2008-Annual Town Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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Staff at the Coombs School worked vigorously at Report of the. Professional Learning Communities examining Stu. D dent achievement and student accountability, a Kenneth C. Coombs School Assessments continued to show improvement in stu. T dent reading fluency and comprehension, especially The Kenneth C. Coombs School students, staff with below level, and at-risk students. and families continued to embrace the r Benchmark testing was completed in the spring s report prepared b Christopher f 2008. An extensiveP o P P P Y "A Great Place to Grow to Creating Tomorrows Dream" motto. Parker, PhD with IDEAL Consulting Services, sum. marizes a specific analysis of grade and sub-test infor. t The Coombs School preschool and kindergarten mation for different sub-groups. Data collected programs have maintained NAEYC accreditation. showed a "snap shot" of students' early literacy and (National Association for the Education of Young reading skills as they reached the end of the 2008 school year. This information is helpful to teachers to Children) NAEYC accreditation represents the mark o monitor students' reading growth allowing them to i f quality in early childhood education. To achieve NAEYC accreditation, early childhood education pro- analyze students' literacy and reading trajectories as grams volunteer to be measured against the most they change from one benchmark testing period to robust and rigorous national standards on education, another. Overall shifts in DIBELS (DynamicIndicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) indicate the health and safety. NAEYC accredited programs invest Kenneth C.Coombs School is effective in teaching lit. in early childhood education because they believe in the benefits to children and families. Early childhood Bracy and reading skills to young children as all fall, winter and spring scores indicated improvement and experiences—from birth to age 8—have an enormous impact on children's lifelong learning and positively evidenced positive shifts and progress. contribute to their health and development. Early childhood education programs with the mark of qual- Research shows that parent and family involve ity benefit children with greater readiness for and suc- ment plays a significant role in determining children's cess in school. NAEYC accreditation has been, and intelligence, competence and achievement. At the continues to be,the mark of quality in early childhood Coombs School we feel very strongly that it is incum- education –for children and families, for early child- bent upon schools to bring together each family within their school into a coalition of "families" focused on hood programs and educators, and for all the people and organizations that recognize the importance of meeting the diverse and challenging education needs helping young children get a great start on learning of all children. Together with the Coombs School PTO we continue to expand our "family". The PTO and development. The Coombs is honored to be part a ancontinues to be an integral part of the Coombs School of this program. family providing support to staff and students during The Coombs School continues work on the PBIS the school year. PTO provided classrooms suppliesto (Positive Behavior Intervention Support Program) supplement language arts and science curriculums, reinforcing Cocoa's Fab Four rules–Safety, Respect, they sponsored the week-long Coastal Resource Van Responsibility and Ready to Learn while dovetailing project, they participating in fundraisers such as the these rules with our Second Step behavior program. very successful Monte Carlo Night, Lil' Ceasar's Students recognize these positive behaviors and self- Pizza, Box Tops for Education, Kash for Kids monitor during the school day. There has been a Cartridge Recycling fundraiser and the Pocket Change fundraiser to name a few. In addition,PTO also spon- noticeable improvement in student behavior since the sored the very successfully Giving Tree event,the St. inception of this program. Patrick's Day Dance and the International Fair, We School Council members for the 2007-2008 are most appreciative of their support of Staff Appreciation in May when the PTO sponsored break- school year included Louise Doyle,principal; Claudia Y Motta, assistant principal; Kim Palmer, teacher; fast and lunch for all Coombs staff. They are a very Elizabeth Wilber, teacher; Mary Russell, teacher; important part of Coombs School and we are thaO Alison Taylor, parent; and Barbara Cotton, parent. for their continued and tireless support. School Council members focused on school manage- Recognition Day took place in individual class• ment of educational goals, overview of budget pro- posals, revising the parent/student handbook and rooms acknowledging each student's accomplishment while an assembly was held for students who achieved addressing academic achievement of the School perfect attendance awards and first and second place Improvement Plan. Good Manners certificates. 136