength Training
• Music
• Scrapbooking
• Digital Photography

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Questions Concerning Curriculum, Instruction,
and Assessment?
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Building Personal Relationships with each child
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Transition Strategies

• Visits to elementary schools
• Meet in the Middle
• Parent Nights
• Beginning of school orientation nights for 7th
  and 8th grade
• 8th grade visits to high school
• 8th grade parent night at high school

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Transitions in ACMS and out of ACMS

• Looping of Guidance Counselors and Assistant
  Principals
• Visitations to Ashe County High School by Small
  Learning Communities
• Visitations to Wilkes Community College for
  Career Day
• Parent Meetings by Learning Communities to
  provide assistance with transitions to High School

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Alternative Learning Lab (ALL)

• Purpose is for academic assistance, not punitive
• Staffed by certified teacher with 34 years middle
  school experience
• Teacher Referrals by
• Period
• Assignment
• Day (team approves)
• Separate setting for EC students who have testing
  modifications
• Time-Out room for students having difficulties
  in regular classroom and would receive benefit
  from lower student/teacher ratio
• Capacity limited to 6 students
• Students have access to textbooks, workbooks,
  reference materials, Internet, etc.

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Tutoring

• Before, during and after school
• Certified teachers
• For everyone -- At-Risk
• of failing or need additional support
• Partnership with Ashe
• County 4-H
• Teachers collaborate and
• schedule to meet needs of
• individual students

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Second Chance

• After-School Detention
• Services for students
• Struggling academically
• Not completing homework
• Needing small group assistance
• Accumulated tardies instead of ISS

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WISH Team

• Ways to Intervene with Students Holistically
• Student Assistant Team
• Identify students struggling academically or
  exhibiting signs of at-risk or self-destructive
  behaviors
• Team comprised of
• Teacher from each grade level
• Assistant Principal
• Counselor
• Exceptional Education Teacher
• School Psychologist
• Interventions include
• Counseling
• Further academic testing
• Other interventions
• Do Whatever is Necessary to Create Success for
  Each Student

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Exceptional Childrens Services

• Inclusion
• Self-Contained
• Pull-Out
• Severe and Profound
• Behavioral and
• Emotionally Disabled
• Inclusion
• Special Help and Support
• Counseling

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English Language Learners

• Classroom Instruction
• Pull-Out
• Tutoring
• Differentiated Instruction
• Interdisciplinary Units
• Accommodation Plans
• Parent Involvement
• Classroom Centers
• Projects
• Cultural Heritage Day

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Counseling

• Mental Health Services
• Individual Counseling
• Small Group Counseling
• Anticipatory Counseling
• Crisis Intervention
• Consultation
• School Psychologist
• Character Education
• Individual Volunteerism
• Service Learning Projects

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After-School Program Philosophy

• We believe that an after-school program which
  provides physical, social, and academic
  activities for students creates an environment
  where students can experience success and
  personal growth.

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Athletics

• Two Teams One Team Three Teams
• Volleyball Wrestling Soccer
• Basketball Track
• Softball
• Cheerleading
• Football
• Baseball

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Scheduling

• Home and away games
• Football on Tuesday
• Practice Schedule 4 days per week including
  games
• One month at a time
• Rotate times for teams
• After-School tutoring/homework time for late
  practices

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Athletics

• 2 team philosophy
• Picking of teams
• Try-outs
• No cuts where possible
• Stress fundamentals and practice time
• No personal awards, ceremonies, banquets, or
  trophies
• Community coaches - not staff members
• Featured in Clearing the Hurdles Questions and
  Answers in Middle School Sports Written by Ken
  McEwin and John Swaim
• Published by NMSA

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Lifetime Sports

• Develop skills and interest for lifetime
  activities
• After-school
• No qualifications except interest
• Non-competitive

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Lifetime Sports

• Tennis - Fall and spring on campus
• Golf Fall and spring - Mountain Aire Golf
  Course
• Skiing Appalachian Ski Resort Appalachian Swiss
  Ski College
• - Fee 18/per student
• Swimming Fall and spring on campus (indoor
  swimming pool)

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Everything we dofrom our central office staff to
teachers is to create an environment where
everyone is successful.
We Believe
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GO Bulldogs!!