Student Achievement
Cape Girardeau Community Caring Council
Core Result: Children succeeding in school
Benchmark: MAP Test Scores (Communication Arts & Math)
February 2002
Objective
To increase the percentage of students in 3rd grade scoring in the top two levels in communication arts on the MAP Test by 5% in the following schools:
Blanchard Elementary from 40% (SY2001) to 45% (SY2003)
Franklin Elementary from 22% (SY2001) to 27% (SY2003)
Clippard Elementary from 44% (SY2001) to 49% (SY2003)
Jefferson Elementary from 13% (SY2001) to 18% (SY2003)
To increase the percentage of students in 4th grade scoring in the top two levels in math on the MAP Test by 5% in the following schools:
Blanchard Elementary from 40% (SY2001) to 45% (SY2003)
Franklin Elementary from 33% (SY2001) to 38% (SY2003)
Clippard Elementary from 43% (SY2001) to 48% (SY2003)
Jefferson Elementary from 24% (SY2001) to 29% (SY2003)
Strategies
Moving services closer to families and children:
By providing after school tutoring programs at the school site, approximately 20% of the student population is served. The fact that bus transportation is provided has improved enrollment and attendance. The tutoring program focuses on reading and math skills. Each student works with their classroom teacher to set individual goals. The tutoring program is very structured, with students being referred by their classroom teacher.
Social skills are a necessity to be successful in school and in adulthood. Without social skills, it is much harder to communicate effectively with peers and teachers. The administrative staff at Cape Public Schools saw a huge need for social skills training. They approached Caring Communities which was able to arrange for elementary teachers to be trained in the Boys Town Well Managed Classroom Curriculum. With the implementation of this curriculum, there has been a decrease in discipline referrals and out of school suspensions.
Caring Communities received funding from the local United Way and FACT to implement a FAST (Families and Schools Together) program. The purpose of the program was to enhance family functioning and prevent the target child from experiencing school failure. Various community/agency representatives collaborated to implement this program. The families and neighborhoods have been strengthened using this research-based approach.
Active community involvement:
In the past, Caring Communities has implemented after school boys and girls clubs in the targeted neighborhoods. Last year, the Girl Scouts approached us with the possibility of them taking over the girls clubs, both programmatically and financially. At the same time, the partnership wrote a federal grant that allowed a part time after school coordinator to be hired.
The grant has thus taken over the boys clubs, both programmatically and financially. Caring Communities is now merely a partner in these programs instead of the coordinator.
The site coordinator at one of our sites identified a need for role models, as well as tutors, to interact one on one with students. This site had no structured tutoring program. A partnership was forged with the local university, which amounted to college students donating their time to spend at the elementary school. The Adopt-A-School Program has allowed students to receive tutoring time as well as a friend to lean on.
Results
