ANNUAL REPORTT0 THE PUBLIC ACADEMIES OF WEST MEMPHIS, 2018-2019

ANNUAL REPORTT0 THE PUBLIC ACADEMIES OF WEST MEMPHIS, 2018-2019

Accreditation:

The Academies of West Memphis is fully accredited by the Arkansas Department of Education and AdvanceED, formerly known as the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The Academies of West Memphis received an accredited status for the 2018-2019 school year. The Academies of West Memphis Course Curriculum exceeds the thirty- eight courses required to be taught under the Arkansas Standards for Accreditation.

Additionally, the Pre-AP and AP course offerings exceed the required number of courses that must be taught.

Mission Statement:

The Academies of West Memphis is committed to educating all students to the highest standards of excellence by providing a rigorous and varied curriculum in a safe environment that will empower them to become productive citizens of a culturally diverse society.

School Board:

In accordance with Act 1775 of 2005, all members of a local school district board of directors who have served on the board for twelve (12) or more consecutive months shall obtain no less than six (6) hours of training and instruction by December 31 of each calendar year. This instruction may be received from an institution of higher learning in the state of Arkansas, instruction sponsored or approved by the Arkansas Department of Education, or by an in-service training program conducted by or through the Arkansas School Board Association. All WMSD board members complete this requirement annually and will have completed this year’s requirement by December 31.

Faculty and Staff:

For the 2017-2018 school year, student enrollment at the Academies of West Memphis is approximately 1150. The Academies employs 116 individuals; 6 are newly hired to the district. All new teachers meet or are in the process of meeting the Arkansas Teaching Certification requirement for their teaching assignment areas. 99% of the Academies teachers meet the Highly Qualified designation as required by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. One teacher is in the process of completing additional licensure plans for his assignment areas. Four teachers have National Board certification: Tameka Burnett, Shelly Hardin, Norrita Langston, and Roxane Lee. There is one Regional Teacher of the Year-Cherilyn Minnis. There is one Arkansas Teacher of the Year-Susan Waggener. Doctoral degrees have been earned by three teachers: Dr. Gabriel Gillette, Dr. Marjorie Hunter, and Dr. Cheryl Ring.

Academic Achievement 2018: For the 2017-2018 school year the Arkansas Department of Education administered the ACT ASPIRE assessment in grades 3-10. This particular test has five (5) units for each grade level: English, Writing, Reading, Math and Science with approximately four (4) hours of testing time per grade. 10th grade students at the Academies of West Memphis participate in this assessment. Spring 2018 testing results for the Academies of West Memphis are as follows with the percentages showing students scoring “Ready” or “Exceeding': English (43%); Math (13%); Reading (19%); and Science (16%). Scores for Writing will no longer be reported as the other subject areas. District instructional coaches and curriculum specialists have worked to analyze the results and to create plans to address specific learning needs. As mandated by the Arkansas Department of Education students who perform below the readiness levels have been identified and the deficit areas are being addressed through learning interventions. These strategies to address specific individual learning needs will continue until students demonstrate mastery of these skills.

All students in grade 11 will participate in a state-funded administration of the ACT on February 20, 2019. Students wishing to receive a waiver from the ACT must provide written notice from a parent or guardian within a prescribed time frame.

Under the Arkansas Department of Education Flexibility Accountability model, all public schools must test at least 95% of all eligible students in order to be classified as an achieving school. The Academies of West Memphis must yearly meet a specific AMO in its graduation rate for students who make up a particular cohort that is comprised of students from grades 9-12. Additionally, the average daily attendance rate over the first three quarters must be at least 91.13%. All schools met the attendance and testing rate for the 2017-2018 school year. The Academies of West Memphis 2017 4-year graduation rate was 86.3%.

The district has implemented a literacy and math coaching model to align the curriculum, improve instruction, and increase student learning. Skills will be assigned a time block and at the end of the block all students will be assessed to determine strengths and weaknesses of student achievement in order to provide intervention for learning. The Academies of West Memphis uses instructional modules from ACT ASPIRE, REAL. RISE, Lucy Calkins, Edgenuity Courseware Lab, and Renaissance Learning to ensure that students are given a variety of curriculum and instructional models to maximize mastery of skills and concepts in the core curriculum.

Federal Grants:

Title II-A is a federally funded program with specific target areas to improve teacher qualifications, staff development, recruitment, and improving instruction. The Title II-A allocation for the 2018-2019 school year is $407,360.14 The funds will be used to employ a K-12 District Literacy Coordinator, a Science facilitator at Wonder Junior High, improve teacher qualification, and provide staff development for reading, math, science teachers, along with administrators. The allocation will also be used to provide professional development through the Great Rivers Educational Cooperative. Additionally, funds will be set aside for recruitment of fully licensed teachers.

Title I:

Title I is a federally funded program. The program supports educational improvement efforts for economically disadvantaged students. The allocation for the 2018-19 school year is $3,889,261.15 and will be used to pay for the employment of 21 certified personnel (2 administrators, 19 teachers), 30 classified personnel (1 bookkeeper, 1 administrative assistant, 1 instructional trainer, 1 credit recovery facilitator, 26 paraprofessionals), to support instructional activities at eight Title I schools, The Title I program will continue to support after school tutoring, district improvement, professional development for teachers and paraprofessionals, parental involvement activities, and the provision of services for homeless students (clothing, eyeglasses and dental care).

Curriculum:

The West Memphis School District’s secondary schools are organized on an eight period schedule to accomplish its educational goals and objectives. The Academies of West Memphis in conjunction with Arkansas State Mid-South will afford students a greater opportunity to be awarded a high school diploma as well an industry certificate of completion in a career and technical field. This will give students an option after graduation to pursue a post-secondary education or enter a technical career.

The West Memphis School District’s course curriculum for all schools meet and exceed the required courses that must be offered as specified in the Arkansas Department of Education’s Standards for Accreditation. The West Memphis School District is committed to the curriculum alignment process and is working diligently to align the written curriculum, the taught curriculum, and tested curriculum in the areas of English, algebra, geometry, literacy, science and social studies. All students in grades seven through twelve will be enrolled in the smart core curriculum unless a parent or guardian signs a waiver for her son or daughter to enroll in the core curriculum. The number of Advanced Placement courses at the high school level has increased over previous years. Advanced Placement classes are offered in English, calculus, chemistry, statistics, physics, U.S. history, biology, and government. Pre-AP Courses are offered in the four major core areas of mathematics, science, social studies and English at all three junior high schools and West Memphis Senior High. The elementary schools follow the Common Core State Standards that include six-nine weeks instructional blocks and assessments in literacy and mathematics.

Attendance Policy Change: Pursuant to Act 1322 of 2013 each school district, as part of its six-year educational plan, shall develop strategies for promoting maximum student attendance, including, but not limited to, the use of alternative classrooms and in-school suspensions in lieu of suspension from school. A student attendance policy may include unexcused absences as a mandatory basis for denial of promotion or graduation.

Parent Engagement Facilitator: The Academies of West Memphis strongly believes that a child’s education is the responsibility shared by the school and family the entire time that the child spends in school and that engaging parents is essential to improving student achievement. A parent facilitator, Norrita Langston, is available on campus. There are two parent centers available on campus, one in the counselor’s office and one in the library media center. Parents may use the computers in the library media center during extended hours. Parents can access their child’s grades via the school website. Two parent teacher conferences are held annually, one in the fall and one in the spring.

To receive more comprehensive information concerning the school district and each school’s performance report, please visit the district web site at wmsd.net

Notice of Compliance:

The Academies of West Memphis is an equal opportunity educational and employment institution. The law protects the rights of an equal employment opportunity regardless of race, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, physical handicap, sex or age.

Learning for Life