Kimberlin Academy for Excellence

1. Kimberlin Academy for Excellence Power of One School Rally • Garland Independent School District • Region 10 • Garland, TX Yearbook Club Student-Staff Kickball Game

2. Kimberlin Academy Administrators Administrators Pumped up for Field Day • Mida Milligan, Principal • Andrea Kleckner, Assistant Principal • Tammy Sullivan, Counselor • Amazing Teachers and Support Staff Staff picture-PTA donated climbing wall Celebrating our counselor with a Walk of Fame on Counselor’s Day

3. Our Mission The mission of Kimberlin Academy is to foster excellence among the students, faculty, and parents in order to provide an enriched learning environment that gives all students the best opportunity to reach their full potential academically and creatively.  This is achieved by working together and by continually striving for excellence in academics and personal character, while encouraging continuing education, family involvement, and civic responsibility. Rachel’s Challenge Rally ALE Students at work Students dress up as book characters

4. Demographic Data and School Information • 475 Students, K-5 • Eco Dis: 44% • Diverse Population: 43% Hispanic, 28% White, 20% African American, 5% Asian, 4% Two or More • Fine Arts/GT Magnet School • Programs: General Ed, Bilingual, Applied Learning Environment (ALE), Gifted Academics, Talented Music and Art • Low Socioeconomic Neighborhood • Heterogeneous and ability grouped classes for real-world learning • Collaborative Groups 4th Grade Safety Patrol Students wear wrist bands as a pledge to accept others. Crazy Hair RR Goal Day

5. Our Focus Students solve a mystery at CSI-Knight • Educating the Whole Child: Minds, Hearts, and Bodies • Climate and Culture that Foster Growth • Relevant Learning in Academics and Fine Arts • Character and Citizenship • Technology Integration • Collaborative Groups • Learning Beyond the Classroom • Critical Thinkers, Leaders • Home-School-Community Connections UIL Academic Team

6. Effectiveness of Curriculum and Instruction:Frameworks for Educating All Learners • District Curriculum • Enriched Curriculum • Accelerated Curriculum • Horizontal and Vertical Alignment • Cross-Curricular Planning • Co- and Extra-Curricular Enrichment • Formative assessments: for re-teach, intervention, tutorials Arboretum Field Trip to see Chihuly Strings Class Garden Club

7. Effectiveness of Curriculum and Instruction:Focused and Engaging Instruction • Clear learning objectives • Aligned activities • Shared lesson plans • Technology integration • Hands-on learning • Collaborative Research on laptops Microscope Learning Station Shared Projects Student designed and painted wall mural Posted learning objectives

8. Effectiveness of Curriculum and Instruction:Professional Collaboration • Norms/CARA • Weekly Round Table Meetings and Staff Meetings • Six Weeks Vertical Alignment and Planning • DuFour’s Professional Learning Communities Model • Formative Assessment/Corrective Teaching • Classroom Walkthroughs/Continuous Feedback • Instructional Support Staff/Interventionist • Parent and Community Support 4th Grade preps for Round Table meeting 5th Grade Teachers at Camp Training

9. Effectiveness of Curriculum and Instruction: Continuous Evaluation • Lesson Plans • Checks for Understanding • Curriculum Assessments • Benchmarks • Ongoing Formative Assessments • Progress Monitoring • Differentiation • Enrichment • Intervention Students use Digitz to practice factoring and multiples Students create decimal iMovie in math class Harp lesson

10. Effectiveness of Providing Opportunities for All Students : Interactive Learning Environment • Live Announcements • Safety Patrol • Class Zookeepers • Collaborative Learning • Morning Music Moments • Sunshiners • Student Health/PE Ambassadors • Field Trips/Camp Brain Gym Field Trip Morning News Anchors and Techs Backdrop designed and created by students.

11. Effectiveness of Providing Opportunities for All Students to Achieve: Enrichment • Primary and Kimberlin Choirs • Book Club • Gardening Club • UIL Academic Competition • Technology Club • Harp, guitar, piano, and violin lessons • K-Kids • Yearbook • Lego robotics • Sewing for Africa • Running Club • Ballet Folklorico • Enriched art and music

12. Effectiveness of Providing Opportunities for All Students to Achieve: Intervention and Extension • Focus on Student Learning and Growth • Differentiated & Individualized Instruction • Field Trips (Camp Goddard, Enterprise City, Symphony, Opera, Bodyology, Museums, Arboretum, Theatre, etc.) Collaborative Writing Students run a food stand at Enterprise City Learning to fish at Camp Goddard

13. Effectiveness of Providing Opportunities for All Students to Achieve: Use of research-based strategies and training • Problem Solving & Comprehension (Whimbey) • Love & Logic (Fay) • High Yield Strategies (Marzano) • Essential 55 by Ron Clark • Learning by Doing (DuFour) • Framework for Understanding Poverty (Payne) • Professional Journals/Articles • Workshops and Conferences

14. Effectiveness of the Coordination of the Title I Program with Other Programs: Title I and Special Programs • Equitable Learning Opportunities for All Students-SPED, Bilingual, GT, General Ed. • Technology Integration • Differentiated Instruction • Collaborative Groups ALE students at Special Olympics Students create a decimal Animoto on an iPad in collaborative groups. 2nd grade student artwork

15. Effectiveness of the Coordination of the Title I Program with Other Programs: Closing the Gap • Building-Wide Intervention Program • RtI and Student Support Team Structures • Daily class intervention (small group/one-on-one instruction) • Computer Club before and after school • Reading and Math Stars • Spark Mentors • Math and Literacy Interventionist • Parent and Community Tutors • Extended Intervention Day Program IST works with small groups Lab C-perfect setting for differentiation Volunteer tutors work one-on-one.

16. Effectiveness of the Coordination of the Title I Program with Other Programs: Programs and Activities Student Food Friend Ambassadors • Bilingual /ESL Support • SBIEP/Helping Teacher Model-SPED • Regular Ed/GT/504/Dyslexia • Technology • Intervention • Extra Curricular Activities Kinder students do a scavenger hunt with QR codes and iPods. ALE student guitar lesson

17. Effectiveness of Professional Development: Selection and Development • Data Disaggregation • Walkthroughs • Multiple Measures (CNA) • All Stakeholders • Collaborative/PLCs • Individualized for Specific Needs • Teacher Requests • Student Surveys • Teacher Evaluations Student zookeepers take care of class pets. We fill each other’s buckets with kind words.

18. Effectiveness of Professional Development: Communication and Collaboration • Collaborative Weekly Planning • Integration of Research-Based Strategies • Peer Observations • Trainer of Trainers • “Flip” PLC • Support Staff • Staff Newsletter • Staff Interactive Blog Flipped instruction-2012-13 initiative Keeping the flame of learning alive! KAE 2012 theme for staff development.

19. Effectiveness of Professional Development: Evaluation • Walkthroughs • Assessment Data • Weekly Minutes from Round Table • Staff Development Evaluation Surveys • Staff Meetings • Open Classrooms • Open Dialogue • CIT • Student Surveys • IST Feedback Observing chemical changes in science ALE student using IntelliTools for ELA on Mac computer Mighty Writers Bulletin Board Contest

20. Effectiveness of Partnerships with Parents, Families, and the Community: Parental Involvement • Campus Improvement Team • Parent Involvement Policy • Parent Workshops • Active PTA Board and PTA Association • Parent/Community Volunteers • Classroom Support Volunteer luncheon PTA Spring Carnival Muffins for Moms

21. Effectiveness of Partnerships with Parents, Families, and the Community: Events Veteran’s Day Family Learning Night • Parent Conferences • Spirit Nights • Book Fair • Veteran’s Day • Grandparent’s Day • School Carnival • Parent University • Family Learning Events • Choir/Strings Performances • Bus Driver Reception Parent University Grandparent’s Day

22. Effectiveness of Partnerships with Parents, Families, and the Community: Parent /Community Support • PTA/Family Newsletters • Parent Volunteers • Group/Team Sponsors • Career Day • Camp/Field Trip Chaperones • Family Spirit Nights • Recycling Events • UIL Coaches • Classroom support • Tutors Parents chaperone field trips Pilgrim and Indian Thanksgiving Dinner Award Winning Monthly PTA Newsletter Principal’s Newsletter for Families

23. Collaboration and Community Sandwiches for the Homeless Fuel Up to Play 360 Grant Community Partnerships • Healthy Zone-Cooper Fitness and Troy Aikman • Garland Power and Light • EcoLab • HEB Community Challenge • ING • Dairy Max/Oak Farms • Dallas Life (Sandwiches for the Homeless) ING Run Healthy Zone Kick-off Ecolab Grant

24. Continuous Improvement and Growth Kinder teacher at TCEA conference in Austin with Moby from Brain Pop • Hire Highly Motivated/Talented Educators • Provide Support Structures • Relevant Professional Development • Reflective/Collaborative Process • Involve with all Stakeholders-Family/Community • Focus on Needs • Whole Child/Whole Teacher Development • Celebrate Success Donuts for Dudes Rachel’s Challenge Bulletin Board

25. Real World Connections • Learning that is Fun • 21st Century Skills • Students as Active Participants • Student Leaders • Real World Learning Opportunities • Relevant to Student Interests Student research projects Creating a math rap using Garage Band ALE student using iPad for math patterns Kiwanis Kids donations

26. Recognitions and Awards • TEA Exemplary School • TBEC Honor Roll for 8 consecutive years • Gold Performance Awards from TEA in all categories • NCEA High Performing School for 2 consecutive years • A “Best School in the Metroplex” by D Magazine • Nominated one of “The Best Public Schools” by Texas Monthly • District Attendance and Website Awards • Math-Science Middle School Competition Awards • Sandy Lake Choir and Strings Awards • District Art Contests District Art Show Math Science Team Trophy and art work display case

27. What’s the Buzz… • Kimberlin Academy is a parent’s dream for a quality education for their child. It was imperative for our child to be in this program after hearing top notch reviews on the school. I don't take for granted the outstanding performance of the teachers and staff, phenomenal curriculum, exceptional enrichment programs, outstanding PTA and awesome delivery of motivation and delivery of a sound educational experience. -Third grade parent • It is among the few public elementary schools in Texas to receive a distinguished Great Schools rating…a community rating of 5 out of 5 stars… – Greatschool.com • Our school is fun and cool. – Fourth Grade Student • It is impressive how much Kimberlin teachers and students GIVE to their community! At Kimberlin, students learn so much about their responsibilities of giving to others. Kimberlin teachers and administration hold themselves to much higher standards than the average educator. – District Staff Member • My kids have thrived at Kimberlin. It's great to have them at a school with such concerned teachers, administration and parents. The curriculum is more interesting and in-depth than at other schools they've attended, and their arts and music classes are wonderful. – Parent on greatschools.com • I am so happy to be at Kimberlin. This is the best place to work! – Kimberlin Teacher Blog Comment • My daughter has attended Kimberlin since kindergarten. Everything about thisschool is great. Faculty and staff are awesome. Parents are very involved making PTA effective and worthwhile. –Parent on Greatschools.com • I was a Kimberlin parent for five years before becoming a Kimberlin teacher six years ago.  I have never been associated with a finer group of students, parents, educators, and staff.  I have a deep love, respect, and appreciation for this school.  – Parent and Teacher • I believe that our success comes from the attitude that each student, staff member, and parent is part of our Kimberlin family.  Family wants nothing but the best for each other.  We protect each other, advocate for each other, build each other up, and help each other through struggles.  We are a village!  –Staff member Comment from a student written on the pavement outside on the last day of school: “I love you school” with a smiley face and arrow pointing to the school.