Annual Report to the Public

Ashdown School District

The Ashdown School District held its annual report to the public on Monday, October 13, 2008, at L. F. Henderson Intermediate School during the regularly scheduled board meeting.  Reports were given by each building-level principal, and goals and school improvement plans were presented.

The results of the state-mandated testing were reported as follows:

Benchmark Exams – The score represents the % of students who were proficient or advanced in math and literacy.

Combined Populations:.

Grade              3^rd        4^th        5^th        6^th        7^th        8^th

Math                82%     71%     67%     58%     64%     55%

Literacy           57%     56%     42%     44%     61%     63%

Subgroup: Economically Disadvantaged

Grade              3^rd        4^th        5^th        6^th        7^th        8^th

Math                75%     53%     49%     45%     44%     46%

Literacy           45%     50%     22%     44%     44%     54%

                        Subgroup: African-American

Grade              3^rd        4^th        5^th        6^th        7^th        8^th

Math                61%     51%     59%     41%     37%     46%

Literacy           38%     26%     21%     17%     37%     50%

                        Subgroup:  Caucasian

Grade              3^rd        4^th        5^th        6^th        7^th        8^th

Math                94%     80%     72%     66%     75%     60%

Literacy           66%     69%     53%     58%     70%     70%

End-of-Course Exams – The score represents the % of students who were proficient or advanced in literacy, Algebra I, and geometry.

Combined Population:  Algebra I                   Geometry                    Literacy

                                         62%                             31%                            35%

                                                                        Combined Math          Literacy

Subgroup: Economically Disadvantaged --           37%                          24%

Subgroup: African-American --                            34%                          21%

Subgroup: Caucasian --                                         54%                          42%

Subgroup: Special Education --                              8%                            0%

Stanford Achievement Test (SAT 10) – The score represents the percentile rank, or the individual student’s standing compared to students in the same grade nationwide.

Grade                          Math                Literacy

1^st                                60%                    48%

2^nd                                48%                    43%

Qualls Early Learning Inventory – Fall 2008 – This inventory is conducted by the kindergarten teachers through observation over a period of several weeks.

Kindergarten   Oral Communication              Written Language       Math Concepts

Not Developed           3%                                           2%                               2%

Developing                  53%                                         51%                             50%

Developed                   44%                                         47%                             48%    

The district reported an enrollment of 1564, as of October 1, 2008.  All campuses of the district were accredited or accredited-cited for 07-08.  The district is in the first year of School Improvement regarding AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) scores, and the goals of the district are to improve the achievement of students in literacy and math.  District initiatives to accomplish these goals are to continue with target testing, curriculum work based on TIA (Total Instructional Alignment), research-based professional development, and leadership teams at each campus.  Further initiatives are to employ MAX (Motivation, Acquisition, and Extension) instructional strategies on every campus, to place more focus on RTI (Response to Intervention), and to provide CGI (Cognitive Guided Instruction) for all K-5 math teachers and principals. Each principal also reported on new and innovative programs that are occurring at his/her building. 

Margaret Daniel Primary (grades pre-K-1) reported an enrollment of 316 with 21 certified teachers. The staff has formed a Response to Intervention Team, which meets monthly to make sure no child “falls between the cracks” and to review progress monitoring; a Leadership Team, which takes a more intense look at student data to determine student and staff needs in order to diagnose if and why students are not progressing; and Classroom Walk-throughs conducted by the principal or other staff to monitor progress with Palms for consistency and more accuracy.  Other fun activities for instruction include the Gentlemen’s Club which uses older male students such as the high school basketball team to reach young boys who often struggle, the Math Arcade which provides 27 additional hours of math “fun” for kindergarteners and 30 hours for first graders, Manners on Monday, Snack Backpacks, and Recess School.  Continuing programs that work for MDP include Family Night Library, Watch D.O.G.S., Groovy Grannies, Star Students for good character traits, curriculum-based software (averaging 60+ minutes a week), Reading First for literacy, and Growing with Mathematics.

      C.D.Franks Elementary (grades 2-3)  practices its mission: Caring, Dedicated school Family Responding According to Needs and Knowing Success by Providing Research-based Instruction with all Demonstrating Excellence.  What is working for CDF is the CGI math program, the Reading First literacy program, Teaming Time for planning and weekly professional development, Response to Intervention, and Target Testing.  New this year is Step Up to Writing and The Writing Academy.  Parent and community involvement includes Meet the Teacher Night, the Handy Grandies, and the Papa Patrol.

            L.F.Henderson Intermediate School (grades 4-5) boasts a 21% increase in 4^th grade Math Benchmark scores, a 19% increase in 4^th grade Literacy scores, 18% increase in 5^th grade Math, and 8% increase in 5^th grade Literacy in one year.  Their strategies to continue improvement are to focus on open-response in all areas and to use MAX, CGI, and RTI teaching strategies.

            Ashdown Junior High (grades 6-8) has met standards for combined population in math and literacy since 2005.  Strategies for literacy improvement include hiring a literacy coach, instituting a reading intervention for struggling 7^th and 8^th graders, implementing MAX strategies and a Response to Intervention Team, daily team and curriculum meetings, and literacy tutoring through 21^st Century program.  Math improvement strategies include developmental math programs for 7^th and 8^th grades, MAX  and Response to Intervention Team strategies,  21^st Century math tutoring, and technology improvements.

            Ashdown High School (grades 9-12) has hired additional math and biology teachers to provide full-time remediation and intervention strategies, as well as after-school math tutoring four days a week. All teachers are going through concentrated, sustained training and implementation of MAX strategies to help students in areas that have been previously weak.  Lessons now involve more critical-thinking strategies where students are more highly engaged.  Target testing will be conducted three times prior to End-of-Course testing, and the data will be diagnosed and used to work on continued deficiencies.  New at AHS is a student book club requested by students.  Our local Kiwanis Club is sponsoring the Key Club, involving the students in service to others.  AHS continues to offer Advanced Placement courses:  English/Language Composition, English/Literature Composition, Psychology, Human Geography, Calculus, American History, and Chemistry.   College credits for sixteen college classes were earned by AHS AP students last year who passed the AP Exams in April and May.

            New Traditions ALE School (Alternate Learning Environment for grades 5-12) reported a record enrollment of 55 students last year and a present enrollment of 22.  ALE is incorporating the JAG (Jobs for Arkansas Graduates) program in January (thanks to a $15,000 grant), and also is proud of receiving the STUART grant for $5,500 for technology and equipment to be used in their science classroom.  Ashdown’s New Traditions School was recognized last year as one of the most outstanding ALE schools in Arkansas and has earned much positive recognition for our school district.  Many other schools, including DeQueen and Nashville, have visited New Traditions to “see what we do.”  New Traditions provides students “a second chance” and encourages students to continue their academic work while receiving training to develop their pro-social skills in a safe and positive environment.  Like all other schools in the district, ALE is also focused on bringing test scores up, and the commitment made by all involved is to maintain a positive attitude towards testing.  ALE uses district curriculum and target assessments to construct lesson plans.  ALE students also are involved in community service projects, such as helping to build houses for the homeless in Foreman and county-wide clean-up days.  They also help to set up and serve free meals at Thanksgiving and Christmas at the Hunter-Coulter House.

            The Ashdown School District continues to emphasize the importance of student achievement and focuses on providing the student with a safe learning environment.  All campuses of the district invite and welcome parent involvement in bringing about success for all students.  The mission of the Ashdown School District is “Building Bridges to Success for Our Children.” 

            If anyone would like more information about the school district, please contact the superintendent’s office at 870-898-3208.