NEWSLETTER
September Newsletter
SOAR@GVR is a “blue” school on its School Performance Framework stoplight*!
Each year Denver Public Schools uses the School Performance Framework (SPF) to evaluate school performance in terms of student achievement and overall organizational strength using a variety of measures. Blue is the highest category within the SPF, and we are proud that SOAR@GVR’s performance was strong enough achieve this level. In fact, SOAR is the only “blue” elementary school in Far Northeast Denver and one of only nine blue elementary schools in the city! Click here to view SOAR@GVR’s SPF stoplight.
*Please note DPS only publicly releases SPF's for schools with CSAP tested grades and subjects (3rd-10th grade). Because SOAR@GVR did not have tested grades and subjects last year, it will not receive a public SPF. That said, DPS has rated SOAR@GVR on a variety of SPF measures appropriate for K-2 schools, including status and growth in a reading assessment taken by all DPS schools – DRA, and a language assessment used by all DPS schools – CELA. For those measures, SOAR@GVR is rated blue.
While we are thrilled that our performance in areas such as reading growth and status, parent engagement, and student engagement is so high, SOAR holds itself to an even higher standard as it strives to develop complete people (click here to view our new annual report focused on this concept).
A key element to providing a robust and effective educational environment at each SOAR school is the amount and quality of professional development that teachers receive. Even though we are only 6 weeks into the school year, our teachers have already received over 20 days of professional development (over 25 days for new teachers) in addition to the ongoing support they receive by administrators who are master teachers themselves. Before the school year started new teachers spent four weeks (returning teachers spent three weeks) participating in intensive workshops. And, since the school year has started, three of our expert staff developers have visited the schools for multiple day visits. In addition to the several day visit by our expert literacy consultant, these visits were highlighted by Katherine Bomer’s work with teachers around critical reading and how to talk about literature. Click here to learn more about Katherine. This week our Responsive Classroom staff developer is visiting the schools for the entire week. Click here to learn more about Responsive Classroom.
