School Improvement Plans

September 16, 2024

Dear Parent/Guardian,

In 2013, the North Carolina General Assembly passed legislation (G.S. §115C-83.15) that introduced School Performance Grades to provide families with additional insights into school performance. Since the 2013–14 school year, North Carolina School Report Cards have assigned letter grades (A, B, C, D, or F) to every school in the state.

Unfortunately, the state of North Carolina has determined that 80% of a school’s performance grade is based on how students perform on a single test (End-of-Grade (EOG) and End-of-Course (EOC) tests), while only 20% of the grade reflects the academic growth made by students throughout the year. Along with other school districts in North Carolina, we believe this formula is skewed and does not accurately reflect the work and progress of our schools. Our staff and students work hard daily, and our growth measures for each school are indicative of this.

According to G.S. 115C-105.37, a low-performing school is defined as one that earns a grade of D or F and either meets or does not meet academic growth expectations. We are writing to inform you that the following schools have been identified as low-performing:

School	Performance Grade	Growth Status	Percentage of Growth Made
Bladen Lakes Primary	D	Met Expected Growth	81.7%
Bladenboro Middle	D	Did Not Meet Growth	59.4%
Dublin Primary	D	Met Expected Growth	75.9%
East Arcadia Primary	D	Met Expected Growth	83.4%
Elizabethtown Middle	F	Did Not Meet Growth	67.8%
Elizabethtown Primary	D	Met Expected Growth	80.3%
Tar Heel School	D	Met Expected Growth	84.7%

Due to the number of low-performing schools, Bladen County Schools has been designated as a low-performing district by the North Carolina State Board of Education. While we are committed to improving these scores, it's important to remember that one grade or score does not capture the full picture of a school’s performance or the learning opportunities we provide. For the 2024–2025 school year, we are focused on improving School Performance Grades across the district. To support this effort, we are implementing the following strategies:

• District Strategic Plan Core: The District Improvement Plan will be built upon the primary indicators and strategies of the District Strategic Plan.

• Support and Monitoring: A District Improvement Team will continuously support and monitor progress, especially at low-performing schools.

• District Administrator Support Coaches: Each low-performing school will be assigned a coach to provide direct support.

• High-Dosage Tutoring: Schools will implement intensive tutoring and additional academic supports during and after school hours.

• Focused Professional Development: Teachers will receive targeted training on high-impact instructional strategies.

• Small Group Instruction and Intervention: Teachers will be trained in effective small group instruction and evidence-based interventions.

• Curriculum Specialists: Specialists will concentrate their efforts on supporting low-performing schools.

• Quarterly Data Meetings: Schools will hold quarterly meetings to review student progress based on instructional data.

• Resource Alignment: We will ensure district and school resources are aligned with the specific needs of low-performing schools.

• District Admin Coach Engagement: Coaches will attend monthly meetings at each assigned school and provide weekly support.

• Prioritization of Resources: Low-performing schools will receive prioritized support and resources.

As a low-performing district, we are required to develop an improvement plan to address how we will improve the school performance grade at these schools. Central office administrators and I will work closely with the schools to monitor progress. The preliminary plan will be presented at tonight’s Board of Education meeting, and the final version will be posted on our district website at http://www.bladen.k12.nc.us.

We encourage you to stay engaged with your student’s academic progress and work closely with their teacher(s) to ensure they remain on track. By working together, we can improve both student performance and the overall success of our schools. The success of our students is our highest priority.

If you have any questions about School Performance Grades or our improvement plans, please contact Director of Accountability and Federal Programs, Brendan McCarthy, at (910) 862-4136 or via email at btmccarthy@bladen.k12.nc.us.

Sincerely,

Jason B. Atkinson, Ed.D.
Superintendent

September 16, 2024

Dear Parent/Guardian, 

Legislation (G.S. §115C-83.15) passed during the 2013 long session of the North Carolina General Assembly provides parents with an additional measure of school performance in the form of School Performance Grades. Beginning with the 2013–14 school year, the annual North Carolina School Report Cards display a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F for each school in the state.

The School Performance Grades are based 80 percent on the school’s achievement score (student proficiency) and 20 percent on students’ academic growth. At Bladen Lakes Primary, the achievement score for the 2023-2024 school year is based on how well the students performed on the 3rd and 4th Grade Reading and Math End-of-Grade Assessments.

The purpose of this letter is to inform you that Bladen Lakes Primary has been designated as a low performing school by the North Carolina State Board of Education. As defined in G.S. 115C-105.37: “The State Board of Education shall identify low-performing schools on an annual basis. Low-performing schools are those that earn an overall school performance grade of D or F and a school growth score of "met expected growth" or "not met expected growth" as defined by G.S. 115C-83.15.”

Bladen Lakes Primary received a School Performance Grade of “D” and a growth designation of “met expected growth” for the 2023–2024 school year. Although we are committed to improving this score, it is important to remember that just as no one single score or grade tells the whole story of a student, neither does it tell you everything about the performance of a school or the opportunities that the school provides. 

A low performing school is required to develop an improvement plan that specifically addresses how the school will improve both the school performance grade and school growth score. The plan will also include how central office administrators and I will work with, and monitor the progress of Bladen Lakes Primary.  The school is already engaged in the work of refining its plan to present to the Board of Education at the October meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday, October 14, 2024. The final plan will be available for review on the school’s website.

One of our top priorities for 2024–2025 is to improve our School Performance Grade.  

Bladen Lakes Primary has defined several priorities for the 2024–2025 school year to help improve their School Performance Grade. Below are several key initiatives, programs, and strategies that the school will implement or continue to strengthen. 

• Regularly assess students in reading and math to identify learning gaps and monitor progress on grade-level skills and standards.

• Tutors or teachers will address identified gaps with targeted instruction. Parent involvement is essential to ensure student success.

• Provide staff with professional development focused on research-based strategies, student support systems, and delivering a robust, standards-based curriculum.  

• Continue implementation of a focused school-wide phonological and phonemic awareness program in grades PreK to grade 2 to teach reading and writing skills.  

• Continue to implement “Science of Reading” in all classrooms

• Offer opportunities to increase home support and involvement in the learning process. 

• Strengthen our communication using REMIND, phone calls, emails, our school website, social media pages, and one-to-one conferencing opportunities

We encourage you to actively engage in your student’s academic journey and invite you to collaborate with their teacher(s) to help ensure they stay on track for success. Working together as a team, we can improve not only how well our students are performing individually, but how the school is performing as a whole. There is nothing more important to us than ensuring students are ready for the next step in their academic careers. We appreciate your partnership and support to make it a successful school year.

If you have any questions regarding the School Performance Grade or the school’s plans for improvement, please do not hesitate to contact Ms. Joyce Spencer, principal at Bladen Lakes Primary, by calling (910) 247-4608, or by email, jmspencer@bladen.k12.nc.us.

Sincerely,

Jason B. Atkinson, Ed.D.
Superintendent

September 16, 2024

Dear Parent/Guardian, 

Legislation (G.S. §115C-83.15) passed during the 2013 long session of the North Carolina General Assembly provides parents with an additional measure of school performance in the form of School Performance Grades. Beginning with the 2013–14 school year, the annual North Carolina School Report Cards display a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F for each school in the state.

The School Performance Grades are based 80 percent on the school’s achievement score (student proficiency) and 20 percent on students’ academic growth. At Bladenboro Middle School, the achievement score for the 2023-2024 school year is based on how well the students performed on the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade Reading and Math End-of-Grade Assessments, and the 5th and 8th Grade Science End-of-Grade Assessments.

The purpose of this letter is to inform you that Bladenboro Middle School has been designated as a low performing school by the North Carolina State Board of Education. As defined in G.S. 115C-105.37: “The State Board of Education shall identify low-performing schools on an annual basis. Low-performing schools are those that earn an overall school performance grade of D or F and a school growth score of "met expected growth" or "not met expected growth" as defined by G.S. 115C-83.15.”

Bladenboro Middle School received a School Performance Grade of “D” and a growth designation of “did not meet expected growth” for the 2023-2024 school year. Although we are committed to improving this score, it is important to remember that just as no one single score or grade tells the whole story of a student, neither does it tell you everything about the performance of a school or the opportunities that the school provides. 

A low performing school is required to develop an improvement plan that specifically addresses how the school will improve both the school performance grade and school growth score. The plan will also include how central office administrators and I will work with, and monitor the progress of Bladenboro Middle.  The school is already engaged in the work of refining its plan to present to the Board of Education at the October meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday, October 14, 2024. The final plan will be available for review on the school’s website.

One of our top priorities for 2024-2025 is to improve our School Performance Grade. There are a number of key programs and initiatives that the school has in place to help improve student performance including:

• Prioritizing uninterrupted core instructional blocks

• Implement student data chats so that students know how they are progressing

• Ensuring students have a flexible afternoon schedule to allow for intervention

• Assigning daily math and reading practice to enhance math and reading skills

• Providing regular communication with families through Remind 101, social media updates, parent engagement nights, and other resources

• Creating a climate of excellence in all that we do by encouraging students to take responsibility for their learning and ownership in their school

• Increase students’ self-awareness and emotional regulation skills by implementing weekly SEL sessions

• Continue using the newly implemented Math and ELA curriculums with fidelity

We encourage you to actively engage in your student’s academic journey and invite you to collaborate with their teacher(s) to help ensure they stay on track for success. Working together as a team, we can improve not only how well our students are performing individually, but how the school is performing as a whole. There is nothing more important to us than ensuring students are ready for the next step in their academic careers. We appreciate your partnership and support to make it a successful school year.

If you have any questions regarding the School Performance Grade or the school’s plans for improvement, please don’t hesitate to contact Ms. Jennifer Marlowe, principal at Bladenboro Middle School, by calling (910) 863-3232, or by email, jlmarlowe@bladen.k12.nc.us.

Sincerely,

Jason B. Atkinson, Ed.D.
Superintendent

September 16, 2024

Dear Parent or Guardian,

As a parent/guardian of a student at Bladenboro Middle School, I am writing to inform you that Bladenboro Middle School, has been designated as a Targeted Support and Improvement Additional Targeted Support (TSI-AT) school and a Targeted Support and Improvement Consistently Underperforming (TSI-CU) by the North Carolina State Board of Education. As stated in ESSA Section 1111(d)(2), North Carolina had to identify schools for targeted support and improvement. TSI-AT and TSI-CU schools in North Carolina are those that have a subgroup that is under-performing. The intent of this opportunity is to improve educational outcomes for all students, close achievement gaps, increase equity, and improve the quality of instruction. 

As a TSI-AT and TSI-CU school, Bladenboro Middle School is required to develop a comprehensive plan that specifically addresses how the school will improve student achievement. The plan will also include how our district will support us and monitor the progress of our school. The comprehensive plan will address the following areas:

• Classroom Management

• Standards-aligned Instruction

• Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)

• Instructional Leadership

• Recruitment & Retention of Effective Teachers

• Support for Grade-to-Grade Transitions

• Implementation of a Tiered Instructional System

• Data-Driven Decision Making

• Student Support Services

• Family and Community Engagement

Specific goals and strategies have been developed by the school and are a part of the School Improvement Plan. To review the school improvement plan, please visit the link, http://www.indistar.org and enter the following information:

ID: GuestS15606
Password: GuestS15606

Our students need to experience higher achievement levels, but it will require hard work on the part of staff, students and families. Below are some strategies that Bladenboro Middle School will be implementing:

• Use student performance data to identify strengths and weaknesses

• Regular analysis of assessment results to track progress and adjust strategies

• Offer enrichment programs for high achieving students and additional support for striving students

• Provide individualized instruction to students based on needs and data results

Parent engagement is at the heart of our school improvement efforts. A few ways we can work together:

• Make sure that both you and your student are aware of academic expectations 

• Make sure that your student is prepared and attends school each day

• Monitor your student’s homework

• Monitor the progress your student is making and communicate regularly with your student’s teacher(s)

• Keep track of the school website and school social media sites

Collaboratively, we can work together to ensure that our students are successful in meeting their academic goals. We are excited about this school year and are working to make it successful for your student. Here are some resources available to help you learn more about academic standards and achievement results:

• K-12 standards in academic subjects: www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/

• State student achievement test results: www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/

• NC School Report Cards: https://ncreports.ondemand.sas.com/src/

If you have questions about the content of this letter, please contact Ms. Jennifer Marlowe, principal of Bladenboro Middle School, at (910) 863-3232 or by email at jlmarlowe@bladen.k12.nc.us.

Sincerely,

Jason B. Atkinson, Ed.D.
Superintendent

September 16, 2024

Dear Parent/Guardian, 

Legislation (G.S. §115C-83.15) passed during the 2013 long session of the North Carolina General Assembly provides parents with an additional measure of school performance in the form of School Performance Grades. Beginning with the 2013–14 school year, the annual North Carolina School Report Cards display a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F for each school in the state.

The School Performance Grades are based 80 percent on the school’s achievement score (student proficiency) and 20 percent on students’ academic growth. At Dublin Primary, the achievement score for the 2023-2024 school year is based on how well the students performed on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade Reading and Math End-of-Grade Assessments, and 5th Grade Science.

The purpose of this letter is to inform you that Dublin Primary has been designated as a low performing school by the North Carolina State Board of Education. As defined in G.S. 115C-105.37: “The State Board of Education shall identify low-performing schools on an annual basis. Low-performing schools are those that earn an overall school performance grade of D or F and a school growth score of "met expected growth" or "not met expected growth" as defined by G.S. 115C-83.15.”

Dublin Primary received a School Performance Grade of “D” and a growth designation of “met expected growth” for the 2023-2024 school year. Although we are committed to improving this score, it is important to remember that just as no one single score or grade tells the whole story of a student, neither does it tell you everything about the performance of a school or the opportunities that the school provides. 

A low performing school is required to develop an improvement plan that specifically addresses how the school will improve both the school performance grade and school growth score. The plan will also include how central office administrators and I will work with, and monitor the progress of Dublin Primary. The school is already engaged in the work of refining its plan to present to the Board of Education at the October meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday, October 14, 2024. The final plan will be available for review on the school’s website.

One of our top priorities for 2024-2025 is to improve our School Performance Grade. There are a number of strategies that the school has in place to help improve student performance including: 

• Prioritizing uninterrupted core instructional blocks

• Providing data driven use of intervention time blocks

• In-school tutoring to support students individual needs

• Utilize all diagnostic tools and assessments to track student progress and ensure challenge areas are being addressed

• Data meetings with teachers to address student progress and develop plans to promote student success

• Using Heggerty Phonics lessons daily to enhance reading skills (K-4)

• Assigning daily math practice to enhance math skills with a focus on two-step word problems in 3rd and 4th grades

• Providing weekly communication with families through Remind, communication folders, parent engagement nights, and other resources

• Creating a climate of excellence in all that we do

We encourage you to actively engage in your student’s academic journey and invite you to collaborate with their teacher(s) to help ensure they stay on track for success. Working together as a team, we can improve not only how well our students are performing individually, but how the school is performing as a whole. There is nothing more important to us than ensuring students are ready for the next step in their academic careers. We appreciate your partnership and support to make it a successful school year.

If you have any questions regarding the School Performance Grade or the school’s plans for improvement, please don’t hesitate to contact Mr. Jason Folsom, principal at Dublin Primary, by calling (910) 862-2202, or by email, jlfolsom@bladen.k12.nc.us.

Sincerely,

Jason B. Atkinson, Ed.D.
Superintendent

September 16, 2024

Dear Parent/Guardian, 

Legislation (G.S. §115C-83.15) passed during the 2013 long session of the North Carolina General Assembly provides parents with an additional measure of school performance in the form of School Performance Grades. Beginning with the 2013–14 school year, the annual North Carolina School Report Cards display a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F for each school in the state.

The School Performance Grades are based 80 percent on the school’s achievement score (student proficiency) and 20 percent on students’ academic growth. At East Arcadia School, the achievement score for the 2023-2024 school year is based on how well the students performed on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade Reading and Math End-of-Grade Assessments, and 5th Grade Science.

The purpose of this letter is to inform you that East Arcadia School has been designated as a low performing school by the North Carolina State Board of Education. As defined in G.S. 115C-105.37: “The State Board of Education shall identify low-performing schools on an annual basis. Low-performing schools are those that earn an overall school performance grade of D or F and a school growth score of "met expected growth" or "not met expected growth" as defined by G.S. 115C-83.15.”

East Arcadia School received a School Performance Grade of “D” and a growth designation of “met expected growth” for the 2023-2024 school year. Although we are committed to improving this score, it is important to remember that just as no one single score or grade tells the whole story of a student, neither does it tell you everything about the performance of a school or the opportunities that the school provides. 

A low performing school is required to develop an improvement plan that specifically addresses how the school will improve both the school performance grade and school growth score. The plan will also include how central office administrators and I will work with, and monitor the progress of East Arcadia. The school is already engaged in the work of refining its plan to present to the Board of Education at the October meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday, October 14, 2024. The final plan will be available for review on the school’s website.

One of our top priorities for 2024-2025 is to improve our School Performance Grade. There are a number of key programs and initiatives that the school has in place to help improve student performance. To build upon the tremendous growth seen at East Arcadia the following strategies will be implemented:

• NCDPI Early Literacy Specialist - will help teachers convert the knowledge from training to practice for an increase in reading growth

• Approved retired teacher volunteers to help tutor students during the school day to address learning gaps with interventions based on the needs of the student

• Teacher/Instructional Assistant small group focus and one to one instruction based on student needs

• Staff professional development on researched-based interventions and high probability instructional strategies

• Consistent communication with parents/guardians through Remind and weekly class reports

• Enrichment activities to help promote critical thinking skills

We encourage you to actively engage in your student’s academic journey and invite you to collaborate with their teacher(s) to help ensure they stay on track for success. Working together as a team, we can improve not only how well our students are performing individually, but how the school is performing as a whole. There is nothing more important to us than ensuring students are ready for the next step in their academic careers. We appreciate your partnership and support to make it a successful school year.

If you have any questions regarding the School Performance Grade or the school’s plans for improvement, please don’t hesitate to contact Mr. David Wimert, principal at East Arcadia School, by calling (910) 247-4609, or by email, dawimert@bladen.k12.nc.us.

Sincerely,

Jason B. Atkinson, Ed.D.
Superintendent

September 16, 2024

Dear Parent/Guardian, 

Legislation (G.S. §115C-83.15) passed during the 2013 long session of the North Carolina General Assembly provides parents with an additional measure of school performance in the form of School Performance Grades. Beginning with the 2013–14 school year, the annual North Carolina School Report Cards display a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F for each school in the state.

The School Performance Grades are based 80 percent on the school’s achievement score (student proficiency) and 20 percent on students’ academic growth. At Elizabethtown Middle, the achievement score for the 2023-2024 school year is based on how well the students performed on the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade Reading and Math End-of-Grade Assessments, and the 5th and 8th Grade Science End-of-Grade Assessments.

The purpose of this letter is to inform you that Elizabethtown Middle has been designated as a low performing school by the North Carolina State Board of Education. As defined in G.S. 115C-105.37: “The State Board of Education shall identify low-performing schools on an annual basis. Low-performing schools are those that earn an overall school performance grade of D or F and a school growth score of "met expected growth" or "not met expected growth" as defined by G.S. 115C-83.15.”

Elizabethtown Middle received a School Performance Grade of “F” and a growth designation of “not meeting expected growth” for the 2023–2024 school year. Although we are committed to improving this score, it is important to remember that just as no one single score or grade tells the whole story of a student, neither does it tell you everything about the performance of a school or the opportunities that the school provides. 

A low performing school is required to develop an improvement plan that specifically addresses how the school will improve both the school performance grade and school growth score. The plan will also include how central office administrators and I will work with, and monitor the progress of Elizabethtown Middle School. The school is already engaged in the work of refining its plan to present to the Board of Education for approval at the October meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday, October 14, 2024. The final plan will be available for review on the school’s website.

One of our top priorities for 2024–2025 is to improve our School Performance Grade. There are a number of key programs that the school has in place to help improve student performance including:

• Professional development will be provided based on teachers’ needs as evident in both consistent administrative walk-throughs and data reviews

• Professional development on and implementation of Leader in Me, a character education curriculum

• Staff will analyze student performance data during grade level and vertical PLCs to identify student challenges and strengths, and drive instructional planning and design

• Tiered instruction will allow teachers to deliver individualized instruction designed to meet the needs of each student 

• District and local behavioral expectations are posted, taught, reviewed, and enforced to provide a safe and effective learning environment for all students

• Provide opportunities for teachers to collaborate, demonstrate, and share best practices and instructional strategies in small and large group settings  

We encourage you to actively engage in your student’s academic journey and invite you to collaborate with their teacher(s) to help ensure they stay on track for success. Working together as a team, we can improve not only how well our students are performing individually, but how the school is performing as a whole. There is nothing more important to us than ensuring students are ready for the next step in their academic careers. We appreciate your partnership and support to make it a successful school year.l

If you have any questions regarding the School Performance Grade or the school’s plans for improvement, please don’t hesitate to contact Mr. Bobby Godwin, principal at Elizabethtown Middle, by calling (910) 862-4071, or by email, bdgodwin@bladen.k12.nc.us.

Sincerely,

Jason B. Atkinson, Ed.D.
Superintendent

September 16, 2024

Dear Parent or Guardian,

As a parent/guardian of a student at Elizabethtown Middle School, I am writing to inform you that Elizabethtown Middle School has been designated as a Comprehensive Support and Improvement Low Performing (CSI-LP) school by the North Carolina State Board of Education. As stated in ESSA Section 1111(d)(2), North Carolina had to identify schools for comprehensive support and school improvement support. CSI-LP schools in North Carolina are those whose school performance grade is in the bottom five percent of all Title One served schools in North Carolina. The intent of this opportunity is to improve educational outcomes for all students, close achievement gaps, increase equity, and improve the quality of instruction. 

As a CSI-LP school, Elizabethtown Middle School is required to develop a comprehensive plan that specifically addresses how the school will improve student achievement. The plan will also include how our district will support us and monitor the progress of our school. The comprehensive plan will address the following areas:

• Classroom Management

• Standards-aligned Instruction

• Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)

• Instructional Leadership

• Recruitment & Retention of Effective Teachers

• Support for Grade-to-Grade Transitions

• Implementation of a Tiered Instructional System

• Data-Driven Decision Making

• Student Support Services

• Family and Community Engagement

Specific goals and strategies have been developed by the school and are a part of the School Improvement Plan. To review the school improvement plan, please visit the link, http://www.indistar.org and enter the following information:

ID: GuestS15319
Password: GuestS15319

Our students need to experience higher achievement levels, but it will require hard work on the part of staff, students and families. Below are some strategies that Elizabethtown Middle School will be implementing:

• Professional development will be provided based on teachers’ needs evident in both frequent administrative walk-throughs and data review

• Professional development on and implementation of Leader in Me, a character education curriculum

• Staff will analyze student performance data during grade level and vertical PLCs to identify student challenges and strengths, and drive instructional planning and design

• Tiered instruction will allow teachers to deliver individualized instruction that meets the needs of each student and an intervention block is included in the master schedule to ensure time and resources are available

• District and local behavioral expectations are posted, taught, reviewed, and enforced to provide an effective learning environment for all students

• Provide opportunities for teachers to collaborate, demonstrate, and share best practices and instructional strategies in small and large group settings

Parent engagement is at the heart of our school improvement efforts. A few ways we can work together:

• Make sure that both you and your student are aware of academic expectations set for your student this school year.

• Make sure that your student is prepared and attends school each day.

• Monitor your student’s homework.

• Monitor the progress your student is making and attend meetings with your student’s teacher(s).

• Keep track of the school website and school social media sites.

• Always reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns.

Collaboratively, we can work together to ensure that our students are successful in meeting their academic goals. We are excited about this school year and are working to make it successful for your student. Here are some resources available to help you learn more about academic standards and achievement results:

• K-12 standards in academic subjects: www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/ 

• State student achievement test results: www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/

• NC School Report Cards: https://ncreports.ondemand.sas.com/src/

If you have questions about the content of this letter, please contact Mr. Bobby Godwin, principal of Elizabethtown Middle School, at (910) 862-4071 or by email at bdgodwin@bladen.k12.nc.us.

Sincerely,

Jason B. Atkinson, Ed.D.
Superintendent

September 16, 2024

Dear Parent/Guardian, 

Legislation (G.S. §115C-83.15) passed during the 2013 long session of the North Carolina General Assembly provides parents with an additional measure of school performance in the form of School Performance Grades. Beginning with the 2013–14 school year, the annual North Carolina School Report Cards display a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F for each school in the state.

The School Performance Grades are based 80 percent on the school’s achievement score (student proficiency) and 20 percent on students’ academic growth. At Elizabethtown Primary, the achievement score for the 2023-2024 school year is based on how well the students performed on the 3rd and 4th Grade Reading and Math End-of-Grade Assessments.

The purpose of this letter is to inform you that Elizabethtown Primary has been designated as a low performing school by the North Carolina State Board of Education. As defined in G.S. 115C-105.37: “The State Board of Education shall identify low-performing schools on an annual basis. Low-performing schools are those that earn an overall school performance grade of D or F and a school growth score of "met expected growth" or "not met expected growth" as defined by G.S. 115C-83.15.”

Elizabethtown Primary received a School Performance Grade of “D” and a growth designation of “met expected growth” for the 2023-2024 school year. Although we are committed to improving this score, it is important to remember that just as no one single score or grade tells the whole story of a student, neither does it tell you everything about the performance of a school or the opportunities that the school provides. Elizabethtown Primary School has made significant growth over the last two years with the 2023-2024 growth percentage of 80.3. 

A low performing school is required to develop an improvement plan that specifically addresses how the school will improve both the school performance grade and school growth score. The plan will also include how central office administrators and I will work with, and monitor the progress of Elizabethtown Primary. The school is already engaged in the work of refining its plan to present to the Board of Education at the October meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday, October 14, 2024. The final plan will be available for review on the school’s website.

One of our top priorities for 2024-2025 is to improve our School Performance Grade. There are a number of key programs and initiatives the school has in place to help improve student performance:

• Provide professional development for all staff on:

  • Research-based intervention strategies

  • Documentation within the MTSS process

  • High probability instructional strategies

• Teachers completing training and implementing the “Science of Reading”

• Focus on small groups and targeted one-to-one instruction based on student needs

• Data meetings with teachers and students

• Grade-level support and planning for teachers

• Additionally, tutors will work with students across grade levels as needed

We encourage you to actively engage in your student’s academic journey and invite you to collaborate with their teacher(s) to help ensure they stay on track for success.Working together as a team, we can improve not only how well our students are performing individually, but how the school is performing as a whole. There is nothing more important to us than ensuring students are ready for the next step in their academic careers. We appreciate your partnership and support to make it a successful school year.

If you have any questions regarding the School Performance Grade or the school’s plans for improvement, please don’t hesitate to contact Mrs. Kristy Smith, principal at Elizabethtown Primary, by calling (910) 862-3380, or by email, kbsmith@bladen.k12.nc.us.

Sincerely,

Jason B. Atkinson, Ed.D.
Superintendent

September 16, 2024

Dear Parent or Guardian,

As a parent/guardian of a student at Elizabethtown Primary School, I am writing to inform you that Elizabethtown Primary School, has been designated as a Targeted Support and Improvement Additional Targeted Support (TSI-AT) school and a Targeted Support and Improvement Consistently Underperforming (TSI-CU) by the North Carolina State Board of Education. As stated in ESSA Section 1111(d)(2), North Carolina had to identify schools for targeted support and improvement. TSI-AT and TSI-CU schools in North Carolina are those that have a subgroup that is under-performing. The intent of this opportunity is to improve educational outcomes for all students, close achievement gaps, increase equity, and improve the quality of instruction. 

As a TSI-AT and TSI-CU school, Elizabethtown Primary School is required to develop a comprehensive plan that specifically addresses how the school will improve student achievement. The plan will also include how our district will support us and monitor the progress of our school. The comprehensive plan will address the following areas:

• Classroom Management

• Standards-aligned Instruction

• Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)

• Instructional Leadership

• Recruitment & Retention of Effective Teachers

• Support for Grade-to-Grade Transitions

• Implementation of a Tiered Instructional System

• Data-Driven Decision Making

• Student Support Services

• Family and Community Engagement

Specific goals and strategies have been developed by the school and are a part of the School Improvement Plan. To review the school improvement plan, please visit the link, http://www.indistar.org and enter the following information:

ID: GuestS15613
Password: GuestS15613

Below are some strategies that Elizabethtown Primary School will be implementing for the success of our students:

• Provide professional development for all staff on:

  • Research-based intervention strategies

  • Documentation within the MTSS process

  • High probability instructional strategies

• Teachers completing training and implementing the “Science of Reading”

• Focus on small groups and targeted one-to-one instruction based on student needs

• Data meetings with teachers and students

• Grade-level supports and planning for teachers

Parent engagement is at the heart of our school improvement efforts. A few ways we can work together:

• Make sure that both you and your student are aware of academic expectations 

• Make sure that your student is prepared and attends school each day

• Monitor your student’s homework

• Monitor the progress your student is making and communicate with your student’s teacher(s)

• Keep track of the school website and school social media sites

Collaboratively, we can work together to ensure that our students are successful in meeting their academic goals. We are excited about this school year and are working to make it successful for your student. Here are some resources available to help you learn more about academic standards and achievement results:

• K-12 standards in academic subjects: www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/ 

• State student achievement test results: www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/

• NC School Report Cards: https://ncreports.ondemand.sas.com/src/

If you have questions about the content of this letter, please contact Mrs. Kristy Smith, principal of Elizabethtown Primary School, at (910) 862-3380 or by email at kbsmith@bladen.k12.nc.us.

Sincerely,

Jason B. Atkinson, Ed.D.
Superintendent

September 16, 2024

Dear Parent/Guardian,

Legislation (G.S. §115C-83.15) passed during the 2013 long session of the North Carolina General Assembly provides parents with an additional measure of school performance in the form of School Performance Grades. Beginning with the 2013–14 school year, the annual North Carolina School Report Cards display a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F for each school in the state.

The School Performance Grades are based 80 percent on the school’s achievement score (student proficiency) and 20 percent on students’ academic growth. At Tar Heel School, the achievement score for the 2023-2024 school year is based on how well the students performed on the 3rd, 4th , 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade Reading and Math End-of-Grade Assessments, and the 5th and 8th Grade Science End-of-Grade Assessments.

The purpose of this letter is to inform you that Tar Heel School has been designated as a low performing school by the North Carolina State Board of Education. As defined in G.S. 115C-105.37: “The State Board of Education shall identify low-performing schools on an annual basis. Low-performing schools are those that earn an overall school performance grade of D or F and a school growth score of "met expected growth" or "not met expected growth" as defined by G.S. 115C-83.15.”

Tar Heel School received a School Performance Grade of “D” and a growth designation of “met expected growth” for the 2023-2024 school year. Although we are committed to improving this score, it is important to remember that just as no one single score or grade tells the whole story of a student, neither does it tell you everything about the performance of a school or the opportunities that the school provides. 

A low performing school is required to develop an improvement plan that specifically addresses how the school will improve both the school performance grade and school growth score. The plan will also include how central office administrators and I will work with, and monitor the progress of Tar Heel School. The school is already engaged in the work of refining its plan to present to the Board of Education for approval at the October meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday, October 14, 2024. The final plan will be available for review on the school’s website.

One of our top priorities for 2024-2025 is to improve our School Performance Grade. There are a number of key programs and initiatives that the school has in place to help improve student performance:

• Implementation of student data chats grades 3-8, in-school tutoring, school-wide reading challenges, and Leader in Me school improvement strategies

• In-house reading coach to provide support, integrate best practices, analyze data, and assist with teaching strategies

• Regularly use formative and summative assessments to measure student progress, analyze data, and to identify students strengths and challenges

• Align instructional practices with the Dimensions of Learning framework

• Celebrate small wins, and continue the momentum of making 85% growth during the 2023-24 school year

We encourage you to actively engage in your student’s academic journey and invite you to collaborate with their teacher(s) to help ensure they stay on track for success. Working together as a team, we can improve not only how well our students are performing individually, but how the school is performing as a whole. There is nothing more important to us than ensuring students are ready for the next step in their academic careers. We appreciate your partnership and support to make it a successful school year.

If you have any questions regarding the School Performance Grade or the school’s plans for improvement, please don’t hesitate to contact Mrs. Vanessa Ruffin, principal at Tar Heel School by calling (910) 862-2475, or by email, vlruffin@bladen.k12.nc.us.

Sincerely,

Jason B. Atkinson, Ed.D.
Superintendent

September 16, 2024

Dear Parent or Guardian,

As a parent/guardian of a student at Tar Heel School, I am writing to inform you that Tar Heel School has been designated as a Targeted Support and Improvement Consistently Underperforming (TSI-CU) by the North Carolina State Board of Education. As stated in ESSA Section 1111(d)(2), North Carolina had to identify schools for targeted support and improvement. TSI-CU schools in North Carolina are those that have a subgroup that is under-performing. The intent of this opportunity is to improve educational outcomes for all students, close achievement gaps, increase equity, and improve the quality of instruction. 

As a TSI-CU school, Tar Heel School is required to develop a comprehensive plan that specifically addresses how the school will improve student achievement. The plan will also include how our district will support us and monitor the progress of our school. The comprehensive plan will address the following areas:

• Classroom Management

• Standards-aligned Instruction

• Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)

• Instructional Leadership

• Recruitment & Retention of Effective Teachers

• Support for Grade-to-Grade Transitions

• Implementation of a Tiered Instructional System

• Data-Driven Decision Making

• Student Support Services

• Family and Community Engagement

Specific goals and strategies have been developed by the school and are a part of the School Improvement Plan. To review the school improvement plan, please visit the link, http://www.indistar.org and enter the following information:

ID: GuestS15615
Password: GuestS15615

Our students need to experience higher achievement levels, but it will require hard work on the part of staff, students and families. Below are some strategies that Tar Heel School will be implementing:

• Use student performance data to identify strengths and challenges

• Regularly analyze assessment results to track progress and adjust strategies

• Provide a licensed retired teacher(s) to tutor students that need additional support with reading, math, and science skills.

• Offer enrichment programs for high-achieving students and additional support for striving students

• Provide individualized instruction to students based on needs and data results

• Enhance collaboration among teachers to share best practices and instructional strategies

Parent engagement is at the heart of our school improvement efforts. A few ways we can work together include:

• Make sure that both you and your student are aware of academic expectationsMake sure that your student is prepared and attends school each day

• Monitor your student’s homework

• Monitor the progress your student is making and attend meetings with your student’s teacher(s)

• Keep track of the school website and school social media sites

• Always reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns

Collaboratively, we can work together to ensure that our students are successful in meeting their academic goals. We are excited about this school year and are working diligently to ensure it is successful for your student. Here are some resources available to help you learn more about academic standards and achievement results:

• K-12 standards in academic subjects: www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/ 

• State student achievement test results:www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/

• NC School Report Cards: https://ncreports.ondemand.sas.com/src/

If you have questions about the content of this letter, please contact Mrs. Vanessa Ruffin, principal of Tar Heel School, at (910) 862-2475 or by email at vlruffin@bladen.k12.nc.us.

Sincerely,

Jason B. Atkinson, Ed.D.
Superintendent