MACARTHUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
24501 Fredrick

Southfield, MI 48034

Principal: Nina Flanagan


Type of School: Elementary School (K-5)
Location: Southfield (northwest suburb of Detroit)
Size: 480 students, Free and reduced lunch: 53%

Two kindergarten classes, three first grade classes, three second grade classes, one third grade class, one fourth grade class, one fifth grade class, one grades 1-2 multi-age class, one 2-3 multi-age, one grades 3-4 multi-age, one grades 3-4-5 multi-age and one grades, 4-5 multi-age

The Community-

Southfield is a large, suburban population of 75, 728 bordering the northern portion of Detroit.* It has a wide range of socio-economics as well as ancestry and race, and is in fact Michigan's number one business address, with more than 140 "Fortune 500" companies. Southfield is also the home of the largest concentration of foreign firms in Oakland County (25% of the county total). The city's motto is: "Southfield: An International City."

Student Population:
55% African American, 40% Caucasian, 3% Chaldean mix
12 special education certified students (4 EMI, 4 LD, 1 HI, four were "labeled at another school") .
Principal: Nina Flanagan
Teachers: 19 classroom teachers, mix of new and experienced
One art teacher, music teacher, physical education teacher and one librarian.
Additional support staff: Reading clinician, two multi/categorical support, special needs support, ESL, psychologist, social worker, speech and Title I, 3 para-pros.

EMPOWER CITIZENS IN A DEMOCRACY

- Staff trained in Glasser's choice theory model
- Student-directed parent-teacher-student conferences
-Success plans completed by student when there is a conflict, including goals
- Many practice examples such as children selecting their classroom seating arrangements; teachers selecting the more unpopular students who in turn select a partner for themselves; students paired with other students to check each other's work; classroom community meetings; students taking turns leading activities like Calendar Math, etc.
- Extracurricular programs focused on responsibility for others, e.g. Coats for Kids

 

INCLUDE ALL:

- All children included in regular classrooms with support from a range of professionals.
- Minimal pull-out
- Lowest special education referrals in Southfield
- Accommodations made for children's special needs such as the student with hearing impairment-using phones and amplification
- Emotionally impaired kids not labeled
- Multi-age and looped classes

TEACH AND ADAPT FOR DIVERSITY:

-Adult learning groups for teachers to read literature and discuss how students learn
- Re-thinking and re-developing philosophy about literacy. Hired consultant to participate in adult learning groups with teachers
- Individualized instruction such as individual spelling lists derived from content of "Itty Bitty " books (communication journals between student and teacher)
- Literature selected with multicultural themes, e.g. Mem Fox's, Whoever You Are

BUILDING COMMUNITY AND SUPPORT LEARNING:

- STAR Team (support team for students at-risk-two special education teachers, one Title I, one reading clinician, etc.)
- Overnight parenting retreat annually
- Watch Me Grow" program after school-talk about loss, feelings, home issues, etc.
- PTA meetings with community dinners

PARTNERING:

- Providence Hospital - 30 physicians work personally with 55 3-5th graders, training them as peer mediators (all students interested may participate)
- Common Ground -- violence prevention program helps kids with feelings, emotions, and behaviors in a proactive way.
- Southfield Presbyterian Church
- Seniors Tutoring program
- Senior Center partnership. Seniors with Alzheimers visit kids