Dear Parent/Guardian:
I hope the school year is off to a successful start for you and your child. I am writing this letter to let you know that Elise Middle School has been designated as a Targeted Support & Improvement Additional Targeted Support (TSI-AT) school by the North Carolina State Board of Education. Per ESSA Section 1111(d)(2), schools are identified as TSI-AT schools in North Carolina because one or more of the following subgroups received a subgroup performance grade score at or below the highest identified CSI-LP school’s All Students group during the identification year; and is on the TSI-CU list for the subgroup(s) for the previous year. Subgroup performance scores are provided for the following subgroups: (1) Students with Disabilities, (2) Economically Disadvantaged, (3) Black, (4) White, (5) Hispanic, (6) Asian-Pacific Islander, (7) Multi-racial, and (8) English Learners. This letter is to notify our parents and guardians of Elise Middle’s intentions to improve educational outcomes for underperforming student subgroups and close achievement gaps for all students.
As a TSI-AT (ATSI) school, Elise Middle School is required to develop an Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI) plan that specifically addresses how the school will improve outcomes for underperforming subgroups. The plan will also include strategies that our district or charter will employ to support Elise’s improvement efforts. The ATSI plan will address the following areas:
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Classroom Management
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Standards-aligned Instruction
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Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)
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Instructional Leadership
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Recruitment & Retention of Effective Teachers
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Support for Grade-to-Grade Transitions
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Implementation of a Tiered Instructional System
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Data-Driven Decision Making
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Student Support Services
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Family and Community Engagement
We have set the following goals for Elise this year:
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By June 2025, Elise Middle School will have an increase in overall grade level proficiency (GLP) and subject grade level proficiency by 5 percentage points; Overall from 49.1 to 55, Reading from 36.9 to 42, Math from 55.9 to 60, and Science from 75 to 80 as measured by North Carolina End of Grade tests, and continue to exceed expected growth.
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By June 2025, Elise Middle will successfully increase the response for the question "Overall, my school is a good place to work and learn" on the NC Teacher Working Conditions Survey from 77% to 85%.
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By June 2025, Elise Middle will close the overall achievement gap for Students with Disabilities, comparative to the overall population, by 5 percentage points (from 40.7 to 35.7) and EL students, comparative to the overall population, by 5 percentage points (from 21.8 to 16.8).
Here are some strategies that we will be implementing to improve student outcomes:
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Targeted Instructional Interventions: Use differentiated instruction and small-group work to address specific learning needs identified through assessment data.
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Increased Access to Support Services: Expand access to tutoring, mentoring, and other academic supports, including after-school programs and summer learning opportunities tailored to the needs of struggling students.
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Strengthening Tiered Instruction: Utilize a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) to deliver evidence-based interventions and monitor progress, with more intensive support for students who are not meeting benchmarks.
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Enhanced Family and Community Engagement: Foster stronger relationships with families and local organizations to create a supportive learning environment, offering workshops, resources, and regular communication to reinforce student learning outside of school.
Also, parent engagement is at the heart of our school improvement efforts. Here are some ways we can work together:
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Ensure that both you and your child know the academic expectations set for your child this school year. A list of learning objectives in student-friendly language is available from your student’s teacher(s).
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Call Mrs. Ashley Priest at 910-948-2421 if you have questions or concerns about your student or to set up an appointment to meet with a school staff member who will be working with your child.
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Make sure that your child is prepared and attends school each day.
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Monitor your child’s homework.
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Monitor the progress your child is making and attend meetings with your child’s teacher(s).
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Keep track of our website and social media sites.
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Volunteer.
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Join any of our parent groups.
Additionally, listed below are a few resources available to help:
We are committed to improving student performance. It is important to remember that just as no single score or grade tells the whole story of a student, neither does it tell you everything about a school's performance or the opportunities that our school provides. The intent of receiving these designations is to improve educational outcomes for all students, close achievement gaps, increase equity, and improve the quality of instruction. We’re excited about this school year and are working to make it a success for your child.
If you have questions about the content of this letter, please contact Mrs. Ashley Priest, Principal at [email protected] or 910-948-2421.
Sincerely,
Ashley Priest
Ashley Priest, Principal