James A. Garfield School

Achieving Excellence Together

Principal: Dora Bechtel

Assistant Principal: Tiara Durrah

Vision and Mission

Vision: Every student is achieving at his or her maximum potential in an engaging, inspiring and challenging learning environment.

Mission: James A. Garfield School strives to create a nurturing learning environment. We believe in the power of strong relationships within our school community to help students feel safe and comfortable in sharing who they are, while developing the skills necessary to think critically, problem solve, and work collaboratively with others.

Agenda

• 6:00-6:30: Welcome/School Year Priorities

• 6:40-7:10: Prek-5 1st Round Presentation

• 7:15-7:45: Prek-5 2nd Round Presentation

• 6:40-8:00: Middle School rotations

Be sure to stop in the cafeteria to pick up free resources

Academic Achievement Plan

Each year we develop an Academic Achievement Plan for our school based on student achievement.

These are our priorities for this year:

• To improve K-3 Literacy by implementing a Balanced Literacy Block

• To increase writing opportunities across the curriculum

• To build a collaborative school culture

Academic Achievement Plan

We will engage families around our academic priorities by:

– Provide family nights to support take home reading program; Reading A to Z

– Provide TGRG meetings to support reading strategies in K-3

– Have monthly All School First Friday Meetings to celebrate students

– Give parents more opportunities to have a voice during monthly PAC meetings and Principal Chat and Chews

– Provide clear and consistent communication with weekly family newsletter, Principal’s blog, teacher weekly communication, and social media.

Third Grade Reading Guarantee

Ohio's Third Grade Reading Guarantee identifies students from

kindergarten through grade 3 that are behind in reading.

Schools will provide supports to students get them on track for

reading success by the end of each grade. Ohio's Third Grade

Guarantee ensures that every struggling reader gets the support

he/she needs to be able to learn and achieve. Teachers will

create a Reading Improvement and Monitoring Plan (RIMP) in

order to help your child improve their reading skills if they are

falling behind. Parents, teachers, and caregivers are all an

active part of this plan. Your child's teacher will share testing

requirements and cut scores that need to be met in order to pass

grade 3. Students who do not meet the minimum score in any

grade K-3 will have a RIMP and will also be invited to attend

summer school.

More information can be found at the Ohio Department of

Education website:

http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Early-Learning/Third-Grade-

Reading-Guarantee

CAREER & COLLEGE READINESS -

NEW this year for students in Grade 8 and 9.

THREE WAYS THE PSAT/NMSQT JUMP-STARTS YOUR SCHOLAR’S

JOURNEY TO COLLEGE

1.Get Recognized And

Rewarded

Check the Student Search

Service® box to make it easy

for colleges to find you and

scholarships programs to

reward you.

2.

Get Ready For The New Sat®

Taking the PSAT/NMSQT is

great practice for the new

SAT and for college. When

you get your scores you can

link them to Khan Academy®

to keep practicing where you

need it most.

3.Get Matched With AP®

Courses

Your score report will

suggest AP courses that are

a great match for you. AP

can give you an edge in the

admission process, and an

opportunity to earn college

credit.

To learn more contact our academics office @ academics.org or talk to your principal or school

counselor or visit psat.org. All students in grades 9-11 will take the PSAT on October 10.

Cleveland Metropolitan School District

Attendance Matters!

What happens when a student misses school?

• Missing school significantly and negatively impacts academic achievement. As much as half of the student body misses 10 or more days of school each year.

• Data shows that missing 10 or more days of school will:

– reduce reading scores by 12 points

– reduce math scores by 15 points

– reduce a student’s chances of remaining on track to graduation by 34 percent

Did you know?• As early as kindergarten, excessive absence can cause children to fall behind.

• Early absences lead to difficulties and poor attendance in later years.

• One in 10 kindergarten and first-grade students nationally is chronically absent, missing a month of school.

What you can do as a parent or caregiver to

encourage your child

• Ask your child if he or she is learning every day and if they feel safe in school. If your child is having negative experiences, call or visit your school to address the issues with educators.

• Monitor your child’s academic progress and seek help from educators or tutors if necessary.

• Make sure your contact information is up-to-date with your school.

• Talk with your child about the importance of getting to school every day and make it the expectation.

• Help your child maintain daily routines.

• Sign the Family Attendance Pledge.

New Stature and Major Mandates

House Bill 410: What You Need to Know

House Bill 410 Habitual Truancy

Habitual Truancy:

• Absent 30 or more consecutive hours without a legitimate excuse

• Absent 42 or more hours in one month without a legitimate excuse

• Absent 72 or more hours in one year without a legitimate excuse

House Bill 410: What Parents Need to Know

Excessive Absences

• Absent 38 or more hours in one month with or without a legitimate excuse;

• Absent 65 or more hours in one year with or without a legitimate excuse.

• It is important that students, parents and guardians understand that attendance is a baseline factor in determining a student’s success. Data has shown when students are consistently absent it reduces their reading and math scores by 12 to 15 points.

.

Jag Sports/Extracurricular

Soccer, Volleyball, Girls/Boys Basketball, Girls/Boys Track, and

Drama Club, Cub Scouts, NOW Team, WAVE Team, Eaglets

• Intramural Coed Basketball

• Dancing Classrooms

• Student Council

• True2U

Special Education• Special Education is a continuum of services and supports designed for

children who have disabilities that impact their academic performance.

• All schools in CMSD are staffed with at least one Intervention Specialists.

• Every neighborhood offers specialized single classrooms for intensive needs.

• All schools have access to speech/language therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and other related services.

• Specialized single classrooms for intensive needs at multiple schools throughout the city [school shares which programs/classrooms are available at that particular school.

Contact the Special Education Department at 216.838.7733.

Follow on Twitter: @ALLinCMSD

Humanware/Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

5 SEL Competencies and Levels of School wide SEL

FAMILY & COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

SCHOOL WIDE PRACTICES & POLICIES

SEL CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION

SELF AWARENESS

RESPONSIBLE DECISION MAKING

RELATIONSHIP SKILLS

SOCIAL AWARENESS

SELF MANAGEMENT

Cleveland Metropolitan School DistrictSEL Strategies, Programs and Initiatives

Pre-K-8 Schools• PATHS – Grades Pre-K-5• Second Step – Grade 6 - 8• N.O.W. Anti-Bullying• W.A.V.E. Conflict Mediation• Planning Centers• Student Support Teams• Class Meetings• School-based Mental Health• Rapid Response/Crisis Response• Quality Standards• Conditions for Learning Survey

High Schools• Student Advisory Committees• N.O.W. Anti-Bullying• W.A.V.E. Conflict Mediation• Planning Centers• Student Support Teams• Rapid Response/Crisis Response• Class Meetings• School-based Mental Health• Closing the Achievement Gap (CTAG)• Quality Standards• Conditions for Learning Survey

True2U is an innovative year-long youth development and career

exploration mentoring program that prepares all Cleveland

Metropolitan School District (CMSD) eighth grade students for the

transition from middle school to high school.

Parent Teacher Conferences• Last year 86% of parents and

caregivers in CMSD attended parent teacher conferences. Our school achieved 96%

• Parent Teacher Conferences are a great way to connect with your child’s teachers and partner with them to support achievement.

• Our first conferences will be on:

Wednesday, October 24th 12:30-7:00

What is the purpose of Title- I, Part A?Family Engagement Federal Funding

To inform parents of their rights and roles within their

scholar's school building as it relates to:

• decision making

• allocation of funds towards engagement activities

To inform parents of the programs supported by Title One in

their building.

Ensure that the Cleveland Metropolitan School District

engages in a two-way communication with parents.

Section 1118(a)(3)(B)Parental Input

What is supported by Title- I, Part A ?• Instructional Aides

• Instructional Coaches

• Additional Teachers

• Technology for students

• Reading and Math programs

• Family Engagement - Our school receives $5,400 for family engagement programs and activities to support our school priorities

How can I support Title One initiatives?• Volunteer in your scholar’s school

• Participate in the Parent Advisory Committee

• Ask to participate in the development of the Academic Achievement Plan (AAP)

• Attend Title I sponsored programs and activities

• Support your child’s learning by creating a space for them to do homework and exposing them to resources and enrichment opportunities in the community

• Participate in family engagement activities and programs sponsored by the district like the Parent Leadership Institute and Parent University college tours and classes

For more information contact the Office of Family and Community Engagement @ 216.838.3223

Theory of Action

If we develop collaborative communities of practice that foster input from school leaders, teachers, students, and parents on issues related to instructional practice and student achievement:

And

We create a collaborative cycle of goal setting, action planning and refinement while analyzing data, observing best practice, listening and offering specific feedback:

And

We create a culture that fosters inclusion and relationships amongst teachers, students and families where everyone has a voice and can be a leader:

Then

We will improve learning outcomes through a shared purpose that provides clarity, consistency, and equity to our school community leading to more effective practice and higher levels of student learning.