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Community & School ProfileWestmorland Elementary School is located in the heart of Imperial County. Situated adjacent to San Diego County and the Mexican border, Imperial County is easily accessible via the major east-west and north-south highways. Continuous growth makes Imperial County a dynamic place in which to live, work, and play. The growth factor is recognizable in the fact that the county has been designated the “enterprise zone” by the state of California, endowing its residents opportunities for lower taxes and accelerated project approval.

As a one-school district, Westmorland Union Elementary School District serves a population of 401 students. Educating students in kindergarten through eighth grades, Westmorland Elementary School operates on a traditional calendar system. During the 2005-06 school year, the student population consisted of 90.0% socioeconomically disadvantaged students, 42.0% English learners, and 7.0% students with disabilities. The school’s ethnically diverse population contributes to the cultural ‘flavor’ and essence of the district. Student body demographics are illustrated at right.

School Vision StatementOur purpose is to provide students with meaningful learning experiences in a safe, caring environment, assuring equal access to the core curriculum while providing differentiated instruction based upon research and data that will lead all students to mastery of grade level content standards.

Discipline & Climate for LearningWestmorland Union Elementary School District emphasizes respect for self and others and integrity and truthfulness among students and staff. A schoolwide discipline program has been implemented to provide a consistent, progressive plan for guiding student behavior. Recently, the counselor and a committee of teachers worked with consultant Bert Simmons to develop the behavior plan and the school continues to use the plan. The entire staff models and verbalizes that put-downs are not acceptable at school.

In the 2005-06 school year, the school implemented a Character Education Program to emphasize good character qualities in its students. Every month, a Student of the Month is chosen based on the good characteristics that the students were taught throughout that month. The chosen student is rewarded with a special lunch on the stage of the multipurpose room with his or her parents.

Students and parents are informed of discipline policies at the beginning of each school year by distribution of an annual newsletter. The policies are reinforced throughout the year with class postings, lessons from the counselor, school assemblies, and parent conferences. The counselor is implementing parenting classes to be held during the day and in evenings on topics relating to how parents can guide good choices in their children.

Westmorland Elementary School2005-2006 School Accountability Report Card

Linda Morse, Principal/Superintendent

Principal’s Message The purpose of the School Accountability Report Card is to provide parents with information about the school’s instructional programs, academic achievement, materials and facilities, and the staff. Information about Westmorland Union Elementary School District is also provided.

Parents and community play a very important role in the school. Understanding the school’s educational program, student achievement, and curriculum development can assist both school and community in ongoing program improvement.

We have made a commitment to provide the best educational program possible for our students. The excellent quality of our program is a reflection of our highly committed staff. We are dedicated to ensuring that Westmorland Elementary School is a welcoming, stimulating environment where students are actively involved in learning academics as well as positive values. Through our hard work, together, our students will be challenged to reach their maximum potential.

-- Linda Morse, Principal

Board of Education

Elizabeth Moreno, PresidentJackie Loper, ClerkAl Kalin, Member

Ronald Davis, MemberBill Burns, Member

Superintendent/Principal

Linda Morse

Business Manager

Mona Smith

Westmorland Union Elementary

School District

200 South “C” StreetP.O. Box 88

Westmorland, CA 92281Phone (760) 344-4364 FAX

(760) 344-7294www.wued.org

Westmorland Elementary School ool Accountability Report Card

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Recognition Programs

Various types of awards are given to students at assemblies and special presentations throughout the school year. The school issues Good Behavior Coupons on an ongoing basis as an incentive for exemplary conduct and uses them for a quarterly drawing. Students whose names are drawn are allowed to select a prize. Quarterly awards assemblies recognize perfect attendance and academic excellence.

Extracurricular Activities

Through a 21st Century Grant, the school is able to offer a variety of programs to all students free of charge each day after school. Activities include homework help, art, science, cheerleading, modern dance, computers, and crafts. Parents may also get involved through evening computer classes.

The Suspensions and Expulsions table displays the total number and percentage of incidents at the school and in the district. Suspension numbers may be inflated because some students may have been suspended multiple times. Expulsions occur only when required by law or when all other alternatives have been exhausted.

School Enrollment & AttendanceSchool districts receive financial support from the state for the education of the students they serve based on how many students attend school each day. Attendance, tardy and truancy policies are clearly stated, consistently enforced, and consequences fairly administered. Parents are advised of their responsibilities, including notification of why and when students are absent by phone calls, letters, parent conferences, and home visits. Independent study is available for students that require extended leaves from school. The following chart illustrates the enrollment trend for the past three years.

Monthly attendance rates are monitored for each class, and at the end of each month, the class with the highest attendance rate is rewarded with a class party. Good attendance is also rewarded at the individual level, with students receiving weekly attendance coupons. If the student is present every day of the week, the coupon is entered in a drawing for various prizes. Students maintaining perfect attendance are recognized monthly. Student attendance is carefully monitored and students exhibiting excessive absences are reported to the designated authorities, including the district’s School Attendance Review Board (SARB).

School LeadershipLeadership is a responsibility shared among district administration, the principal, instructional staff, students, and parents. Superintendent/Principal Linda Morse has led the school for 11 years, backed by more than 18 years of experience in education. The school offers various levels of participation from school site staff and parents to regularly assemble and address specific issues. Committees include the joint School Site Council/English Learners Advisory Council, the Migrant Parent Advisory Council, and the Curriculum Leadership Team. The team was comprised of three teachers, one resource teacher, one administration and one partner from Imperial County Office of Education.

Class SizeWestmorland Elementary School maintained a schoolwide average class size of 19.1 students and a pupil-to-teacher ratio of 13.3:1 in the 2005-06 school year. The Class Size Distribution table shows the average class size by grade. The corresponding numbers show how many classes were taught with a certain number of students in each class, based on three different class sizes.

The California Class Size Reduction (CSR) program provides funding to reduce kindergarten through third grade classes to 20 students or less. The chart below displays the percentage of classrooms at Westmorland Elementary School that met CSR requirements for the past three years.

Instructional TimeFor the 2005-06 school year, all instructional time exceeded state requirements specified in the California Education Code. Westmorland Elementary School offered 180 days of instruction comprised of 139 regular days and 41 minimum days. Every Wednesday is a minimum day, allowing time for parent teacher conferences, curriculum planning, teacher preparation, and staff meetings.

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School Facilities & SafetyWestmorland Elementary School provides a safe, clean environment for students, staff, and volunteers. Original facilities were constructed over 50 years ago and will be modernized in the 2006-07 school year. Westmorland Elementary School is situated on 15.9 acres and span 35,520 square feet. The junior high building, administrative offices, and multipurpose room were constructed in 1989. The school buildings consist of a resource room, computer lab, tutoring center, teachers’ workroom and boardroom, and 24 classrooms. The facility strongly supports teaching and learning through its ample classroom and playground space. The chart below shows the results of the most recent school facilities inspection.

Safety

Safety of students and staff is a primary concern of the staff at Westmorland Elementary School. Many people visit the campus to volunteer in the classroom and participate in school events. Parents and visitors are welcomed and required to check in at the school office upon arrival and obtain a visitor’s badge; visitors are required to return to the school office upon departure. During lunch, recesses, and before and after school, staff members supervise students and school grounds, including the cafeteria and playgrounds, to ensure a safe and orderly environment.

The Comprehensive Safe School Plan was developed by the district to comply with Senate Bill 187 (SB 187) of 1997. The plan provides students and staff a means of ensuring a safe and orderly learning environment. Each school includes the following requirements of SB 187 within their safe school plans: current status of school crime; child abuse reporting procedures; disaster procedures, routine and emergency; policies related to suspension and expulsion; notification to teachers; sexual harassment policy; provision of a school-wide dress code; safe ingress and egress of pupils, parents, and school employees; safe and orderly school environment; and school rules and procedures.

The school evaluates the plan annually and updates it as needed. Safety procedures, including elements of the Safe School Plan, are reviewed with school and district staff in the fall, at the start of each school year. The plan was last updated and reviewed with school staff in August 2006.

Maintenance and Repair

Safety concerns are the number one priority of Maintenance and Operations. District maintenance supervisors are proactive and conduct inspections at school sites on a continual basis. Repairs necessary to keep the school in good repair and working order are completed in a timely manner. A work order process is used to ensure efficient service and that emergency repairs are given the highest priority. The district maintenance staff has indicated that 100% of all toilets on school grounds are in working order.

Cleaning Process and Schedule

The district administers a scheduled maintenance program, including regular walkthroughs and inspections, to ensure that all classrooms and facilities are well-maintained and in good repair. A team of two full-time, three part-time custodians and one part-time gardener promptly addresses facility maintenance issues and cleans the campus on a daily basis. A work order process immediately alerts district personnel of any maintenance needed to be performed and ensures that emergencies are given the highest priority.

Deferred Maintenance Budget

The district participates in the state School Deferred Maintenance Program, which provides state matching funds on a dollar-for-dollar basis, to assist school districts with expenditures for major repair or replacement of existing school building components. Typically, this includes roofing, plumbing, heating, air conditioning, electrical systems, interior or exterior painting, and floor systems. For the 2006-07 school year, the district budgeted $41,000 for the deferred maintenance program. This represents 1% of the district’s general fund budget.

Deferred Maintenance Projects

For the 2006-07 school year, the district’s governing board approved deferred maintenance projects for this school that will result in new classroom lighting, electrical work, new floor coverings, improvements to the HVAC system, painting, plumbing, roofing and wall systems. The district’s complete deferred maintenance plan is available at the district office.

Contact InformationParents who wish to volunteer or participate in Westmorland Elementary School’s leadership teams and school activities may contact the Superintendent/Principal Linda Morse at (760) 344-4364.

Substitute TeachersThe district has experienced some difficulty obtaining qualified substitute teachers. The district has 10 substitute teachers available from its current pool of substitutes. On occasions when a substitute teacher is not available for an absent teacher, an Acceleration Resource Teacher is reassigned to fill the vacancy.

Training & Curriculum ImprovementThe writing and implementation of Westmorland Elementary School’s curriculum is an ongoing process. Curriculum guides are updated regularly to align with the state standards, district goals, and the statewide assessment program.

All training and curriculum development at Westmorland Elementary School revolves around the California State Content Standards and Frameworks. The Promotion and Retention Policy establishes minimum proficiency standards in the areas of Language Arts/Reading and Mathematics. These standards include the following indicators of achievement: standardized test scores, final grade point average, and scores on district criterion-referenced tests in Math and Language Arts.

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Student Achievement & TestingTo obtain accurate and valid measures of educational progress, Westmorland Union Elementary School District offers students multiple opportunities to demonstrate mastery of the California State Content Standards. In addition to district-established performance objectives, the State and Federal governments have set standards for student achievement. A school’s progress in meeting or exceeding those standards is measured through the results of testing and other criteria.

California Standards Tests (CST)The California Standards Test (CST), a component of the STAR Program, is administered to all students in the spring to assess student performance in relation to the State Content Standards. Student scores are reported as performance levels: Advanced (exceeds state standards), Proficient (meets standards), Basic (approaching standards), Below Basic (below standards), and Far Below Basic (well below standards). The combined percentage of students scoring at the Proficient and Advanced levels in English/Language Arts, Math, and Science (grade 5 and 8) and Social Science (grade 8) for the most recent three-year period, is shown in the two charts at right.

California Achievement Test (CAT/6)The California Achievement Test (CAT/6) is a standardized norm-referenced test (NRT), which indicates how a student or group of students compares with that of a norm group and other students from around the country. In August of 2004 the governor signed legislation reauthorizing the STAR Program. Prior to the reauthorization the California Achievement Tests, Sixth Edition Survey (CAT/6 Survey) were administered to all students in grades two through eleven. The reauthorization program requires administering the CAT/6 Survey only to students in grades three and seven. Students in grades three and seven were tested in reading, language, spelling and mathematics. The purpose of administering the CAT/6 Survey is to determine how well California students are achieving academically compared to a national sample of students tested in the same grade at the same time of the school year. The chart below reflects the percentages of students scoring at or above the 50th percentile, or those students performing at average/above average level, in Reading and Math.

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No Child Left BehindNo Child Left Behind (NCLB) is a federal law enacted in January 2002 that reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). It mandates that all students (including students who are economically disadvantaged, are from racial or ethnic minority groups, have disabilities, or have limited English proficiency) in all grades meet the state academic achievement standards for Mathematics and English/Language Arts by 2014. Schools must demonstrate “Adequate Yearly Progress” (AYP) toward achieving that goal. The federal NCLB Act requires that all schools and districts meet the following Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) requirements:

• Participation rate on the state’s standards-based assessments in English/Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics.

• Percent proficient on the state’s standards-based assessments in ELA and Mathematics.

• API as an additional indicator.

• Graduation rate (for secondary schools).

There are several consequences for schools that do not meet the AYP standards, including additional tutoring and replacing of staff. Students would also be allowed to transfer to schools (within their district) that have met their AYP’s, and the former school would be required to provide the transportation to the new site. Results of school and district performance are displayed at right.

Federal Intervention ProgramSchools and districts receiving federal Title I funding enter Program Improvement (PI) if they do not make AYP for two consecutive years in the same content area (English/Language Arts or Mathematics) or on the same indicator (API or graduation rate). After entering PI, schools and districts advance to the next level of intervention with each additional year that they do not make AYP.

Academic Performance Index (API)The Academic Performance Index (API) is a score on a scale of 200 to 1,000 that annually measures the academic performance and progress of individual schools in California. On an interim basis, the state has set 800 as the API score that schools should strive to meet.

Statewide Rank: Schools receiving an API Base score are ranked in ten categories of equal size (deciles) from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest), according to type of school (elementary, middle, or high school).

Similar Schools Rank: Schools also receive a ranking that compares that school to 100 other schools with similar demographic characteristics. Each set of 100 schools is ranked by API score from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest) to indicate how well the school performed compared to similar schools.

Physical FitnessIn the spring of each year, Westmorland Elementary School is required by the state to administer a physical fitness test to all students in fifth and seventh grades. The physical fitness test measures each student’s ability to perform fitness tasks in six major areas. Students that either meet or exceed the standards in all six fitness areas are considered to be physically fit or “in the healthy fitness zone” (HFZ).

During the 2005-05 school year, 11.6% of fifth grade students and 8.5% of seventh grade students at Westmorland Elementary School met the standards in all six fitness areas.

Counseling & Other Support ServicesIt is the goal of Westmorland Union Elementary School District to assist students in their social and personal development as well as academics. The district provides special attention to students who experience achievement problems, difficulty coping with personal and family problems, and trouble with decision making or handling peer pressure. Counseling and support services are provided by Imperial County Office of Education on an as-needed basis. The academic counselor to student ratio is 1:401.

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The following chart displays the support services available to students at Westmorland Elementary School.

Westmorland Union Elementary School District’s emphasis is on a well-balanced and rigorous core curriculum at all grade levels. Instructional programs are aligned with state and district standards. The district structures its educational program so that all students receive instruction appropriate to their learning level. Teachers use a variety of instructional techniques and supplemental instructional materials.

Westmorland Elementary School recognizes that students with special gifts and talents need more challenging curriculum and instruction. The Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program is offered to third through sixth grade students who have been recognized by their teachers as capable of high levels of achievement. Students in the GATE program receive differentiated instruction in the classroom, and participate in enrichment activities through a pull-out program one day each week.

Students whose test results indicate they are struggling to achieve grade-level proficiency are provided additional assistance to improve their skills in core subject areas. In addition to an after-school Homework Club, the school offers a pull-out corrective reading program for students in grades 4-6, and in grades 7-8, students may participate in the “Reach” program, a set of alternative classes that provide more remediation than standard core classes. 21st Century tutors support students in meeting grade-level expectations. Additionally, the school offers Academic Academies to its students, which is small group tutoring after school led by certificated staff members. The focus of these sessions is state standards in Language Arts and Math. Seventh and eighth graders can attend Saturday School sessions if they are struggling to keep their grade-point average above 2.0. These eight Saturday sessions offer students the help they need to be allowed to attend the eighth grade promotion ceremony at the end of the year.

English Language Learners, Special Education, Title I, and Migrant Students receive either differentiated instruction in the classroom or additional after-school tutoring in the tutoring center, early literacy computer lab, or summer school. Acceleration Resource Teachers work on specific skills with small groups of students or one-on-one. Inclusion of Special Education students is maximized, depending on their individual abilities, to provide them with learning opportunities in the least restrictive environment.

Teacher AssignmentWestmorland Union Elementary School District recruits and employs the most qualified credentialed teachers. For the 2005-06 school year, Westmorland Elementary School had 21 fully credentialed teachers.

Teacher misassignments represent the number of teachers who did not hold a legally recognized certificate or credential, including teachers who were assigned to classrooms with English Learners (EL) and who were not properly certificated to teach EL students. Teacher vacancies reflect the number of open teaching positions that were not filled by a full-time certificated teacher for an entire year. For the 2006-07 school year, the most current available data are reported.

The federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act requires that all teachers in core subject areas meet specific federal credential requirements by the 2006-07 school year to be considered “Highly Qualified.” Minimum qualifications include: possession of a Bachelor’s Degree; possession of an appropriate California teaching credential; and demonstrated competence in core academic subjects.

Teacher Evaluation & Professional DevelopmentEvaluations and formal observations are designed to encourage common goals and to comply with the state’s evaluation criteria and district policies. Temporary and probationary teachers are evaluated twice annually, whereas tenured teachers are evaluated every other year. These evaluations are in addition to ongoing, informal observations. The superintendent/principal conducts each evaluation based on specific criteria:

• Learning environment• Students’ progress • Teaching techniques and strategies • Progress toward curricular objectives

The California Standards for the Teaching Profession are also incorporated when evaluating teacher performance.

A conference held after the evaluation allows participants to discuss the quality of instruction and provide suggestions for improvement. Teachers are encouraged to set goals and objectives that would allow them to grow professionally.

Participants in the Peer Assistance and Review Program (PAR) may opt to participate in an alternative evaluation process where the evaluation criteria is developed by the teacher and the superintendent/principal.

Staff members build teaching skills and concepts by participating in many conferences and workshops throughout the year and sharing their experiences and knowledge with district colleagues. Ongoing staff development and curriculum improvement was delivered to staff during weekly staff meetings and at periodic grade level meetings. The focus for staff training was on implementing and refining instruction of the Language Arts adopted programs. In the 2005-06 school year, the District offered one mandatory staff development day, which focused on the subject area of Mathematics.

Teachers may participate in additional professional development training through the Imperial County Office of Education. Cafeteria and custodial staff are offered training in safety measures through OSHA and other job-related areas through vendors.

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Salary & Budget ComparisonState law requires comparative salary and budget information to be reported to the general public. At the time this report was published, the most recent salary comparison data from the State of California was for the 2004-05 school year. For comparison purposes, the State Department of Education has provided average salary data from elementary school districts throughout the state having under 1,000 Average Daily Attendance (ADA). The chart below illustrates the average teacher salary at the school and compares it to the average teacher salary at the state level.

The table below illustrates teacher and administrative salaries at the district and state levels.

Expenditures & Services FundedAt the time this report was published, the most recent financial data from the state of California was for the 2004-05 school year. For the 2004-05 school year, Westmorland Union Elementary School District spent an average of $7,458 to educate each student. The Total Expenditures table below provides a comparison of a school’s per pupil funding from unrestricted sources with district and state funding.

In addition to general fund state funding, Westmorland Union Elementary School District received federal and state aid for the following categorical, special education, and support programs:

• Title I • Special Education• Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco Funds • State Lottery Revenue• Home-to-School Transportation • Peer Assistance and Review• School Improvement Program • Economic Impact Aid• Instructional Materials • Class Size Reduction• Mandated Costs Reimbursements• Interagency Contracts, Gifted & Talented Pupils

The district participates in the Beginning Teachers Support and Assessment program (BTSA), a state-sponsored program designed to help new teachers succeed, foster higher retention within the teaching profession of quality teachers, and improve instruction. The Peer Assistance and Review Program (PAR) provides opportunities to improve the education for students and increase the classroom performance of teachers. The program recruits exceptional teachers to obtain certification to provide assistance to veteran practicing teachers, beginning practicing teachers, and voluntary participating teachers.

Textbooks & Instructional MaterialsWestmorland Union Elementary School District held a Public Hearing on October 12, 2006, and determined that each school within the district has sufficient and good quality textbooks, and instructional materials, pursuant to the settlement of Williams vs. the state of California. All students, including English Learners, are given their own individual standards-aligned textbooks or instructional materials, or both, in core subjects for use in the classroom and to take home. All textbooks and instructional materials used within the district are aligned with the California State Content Standards and Frameworks and have been approved by the Board of Education. The district follows the state Board of Education’s eight-year adoption cycle for core content materials. The most recent textbooks, as of March 2007, for Westmorland Elementary School, are listed below.

Westmorland Elementary School’s library is staffed by a part-time cerfificated Accelerated Resource teacher and contains thousands of books available for students to check out. Students visit the library on a weekly basis with their classes. The library is a Joint Youth Facility and is operated by Imperial County after school hours.

The computer lab is also staffed by a part-time certificated staff member. Students receive computer instruction on a regular basis. The lab contains 30 computers.