August 23, 2011

Dear Parents and Community Members:

We are pleased to present you with the Annual Education Report (AER) which provides key information on the 2010-2011 educational progress for Alamo Elementary School.  The AER addresses the complex reporting information required by federal and state laws.  The school’s report contains information about student assessment, Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) and teacher quality.  If you have any questions about the AER, please contact Principal Melissa Koenig for assistance.

Click here for the complete report containing the described data.

You may also review a copy of the AER at the Alamo Elementary School office.

Mission Statement

The faculty and staff at Alamo Elementary School provide a quality education for all students in an environment that encourages the discovery and development of skills, knowledge and attitudes necessary for lifelong learning. Parents and community members are encouraged to join us in this endeavor.

AYP Status

For 2010-2011, Alamo Elementary School made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in English language arts and mathematics and received an “A” on the Michigan School Report Card.  While we are pleased to have reached this important goal, we are continuously working to improve.  We appreciate the continued support of parents, staff and our community in this effort.

We are very proud of all we do and offer at Alamo Elementary, from our curriculum to activities. We hope you find this information helpful and insightful, and encourage you to look at our Points of Pride that demonstrate the wide range of experiences and involvement in which our students take part.

Sincerely,
Melissa Koenig, Principal

State law requires that we also report additional information:

• Process for Assigning Pupils to the School: Elementary students are assigned to one of three school buildings based on geographical boundaries established and modified from time to time, to assure full utilization of the district’s teaching and facility resources. It is sometimes necessary to transfer some students from one attendance area to another. We attempt to assign Schools of Choice students to the closest building geographically, but it is first dependent upon availability.

• School Improvement Plan Status: Alamo Elementary has established goals for continued review and improvement of our school program.

Our goal areas focus on:

1. All students will demonstrate cross-curricular writing proficiency to adequately develop ideas and content using details and examples.

2. All students will demonstrate mastery of basic math facts and computation skills.

3. Students will increase their comprehension of informational reading material.

• Specialized Schools:

Programs and services located in the Otsego Public Schools include:

1. Early Childhood Special Education - a special education classroom designed to provide preschool aged students with disabilities services to prepare them for Kindergarten.
2. Autism Spectrum Disorder Regional Elementary Classroom - a special education classroom designed to provide intensive services to elementary aged students with ASD. Students from all districts in Allegan County are invited to participate in this classroom if they qualify.
3. Hearing and Visual Consultant Services - specialists in the area s of hearing and visual impairments work with students in our local schools to support them in the general education classroom.
4. Level 3 Programs - these programs are designed to provide educational services to students with disabilities who need more intensive learning support both in the classroom and in life.
5. Level 2 Programs - these services are designed to provide students with disabilities academic and social support within the general education classroom and curriculum
6. Level 1 Programs - these services are designed to provide support to students with disabilities who need minimal help in the general education curriculum.

In addition to the programs and services provided locally in the Otsego Public Schools, students with special needs also attend specialized county programs at the Hillside Learning and Behavior Center. Hillside's West campus houses programs for students with severe cognitive, physical, and neurologic impairments. Hillside's East campus houses programs for students with severe emotional and behavioral impairments.

• Core Curriculum: As mandated by the State of Michigan, Otsego Public Schools has developed a core curriculum at all school levels. Outcomes to be achieved by all students have been defined based upon the district’s educational mission, student performance objectives and the Michigan Grade Level Content expectation for K-8 students and the Michigan High School Content Expectations for 9-12. For a copy of the Core Curriculum guide, contact Melissa Koenig, Director of Elementary Instruction, at 269-692-6149.

• Parent involvement in parent-teacher conferences:
  • 2009-10 School Year
    • Fall Conferences.................... 94%
    • Spring Conferences................ 93%
  • 2010-11 School Year
    • Fall Conferences.................... 92%
    • Spring Conferences................ 91%

• Student Achievement on local competency tests or nationally normed achievement tests: In addition to the MEAP and MI-Access testing, Otsego elementary students take the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills.

Alamo Elementary ITBS Summary
2010-11

Points of Pride

• Our building theme this year, “’Sea’ Us Fill Our Buckets” united our students, staff and community and gave direction to our building program.
• Three students from Alamo Elementary had their artwork selected for a traveling display to be sent to China by the Michigan State University Extension Service’s 4-H program. This is the eleventh year in a row a student from Alamo has had their artwork chosen for the exchange.
• Exercise and healthy choices were concentrated on in all areas.
• Continued recess before lunch for 4th & 5th graders and noticed a decrease in discipline referrals and an increase in food eaten.
• All students participated in the 4^th   Jump rope for Heart event raising $1,893.
• All students and faculty participated in ACES (All Children Exercising Simultaneously) on May 4.
• Our fall fundraiser was a walk-a-thon which raised over $8,828.
• Twenty students had over 200 accelerated reader points, three students had over 500 points and one student broke the school record with 949 points.
• Hosted annual canned food drive for Christian Neighbors.
• Provided eleven backpacks in the Backpack Buddy Program.
• Five classrooms participated in Junior Achievement.
• Numerous community leaders came in to read during “March is Reading Month.”
• Fourth and fifth grade students participated in the 23^rd Annual National Geographic Bee.
• Thirty-nine third, fourth and fifth grade girls participated on three different teams in the Greater Kalamazoo Girls on the Run. The greater Kalamazoo area has the largest participation in the nation with over 2,000 girls participating this year.

• Four students received the President’s Award for Educational Excellence and nine students received the President’s Award for Educational Improvement.
• Students who were trained as Conflict Managers helped on our school playground during the lunch recess time.
• Twenty one third through fifth grade students received all A’s for the entire school year.
• Alamo Elementary had two teams participate in the Destination Imagination competition. One team placed first in the region, first in the state and 33^rd at Globals in Knoxville, TN.
• The Alamo Lunchtime Walking Club was continued this year. As a school, we walked over 2,143 miles.
• Hosted over 400 grandparents for Grandparent’s Day.
• Our ninth Career Day was held for third, fourth and fifth grade students.
• Four teams participated in Battle of the Books this year.
• Alamo students exhibited work at the annual Creative Arts Festival in Otsego.

• Supported a local family at Christmas and rang bells for Salvation Army during the Christmas holiday season.
• Over 92 platters of cookies were assembled for Wings of Hope Hospice Cookie Capers.
• Ninety-five percent of our staff was trained in Capturing Kids Hearts.
• After school exercise intervention, PAWS (Physical Activity With Spirit), was implemented; 46 students participated in the program.

• Eighteen 4^th & 5^th grade boys participated in the first ever Boyz on the Move.  Boys completed a 5K triathlon.
• Over $1,780 was collected by Clean Water for the World.
• Hosted first Science Fair for students K-5^th grade.
• All 4^th & 5^th grade Reading and Math MEAP scores were above the state average.
• We were named Fox 17 School of the Week in March.
• Indoor fitness trail was added to our facilities.
• 2^nd grade students created ten shoeboxes of comforting items for Sylvia’s Place, a women’s domestic safe house.
• Christmas cards were made by students and included in Christmas care packages for our soldiers.
• Thinking of you cards were made by our students and sent to victims of the tsunami through a Red Cross nurse in Maebashi City.
• 3^rd grade students received media attention for their Flat Stanley project as Fox 17’s Emily Richett did a live morning broadcast from their classroom