Article written by Mrs. Schwartz
Sustaining Academic Rigor
By Coni Schwartz, Principal, Morley School, Lincoln
Published in the NCSA TODAY February 2004 issue
(NCSA’ĶNebraska Council of School Administrators)
At Morley, the home of the Meadowlarks, we were not surprised to find our 2002-03 Metropolitan Achievement Tests results for both third and fifth grade in the upper 90th percentiles in both total reading and total math. Our ’Äúflight pattern’Äù of learning and instruction is flown with precision, each teacher knowing what to expect, each student reaching for what is expected.
Again this past year, our Metropolitan Achievement Tests results were exemplary, being among the top in almost every area. Our commitment to academic priorities, along with the staff’Äôs strong, steady and effective instruction, gives us a teaming spirit that continues to make a difference for our children.
Morley School was featured in the June 29 edition of the Lincoln Journal Star. If you look at a section featuring all of LPS academic success, Morley’Äôs third grade students scored in the 96th and 97th percentiles for reading and math on the Metropolitan Achievement Test. Not featured in that article, Morley fifth grade students scored at the 88 percent in total reading and 93 percent in total math. Morley’Äôs fourth grade students, assessment of state reading standards, reveal 100 percent proficiency in vocabulary and 81.50 proficiency in Active Listening. The State of Nebraska set the proficiency level at 62 percent for the area of reading. Morley’Äôs fourth grade students achieved 98 percent proficiency in math as compared to the LPS District’Äôs overall proficiency level of 77.33 percent. Nebraska’Äôs cut level is 65 percent. So, what exists at Morley to realize such high student achievement? Simply put, the faculty, as we have historically done, is to strive to help each and every child learn and reach toward their fullest learning potential through at least what we call ’Äúa list of the top 12’Äù reasons why our students have extraordinary opportunities to learn! I will list these a little later in this article. Our top 12 strategies are straight forward. We teach by these top 12. We excel by following the top 12 that will be listed below.
In addition to academic excellence, in 2002-03 Morley families and friends validated extraordinary commitment to the focus on our students’Äô success. Not only did our children excel, parental and community volunteer involvement hours rose to over 6,000 hours from approximately 4,000 hours the previous year. As the instructional and visionary leader of Morley, it is my strong desire and leadership dream that each parent be involved at Morley.
OUR TOP 12 CHARACTERISTICS
Our top 12 characteristics start with emphasizing the importance of learning. The staff is so aligned with masterful teaching and learning that, according to a past NCE visitation team member, ’ÄúMorley reeks with excellence.’Äù We didn’Äôt take offense to that word, ’Äúreeks.’Äù We found it to be exhilarating and motivating to ’Äúkick it up one more notch.’Äù Our students loved our added improvement goal of rigorous and complex vocabulary. They searched for words that ’Äúreeked with excellence.’Äù Students and parents got a kick out of bringing those challenge words right into the classroom where we gave them an overhaul through research, writing, and challenging other students.
Strong leadership has to guide the instructional program. It is essential that not only the principal, but experienced staff is well versed in learning research. I love instruction, know curriculum, excel in instructional performance and evaluation, and student growth and development. It is important to know each and every child and their learning level, style, and strengths to nourish those minds.! The Morley faculty talks about students’Äô growth, mastery of learning, hot buttons of students, and strategies to match our students on a constant basis. Everyone is involved. Those students and the instruction they receive are our priorities.
Morley’Äôs goals are clear. Our objectives are precise. Ask any teacher in the school what our goals and objectives are, and you are in for at least a half an hour of discussion. We love to articulate our goals and we celebrate meeting our objectives.
Students are grouped to promote effective instruction. Each quarter, and probably more frequently than that, instructional conferences are held with the principal and each teacher to analyze effective instruction, student grouping, and student progress.
As a result, Morley engages in constant evaluation of how best we can serve students. We ask the ’Äòwhat if’Äô questions about grouping, and we do not hesitate to monitor and adjust for higher learning.
Firm and consistent discipline. We are a far cry from a ’Äòmilitary’Äô school, however, our discipline is firm and consistent. The rules are simple.
Students respect one another and the learning environment. Their goal is to learn. Our goal is to see that our students’Äô goal is met. Students want to learn and model the very best behavior for others. Students listen, with full presence of mind, and teachers check the understanding of students before time and thinking are lost. The rest of the discipline story follows the Lincoln Public Schools’Äô Code of Conduct and Responsibilities. Be nice. Keep hands and feet to oneself. Help each other. Think about your character. Disciple holds no fancy programs or steps. It works because the expectation is held high that ’Äòwe expect it to work.’Äô Everyone knows that at Morley.
High expectations for quality instruction. There are no exceptions. We all agree that our primary responsibility is to provide excellent instruction for students in which to learn. Our school culture and pride are such that we don’Äôt mind doing that at all!
Incentives and rewards provide strong motivation. Many of the incentives and rewards are INTERNALLY held by students. We like it when intrinsic motivation prevails. It is our entry into our students’Äô minds.
Parents are invited to become involved and the majority of parents ARE involved. On any given day at any given hour, parents are involved and joyfully working for our students’Äô success. We are all in this learning arena together, and each parent shares rich gifts with us. They feel welcome. They know that our students and teachers need and desire their strengths, focus and learning, and support.
Teachers, paraeducators, support staff, and the principal continually strive to improve instructional effectiveness. Apathy cannot be tolerated where excellence is required. Each member of the Morley team is important to improve instructional effectiveness. We know the power of working together for students. A custodian is delighted to provide a little mathematical drill and practice for fifteen minutes with two or three students. A paraeducator bounces in with a new certificate of recognition and accomplishment for completing a course on reading strategies. A teacher finds a new schematic mapping approach and shares it with others. A kitchen staff member posts new vocabulary and we make sure students know what it means. The principal holds an after lunch ’ÄòScholar’Äôs Table’Äô to afford students’Äô opportunities to finish work, check work, and learn literacy strategies. We all work together to continuously improve instructional effectiveness. Again, it is a love of ours and’Ķit is expected.
Saving one of the best of the ’Äòtop 12’Äô for last, but definitely not least importance, is that school time is used for learning. With an understanding that we have limited time with our students, it is important that, along with their intent to learn, our golden window of opportunity lies in every second, minute and hour of each day. The protection of this time, along with wise decisions in the use of this time, makes a significant difference. At Morley, we all know that. We are ’Äúall in our places, with bright shining faces’Äù when the bell tolls. Then, the positive electricity of learning begins to glow, and the torch of knowledge burns brightly.
At Morley, our ’ÄúMeadowlark flight pattern’Äù is in order and our mission is to ’Äúfly high.’Äù We are committed to providing the highest quality of education for all Morley students. Morley aligns with the Lincoln Board of Education in its mission, at an elementary level. Morley accepts with enthusiasm, and desires to be held highly accountable for outstanding achievement of this mission through the most effective and efficient use of available resources.