Granby Memorial Middle School - Granby Public Schools

56 - 51 Page 4SCHOOL DIVERSITYStudent Race/EthnicityRace/Ethnicity Number PercentAmerican Indian 1 0.3Asian American 3 0.8Black 13 3.7Hispanic 13 3.7Pacific Islander 0 0.0White 323 90.7Two or more races 3 0.8Total Minority 33 N/APercent of Minority Professional Staff:Open Choice:0.0%11 student(s) attended this school as part of the OpenChoice program. Open Choice brings students fromurban areas to attend school in suburban or rural towns,and students from non-urban areas to attend city schoolsNon-English Home Language:0.3% of this school's students (excluding prekindergartenstudents) come from homes where English is not theprimary language.The number of non-English homelanguages is 1.EFFORTS TO REDUCE RACIAL, ETHNIC AND ECONOMIC ISOLATIONBelow is the description submitted by this school of how it provides educational opportunities for its students to interact withstudents and teachers from diverse racial, ethnic, and economic backgrounds.Granby Memorial Middle School (GMMS) has provided many opportunities for parents, teachers and students togain increased awareness of diversity, greater sensitivity to differences, and personal experiences to connectcultures. The faculty and staff have made conscientious efforts to incorporate diversity by taking part in ProjectChoice for over 27 years. Eleven (11) seventh and eighth grade students from Hartford attended GMMS as part ofthis program. Also, school-wide programs such as Mix-It-Up Day, Student Union, Town Meetings and astudent-planned Black History Month Celebrations have created opportunities for students to increase their culturalawareness and a deeper appreciation of differences.GMMS school guidance counselors, the school psychologistand administrator took part in district-wide professional development hosted by SERC to explore, promote anddevelop a more culturally responsive school. We implemented a new program to unite Granby and Project Choiceparents and students called Host Families. Project Choice students and families were matched up with Granbystudents and families to have dinner and discuss the Project Choice program and ways in which students couldbecome greater friends, support each other and spend more time outside of school together. Eighth graderscompleted a unit on immigration (Immigration Day) by having a field experience to New York City and EllisIsland. Immigration Day highlighted students’ perspectives on issues of economic, social and language barriers thatimmigrants to the United States experienced. Themes such as tolerance, disabilities and diversity were implementedand embedded throughout the curriculum to help students understand and appreciate the value and strength inherentin our differences. Two courses, 21st Century Citizen and Character Inc., both provided students with opportunitiesto explore a wide range of global issues and develop a greater understanding of diversity and cultural differences.Physical Fitness: % ReachingHealth Standard on All Four Tests*STUDENT PERFORMANCE AND BEHAVIORSchool District State % of Schools in State with Equalor Lower Percent ReachingStandardGrade 4 N/A N/A N/A N/AGrade 6 N/A N/A N/A N/AGrade 8 53.7 53.7 49.8 60.0*Includes tests for flexibility, abdominal strength and endurance, upper-body strength and aerobic endurance.