System/LEA:   Jefferson County Schools  Project Name:  Accelerated Reader/Wiggle Works

Project Contact:  Sherry S. Finchum-JES  Date of Report:  April 6, 2000

1. Using specifics, compare your timeline and benchmarks in the grant to what is actually occurring in your project.

(August) Our new server has been installed and is working correctly.  The new window’s version of Accelerated Reader was added at that time, and unfortunately all data was lost.  Many teachers who kept thorough records were able to reconstruct student data, however some teachers lost all prior data.
We are still waiting for 5 classrooms to be connected to the remote server.

(October 30) All teachers are using Accelerated Reader/Wiggle Works in their daily curriculum, with the other 5 sending students to the library to take tests.

2. What progress have you made toward reaching the objectives and goals that you set in your proposal?

· Two additional Readers’ Nights were held in January and April, organized by 2nd and 1st grades. In March we hosted our first Read Across America Celebration.  Over forty guest readers visited our classrooms.  This created more interest and excitement about reading!  All teachers wore a Dr. Seuss-style hat for the day, with some even dressing the part complete with black pants, white shirt, and a red bow tie!

· Teachers continue to celebrate various authors’ birthdays.

· Currently our teachers have recorded over 176,225 student-reading minutes in D.E.A.R. time.

· Students have read 170,846 books to date.  Wow! Teachers report improvement in oral reading skills as well as improved comprehension.

· The library circulation has already exceeded last year’s numbers with 20,241 books circulated!

3. What progress has been made toward the National Goal or Goals as you presented in your proposal?

· Our National Goal was to increase parental involvement hours in our school program.  Volunteer hours total 11,810 which translates into 450 hours per week.  This exceeds last year’s hours by   252%!

· Our TN Special Focus was to improve reading scores.  Teacher report “My class overall has made a 1.1 grade-level increase in independent reading level according to the S.T.A.R. program.”  “All students have improved at least a half point on their reading level in my classroom.”

· 524 additional books have been purchased with $3,986.49 being spent by our library on this project.
 

4. At this point, how is the Goals 2000 funding positively affecting the education of the children in your county?

· Because our teachers now have the Internet in their classroom, 21 teachers at our school have earned $13,100 through the TLG 2000 program.  Teaching these lessons has been of great benefit to our students because the emphasis of the grant was on improving higher-order thinking skills.  Teachers and students are learning that the Internet is a great resource for research, innovative lesson plans, and on-line skill practice.

· Our teachers have made the following comments regarding our reading program:

“The children look forward to reading so they can accumulate as many points as possible.”

“Those who have not previously been readers have become readers with the implementation of
   D.E.A.R. time.”

 “Most have improved their reading levels.”

“My ESL student who spoke no English when coming to our school, has recently begun taking
  Accelerated Reader tests and has passed some of the tests!”

“The students look forward to their daily D.E.A.R. time.”

“Lower-level students have shown improvements in reading level.”

5. Describe some great happenings concerning your project.  Please send any articles or documentation to us for our files.

· Readers’ Night continues to bring parents working with their child into our school for this special program.  See newspaper article, photos, and attached information.

· Jefferson Elementary School observed Read Across America for the first time.  It promises to be an annual event.  See newspaper article and attached information.

· 11 students have eaten lunch with the Assistant Principal as an incentive award.

· Students in our resource classes are participating in the program.  One student has completed 32 books.  According to our Extended Resource teacher, “Other students show interest in silent reading, looking at books, and they love the Wiggle Works Program!”

· Students in a 1st Grade class celebrated National Pancake Day with the book If You Give A Pig A Pancake.  They made pancakes and had a wonderful celebration.  A grandmother made a Creative Memories keepsake book to help remember the special event.

· 3rd Grade classes have incorporated social studies into the curriculum through the use of the Little House on the Prairie (Accelerated Reader) books.  Students have created cover wagons, dressed-up in “old-timey” clothing, and brought in period artifacts to study.   They pretended to be some of the story characters and wrote about their adventures.   The unit concluded with a field trip to Blount Mansion and James White Fort.