North Elementary School shines in 2002 report card

Teachers cite close relationship with parents for school's success

By Callie Clark ~ Southeast Missourian

A close-knit relationship between staff members and parents at North Elementary in Fruitland has raised the bar on student performance.

The school outshined other elementary schools in Jackson, Cape Girardeau and Scott City on the 2002 MAP tests and maintained standards well above state averages on the recently released annual district report cards.

"It's hard to count our blessings on two hands, but our biggest strength is our staff," said principal David Gross. "They're the ones on the battle front every day. Everyone from the custodian to the cook has a vested interest in these kids."

This year's annual report cards are the first opportunity parents have had to see how data such as enrollment, staffing ratios, teacher quality and Missouri Assessment Program scores from their child's school -- not just the entire district -- stack up against other schools in Missouri.

North Elementary teachers say the key to their success is a lot of involvement from parents.

"Having a good group of parents makes my job as a teacher a lot easier," said second-grade teacher Denise McDowell. "That parental support trickles down to the kids."

Tutors and aides

North Elementary has several programs that allow parents to come into the school and work with students on a one-on-one basis, whether it's through tutoring or working as a classroom aide.

Reva Eichhorn has served as a parent volunteer at North Elementary for the past six years. Every Friday, she shows up to pitch in wherever she's needed, which might be reading with students or making copies of worksheets.

"There's almost always parents here working," Eichhorn said as she cut construction paper for an upcoming class project. "This is a great school, and the parental involvement is excellent."

Eichhorn and other parents said the most important thing is the effort teachers put toward educating their children. North's teachers say the reverse is also true.

"Teachers couldn't do what we do without our parents," said fifth-grade teacher Tina Sides. "I think the key is personalization, the continuing relationship with kids and parents."

237.3 points

In 1996, as part of a state and nationwide push to hold schools more accountable, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education began requiring districts to make available to the public an annual report with districtwide information comparing local schools with state averages. In 2001, Gov. Bob Holden signed into law a requirement the reports include information broken down by school.

"I think it's great that that information is available to parents," said Pat Meyr, whose daughter is a fifth-grader at North Elementary. "It's really valuable, and having those school MAP scores out there might be an incentive for teachers to work harder at improving the scores."

This year, North Elementary racked up 237.3 combined percentage points in the top two MAP scoring categories -- proficient and advanced -- in the four subject areas tested.

The next highest scoring school was South Elementary in Jackson, with 201.3 combined percentage points, followed by Clippard Elementary in Cape Girardeau with 189.8 percentage points and Scott City Elementary with 153 percentage points.

MAP, which is administered in schools throughout the state every spring, is a series of tests in math, communication arts, science and social studies given to students at various grade levels that school districts and DESE use to determine student progress from year to year.

"We did well this year, but we're not happy. We still want to improve," Gross said. "Each year, we turn it up a notch. Our expectations get bigger and bigger and bigger."

Like many other schools in Southeast Missouri, North Elementary has focused its efforts on raising MAP scores through new teaching methods and aligned curriculum that begins preparing students for the standardized assessment years before the test is actually administered.

"Kids would not succeed in MAP if it were just addressed at the third- and fourth-grade levels only," said third-grade teacher Sherry Shenberg.

Among other things, Shenberg said she and other North Elementary teachers use the MAP results to determine weak areas.

Small class size

Most of the students respond well to the hands-on teaching methods geared toward improving MAP scores.

"The teachers make our work fun," said fifth-grader Jenny Eichhorn. "We don't just sit in a chair all day looking at a book."

When it comes to North's overall success, teachers first point to the school's size. With only 12 classrooms -- two each for students in kindergarten through fifth grade -- North is one of the smallest in the Jackson district.

"Maybe because it's a smaller school our morale might be a little better," said McDowell, the second grade teacher. "We look out for each other, we're closer than a larger school."

Students agree that having a small school is ideal when it comes to receiving attention from teachers and their principal. And staff members say they know the names of all of the 270 students and their parents.

"My teacher tries to make all of us feel like a family," said fifth-grader Bridget Ulrich. "It's a really good feeling."

Gross said extensive professional development training and a variety of student-oriented programs factor into high student achievement as well.

"Over the last couple of years, these programs have had a huge impact on kids," Gross said. "When you can provide more than just that 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. for the students, that can do nothing but good."

Teachers and parents alike credit Gross, who has served as principal at North for eight years, with much of the school's success.

"We have a very supportive principal," said first-grade teacher Lisa Hooe. "He greets the students at the door every morning and spends time in the classrooms. And if the staff needs anything, Mr. Gross makes sure we get it."

"I can't imagine working anywhere else," Hooe said.

cclark@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 128