Matunuck+Elementary

=Matunuck Elementary School= 380 Matunuck Beach Rd. South Kingstown R.I 02879



**I****ntroduction**

Matunuck Elementary School is nestled far off in the crook of trees and sprawling fields of South Kingstown RI. It is minutes away from Rhode Island's southern shore and its coastal community remains a prominent cornerstone in its school culture. Situated between Carpenter's Farm, Clark Farms and other locally run farm land the students are exposed to a rural and peaceful landscape. The following report profiles Matunuck Elementary School's student body, performance (based on test scores), teacher qualification and funding as well as research synthesis examining the importance of such facts.

**Who Goes to Matunuck Elementary School?**

There is little racial diversity at Matunuck Elementary School. Most of the 333 students there (95% of them) identify as white, 3% are multiracial, and only 2% identify with hispanic and Asian heritage. These demographics reflect those found in the South Kingstown community, accept for the Native American population there (Rhode Island Department of Education). This could be an indicator of higher income families living in the Matunuck school district. The waterfront properties surrounding the school would also suggest advantaged families capable of paying higher taxes for their valuable properties. It is notable that, South County's concentration of low income housing is based in Peace Dale, serviced by a separate elementary school than Matunuck El. (South Kingstown Geographic Information System (Division of the Planning Department)).

**How Effective in Terms of Standardized Testing is Matunuck Elementary?**

Matunuck Elementary faired well in NECAP grades for 2012-13, deeming them a qualified school in the eyes of the state.The 3rd graders were considered 28% more proficient than the State average in their Math NECAP score and 18% more proficient in reading. The 4th graders also performed higher than the state average on their NECAP assessment. For math they were 29% more proficient than the state, reading they were 17% more proficient and in science they were an astonishing 25% more proficient (Rhode Island Department of Education). Above all of this the principle of Matunuck Elementary, Debra Zepp was awarded principle of the year by the R.I. Association of School Principles in 2011. Having been recognized on the RIDE website as a public school worth sending your students to it seems to attract the parents of advantaged students living in a nicer area of Rhode Island.

(“R.I. Association of School Principals | PowerIT”). It is clear that, under the leadership of Principle Zepp, students are thriving in the academic atmosphere at Matunuck Elementary School. .



**Are teachers at Matunuck Elementary qualified in terms of data?** The teaching staff at Matunuck Elementary is considered "highly qualified" by RI InfoWorks. This means they are state certified, practiced in their teaching focus, and hold a bachelors degree. None of the teachers there hold emergency certification, meaning they are all state certified and were not given special permission to teach before getting their certification. The teacher to student ratio is 1:11. (Rhode Island Department of Education).

**Where does Matunuck Elementary receive its funding?**

Matunuck Elementary has an active PTO and is able to fund various improvements to the school. It's biggest fundraiser of the year,a Jog-A-Thon was reported to have grossed 6,500 dollars from various parents and donors. The PTO's Financial Report for 2013 mentions using their funds to buy classroom gathering rugs, projectors, a computer reading enrichment program, and a new sound system (“Matunuck Elementary Home Page”). Besides the PTO, Matunuck Elementary has a district expenditure of $16,082 per student, as of 2009. (Rhode Island Department of Education). The PTO's strong participation is a strong indicator of parental quality in the Matunuck El. community as well as the advantaged socioeconomic status of these parents.

In Conclusion....
Matunuck Elementary, as portrayed in this report, is an ideal representation of public schooling. From a rural waterfront setting, to the supportive and involved PTO, this school is designed to succeed. When schools are positively influenced by their community they are able to better educate children. The students at Matunuck Elementary have qualified teachers, an award winning principal, funding from PTO, and supportive parents and so it is no wonder they perform well on state tests. It seems that higher standards may not be the most affective form of improving schools but instead finding ways to support community. Matunuck Elementary is a an exemplary model for effectiveness of community based education systems.

**Works Cited** “Matunuck Elementary Home Page.” N. p., n.d. Web. 5 Nov. 2013.

Rhode Island Department of Education. “Matunuck Elementary.” N. p., n.d. Web. 16 Oct. 2013.

“R.I. Association of School Principals | PowerIT.” N. p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

South Kingstown Geographic Information System (Division of the Planning Department). “Planning: Affordable Housing Production Plan | Town of South Kingstown.” N. p., n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2013.

//Compiled by Marisa DeCollibus, 2013.//