Zach Elementary a Fort Collins School receives two awards from the State of Colorado:
Zach Elementary A Fort Collins School Receives Governor's Distinguished Improvement Award and John Irwin Schools of Excellence Awards
The Colorado Department of Education announced that 153 schools in Colorado have been recognized with the "Governor's Distinguished Improvement Awards" and 151 schools received the "John Irwin Schools of Excellence Awards."
Gov. John Hickenlooper said, "The state is proud to recognize the hard work and dedication demonstrated by the staff and students at these schools."
The Colorado Governor's Distinguished Improvement Awards recognizes the top 8 percent of public schools that demonstrate the highest rates of student longitudinal growth, as measured by the Colorado Growth Model. A list of schools is available at: The Colorado Department of Education. The John Irwin Schools of Excellence Awards recognizes the top 8 percent of public schools that demonstrate the highest achievement on statewide assessments. A list of 2009-2010 award-winning schools is available at: The Colorado Dept of Education website as well.
"These schools and communities are putting in the extra effort," said Associate Commissioner Richard Wenning. "They are making a difference for students. We celebrate your contributions and thank you for setting a great example for other schools."
The John Irwin School Awards Program and Governor's Distinguished Improvement Awards Program were established by statute in 2000.
Success as a distinguished Fort Collins school is driven by our hard working students and teachers, and by very supportive and involved parents!
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Zach Elementary Fort Collins School - Achievement and Growth Results: Due to our achievement and growth levels at Zach Elementary a Fort Collins School the School Accountability Team was required to adopt and implement a Performance Plan. Plan designations are driven by the number of total points earned out of the total points we are eligible for in three categories: Academic Achievement, Academic Growth, and Academic Growth Gaps. There are 100 possible points.
Below are Zach Elementary a Fort Collins School one year results and three year results:
One Year:
Academic Achievement 25 out of 25 Rating: Exceeds
Academic Growth 50 out of 50 Rating: Exceeds
Academic Growth Gaps 25 out of 25 Rating: Exceeds
Total: 100 out of 100 Rating: Performance Level
Academic Achievement % Proficient or Advanced Schools Percentile
Reading: 96.2 99
Mathematics: 94.9 98
Writing: 89.9 99
Science: 90.6 99
Note: Schools Percentile refers to how Zach Elementary compares to schools statewide.
Three Year:
Academic Achievement 25 out of 25 Rating: Exceeds
Academic Growth 50 out of 50 Rating: Exceeds
Academic Growth Gaps 21.3 out of 25 Rating: Exceeds
Total: 96.3 out of 100 Rating: Performance Level
Academic Achievement % Proficient or Advanced Schools Percentile
Reading: 95.4 99
Mathematics: 93.8 97
Writing: 88.6 98
Science: 82.5. 96
Note: Schools Percentile refers to how Zach Elementary compares to schools statewide
Improvement Targets set by the Zach School Accountability Committee for 2011-2013: The state requires that each school address (in the School Unified Plan), each area that we have a rating that falls below "meet" or "exceed". On the 3 Year Framework (2008-2010), in the area of Academic Growth Gaps the trend data indicated that the sub group Students w/disabilities had a rating of approaching with a median growth percentile of 46 in both math and writing. The state growth target is 50. It is important to note that the students in this subgroup are being compared to an achievement peer group across the state, not other students who are specifically IEP eligible. When comparing our students who are IEP eligible to students who are also IEP eligible from across the state, our results are as follows:
Reading: Zach 48 State 44
Writing: Zach 46 State 40
Math: Zach 46 State 43
The SAC committee (made up of parents and teachers) targeted this area for improvement. The committee wants Zach Elementary students with disabilities to meet or exceed the State Growth Target of 50 by the end of the 2012-2013 school year. In addition, (though it was not required) the committee wanted to set an excellence goal. As a school Zach Elementary will continue to target students in the area of reading in order to increase the percentage of students that move from the partially proficient range to proficient and from proficient to advanced. The goal is to increase the percentage of students at the advanced level in reading by the time students exit grade 5 from 42% to 48% by spring 2013
Mill Funds
Thanks to the citizens of Fort Collins for passing the Mill/Bond Election this past fall. The mill funds will be a great help in offsetting some of the short fall created by the state budget deficit for K-12 education. Last school year each site was to prioritize our needs as a school and what we would use funds for if a mill election passed. The Zach Elementary Site Team developed the list below. Attached is a dollar figure to each based on year one allotment of mill funds. Zach Elementary's first allotment is approximately $136,000.
Priority 1: ($99,000)
Maintain reasonable class sizes and offer support for the Student Success Team Process, RTI, PBS, Counseling, Literacy Support, and G/T programming
Priority 2: ($5,000)
Promote Positive Transitions: This deals with the concept of insuring that gaps do not exist for learners as they transition from one level of the organization to the next. (Deals with curriculum, assessment, and student experiences and expectations)
Priority 3: ($20,000)
Professional Development: Tied to all areas from Literacy to Science.....
Priority 4: ($12,000)
Hands on Science (Will be seeking parent involvement on a Science Committee - more information will be forthcoming).
Note: Technology will also be supported with mill funds but is allocated separately.
For more information about Fort Collins Schools please contact me:
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