1999 SCHOOL PROFILE
Washington Elementary School
400 Michigan Avenue
Oconto, Wisconsin 54153
Type of School: Elementaries (K-4)
Location: Oconto: located approximately 30 north of Green Bay
in Northeastern Wisconsin
Rural: Also serve students from neighboring rural communities
Size: Typically 5 classes at every grade level
Student-Teacher ratios are 15-1.
Only Elementary school in Oconto
450 total students
Student Population: Majority of students are Caucasian.
Changed from a K-8 to a K-4 school in Fall, 1999
All students are fully included with the exception of several
students having severe disabilities who are mainstreamed for a
minimum of 50% of their day.
Principal: Nancy Burns Provides strong and consistent leadership
Served Washington Elementary for approximately 4 years
Strong supporter for Inclusive Education
Teachers: A mix of new and experienced teachers in the building
Teachers either teach individually serving 15 heterogeneously
grouped students or they team-teach with one other teacher -sharing
a classroom and team teaching 30 students.
The majority of teachers are Caucasian
EMPOWER CITIZENS IN A DEMOCRACY:
Teachers choose to team teach or teach individually knowing
that all teachers will be teaching all students (with and without
disabilities).
Students are involved in a leadership/service learning program
in the school and community, such as an intergenerational program
between the students and community members.
Principal's advisory council, which includes staff and parents,
makes decisions ranging from staffing, scheduling, budgeting,
and general problem solving.
Students resolve their conflicts through the peer mediation program
for peaceful resolution.
INCLUDE ALL:
98% of the students with disabilities are included in general
education classes full-time.
2% of the students (those experiencing severe mental retardation
or severe emotional disturbance) spend no more than 50% of their
day in a separate classroom/program with a special education teacher.
There is at least one dually certified (i.e., special and general
education) classroom teacher at each grade level who not only
teaches a heterogeneous class of students at that grade level,
but also serves as a consultant to the other grade level teachers.
Students with disabilities are proportionately assigned to each
of the general education classrooms. (i.e., there is no clustering
of students with disabilities in general education classrooms).
All classrooms serve a heterogeneous population of 15 students.
All Title I services are delivered within the general education
curriculum through the use of paraprofessionals, reducing the
size of reading groups and extending the time in after school
and summer programs.
Many students receive speech and language services within the
general education classroom.
TEACH & ADAPT FOR DIVERSITY:
Extensive training has been provided to all instructional staff
in how to make effective modifications and adaptations. Appropriate
accommodations for students with and without disabilities as made
by classroom teachers.
No specialized or different curricula are used for students with
disabilities who are included. All students participate in the
general education curriculum with adaptations and modifications.
The integration of Multiple Intelligences at all grade levels
increases the participation and success of all learners.
Cooperative learning groups are used at all grade levels, especially
at the primary grades.
Drama is a focal point of the elementary curriculum. Art and
technology are also well integrated into the curriculum.
100% participation rate on state and district testing at the
3rd and 4th grade levels for the past 3 years.
BUILD COMMUNITY & SUPPORT LEARNING:
Students with disabilities and others who are academically at-risk
are supported by their classroom teacher given the low student-teacher
ratios of 15 to 1. A grade-level classroom teacher, dually certified
in general and special education, also serves as a grade-level
consultant and support.
Peer supports are developed through cooperative learning, buddy
programs, peer tutoring and peer mediation programs.
Daily common team planning time is provided in addition to contracted
prep time.
PARTNERING:
A Family Involvement Coordinator is employed by the school and
has developed a strong program of parent volunteers.
A Parent Resource Center in the school offers many parenting
resources.
Positive Parenting classes are offered at the school throughout
the year. Tapes of the positive parenting approaches are also
broadcast on the public access channel.
The school facility is used from 6:00 am until 10:00 pm for before
school and evening programs offered to the community.