Encinal School
195 Encinal Ave
Atherton, CA 94027
650-326-5164

Principal: David Ackerman

2000-2001
ANNUAL SCHOOL REPORT

SCHOOL DESCRIPTION

Encinal School is a third, fourth, and fifth grade elementary school with 360 students. The staff consists of 26 teachers, four aides, and four classified staff members. Eighteen of the teachers are at Encinal full-time. Part-time certificated staff includes a Team teacher, a teacher for limited English speaking students, a Speech/Language specialist, a psychologist, a science specialist, two librarians, and two music teachers. The student body is 27% minority with 3% African-American, 4% Pacific Islander, 9% Asian and 10% Hispanic.

The Encinal community values education, which results in a daily average attendance above 96%. We are dedicated to providing a quality educational program for all students to develop academic skills and knowledge, positive attitudes and respect towards self, other persons and groups, self-discipline and self-motivation, intellectual curiosity, creative self-expression, effective social skills, and a lifelong love for learning.

Support from the community, and especially from parents, combined with the availability of sufficient funding, are critical factors that influence the success or failure of any school. Without this support, schools cannot be expected to produce the results desired for students.

A. Community Involvement and Support

Parental involvement and support for Encinal is demonstrated in many ways. Back-to-School Night and Open House routinely draw 90-95% of our parents. Parent-Teacher conferences are an integral part of the educational program, and parent volunteers provide much direct and indirect assistance to the entire program.

PTA membership is approximately 80%. The PTA provides thousands of dollars in support of many programs. A hot food lunch is organized for the students every Tuesday and Thursday. The Family Picnic and Fine Arts Fair are "community gatherings." In addition, a cadre of parent volunteers provides classroom support by helping teachers in a mutually agreeable way on a regular basis. The Art-in-Action and Spectra programs support school art. The PTA supports the computer lab with the purchase of computers, a scanner, student server, projector and volunteer supervision. The Leadership Team Program is in its third year at Encinal. These teams support the school and community in many ways: ball hut workers, student secretaries, sharing and caring community service, flag monitors, lost and found workers, sports assistants, safety patrol, student council, and school spirit leaders. Supervised by parents and teachers, these students give many hours of time to support the school program and climate.

Other community support services include the police department, fire district fire drill and disaster safety programs, after school sports program, and PTA sponsored foreign language, art, recreational sports, and other periodic offerings.

B. Expenditures and Funding

In November, 1995, the district community renewed a parcel tax for eight years to maintain class size and support academic programs. Additionally, a $22 million bond measure was approved to upgrade all District facilities. In April 2000, the local community approved a new $298 per year parcel tax. These funds are being used to reduce class size ratios; provide extra support for students; enhance programs in art, music, physical education and middle school electives; expand learning opportunities for teachers; and continue to implement the DistrictÕs Technology Plan. The Encinal school program is supported by various funding sources. The districtÕs 2000-01 funding came to approximately $8,160 per student, which includes Foundation income, and of which $60 per student was allocated for instructional materials. Site Council Funds, approximately $37,542, and PTA funding support the educational program. The Menlo Park Atherton Education Foundation (MPAEF) provides financial help to the district through direct donations ($625,000 this year) and to Encinal teachers through Jeanie Ritchie grants. The 2000-2001 Parcel Tax income for the District was approximately $2,951,250.

The programs and resources of the school provide the educational conditions in which the school accomplishes its goals for students.

A. Leadership and Instructional Support

The district administration, the principals of the four schools, and the teachers provide leadership to Encinal in a cooperative effort. The administrative team including the Superintendent, Director of Curriculum, Business Manager, and Director of Student Services, and principals, oversee and coordinate the curriculum. The administrative team meets weekly to discuss, evaluate, and plan instructional programs at the schools.

The principal and teacher representatives meet monthly with the PTA Executive Board and Site Council to help plan and develop programs. Site Council goals for 2000-01 include continuation of our Physical Education program, support for reading improvement, and technology support. Specialist provide support for students in the areas of limited English students (E.L.), in regular curriculum areas (R.S.P.), the Student Success Team (SST), and the Educational Assistance and Modification (T.E.A.M.) Program.

Teachers provide leadership at the school level, serve on Menlo Park Education Association and District committees. In addition, they provide direct help and advice to the principal.

B. Conditions for Teaching and Learning

The Encinal student behavior plan is based on the premise of respect, fairness, and safety. Students learn cooperation, discipline, and self-control.

The school directory contains the general playground rules while individual teachers develop classroom standards for their students. The classroom teachers, with support from the principal, resource teacher, Student Activities Director, and school-counseling intern provide needed counseling and advice to students. Community resource agency information is provided to those parents who wish it, and to teachers through speakers and faculty meetings.

Assemblies, field trips, and special projects at all grade levels are an important part of our program.

Menlo Park regularly reviews its curriculum in light of new California Curriculum Frameworks. This process, which takes place over a seven-year-cycle, includes the purchase of new textbooks.

All students receive the core curriculum. School site administrators, teachers, and the Special Education administration coordinate programs through Student Success Teams, Individual Education Plan (IEP) team meetings, and conferences.

The District provides Encinal with a part-time teacher for limited English proficient (E.L.) students learning English as a second language, G.A.T.E. funds for identified gifted and talented students, and a T.E.A.M. (The Educational Assistance and Modification) program for students requiring special assistance in particular academic skills areas. Support also includes speech and language specialists, psychologists, a nurse, and SELPA (Special Education) program specialist consultation.

All classes are staffed with teachers holding appropriate credentials for their teaching assignments. Teachers who serve as substitutes in Encinal classrooms must have passed the California Basic Skills Examination and possess a valid California teaching credential which has been registered at the County Office.

By District contract, all permanent teachers are evaluated every two years, and every non-tenured employee is evaluated at least three times each year. Administrators participate in ongoing inservice to refine skills in supervision. The District values teachersÕ and administratorsÕ professional development as a source and stimulant of student growth and achievement, and as an ongoing process of personal growth, learning, and satisfaction for the individual staff member. Professional development opportunities are provided to Encinal School staff.

In addition to attendance at courses, conferences, and Thursday Restructured Day opportunities for collaborative planning and curriculum development, the systematic programs of observation and analysis of teaching are integral parts of staff improvement activities. Support services for teachers are also provided through the state-funded PAR Program.

During years when the District adopts/implements new curriculum materials, many opportunities are provided for teachers to attend workshops and to enroll in professional growth classes.

C. Material Resources and Support

A full-time day custodian and a part-time night custodian meet EncinalÕs custodial needs. A district gardener, two district maintenance men, and outside contractors meet other maintenance needs.

Part-time librarians (80%) and parent volunteers staff the library. Books are purchased with district funds, state funds, and monies raised by the PTAs Book Faire. Our technology program, offered by individual teachers, has a computer laboratory with 26 computers, printers, a scanner, a student server, projector, and curriculum software, in addition to a video disk player, and other materials. Utilizing grant money and PTA financial help, COSI (Computers in Our Schools), a community fundraising effort, has provided every classroom with at least three Internet/e-mail capable computers.

Curriculum areas have state provided textbooks and materials supplemented by supplies purchased by the school, PTA, and other funds raised at Encinal.

Encinal has a current disaster plan, regular fire drills, and earthquake drills. There were no incidents of crime and one report of vandalism (graffiti).

Continued school effectiveness and improvement are contingent on the identification of student/school needs and on suggestions for ways to meet the stated needs.

A long-range facilities improvement program was completed last year. General Obligation Bond funds provided for the upgrading of our buildings.

Encinal uses district personnel, teachers, and community input to evaluate curriculum and school needs. Staff assessment of our curriculum materials continues to be a vital part of maintaining and improving our programs.

Encinal staff and community members are an important part of the development of our programs. We invite you, the Menlo Park City Elementary School District community, to contribute to our development program through school and district committees, the Menlo Park Atherton Education Foundation the PTA, the School Based Coordination Program (Site Council), and various class volunteer activities.

The outcomes or products of the school are, to a large extent, a product of the support and input to the school from outside resources and parents, in combination with internal functioning of the school itself

The accompanying graphs demonstrate the accomplishments of our students. The State Standardized Testing (STAR), administered in May of 2000, shows Menlo Park students scoring above national norms at all grade levels. Results are reported on the attached graphs. They will become a part of our studentsÕ records in the fall and are shared with parents.