Pennsylvania Department of Education

 





COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
333 MARKET STREET
HARRISBURG, PA 17126-0333







Academic Standards and Assessment Report
Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Entity: Lackawanna Trail SD
Address: PO Box 85
Factoryville, PA 18419-0085
Phone:
Contact Name: Robert Jurbala

 

Organization Description

Demographics:

The Lackawanna Trail School District, which occupies an area of approximately 73 square miles in the northeastern corner of Lackawanna County and the eastern section of Wyoming County, is one of the state’s dual county districts. The district is located approximately 15 miles north of Scranton and 12 miles east of Tunkhannock in northeastern Pennsylvania. The school district was officially formed in April of 1953, with the joint high school being occupied in 1956. The original jointure was composed of the boroughs of Dalton, Factoryville, Nicholson and the townships of La Plume, West Abington, Clinton and Nicholson. Benton Township became a part of the jointure in 1964.

School Organization:

The Lackawanna Trail School District organizational structure is comprised of one Elementary Center (K-6) and a Junior/Senior High School (7-12). The Elementary Center is located on College Avenue in Factoryville, Pa. The secondary facility is situated on Tunnel Hill Road, approximately one-fourth mile off Route 11. Within these structures the educational program is organized as follows:
Primary Level--Kindergarten and Grades 1- 3, Intermediate Level--Grades 4- 6, Middle Level--Grades 7- 8, and High School Level-- Grades 9 - 12.

Professional Personnel:

The Lackawanna Trail School District employs 104 professional personnel including classroom teachers, special education teachers, guidance counselors (two secondary and one elementary), two Title I reading specialists, one Title I math teacher, two librarians, and two school nurses.  Kindergarten became a full day program in the 2004-2005 school year, made possible with funding from the state's Accountability Block Grant Program.

The following administrators are employed by the district to carry out the policies of the Board of Education and oversee the educational program: Superintendent, Business Manager, Secondary Principal, Assistant Secondary Principal, Elementary Principal, Director of Curriculum and Resources, and Director of Special Education.

The district also employs 71 support staff members (including a technology coordinator, cafeteria supervisor and maintenance/transportation director). The faculty-student ratio is approximately 1:24. 69% of the professional staff hold Master’s or Equivalency Degrees.

Facilities:

Approximately 1,293 students are enrolled and attend classes in the Elementary Center, which houses grades kindergarten through six, and a Junior/Senior High School for students in grades seven through twelve.

The Lackawanna Trail Elementary Center, which is located at the site of the former Factoryville Elementary School on College Avenue in Factoryville, opened its doors to students for the first time on August 27, 1991. The opening of the Elementary Center brought the students who attended Benton Elementary, Dalton Elementary, Factoryville Elementary, and Nicholson Elementary together in one centrally located school.

The Elementary Center and the renovated Junior/Senior High School are continuously maintained and promote achievement of the district’s mission, goals, and student learning outcomes. Computer labs are available in each building for use by students and teachers. In addition, three mobile laptop computer labs each are located at the Elementary Center and two mobile labs are available at the Junior/Senior High School. The Elementary Center accommodates active learning experiences in art, music, dance, and theater and for “hands on” experiences in science, social studies, and environmental education.

At the middle/high school levels, facilities are provided for active learning experiences in the arts and in related areas of study, science environmental education, family and consumer science, and technology education. In addition, laboratories are available for all science planned courses. Facilities are provided for art, music, dance, and theater. Computer laboratories ensure use and application of computers and software, including word processing, database, spreadsheets, and telecommunications. Finally, the high school physical plant offers facilities for business education, foreign languages, human development/family life education, technology education, and interscholastic athletic competition.

For the past three years, including 2007, the district and both buildings have demonstrated adequate yearly progress (AYP) on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment.  Graduation rate for 2005 (latest available figures) was 94.87%, up from 88.79% in 2004.  Attendance rates for the Elementary Center remain fairly constant--94.68% and 94.77%.

Core Purpose

Mission

The mission of the Lackawanna Trail School District, in partnership with our community, is to provide a safe and challenging learning environment where all students will develop to their fullest potential. The educational programs provided will enable students to become productive, responsible, technologically literate, contributing members of a global society who respond effectively to an ever changing world.

Vision

Each building in the Lackawanna Trail School District has a vision statement that embodies what each building believes it must do in order to accomplish the overall mission of the school district itself.  Vision statements were crafted after a review of current literature that stresses such statements should be focused, measurable, and doable.

The vision of the Lackawanna Trail Elementary Center is to provide an environment for all children that is safe, educationally progressive, and filled with experiences that will enable students to be prepared for success in secondary school as measured by state and local assessment results.

The vision of the Lackawanna Trail Junior-Senior High School is to provide an educational atmosphere where all students are safe, nurtured both academically AND socially, with access to a wide variety of challenging courses.  During their high school years, students will be able to measure their acquired knowledge by achieving proficiency on standardized, as well as teacher created, assessments because of the education they receive from a highly qualified faculty.  Upon fulfilling all graduation requirements, students will have then mastered the standards-based curriculum--making them fully prepared to enter college, post-secondary vocational school, the armed services, or the work force.  Regardless of their post secondary choice, students will graduate being technologically literate, being able to access pertinent information, and will be able to effectively collaborate with others--making them productive citizens. 

Shared Values

The purposes of schools are to:

All educators should:

All students:

All community members should:

Goals

In concert with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, the Lackawanna Trail School District embraces the five performance goals that are at the core of NCLB. They are:

1) All students will reach high standards, at a minimum attaining proficiency or better in reading and mathematics, by 2013-2014, 2) All limited-English-proficient students will become proficient in English and reach high academic standards, at a minimum attaining proficiency or better in reading/language arts and mathematics, 3) By 2006-2007, all students will be taught by highly qualified teachers, 4) All students will be educated in learning environments that are safe, drug free, and conducive to learning, and 5) All students will graduate from high school. These five goals capture the essence of the educational process at Lackawanna Trail.

After a review of educational data, current research, and the requirements of Chapter 4, the district selected educational and organizational goals related to student achievement and graduation. These goals were derived from a careful analysis of the district and by a consensus of the strategic planning committee as it completed the process of evaluating the needs and strengths of the school district.

Our assessment included a review of the following: 
Local data
State assessment tests (PSSA)
Standardized test data (Terra Nova Achievement Test with InView)
Demographic data, including enrollment projections and program enrollment
Staffing information
Daily attendance
District fiscal information
Curriculum and instruction information
Projected trend data on employment in business and industry
Survey of perceived needs from students, parents, and community

District Learning Goals

After a review of the need assessment data provide to the planning committee, a review of current research on learning, and the requirements of Chapter 4, the Lackawanna Trail School District revised and updated the learning goals adopted in its previous strategic plan. The subsequent goals reflect the district’s commitment in all subject areas and are deemed critical to students’ attaining the skills required to graduate. Specific subject area goals will be developed as part of the district’s ongoing curriculum planning process and will be integrated with content area standards developed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Together with representatives of the administration, faculty, students, parents, and community, the Lackawanna Trail School District will provide students with opportunities to obtain the following learning goals:

Organizational Goals

The district will engage in planned activities during this strategic planning cycle leading toward the achievement of the following goals:



Goal: FOUR-YEAR GRADUATION RATE (for districts and schools that graduate seniors)
Description: Graduate rate will meet an 80% threshold and/or show growth. This is Pennsylvania's goal for graduation rate. Lackawanna Trail School District is fortunate to attain over 80% every year. The district's goal is to have a rate that exceeds 90% or shows growth from the previous year.

Goal: MATHEMATICS
Description: At least 56% of all students will be proficient in Mathematics, as measured by the annual state-wide PSSA assessments.

Goal: READING
Description: At least 63% of all students will be proficient in Reading, as measured by the annual state-wide PSSA assessments.

Goal: SCHOOL DISTRICT SAFETY AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE
Description: Promoting safety and violence provention through ongoing review, development, implemention, and monitoring of school-wide safety guidelines/policy.

Goal: SCIENCE
Description: The percent of students scoring at or above the proficient level on the Science PSSA exams in 4th, 8th, and 11th grade will be at or above the state average.

Goal: STUDENT ATTENDANCE (any school that does not graduate seniors)
Description: Student attendance will meet a 90% threshold and/or show growth. This is Pennsylvania's goal for attendance. Lackawanna Trail School District attains a rate beyond 90% each year. The district's goal is 95% attendance or show growth.

Goal: STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN STATE ASSESSMENTS
Description: At least 95% of eligible students will participate in required state-wide assessments.

Academic Standards

The Lackawanna Trail School District provides a quality education for all students enrolled in the system. The curriculum utilized by the district is designed to provide students with the instruction needed to attain proficiency of the Pennsylvania Academic Standards described in Section 4.12 of the Pennsylvania Code. The standards are taught and assessed in each grade level in the district. Pennsylvania administers several assessments each year in a variety of grade levels to assess proficiency of academic standards. Assessments include reading and math in grades three through eight and eleven; writing in grades five, eight and eleven; and science in grades four, eight and eleven.

Those standards are applied to the following content areas:

1. Language Arts

A. Reading: The application of phonemic awareness, phonics and word study, vocabulary, fluency, and text comprehension in reading critically across subject areas; the interpretation and analysis of literary expression with analysis of the origins and structures of the English language; and learning how to search a variety of texts to conduct research.

B. Writing: Narrative, informational and persuasive formal writing for an audience, including spelling and editing skills; and informal writing to capture and organize information for individual use.

C. Speaking and listening: Participation in conversation and formal speaking presentations.

2. Mathematics: The understanding of fundamental ideas and the development of proficient mathematical skills in numbers, computation, measurement, statistics and data analysis, probability and predictions, algebra and functions, geometry, trigonometry and concepts of calculus. Using this content, students will learn to think, reason and communicate mathematically.

3. Sciences

A. Science: Study of the natural world and facts, principles, theories, and laws in the areas of biology, chemistry, physics, and earth sciences.

B. Technology: Technology is the application of science to enable societal development including foot and fiber production, manufacturing, building, transportation, and communication. Science and technology share the use of the senses, sciences processes, inquiry, investigation, analysis, and problem solving strategies.

C. Environment and Ecology: Understanding the components of ecological systems and their interrelationships with social systems and technologies. These components incorporate the disciplines of resource management, agricultural diversity, government, and the impact of human actions on natural systems. The interaction leads to the study of watersheds, threatened and endangered species, pest management, and the development of laws and regulations.

4. Social Studies

A. History: Study of the record of human experience including important events; interactions of culture, race and ideas; the nature of prejudice; change and continuity in political systems; effects of technology; importance of global - international perspectives; and the integration of geography, economics, and civics studies of major developments in the history of Pennsylvania, the United States, and the World.

B. Geography: Study of relationships among people, places, and environments, of geographic tools and methods, characteristics of place, concept of region and physical processes.

C. Civics and Government: Study of the United States Constitutional Democracy, its values and principles, study of the Pennsylvania Constitution and government including the study of principles, operations, and documents of governments, rights and responsibilities of citizens, how governments work and international relations.

D. Economics: Study of how individuals and societies choose to use resources to produce, and distribute consumer goods and services. Knowledge of economics reasoning and basic economics concepts, economic decision making, economic systems, Pennsylvania and the US economy, and international trade.

5. Arts and Humanities: Study of dance, theater, music, visual arts, language and literature including forms of expression, historical and cultural context, critical and aesthetic judgment and production, performance and exhibition of work.

6. Career Education and Work: Understanding career options in relationship to individual interests, aptitudes and skills including the relationship between changes in society, technology, government, and economy and their effects on individuals and careers. Development of knowledge and skill in job-seeking and job-retaining skills and, for students completing vocational-technical programs, the skills to succeed in the occupation for which they are prepared.

7. Health, Safety, Physical Education: Study of concepts and skills which affect personal, family and community, health and safety, nutrition, physical fitness, movement concepts and strategies, safety in physical activity setting, and leadership and cooperation in physical activities.

8. Family and Consumer Science: Understanding the role of consumers as a foundation for managing available resources to provide for personal and family needs and to provide basic knowledge of child health and child care skills.

9. World Language: Ability to communicate in a language other than English, including the ability to understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics and to develop knowledge and understand ding of other cultures. (Pennsylvania proposed standards for World languages will be utilized in developing content along with the National Standards for Foreign Language Learning).

Graduation Requirements

The Lackawanna Trail School District is committed to the implementation of a high quality educational program for all of its students. As per Chapter 4, Section 4.24, Title 22 of the Pennsylvania Code, requirements shall include course completion and grades, completion of a culminating project and demonstration of proficiency in reading, writing and mathematics on either the State assessments administered in grade 11 or 12 or local assessment aligned with academic standards and State assessments under § 4.52 (relating to local assessment system) at the proficient level or better to graduate.

Requirements for graduation at Trail include the following disciplines and the number of units required:

Student in grades 9-12 must have 26.83 credits to graduate as per the following table:

Graduation Requirements

Units Course

4.00 units English (including one unit at each grade level)

4.00 units Mathematics

4.00 units Science

3.00 units Social Studies (two units of American History, one unit of World History)

1.33 units Physical Education (one-third credit attempted each school year)

1.00 units Computer Education

1.00 units Health/Wellness

1.00 unit Art/ Music/Dance/Theater

0.25 unit Family and Consumer Science

0.25 unit Driver Education

7.00 units Electives

Graduation Project—Satisfactory work on a Pass/Fail system

All Lackawanna Trail Junior/Senior High School Department Chairpersons and faculty have met to review the above mentioned goals and high school graduation requirements. The following guidelines have been established by the Strategic Plan Graduation Requirements Subcommittee. This committee shall remain active in an ongoing evaluation of graduation requirements.

Grade Requirements:

Students are required to achieve a proficiency grade in each of the required planned instruction areas listed above. The district’s current grade structure is listed below:

A Superior (Advanced) 93 - 100%

B Above Average (Advanced) 85 - 92%

C Average (Proficient) 77 - 84%

D Below Average (Proficient) 70 - 76%

F Failing (Basic) 50 - 69%

F Failing (Below Basic) 0 - 49%

I Incomplete

Special Education:

In regard to special education, satisfactory completion of an Individual Education Program Plan (IEP) also shall constitute mastery of student learning standards as determined by the IEP Team.

English as a Second Language:

Students who are identified as English Language Learners (ELL) will be provided with English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction. This instruction, when it replaces English, will receive credit and be applicable to the English credits required for graduation. In addition, English Language Learners will be eligible for Pass/Fail grading in content areas until the ESL teacher indicates that they are proficient enough in English for regular grading to reflect a fair assessment of content mastery.

Assessment of Proficiency:

The district will assess proficiency in all areas using locally derived assessments based upon broad and varied assessment models. The district will monitor its assessment practices to ensure their alignment with academic standards. In the specific areas of reading, writing, and mathematics, measured by the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) the district will adopt the PSSA in these areas as one measure of proficiency for the purpose of graduation. Students who demonstrate proficiency in reading, writing, and mathematics will receive a Certificate of Proficiency with their diploma upon graduation. Those who attain a score at the advanced level in these academic areas will receive a Certificate of Distinction.

In those areas not measured by the PSSA, the district will use local assessments to ensure proficiency. These assessments will include grades, projects, scientific experiments, portfolio evaluations, diagnostic assessments, and other locally developed means of measurement employed to measure student attainment of academic standards.

For those students who have not demonstrated proficiency in academic areas not measured by the PSSA, the local remediation plan will be employed to offer additional opportunities to demonstrate proficiency.

Culminating Project:

Students must complete a project in an area of concentrated study during their junior and senior year of high school. The purpose of the project is to give students the opportunity to apply, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information and communicate significant knowledge and understanding. This project shall be completed under the direction of a member of the high school faculty (their mentor) utilizing the General Guidelines for Senior Projects. Deadlines for required work have been determined for each quarter of the senior year in order to earn a passing grade on their report card. A student has the option of completing the components earlier than the deadlines set forth. If a student does not meet the deadlines, they will be considered academically ineligible for sports, extracurricular activities, etc. until the work is completed and submitted to their mentor. In addition:

  1. Students have the option to choose their project theme. An approved project proposal must be submitted and the Action Plan from the General Guidelines must be completed over the course of the project. Components include a writing requirement, evidence of a visual aid during the oral presentation, and a self-evaluation.
  2. The project presentation will require a performance to an appropriate audience as approved by the mentor. The performance shall be interactive in that the audience may ask questions of the student.
  3. Coaching on the project is allowed outside and inside the school; however, approval of the coaching must be given by the mentor, and an acknowledgement and a description of that assistance must be explained during the presentation of the project.
  4. The mentor shall determine mastery of the project through the use of a district approved rating scale to determine proficiency.
  5. If a project is found to be “not yet satisfactory” at the evaluation, the student is expected to act on the comments and recommendations provided by the evaluation committee and present the project for a second evaluation. The second evaluation will be conducted with the same mentor and audience where possible.

The Graduation Requirement Subcommittee will remain intact with the goal of reviewing existing requirements and to make recommendations for change.

Strategic Planning Process

The Lackawanna Trail School District Strategic Planning Committee was formed in November, 2006.  The committee consists of administrators, teachers, educational specialists, board members, parents, community/business members, a higher education member, and students.  A general mailing was sent to parents and community members concerning the development of a Strategic Planning Committee.  In addition, an ad was placed on the District website.  Selection for participation was based on requests to participate from some individuals while others were selected from within their own ranks.  The committee was approved by the Lackawanna Trail School Board.  Mrs. Janice Joyce, Curriculum Director, and Mr. Robert Jurbala, Superintendent, served as strategic planning facilitators.  The committee first met on November 14, 2006 where both Mrs. Joyce and Mr. Jurbala spoke about the strategic planning process.  Thereafter, the general/steering committee met to review data/information presented by the facilitators and provided ongoing input necessary for plan development.  Each meeting agenda focused on certain required strategic plan component(s).  Subcommittees that were formed in November/December were divided into the following areas:  Curriculum (Chapter 4), Professional Development, Induction, Technology, and Chapter 12.  Subcommittee chairpersons participated in several meetings as part of a Strategic Planning Study Group held at NEIU 19.  Information gained was shared with other committee members and was helpful in preparing the District’s Strategic Plan.  Surveys that were prepared by NEIU 19 were accessed and utilized by Lackawanna Trail School District professional staff, parents, community, and students.  Survey results, in addition to achievement data from PSSA, DIBELS, Standardized Achievement Tests, Scholastic Aptitude Tests, and Advanced Placement Tests were used to brainstorm possible concepts to be included in the strategic plan.  Additionally, rich discussion was used to formulate ideas for subcommittees.  Research materials were disseminated to the group during the process.  Upon completion, the plan will be submitted to the School Board for approval, placed on public view, and submitted to PDE for final approval.  The Strategic Planning Committee will continue to meet annually throughout the duration of this strategic plan to evaluate the progress towards achieving the plan goals.

Strategic Planning Committee

Name

Affiliation

Membership Category

Appointed By

Alexandra DelPrete

Student

Other

Students

Alice Stuffle

Community Member

Business Representative

School Board

Jeff Gregory

Secondary Asst. Principal

Administrator

Administration

Donna Salva

Reading Specialist

Elementary School Teacher

Teachers

Edward Gaidula

Technology Coordinator

Other

Administration

Ellen Frank

Secondary Guidance Counselor

Ed Specialist - School Counselor

Educational Specialists

Frank Tylutki

Community Representative

Board Member

School Board

Gerauld Frost

Community Member

Community Representative

School Board

James Kotz

Teacher

Elementary School Teacher

Teachers

Jane Richards

Community Representative

Board Member

School Board

Janice Joyce

Curriculum Director

Administrator

Administration

JoAnn Radicchi

Special Education Director

Special Education Representative

Administration

John Richter

Teacher

Secondary School Teacher

Teachers

Kathleen Kelly

Teacher

Elementary School Teacher

Teachers

Kelly Hopkins

Parent

Parent

School Board

William Edwards

Community Member

Business Representative

School Board

Margaret Kerzetski

Teacher

Middle School Teacher

Teachers

Maria DelPrete

Parent

Parent

School Board

Matthew Rakauskas

Secondary Principal

Administrator

Administration

Brandi Thomas

Student

Other

Students

Robert M. Jurbala

Superintendent

Administrator

Administration

Robert Scott

Higher Education Representative

Community Representative

School Board

Stanley Harder

Teacher

Secondary School Teacher

Teachers

Timothy Ronchi

Secondary Guidance Counselor

Ed Specialist - School Counselor

Educational Specialists

Tony Dalasio

Teacher

Middle School Teacher

Teachers

Goals, Strategies and Activities

Goal: FOUR-YEAR GRADUATION RATE (for districts and schools that graduate seniors)
Description: Graduate rate will meet an 80% threshold and/or show growth. This is Pennsylvania's goal for graduation rate. Lackawanna Trail School District is fortunate to attain over 80% every year. The district's goal is to have a rate that exceeds 90% or shows growth from the previous year.

Strategy: Monitor At-Risk Students
Description: Utilize district resources to keep all students enrolled in school.
Activities:

Activity

Description

Employ a Community Resource Coordinator

The CRC will work with students, staff, and administrators to ensure that no barriers will prevent students from attending school. Specifically, the coordinator would be responsible for the following: 1) maintain continuous contact with local Social Service Agencies, etc. as the school liaison; 2) work with business and community groups through Wyoming County’s Communities that Care program to educate local communities on students/parents service needs; 3) act as a resource to families on social and health related topics; 4) develop, implement, and monitor programs utilizing available community resources on such topics as drugs and alcohol, domestic violence, etc.; and 5) keep the district management team informed of available resources and changing needs within the community.

Person Responsible

Timeline for Implementation

Resources