2016-17
Annual School Performance Report Sunset Elementary School
Sunset Elementary School
4229 W. Lk. Sammamish Pkwy. SE, Bellevue, WA 98008 (425) 837-7500 https://connect.issaquah. wednet.edu/elementary/ sunset/ Principal Amanda Dorey
Welcome High expectations and strong support for student learning shape the culture that defines the character of Sunset Elementary. Our parents, teachers, support staff, district and community work together to provide students with a learning environment where students feel safe, valued and successful!
Mission Sunset Elementary, in cooperation with the community, provides an enthusiastic and caring learning environment. Our high expectations for academic and responsible behavior empower children to become independent and life-long learners. We believe that appreciating diversity and learning to work together cooperatively are important skills for success in an increasingly interdependent world.
Demographics Grades: K-5
Teacher Experience Enrollment: 635 95.7%
75.7%
Teachers with Master’s/Ph.D
8.8%
7.3%
k
ac
0.2%
e
Am
7.7%
0.6%
c er ka ial ni ac nd las ve spa r a A l ti ti i / s ul cI an Na H M di cifi In a P an ric ian
As
Average Years Teaching Experience
In March 2014, the U.S. Department of Education declined to renew the state of Washington’s conditional Elementary and Secondary Education Act Flexibility Waiver for schools receiving Title I, Part A funds. This decision affects all schools in Washington State, which are now subject to the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Washington is the only state that has lost its waiver and must revert to NCLB standards and timelines of assessment. For schools and districts to be considered succeeding under NCLB, schools must meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) standards. For schools to meet AYP, 100 percent of all students, regardless of special needs or English language mastery, must meet proficiency standards. Sunset met AYP this year. For complete information about the Issaquah School District’s assessment data, highly qualified teachers, annual yearly progress, and state NAEP (of Educational Progress) results, please visit the state’s online district report card.
20.1%
Bl
11.3
2
OSPI Data
61.1%
1.9%
Teacher’s with National Board Certification
e at
te
hi
W
n
da
en Att
R ce
ee Fr
ed
uc
d
an
d Re
h
nc
Lu
District Report For budget details and more go to www.issaquah.wednet.edu/district/annualcommunity-report/ The Issaquah School District believes in seeking continual feedback from a broad and diverse range of constituents regarding their experiences with the District and their neighborhood school. See the Community Polling Study site at www. issaquah.wednet.edu/district/polling for more information and survey results.
Highlights Caring to Learn and Learning to Care: Our school motto exemplifies our friendly, welcoming and caring environment. Our familylike environment has been an important part of Sunset’s 56 year history. Commitment to student achievement: Academic success through high expectations is Sunset’s primary focus. Teachers continually seek ways to improve their instructional skills in math, reading, writing, and science and technology integration. Green School Award: Sunset received a 2016 King County Green Schools Level 3 Award for promoting recycling, composting and water conservation, coordinated through the Sunset Student Council/Green Team. Sensational Sockeyes: We look for students who are doing the right thing every day! Successful Sockeye’s are respectful, responsible, safe and caring. We draw a Sensational Sockeye winner from each classroom every Monday and display their photo on our bulletin in the atrium. Culture of Kindness: We celebrated Unity Day in October to show we will stand up to bullying. Students participated in an interactive Kindness is Contagious bulletin board hung in our atrium. We also continue to promote our school buddy bench that was donated by one of our Sunset families
to support students at recess. Our Student Council Team organized and led a kindness week focusing on kind acts each day. They also recognized students for showing kindness as well. In addition we had Taproot Theatre and perform an anti-bullying assembly at Sunset. Sunset PTA offered community-building events such as an Art Walk, Science Fair, Reflections, Eager Reader, Spooky Spaghetti Night, Dads at Recess, Talent Show and many more. Our PTA also hosted a very successful Auction event exceeding their goal and creating fun memories along the way! Humanitarian efforts: Sunset families participated in a variety of community humanitarian efforts such as food and clothing drives and Caring Thru Sharing gifts for families in need.
Improving Student Achievement Sunset’s Continuous Improvement Plan focused on improving students’ English Language Arts (ELA) skills. Teachers participated in professional development trainings and collaborated with school and district colleagues to assess student learning and improving instructional strategies. Students were faced with an Eager Reader challenge of reading 2.3 million minutes. The students exceeded their goal resulting in a team of staff members dressing up like Trolls and dancing to Justin Timberlake’s, Can’t Stop the Feeling! The VOICE mentor program matched over 50 positive adult/teen role models with students to assist with academic and social skills
Special Programs Sunset hosts a special education Early Childhood Education (preschool) program, the district’s Vision Program and the district’s speech program for preschoolers. In addition the school has a Learning Resource Center for students with special needs including academic and behavior support, a Learning Assistance Program (LAP) for students needing additional help with reading and writing and a SAGE program for highly capable students in grades 3-5. The English Language Learners program helped students who have a first language other than English.
Before/After School Sockeye Club provides before and after school care and Club Connection provides winter and spring care for students from five elementary schools. Sunset students participated in Student Council, Safety Patrol, SCRATCH, Sunset Singers, Global Reading Challenge, math club, newspaper club, Ukulele Club and theatre.
Assessment
Grade Level Total ELA
Two tests given to elementary school students—The Smarter Balanced Assessment and the Measurement of Student Progress (MSP)—help indicate how well Issaquah students are learning.
76.1
73.5
82.0
78.3
80.7
76.4
Smarter Balanced Assessment The results of Washington State’s Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA) and Measures of Student Progress (MSP) help parents know how well their student is meeting learning targets. They also help schools plan instruction and curriculum based on these learning targets. The Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA) is a state-mandated test that measures students’ progress toward College and Career Readiness in English Language Arts (ELA) / Literacy and Math. The SBA replaced existing tests in English and Math in the spring of the 2014-2015 school year. The tests are given as part of Washington State’s education reform efforts which began in 1993 and involve annual state-specific tests for students in grades 3-8 in ELA (SBA), Math (SBA), and Science (MSP) and then again in high school (SBA in ELA and End of Course assessments in Math and Biology). The SBA consists of two parts: a computer adaptive test and a performance task. Writing is included at every grade level and students
are asked to solve multi-step, real-world problems in Mathematics. Performance tasks ask students to demonstrate an array of research, writing, and problem solving skills. The SBA results accurately describe student achievement (how much students know at the end of the year) and are reported in two ways: scaled scores and achievement levels. A scaled score is the student’s overall numerical score. These scores fall on a continuous scale (from approximately 2000 to 3000) that increases across grade levels. Scaled scores are used to illustrate students’ current level of achievement. Based on their scaled scores, students fall into one of four categories of performance called achievement levels. Levels 3 and 4 represent “Meeting Standard” and reflect “adequate understanding” and “thorough understanding” of the learning standards. Levels 1 and 2 represent “Not Meeting Standard” and reflect “minimal understanding” and “partial understanding” of the learning standards.
e3
ad Gr
ct
i str
Di
e4
ad Gr
ct
i str
Di
e5
ad Gr
ct
i str
Di
Grade Level Total Math 79.5
75.4
e3
ad Gr
t
ric
st Di
82.0 76.9
e4
ad Gr
t
ric
st Di
78.6
e5
ad Gr
76.8
t
ric
st Di
MSP
Grade 5 MSP-Science
The MSP is an exam developed and mandated by the state; it replaced the state’s original annual exam, the WASL, in spring 2010. The MSP measures what students know and can do on the 2009 science standards. Next year the MSP will be replaced by the Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science which will measure what students know and can do on the Next Generation Science Standards. MSP scores show the learning level of each student as compared to the state’s expectations for a well-taught student at that grade level. The numbers on the chart below represent the percentage of students who meet or exceed standard.
92.2 84.1
e5
ad Gr
ct
i str
Di