Asbury invests in students

School once rated average maintains its 'high' ranking

By Fernando Quintero, Rocky Mountain News

Thursday, December 6, 2007

Judy DeHaas / The Rocky

Tyler McGee smiles when he realizes that he correctly wrote a seven-digit number in his third-grade class at Asbury.

Asbury Elementary School Principal Janet Box keeps a 6-inch-thick binder stuffed with students' test scores on a lace-covered table in her office.

The data are part of Box's formula for success at Asbury, where constant assessment of students' performance has contributed to the school's steady growth in the state report card ratings.

"The teachers meet four times a month to assess where students are. We sit down as a whole staff and talk about where we are, and where we need to go," Box said.

Asbury, rated "average" when Box arrived seven years ago, maintained its "high" ranking again this year in overall achievement.

Asbury was one of 14 schools statewide and the only DPS program that was honored this summer for showing significant growth over the past three years.

Box gives credit to her teachers.

"The teachers here are amazing. They're engaged, and they take responsibility for their students' growth as well as their own," she said.

"When a teacher reads a good article or comes across an interesting resource, they pass it on. They'll say to me or to another teacher, 'You have to read this book' or 'Check out this chapter.' "

Fifth-grade teacher Sharon Napolitano refers to it as a "professional learning community."

"We all have a stake in the students at Asbury," she said. "We all believe that in order for the kids to learn, we also have to be informed."

Napolitano underscored the school's emphasis on assessment.

"We look at a lot of data. We analyze benchmark tests the district administers, CSAP scores, trends and demographics," Napolitano said. "Without data, you can't drive instruction."

In addition to keeping constant tabs on how students are doing, Box said she and her staff also provide constant feedback so that they also know where they are academically and what they need to do to improve.

She said the school takes into account much more than test scores when looking at ways to improve students' performance.

"We give multiple opportunities for students to show what they know," Box said. "It's not just about test scores. It's not about someone flunking a spelling test last week. We collect a body of evidence and figure out the best way to keep students on a path to progress."

Box said she also puts strong emphasis on developing students' writing skills.

"We focus on the written response. Studies have shown that if we improve writing, we can also improve math, science and other subjects," she said.

Box said parents' increased participation has made a huge difference.

"We have over 50 volunteers for 325 kids. Our parents who work find the time to volunteer evenings, weekends or whenever else they can. They're committed to this school and share the excitement of our success," she said. "What principal wouldn't feel lucky with great teachers and great parents?"

Asbury Elementary School

1320 E. Asbury Ave., Denver

* Overall performance: High

* Enrollment: 292

* Students eligible for free lunch: 51 (17.5%)

* Average teacher salary: $50,335

* Average administrator salary: $91,559

* Full-time teachers: 18

* Part-time teachers: 1