Blue Ribbon Schools - No Child Left Behind

History

Maple Leaf Intermediate School was recently named an Ohio School of Promise for the 2005 School Year by the Ohio Department of Education. The State Superintendent's Schools of Promise program recognizes schools across Ohio that are demonstrating high achievement in reading and mathematics for all groups of students, despite the fact that 40 percept or more of these students come from low-income backgrounds. Students met or exceeded the state standard of 75% passage on either or both of the Reading Achievement Test or the Math Proficiency Test.

In December of 2005, Maple Leaf Intermediate School was nominated by the Ohio Department of Education for the U.S. Department of Education's No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon Award. This program recognizes all schools throughout the United States that make significant progress in closing the achievement gap or whose students achieve at superior levels. Only 415 schools nationwide may be nominated each year, and the Ohio Department of Education may nominate only 14 schools.

Key Elements

• Teachers use Progress Book, a web based grade book that directly feeds into the school's Standards-Based Computerized Report Cards. This system allows for consistent communication between parents and teachers, so that parents are kept up to date with assignments, test scores, and any other academic or social needs in the classroom.
• Maple Leaf made changes in its Reading Curriculum and intervention programs. It also aligned its curriculum and added supplemental materials and intervention programs to strengthen its math curriculum.
• Assessment tools are a valuable part of Maple Leaf. It uses state mandated, quarterly, and short cycle assessments throughout the year. On a daily basis, teachers use formative and summative assessments. Teachers also use previous assessment date before the start of the school year, and during the year, they use diagnostic tools in conjunction with the data to evaluate student achievement levels.
• Maple Leaf is conscious of its communication with the public and the community through the use of bulletin boards and various media sources. With its website, the public may access information and parents may email teachers. The Communication Center publishes assessment results in local and regional newspapers and GHTV, the district's cable access station. Newsletters are distributed to students and parents on a monthly basis. Also, the PTA holds monthly meetings.
• Maple Leaf's curriculum groups collaborating with elementary and middle school buildings resulting in the Garfield Heights District aligning its K-12 curriculum. It has also shared its success with other districts.
• Teachers are involved in professional development through seminars on poverty, opportunities provided by funding from the federal "Enhancing Education Through Technology" Grant, Easy Tech, which is an on0line program, Compass Learning, a web-based learning tool, and the Summer Institute for Reading.

Annual Budget

Maple Leaf operated on a school budget of just over $20,000 to purchase books, paper, technology and all other supplies for the students and teachers to be successful. The Maple Leaf PTA helped purchase a new laminator and other needed things for the school. Using the money wisely has helped us be successful. The key is to use the money to always improve instruction. Enhancing Education Through Technology Grant and Safe Schools Healthy Students Grant played a major role in improving technology integration in instruction and meeting the needs of the heart with our students and their families.

Staffing Needs

Maple Leaf has ten full time teachers at each grade level and seven other teachers, among them an art teacher, music teacher, physical education teacher, and four intervention specialist. Over 80% hold a master's degree. Teachers have, on average 14 years experience teaching and an average of eight years teaching at Maple leaf. Although two teachers are certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, 7 have an advanced teaching certificate and all teachers are Highly Qualified.

Areas of Improvement

The physical plant is too small for the amount of students in the building.

In increasing state and federal demands for improving test scores will make it very difficult for any city or inner ring suburb community to continue to be successful in the future.

Financial funding of schools is not consistent to help all the students who need our help.