BMS SI Year 4 Letter FINAL September 2011 - the Ravenna School ...

Brown Middle SchoolSchool Improvement 2011-2012Page TwoIn order to improve student achievement in reading at Brown, several actions have been taken.Teachers have aligned classroom instruction to Ohio’s Academic Content Standards, which thereading achievement tests measure. They also changed the classroom assessments they were using toinclude questions similar to those students will see on the state achievement tests. In addition, BrownMiddle School has an after-school tutoring program. During this time, students develop and practiceskills that are necessary for success on the state tests through completing classroom assignments andusing skill-development software. As the new principal, I am working closely with the staff to focuson student achievement.We know that education is very important in fulfilling plans you and your child have for the future.Here are some things you can do to help your child at home:• Help your child by reviewing assignments• Talk to your child about what he/she is working on at school• Monitor completion of assignments and progress through the Pinnacle Parent Internet Viewer• Encourage your child to read at home daily• Build and keep strong ties with your child’s teachers• Participate in Parent Advisory Group meetings• Review report card results by visiting our district website, www.ravenna.portage.k12.oh.us .From the District link on the left, click on the District Report Card link.All of us at Brown Middle School are committed to helping every child succeed. We believe allchildren can succeed and are working very hard with your child to meet the achievement targets. Yoursupport is needed and valued.Sincerely,]ÉáxÑ{ g|ÅvÉJoseph TimcoPrincipal

Brown Middle School228 S. Scranton StreetRavenna, Ohio 44266330-296-3849September 1, 2011Dear Brown Middle School Parents,As you may know, a federal law known as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was enacted inJanuary 2002. Under NCLB, schools must make adequate yearly progress (AYP) in academic areas.There are several components used to measure academic growth of every school. For Brown, thesecomponents include:1. Reading (both achievement test scores and participation rate are counted);2. Mathematics (both test scores and the participation rate are counted); and3. Attendance Rate.Each of these components has a target goal that is embedded in State and Federal law. For each gradelevel, test, and student group, a certain percentage of students must achieve grade-level proficiency inthe subject in order for the school to meet its AYP proficiency goal.There are two tests (reading and mathematics) for each tested grade on which ten student groups (allstudents, African American students, American Indian/Native Alaskan students, Asian/Pacific Islanderstudents, Hispanic students, multiracial students, white students, students with disabilities, studentswith limited English proficiency, and economically disadvantaged students) must meet their goals inorder for the school to meet AYP. If at least one group does not meet AYP in either test subject(reading or math), then the entire building will not meet AYP in that subject. In order for a school tobe identified for School Improvement, it has to miss AYP in the same test subject for two consecutiveyears. To get out of School Improvement, a school must meet AYP for two consecutive years.Brown Middle School is identified as being in School Improvement Year 4 for the 2011-2012 schoolyear because AYP targets were not met on the reading tests for two consecutive years or on the mathtests for one year. The good news is that Brown Middle School was rated overall as an Effectivebuilding on the 2010-2011 Local Report Card. In addition, the overall composite Value-Added scorereflects that students are meeting expected growth rates.Due to a continued focus on adequate yearly progress by the federal and state government, manydistricts and schools in the State of Ohio have also been identified as being in improvement status. Asa district we are in District Improvement Year 4 even though we received the rating as an Effectivedistrict overall on the report card, and four of our buildings are in school improvement.

Brown Middle SchoolSchool Improvement 2011-2012Page TwoIn order to improve student achievement in reading at Brown, several actions have been taken.Teachers have aligned classroom instruction to Ohio’s Academic Content Standards, which thereading achievement tests measure. They also changed the classroom assessments they were using toinclude questions similar to those students will see on the state achievement tests. In addition, BrownMiddle School has an after-school tutoring program. During this time, students develop and practiceskills that are necessary for success on the state tests through completing classroom assignments andusing skill-development software. As the new principal, I am working closely with the staff to focuson student achievement.We know that education is very important in fulfilling plans you and your child have for the future.Here are some things you can do to help your child at home:• Help your child by reviewing assignments• Talk to your child about what he/she is working on at school• Monitor completion of assignments and progress through the Pinnacle Parent Internet Viewer• Encourage your child to read at home daily• Build and keep strong ties with your child’s teachers• Participate in Parent Advisory Group meetings• Review report card results by visiting our district website, www.ravenna.portage.k12.oh.us .From the District link on the left, click on the District Report Card link.All of us at Brown Middle School are committed to helping every child succeed. We believe allchildren can succeed and are working very hard with your child to meet the achievement targets. Yoursupport is needed and valued.Sincerely,]ÉáxÑ{ g|ÅvÉJoseph TimcoPrincipal

Brown Middle School228 S. Scranton StreetRavenna, Ohio 44266330-296-3849September 1, 2011Dear Brown Middle School Parents,As you may know, a federal law known as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was enacted inJanuary 2002. Under NCLB, schools must make adequate yearly progress (AYP) in academic areas.There are several components used to measure academic growth of every school. For Brown, thesecomponents include:1. Reading (both achievement test scores and participation rate are counted);2. Mathematics (both test scores and the participation rate are counted); and3. Attendance Rate.Each of these components has a target goal that is embedded in State and Federal law. For each gradelevel, test, and student group, a certain percentage of students must achieve grade-level proficiency inthe subject in order for the school to meet its AYP proficiency goal.There are two tests (reading and mathematics) for each tested grade on which ten student groups (allstudents, African American students, American Indian/Native Alaskan students, Asian/Pacific Islanderstudents, Hispanic students, multiracial students, white students, students with disabilities, studentswith limited English proficiency, and economically disadvantaged students) must meet their goals inorder for the school to meet AYP. If at least one group does not meet AYP in either test subject(reading or math), then the entire building will not meet AYP in that subject. In order for a school tobe identified for School Improvement, it has to miss AYP in the same test subject for two consecutiveyears. To get out of School Improvement, a school must meet AYP for two consecutive years.Brown Middle School is identified as being in School Improvement Year 4 for the 2011-2012 schoolyear because AYP targets were not met on the reading tests for two consecutive years or on the mathtests for one year. The good news is that Brown Middle School was rated overall as an Effectivebuilding on the 2010-2011 Local Report Card. In addition, the overall composite Value-Added scorereflects that students are meeting expected growth rates.Due to a continued focus on adequate yearly progress by the federal and state government, manydistricts and schools in the State of Ohio have also been identified as being in improvement status. Asa district we are in District Improvement Year 4 even though we received the rating as an Effectivedistrict overall on the report card, and four of our buildings are in school improvement.

Brown Middle SchoolSchool Improvement 2011-2012Page TwoIn order to improve student achievement in reading at Brown, several actions have been taken.Teachers have aligned classroom instruction to Ohio’s Academic Content Standards, which thereading achievement tests measure. They also changed the classroom assessments they were using toinclude questions similar to those students will see on the state achievement tests. In addition, BrownMiddle School has an after-school tutoring program. During this time, students develop and practiceskills that are necessary for success on the state tests through completing classroom assignments andusing skill-development software. As the new principal, I am working closely with the staff to focuson student achievement.We know that education is very important in fulfilling plans you and your child have for the future.Here are some things you can do to help your child at home:• Help your child by reviewing assignments• Talk to your child about what he/she is working on at school• Monitor completion of assignments and progress through the Pinnacle Parent Internet Viewer• Encourage your child to read at home daily• Build and keep strong ties with your child’s teachers• Participate in Parent Advisory Group meetings• Review report card results by visiting our district website, www.ravenna.portage.k12.oh.us .From the District link on the left, click on the District Report Card link.All of us at Brown Middle School are committed to helping every child succeed. We believe allchildren can succeed and are working very hard with your child to meet the achievement targets. Yoursupport is needed and valued.Sincerely,]ÉáxÑ{ g|ÅvÉJoseph TimcoPrincipal

Brown Middle School228 S. Scranton StreetRavenna, Ohio 44266330-296-3849September 1, 2011Dear Brown Middle School Parents,As you may know, a federal law known as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was enacted inJanuary 2002. Under NCLB, schools must make adequate yearly progress (AYP) in academic areas.There are several components used to measure academic growth of every school. For Brown, thesecomponents include:1. Reading (both achievement test scores and participation rate are counted);2. Mathematics (both test scores and the participation rate are counted); and3. Attendance Rate.Each of these components has a target goal that is embedded in State and Federal law. For each gradelevel, test, and student group, a certain percentage of students must achieve grade-level proficiency inthe subject in order for the school to meet its AYP proficiency goal.There are two tests (reading and mathematics) for each tested grade on which ten student groups (allstudents, African American students, American Indian/Native Alaskan students, Asian/Pacific Islanderstudents, Hispanic students, multiracial students, white students, students with disabilities, studentswith limited English proficiency, and economically disadvantaged students) must meet their goals inorder for the school to meet AYP. If at least one group does not meet AYP in either test subject(reading or math), then the entire building will not meet AYP in that subject. In order for a school tobe identified for School Improvement, it has to miss AYP in the same test subject for two consecutiveyears. To get out of School Improvement, a school must meet AYP for two consecutive years.Brown Middle School is identified as being in School Improvement Year 4 for the 2011-2012 schoolyear because AYP targets were not met on the reading tests for two consecutive years or on the mathtests for one year. The good news is that Brown Middle School was rated overall as an Effectivebuilding on the 2010-2011 Local Report Card. In addition, the overall composite Value-Added scorereflects that students are meeting expected growth rates.Due to a continued focus on adequate yearly progress by the federal and state government, manydistricts and schools in the State of Ohio have also been identified as being in improvement status. Asa district we are in District Improvement Year 4 even though we received the rating as an Effectivedistrict overall on the report card, and four of our buildings are in school improvement.