Nathanael+Greene+Elementary+School

=**Nathanael Greene Elementary School**=

District: Pawtucket Author: Christopher Staniszewski

Principal: Jacqueline Ash 285 Smithfield Ave



Introduction
Nathanael Greene Elementary School is located on 285 Smithfield Avenue, in Pawtucket Rhode Island. Overlooked by principal Jacqueline Ash, it houses 501 students in grades K-6, as well as 41 teachers to provide them with instruction. This report analyzes many things about the school: the overall demographics, their performance on standardize tests, how much money is being spent and where, and how all parties involved feel about the school. It is designed to inform parents, students, teachers, and anyone else who has an interest in Nathanael Greene school.

Assessment: NECAP Testing
Data: 2008-2009 NECAP Results


 * || Mathematics || Reading || Writing ||
 * Nathanael Greene || 45 || 52 || 36 ||
 * Rhode Island || 61 || 68 || 58 ||

Nathanael Greene's test scores rank below those of Rhode Island's in reading, writing, and mathematics. In mathematics, the percentage of students who are at or above proficiency is 45% compared to RI's 61%. Fifty two percent of students are at or aboe the stardard level, versus Rhode Island's 68%. Writing seems to be worse still - 36% of students are at least at proficiency, which is more than 20% lower than Rhode Island's average for elementary schools.

Demographics
41 Teachers 501 Students

19% African American 4% Asian 27% Hispanic 2% Native American 48% White

The environment at Nathanael Greene Elementary is a very diverse one. Of the schools 501 students, 48% of students are part of the dominant White culture, 19% are African American, 27% are Hispanic, 4% are Asian, and 2% are Native American. This situation requires that teachers have the ability to cater to different social, cultural, and learning needs.

3. Connectedness
Student Responses:


 * || Nathanael Greene || Rhode Island ||
 * Have a Sense of Belonging || 78% || 77% ||
 * Students Have Trouble Getting Along || 51% || 42% ||
 * Teachers Take a Personal Interest in Students || 78% || 80% ||

Parent's Responses:

school committees such as curriculum, budget and school improvement || 41% || 58% ||
 * || Nathanael Greene || Rhode Island ||
 * Parents are view as important partners || 92% || 92% ||
 * Including parents on

Teacher Responses:

school-improvement planning and decisions. || 72% || 76% || spirit among the staff. || 44% || 71% || children in ways that show interest and respect || 88% || 95% || schools to provide instruction on conflict or violence reduction. || 81% || 91% || my class disrupt what others are doing. || 19% || 29% || my class enjoy working together || 94% || 88% ||
 * || Nathanael Greene || Rhode Island ||
 * Staff are involved in
 * There is a group
 * Interact with
 * It is essential for
 * Students in
 * Students in

When asked, 78% students responded that they have a sense of belonging at Nathanael Greene Elementary, which is slightly above Rhode Island's average. However, 51% of students say that students have trouble getting along with each other, which is higher than the 42% of the other elementary schools in Rhode Island. Ninety-two percent of parents feel that they are viewed as an important part of education, while only 42% feel included on decisions that involve their children (58% in Rhode Island). Most teachers (72%) feel they are involved in school-improvement decisions, which is about the same as the rest of the teachers in Rhode Island (76%). However, only 44% of teachers feel there is a morale amongst themselves, which is far below Rhode Island's average of 71%. Also, only 81% of teachers feel it is essential to provide students with lessons on violence/conflict reduction, which is ten percent below Rhode Island's average. However, teachers do reflect on a positive experience in the classroom. Only 19% feel their students are disruptive, which is ten percent below Rhode Island's average. Also, 94% say their students like working together, which is better than Rhode Island's 88%. Seventy-eight percent of students feel their teachers take a personal interest in them, which is comparable to Rhode Island's numbers (80%) Overall, these statistics reflect that students feel good about their situation, and their parents are eagar to help them, although sometimes have trouble doing so. Teachers feel that while they may have some unfulfilled wishes outside of the classroom, they still really enjoy their jobs inside, which is where it counts.

4. Expenditures
Total Expenditure: $5,405,136
 * Dollars Per Student || Nathanael Greene || Rhode Island ||
 * General Eduacation || $7,841 || $8,679 ||
 * Special Education || $28,977 || $23,427 ||
 * English Language Learners || $11,436 || $13,157 ||

The money at Nathanael Greene Elementary is dispersed differently when compared with the rest of Rhode Island's elementary schools. The average student in the general education program has $7,841 spent on him/her, while Rhode Island's average is $8,679. The special education program sees the most money per student at $28,977, which is considerable higher than Rhode Island's average of $23,427. English Language learners are given $11,436 per student, while Rhode Island's average is $13,157. Overall, the students suffer from a small lack of funding as shown in the Pawtucket district report.

Portrait of the School:
Nathanael Greene is described as a spacious, happy place whose hallways are adorned with students' work: art, papers, and writing. The teachers care not only about the students' academic growth, but also personal growth. The principal is hard working, and the parents seem to respect and fee; good about the school as a whole. Their major complaint is the safety of their kids coming to and from school.

Evidence of Student Learning:
Reading is described as one of the students' favorite topics. They read individually as well as listen to the teacher in read-aloud. They are able to select books in different genres that match their reading level well. As far as Mathematics are concerned, students appear to struggle a little more. They tend to work through problems in groups, in an effort to have kids explain their reasoning to one another. Some student really enjoy working through difficult problems, while others require individual attention that they do not receive. Students writing is described as "adequate," and is also something students enjoy doing. They write for a variety of purposes, including journals of many kinds as well as narrative pieces. Their work is often posted on the walls of classrooms and hallways.

Evidence of Teaching:
The report emphasizes the teachers' positive attitudes and willingness to communicate with each other, as well as their willingness to go out of their way to improve at their job. However, it also mentions that teachers at Nathanael Greene have trouble teaching to the different learning levels of students. It finds that students are either too overwhelmed, or not challenged at all by the assignments given in most content areas. However, reading is an exception. Students, as stated above, really like reading because teachers have found a way to provide a large variety of books at a large variety of levels to their students. While students say math is a struggle for them, test scores had improved in the two years previous to the report. The school improvement team praises the teachers for helping with this growth and devising methods to help meet all the standards in the curriculum. The way that writing is taught is also praised. Teachers encourage students to make graphic organizers and outlines before writing, and also courages students to write for a variety of purposes and topics. They emphasize that they have high standards for their students, and show their expectations in rubrics. Teachers encourage students to look at rubrics not only as a way of being graded, but as a way to improve their work.

Findings on the School:
The report praises the principal's work on going out of the way of the job description to ensure that the school is functioning at the highest level. They only mention that the principal should meet more often with the teachers individually. The special education program is not viewed as highly. There are not enough teachers certified in special education that are providing instruction, so often students are left with teaching assistants, who provide "help, but not instruction." This report may be the reason why that five years later the school now spends $5,000 more per student on students in special education when compared with the rest of the elementary schools in Rhode Island. The library is described as dark and unaccessable, and does not complement their reading productivity in the classroom. Parents voice their concern to be more involved in the school, while teachers say they struggle to find volunteers.

Conclusion
Nathanael Greene is an overall good elementary school that tries to provide a relevant education for its students in today's world. The students have a willingness to learn, the parents have a willingness to help and the teachers have been praised for their drive and dedication to the students. However, in recent years that drive and dedication seems to be waning. The fact that only 44% of teachers said there was a group spirit among the staff is puzzling. The report was done in 2003, and this statistic is from 2008, so it seems that five years has made the school a little worse for wear. The reading program that was praised in the report only yields a 52% proficiency rate. While it may cater to the reading levels of the individual students, it is not getting them up to par. Other than that, this school is pretty good when compared with other elementary schools in the state. It is either average or slightly below average in most fields. This could be attributed to a slight lack of funding or the fact that the school is in an urban setting, which tends to make for more difficult schooling conditions.