Blue Ridge to offer dual immersion program next year
Recently Blue Ridge Elementary Principal Kim Doepker reported to school board members on end-of-the-year student achievement gains recorded since the school year began in August.
She said better use of data, instructional practices, professional development and working as a team have led to the significant improvements. Earlier this school year, Blue Ridge Elementary was placed the state's list of low-achieving schools based on federal performance criteria linked to state assessment scores over the past three years.
The list of lowest-achieving schools is connected to the Washington State Board of Education Accountability Framework which is designed to turn around persistently low performing schools.
Schools on the list of low-achieving schools have two options. Blue Ridge opted for Option 1, which includes volunteering to participate in a third-party Academic Performance Review and then have the local school board use the results to develop a Required Action Plan in collaboration with staff and the community to improve achievement.
Blue Ridge teachers Jeremy Hubbard and Tina Holbrook also presented to the school board on elements to be put in place next year as part of the school's improvement plan.
Changes for next year include, a dual language program beginning in kindergarten only and advancing one grade per year through 5th grade. Students in grades 3-5 will participate in "platooning" for subject-based instruction. Students in these grades will no longer have one teacher who teaches all academic subjects.
Teachers will now work as a team in a "platooning" model. Students will have different teachers for math, science, writing/social studies. Each of the teachers will also teach reading. Students will rotate to the different classrooms for their instruction.
Doepker says they are committed to meeting the required academic gains per the low-achieving school criteria.
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