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Six years ago, Zavala Elementary School was a forgotten school in a forgotten neighborhood. Located between two public housing projects, the median income of the families in the Zavala neighborhood was under $6,000. Crime, unemployment, and a sense of hopelessness were evident on every corner. The problems that plagued the area negatively impacted the achievement levels of students, and the school was experiencing low test scores, high teacher turnover, and a lack of interest on the part of parents and community. In September l996, this same school was recognized by First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton as an example of a successful urban school. Test scores now exceed District and state averages and attendance is the highest in the city. Morale among the staff is so high that after the l995 school year, there was not a single teaching position available. Parents of Zavala students involve themselves daily in the operation of the school and have internalized the skills needed to become successful advocates for their children. The Zavala community, parents, teachers, and area leaders have taken control of their neighborhood school, to the extent that their voices are heard by school board members, city council representatives, and by the state Commissioner of Education. What brought about this metamorphosis?
Lorenzo de Zavala Elementary School was built in l936 for the Hispanic community in East Austin. The original structure, a two-story red brick building with additions and eighteen portable classrooms, is located 1 mile east of downtown Austin. With little District attention and scant resources, the school developed a reputation for low performance.
In l980, mandated busing changed the composition of the student population. Anglo students from a school located in an affluent neighborhood were bused to this neighborhood.Half of the Zavala students were transported across town to the paired school. During this period of busing, neighborhood parents stayed away from Zavala, many of them feeling that their concerns were overshadowed by those of parents from the other community.
In l987, this busing policy was rescinded, and Zavala once again became a neighborhood school. Ninety-six percent of the children were of low socioeconomic status and were academically low performing. Zavala was designated a Priority School by the District and was allotted, in addition to the normal District spending, $300,000 per year for a 5-year period. Initially, administrators, teachers, and parents were unable to identify a shared vision to improve student performance, even with the added resources. In l990, out of sixty-three elementary schools, Zavala ranked 62nd in test scores and 33rd in attendance. Teacher, parent, and student apathy was widespread. At midterm, there was a change in administration. Then assistant principal, Alejandro Miñdiz-Melton, became principal, and a new assistant principal, Loretta Caro, was appointed.
With these promotions, the mood of the Zavala campus began to change. Mr. Melton shared his concerns about the low performance of Zavala students with some parents. One parent read the previous year's test scores aloud at a PTA meeting in December l991, and followed with a fiery declamation concerning the low expectations of both parents and teachers for the students at Zavala.
Realizing the school was not an island, but a reflection of the surrounding neighborhood, Melton, Caro, parents, and teachers began to search for solutions. In partnership with Austin Interfaith, local affiliate of the National Industrial Areas Foundation, Zavala began a process that led to building and strengthening relationships in the community. One of Interfaith's first actions was to initiate a Neighborhood Walk, during which Zavala faculty and staff, with members of area churches, went into the neighborhood, knocking on doors and talking to families of Zavala students. These walks helped determine what issues were most important to the parents. Lack of adequate health care at the local level quickly emerged as the number one concern. The drive for, and eventual acquisition of, a school-based health clinic represented the first victory for this evolving group.
This victory was a turning point for the community. The parents and staff had organized around an issue which they had identified; they faced opposition, persisted, and won. They petitioned vigorously, eloquently, and continuously, and secured the services they wanted.
The basic needs of the children of Zavala had been addressed, and the focus of the school could turn to student achievement. The fall of l993 saw vast restructuring at Zavala. The school obtained a waiver to use Open Court, the District's designated curriculum for the talented and motivated, with all students. Also at this time all students with disabilities began receiving l00% of their instruction in general education classrooms.
The Zavala faculty came to the agreement that the ability to read was the single most important skill the students could acquire. A reading initiative was begun. In order to accelerate the children's reading, Zavala began using Open Court with kindergarten students. Reading Recovery, an acclaimed method of teaching beginning readers, was implemented in first grade, and first-grade class size was reduced. Zavala implemented Helping One Student To Succeed (HOSTS), an intensive reading-tutorial program, for second and third-grade students. Encouraged by a great variety of reading incentive programs developed by the school librarian and funded by a wide range of community organizations, Zavala students were continually encouraged by faculty and parents to "read to succeed."
Recognizing that only one Zavala student in 10 years had attained admission to the District magnet science program, a grant from the National Science Institute and an alliance with The University of Texas at Austin (U.T.) made possible the formation of a special class for sixth graders, the Zavala Young Scientists. This class prepares students for the middle school science magnet program and involves them at an early age with the vast resources at U.T.
Through Neighborhood Walks, Zavala continued to identify areas of concern in the community. In l992, with a grant from the City of Austin, an after-school program was developed, providing students with stimulating classes, ranging from science and math clubs to magic and cooking classes. These classes have served the dual purpose of providing our students with enriching activities and raising their academic levels, as documented by an extensive study conducted by Texas A&M University during the 1994-95 and l995-96 school years.
In the spring of l996, the Zavala community worked to ensure voter passage of the District bond proposal which enables the original building to be renovated and brought up to current standards for both technology and the specifications set by the Americans with Disabilities Act. The election also resulted in a member of the Zavala community, a parent of one of our students, being elected to the School Board.
Today, Zavala is an outstanding example of an urban school that works. Student test scores increased significantly, our attendance rate (98.4%) is the highest in the city, and community involvement is an integral part of the school's culture. Continuing the tradition of leadership emerging from within the staff, our assistant principal, Ms. Caro, was recently named principal when Mr. Melton was asked to lead a middle school in the District. Zavala's success has been documented in local, statewide, and national publications. Visitors from around the world recognize Zavala as a school worthy of emulation. The metamorphosis of the school community is realized daily in the pride seen on the faces of Zavala students, parents, and teachers.
Far from being the forgotten school of l990, Zavala has, through collaboration with parents and business partners, transformed its culture. A culture of apathy and failure has been replaced with a proactive culture of optimism and success. It is with a certainty of success that we continue to build and refine a model for the education of children from urban communities of poverty.
How does the school develop and maintain awareness of the needs and expectations of current and future students and use this information to promote learning , well-being, and satisfaction for all students?
Being attuned to the needs and expectations of Zavala students is a primary goal which assures that all appropriate services and programs are made available. Two of the most successful strategies employed for gathering vital information about our students have been Neighborhood Walks and House Meetings (G1). Two successful innovations that resulted from these activities are the after-school program and the Zavala Health Center. Through these meetings teachers have become very familiar with the whole family and are able to discuss with parents any concerns they may have about their not-yet-school-age children. Parents are encouraged to seek early intervention.
The Student Assistance Program (SAP) accepts referrals from teachers and parents about students having behavior, attendance, health, or other concerns. At a SAP meeting, the student's needs are discussed and a plan of action is formulated. The student is then placed on a monitoring list to assure that appropriate services are being made available. When more chronic and severe problems arise with a student, he is referred to the Cabinet Committee consisting of the principal, assistant principal, counselor, social worker, nurse and when appropriate, the attendance representative. Cabinet meetings are held every week and close monitoring is a priority.
Teachers use cross-grade-level meetings to maintain open communication about instruction, and students' progress is a primary focus. A strategy which is proving to have numerous advantages is looping. Looping involves teachers following their students from one grade level to the next. Looping, done in 2-year increments, not only allows teachers to get to know their students, but the families as well. Several times during the year, Zavala has special teacher-parent conference days which begin at 11:00 a.m. and extend through 7:00 p.m. providing working parents the opportunity to attend.
What non-academic services and programs are available within the school to support students?
In the fall of 1991, the Zavala community rallied under the guidance and support of the newly formed alliance between the school and Austin Interfaith (G3). The first step was to find out what families wanted from school. Adequate and accessible health care was targeted and strong efforts were employed to obtain the needed services. Through diligent work, Zavala parents and staff secured funding and staff from the Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services Department (AHHSD) to form the first of its kind school-based health center in an Austin elementary school. AHHSD and Austin Independent School District (AISD) formed a partnership in which comprehensive health services, including free immunizations, are provided on the Zavala campus. In the fall of 1993, AHHSD began providing the school with a full-time Registered Nurse, a full-time Licensed Master Social Worker and a part-time Administrative Associate. Quickly a strong bond was formed between the two entities; one result was the formation of Cabinet Meetings (A1). Services provided by the health clinic include: well child exams, health education, immunizations and medical case management, mental health case management, individual and group counseling, classroom guidance and preventative mental health education and referrals to outside agencies. An average of 100 students are served monthly by the nurse and an average of 195 students are served by the school counselor and AHHSD social worker. Annually approximately 250 students receive immunizations at the Health Center and since its inception Zavala's immunization rate has risen from less than 50% to almost 100%.
Another need targeted by parents was an after-school program (A3) for Zavala students. To supplement the after-school program, the Austin YMCA provides consistent, nurturing, after-school care for students and periodic field trips. The YMCA extends their programming to include a summer day care program on site for Zavala students.
What extracurricular activities are available for students?
During the spring of 1993, parents and teachers sought and were successful in acquiring a cooperative partnership with Austin Interfaith, Austin Independent School District, and Austin Parks and Recreation Department to develop an after-school program for Zavala school children. This successful program is now implemented on twenty-eight other campuses in AISD.
The after-school program has given new opportunities for our children to enjoy academics and has also opened the door for many parents to become involved by volunteering to teach classes. Teachers and parents report that the after-school program has accelerated students' intellectual development in their regular classes. Texas A&M University conducted a study of the after-school program showing an increase in student achievement. Because the parents and teachers actively advocated this program, the classes are well attended by a large majority of Zavala students. An average of 300 out of a school population of 425 students attend after-school classes. Twenty-three teachers out of thirty-one Zavala faculty members teach after-school classes teach after-school classes. Classes include: volleyball, choir, gardening, Kinder Kitchen, Young Math, Magic, Photography, Sing-a-Long Science, Young Engineers, computers, and Girl Scouts.
Students can also participate in Believe in Me (B1e) which teaches students self-discipline and character development through dance. As a culminating event, the dance troupe offers a performance for the Austin community at The University of Texas at Austin (U.T.). In 1992 two of our students had the opportunity to go to New York City to see the performance by the National Dance Institute.
What opportunities exist for students to influence classroom and school policy?
Because Zavala students are prepared to become productive and responsible adults, they are invited to take part in decisions that affect their education and enrichment programs. In the classrooms, students help determine rules which influence the learning environment. Teachers find that students who have a say in the rules tend to abide by them. Cooperative learning is an important mode of instruction used to encourage group participation and collaborative decision making. Teachers provide suggestion boxes in their classrooms to allow students the opportunity to express their ideas and opinions. When issues which directly impact the students arise, task forces are implemented and student representatives are asked for input. Recently, it was evident that students needed additional direction in the cafeteria. A task force, which included students from first to sixth grade, was organized. Students visited other campuses, interviewed other campus personnel, conducted surveys, and made on-site observations. Students were then able to decide on effective methods for improving cafeteria behavior. Another area where students are given the opportunity to influence school operations is the after-school program. At the end of each session, students are given an evaluation form for each of their after-school classes. Student feedback is valued and vital to the determination of future classes.
What role does your school play in helping to ensure that children entering your school, including students with disabilities and limited English proficient students, are ready to participate successfully in formal schooling? Also, what policies and practices facilitate other types of transitions?
A baby born into the Zavala family has the opportunity from day one to begin a journey which will prepare him for school. At PTA meetings, our brand-new Zavala babies are presented with board books and bibs which say, "Born to Read ...and Lead!" in Spanish or English. Library service to Zavala infants and pre-schoolers centers around our Superkids collection which provides packets of books appropriate for infants through five-year-olds. Seventy parents are currently participating in this program in which they read books to their children. After eight visits to the library, the child receives a t-shirt which proclaims (in Spanish and English), "I'm a Zavala Super kid! My family reads to me!" Parents are invited to "Read to Me" workshops in the library led by pre-k and kindergarten teachers. These workshops help parents learn ways they can extend the reading experience with their children. Our new VYS (Very Young Scientists) program will begin this year, with packets of books and science activities available for checkout for pre-schoolers to enjoy with their parents. Parents with children in strollers are seen checking out books every day in the Zavala library.
The pre-k program at Zavala begins with pre-k teachers canvassing the neighborhood for eligible students. Once in the program students learn and play in a language-rich environment. Pre-k and kindergarten teachers work closely to ensure a smooth transition from one grade level to the next.
Because parents visit our school regularly, the staff gets to know the younger siblings of Zavala students. Very often parents share concerns with the staff about their baby's development. The counselor, the speech pathologist and the special education teacher talk with the parents and encourage early intervention if a language or other developmental delay is suspected. The staff helps with proper referrals whether it is to the MHMR Infant-Parent Training Program, the Capital Area Easter Seals Program, or AISD's Early Childhood Program. Children entering Zavala from the AISD Early Childhood Program transition through an ARD meeting. Teachers from Zavala attend the meeting and parents are encouraged to visit Zavala before the school year begins.
The transition to middle school takes place at a difficult time in a child's life. The Zavala staff is aware of this and works to make this move as smooth as possible. Many middle school PTA meetings are held at Zavala and middle school counselors visit Zavala to meet students and help alleviate any fears they may have. Once a year, a Cooperative Day is held at our area middle school for the students who will be attending that school. At this event students are given the opportunity to meet other elementary students preparing for middle school, visit classes, and meet the current middle school students.
What opportunities do students have to build sustained relationships with counselors, teachers, or other adults?
A potential mentor walks into Zavala and is greeted enthusiastically by many unfamiliar smiling children all of whom are secretly wishing to be next on the list to get their own personal friend. During orientation, the new mentor describes the warmth she experienced from the students, indicative of their trust in adults. The students of Zavala are accustomed to interacting with many adults including school staff, visitors and volunteers of special programs or events. The counselor and social worker manage the Student of the Week program in which every week one student from every class is selected as Student of the Week. That student is honored by their class during the week, and on Friday the students are invited to have lunch with the counselor and social worker.
In a more structured environment, students experience one-to-one interaction in the HOSTS tutoring program. Every week an average of 200 community leaders work with individual students on academics. Our children have had the opportunity to interact with Chinese tutors, nursing home residents, and adults with disabilities. In 1993-94, a tutor with epilepsy worked with the HOSTS students; they learned to recognize symptoms of seizures and what to do when a seizure took place. We made 'Guardian Angel' buttons and the children were able to respond properly to this wonderful woman.
Many of these HOSTS tutors have gone a step beyond and have chosen to become mentors. Additionally, in our partnership with U.T. and the Zavala Young Scientist program (B6), every student in the sixth-grade science class is paired with a U.T. mentor. There are dozens of mentors from different community businesses and agencies that are participating in Project Mentor.
The Zavala after-school program also provides the opportunity for over 300 students to become informally associated with many Zavala teachers and community people. During yearly events like Reading Rally Day and Track and Field Day, numerous adopters contribute their time.
What specific programs, procedures, or instructional strategies do you employ to identify, counsel, and assist potential dropouts or other at-risk or underachieving students?
A strong incentives program, by way of badges, certificates and trophies, has motivated students to attend school every day and to reach their highest potential. In the 1994-95 school year, Zavala had the highest attendance rate in the entire school district at 98.4%. Our test scores have risen to 79.5% passing reading, 78% passing math, and 93% passing writing on Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS).
In addition to our successful incentives program, Zavala students are continually monitored by the teachers, counselor, social worker, nurse, and administrators. Zavala employs an attendance representative who is responsible for student attendance. Making calls or home visits to students who are not in school by 9:00 a.m. is a daily practice. Furthermore, referrals are diligently made to the counselor and social worker when children are experiencing difficult home situations. Students are offered counseling to deal with any problems which may interfere with academics or staying in school. In collaboration with a local counseling agency (D1), Zavala students needing additional support are provided with the opportunity to participate in a summer camp lead by the school counselor, social worker, and the agency counselor.
Because students are more at-risk for dropping out during middle school, Zavala created an after-school Alumni Club. Middle and high school students are invited back to Zavala to continue using resources such as the library, computer lab, and teachers.
How has the school demonstrated a commitment to addressing the accessibility of its facilities and programs to students with disabilities?
The Zavala faculty is fervent in addressing the needs of ALL students. It can be particularly challenging to address the needs of physically disabled persons in a structure built in 1936. A wheelchair ramp was added to the front of the school buildings years ago, but other improvements for accessibility are needed as well. When a bond package, which included $6,000,000 for improvements to Zavala, was proposed, the staff and parents began to mobilize to get out the vote. A Neighborhood Walk (G3) was organized with the help of Austin Interfaith, and in 1 day almost every household in the precinct had been visited. Votes were not solicited, but information about the bond package was distributed and most importantly voting was strongly encouraged. On election day, the Zavala precinct, which typically has low-voter participation, reported the highest voter turnout in East Austin. The bond proposal was passed and the Zavala community eagerly awaits the beginning of construction in June 1997. Zavala will retain its original two-story, historical building, but accessibility will be assured.
B. Challenging Standards and Curriculum
Effective schools are strengthening subject-matter content in English, mathematics, science, social studies, the arts, and foreign languages. How is your school helping students to achieve at higher levels in each of these core subjects?
a. Language Arts
Zavala has obtained a waiver to use the Open Court Program for all students. Open Court combines a strong phonics and literature-based reading, language, writing and spelling program. To adequately prepare our youngest learners, the Open Court program is utilized in kindergarten. Many of the Open Court activities integrate social studies, science, and art into the language arts block. Further integration occurs with our library and research programs in science and social studies. Big Six (C4), Looping (A1), HOSTS (A6), and TAAS writing continue the integration of our subject areas. Teachers at Zavala are diligent in ensuring that students understand the inter relatedness of subjects taught.
In a third-grade classroom the teacher reads Harry and the Terrible Whatzit fueling the imaginations of her students who then cooperatively create creatures of their own. They then write and share their own stories. Reading, writing and art are combined into a creative activity.
Communication, both oral and written, is stressed. Children begin in pre-k speaking in front of their classmates, teachers, and students during morning assembly programs. Our children become comfortable speaking to people of all ages. Letter writing and public speaking begin at an early age.
Reading Buddies at Zavala go beyond reading. Wonderful partnerships are formed between older and younger students. In addition to reading, we share journal writing, science experiments, math activities, and cooking with our buddies.
4b. Math
Our math curriculum mirrors the District scope and sequence and our vertical team math alignment. Representatives from our vertical team (high school, feeder middle and elementary schools) meet to see that we have a strong, meaningful continuum in our math curriculum that follows the National Council of Teachers Math Standards. Open Court and Scott Foresman math are used at Zavala. Manipulatives from base ten blocks to hula hoops, money to food are seen in all of our classrooms. Math is not isolated but is integrated in all other subject areas. Graphs and charts are part of social studies and science reports. Students compute their reading records for library programs to determine if goals have been met. Classes design complex track and field schedules, and fitness data in Physical Education. After-school math club extends the fun and stimulation of math for our enthusiastic Zavala mathematicians. Cooking and gardening activities give real meaning to measurement for our students. Pictorial representations bridge the concrete to the abstract.
Games are widely used to teach math and Open Court has a strong game component. Metric Olympics is an annual event that involves all fifth and sixth-grade students in a test of measurement and estimation skills. The competition is broken down into five events. The fifth-grade participants cycle through all the events. The sixth-grade students serve as event facilitators, assisting the contestants in performing the recording and measurement tasks, as well as the calculation of the final score for those contestants who have difficulty doing this. The Metric Olympics has proven to be an entertaining and effective way to accustom students to the most common metric measurements for length, weight and volume.
Shopping at the Mustang Store every 9 weeks is a lesson in math. Students must calculate how much Mustang Money they have earned, make decisions about their purchases, and determine their change.
4c. Science
According to the constructivist theory of learning, children construct concepts based on prior knowledge and concrete experiences. Nowhere is this more applicable than to the subject of science. The District and state curriculum, Windows on Science, with its video laser disc component is only part of a broader program. At Zavala we provide our students with learning experiences by creating a curriculum that demonstrates the application of scientific thinking to everyday life. Several of our classes have became involved in activities related to water quality and conservation. Our fourth graders were involved in a year-long project with another school to create a three-dimensional model of the Bouldin Creek watershed. The sixth graders have participated for 2 years in the Lower Colorado River Watch Network through monitoring of the water quality on Waller Creek. Our students have also worked with the National Wildflower Research Center to study the germination rates of the Texas state flower, the bluebonnet. Zavala has a 20-by-40-foot wildflower plot and a 200-square-foot garden where students raise a variety of fall and spring vegetables.
As a result of the Southwest Consortium for the Improvement of Mathematics and Science Teaching (SCIMAST) grant, teachers on all grade levels are using kits from Delta Science to study subjects ranging from light and shadow to rocks and minerals. The concepts Zavala students learn in the science curriculum, based on experience, become part of the way they think. They are learning to apply methods of scientific thinking to real-life situations.
4d. Social Studies
Social Studies begins for pre-k and kindergarten students studying a "me and my family" unit. Primary grades branch out to learn about their neighborhood and city; intermediate grades study their state, nation, and world. One of our intermediate teachers tells a story from her 2nd year at Zavala: "When I asked a group of students for suggestions for where we could go on an outing for our 'reward' time, the mall was one of the destinations suggested. I was surprised by the excited reaction of one of my students. He confided in me later that he had never been to the mall; in fact a 3-block radius around his house, church and school were the boundaries of the world as he knew it."
For this reason, we take our social studies curriculum further than books, maps, and videos. We start with exploring our own neighborhood. A short walk from school is a meaningful lesson on the community. A ride on a city bus to the Capitol Building, Governor's Mansion, or City Coliseum teaches our children about transportation as well as history and government. Visits to the Texas Memorial Museum and Harry Ransom Center integrate art into the social studies curriculum.
Chartered buses take us to San Antonio where Texas history is explored as we visit The Institute of Texan Cultures and The Alamo. The Battle of the Alamo comes alive on the huge screen of the IMAX Theater. Knowing that our students are eager to learn much more when we return from this trip, we structure our unit around this adventure.
One of the most perplexing mysteries in history is the collapse of the ancient Mayan civilization. Through Maya Quest, our sixth-grade students, on the Internet, were able to join a team of explorers on their expedition to the ruins in Mexico and Central America. They were among 1 million kids and teachers from all over the globe. Short of being there, this was an incredible experience for our students. Other research is ongoing through traditional library sources and the Internet.
Zavala is teaching our children more than social studies. We want to ignite their curiosity about the world around them. We want them to know that the world is a big place, but it is their world. Through hard work and EDUCATION, they can travel and explore this world.
4e. The Arts
The arts program at Zavala is led by two full-time specialists, music and visual arts, and supplemented by part-time orchestra and band specialists. The programs meet state and national standards and the curriculum is planned to comply with the District's scope and sequence.
Performance is an integral component of the music experience. Each grade level presents a musical program for the community at the monthly PTA meetings. These programs typically reinforce a grade-level or school-wide theme (e.g., health, science, world cultures). Monthly performances by the children have encouraged parental attendance at these meetings. The after-school choir, comprised of third through sixth-grade students, provides another performance opportunity for interested students. The choir annually visits all Zavala adopters and performs to express appreciation. In 1995, the choir was invited to sing at the swearing in ceremony for Texas Attorney General, Dan Morales. The choir has also performed for the Corporate Fund for Children and at Musica Navideña sponsored by La Peña, a local arts organization which supports Latino artists. For 5 years, Zavala fourth through sixth grades have participated in a "Broadway-style" dance ensemble, Believe In Me, affiliated with the National Dance Institute. In addition to presenting a professional quality show at the end of the year, the students gain other immeasurable values such as discipline, self-confidence, teamwork, and perseverance.
Through the production of artworks, students are exposed to a variety of media and processes for visual creativity. The history of art and cultural connections serve to motivate and enrich. Often, the artworks created are planned in collaboration with classroom teachers to integrate with science, social studies, and literature. Annually, third through sixth-grade students experience study trips to city and university museums. These study trips are prepared in collaboration with museum educators and classroom teachers, who provide integrated writing experiences for the museum visits. To increase awareness of cultural heritage, an ofrenda (altar) is built for el Día de los Muertos and a community table-setting is created for Kwanzaa. After completing these large community installations, students serve as docents for parents and visitors, explaining symbolic meanings and production of the artworks. This year Zavala fifth graders began participating in a pilot program with U.T. called the Longhorn Schoolbus. Field trips to the university include talks by architecture faculty, campus tours, and sketching-writing assignments. The art program also provides students opportunities for community service. An example of this service is the annual Toma Mi Corazón art auction. Zavala students created heart-inspired artworks which are donated to the auction to raise funds for a local, Latino arts advocacy program, which in turn contributes to our school.
What other subject areas play essential roles in your school-wide curriculum goals?
Guidance and Counseling. As determined by their low socioeconomic status approximately 94% of Zavala students are at-risk. Because of this high percentage, it is vital that there be a guidance and counseling program especially designed to address serious concerns. Zavala students are referred to the counselor and social worker for support either through individual counseling or group counseling. Special groups are established to address specific problems such as neglect and divorce. Programs for drug prevention and safety are offered to all students in classroom guidance activities from pre-k through sixth grade. At pre-k and kindergarten, Second Step is presented to the students. Second Step helps students articulate their feelings, empathize with others, and do simple problem solving. In first and second grade, My Family and Me extends the child from himself and addresses different types of family problems, including family violence and substance abuse. The issue of safety is also the underlying theme in this program. In third grade, Pumsy is a series of stories and activities around the topic of self-esteem. In fourth grade, students are referred to group counseling offered by AWARE (D4), a local counseling agency contracted for its services. They provide three sessions of 10 weeks each and include 15 students per group. These groups focus on resiliency traits and self-awareness. In fifth grade, classroom guidance is used to promote problem-solving and self-esteem building. GOT IT! teaches students the basic steps for problem solving. Thinking, Changing, and Rearranging is designed to help students build their self-esteem through changing thought patterns. Students in fifth grade also participate in the Austin Police Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program, designed for drug and gang prevention. Sixth-grade students are involved in a year long course of decision making and problem solving.
Physical Education. The Physical Education program at Zavala concentrates on cooperation, teamwork, building self-confidence, and promoting a healthy lifestyle. Fitness is an underlying focus throughout the various units. Fitness levels are based on the Presidential and National Fitness Standards. Five tests are administered twice a year to determine flexibility, agility, muscular endurance, and cardiovascular endurance. Students calculate their heart rate numerous times throughout the year and record their progress.
Units on basketball, volleyball, tennis, hockey, and softball are taught to prepare and motivate the students to remain active throughout their lives. A cooperative approach is taken in teaching these units to promote participation and the success of all students. Each unit includes a pre-test and a post-test of basic skills to enable students and the teacher to assess their progress. The importance of healthy choices and healthy habits are reinforced through a journal the students keep, charting the number of hours they spend sleeping, exercising, watching television, etc. Daily enrichment includes student-led warm-up exercises that encourage leadership and academic growth. Students determine the number of repetitions of each exercise by using teacher-directed mathematical computation games.
How is learning in the following essential skill areas accomplished and how does it relate to the content areas discussed in B1?
a. Reading
One of the highest priorities of the Zavala staff is that all of our students become good readers. In order for children to be successful secondary school, they must be proficient readers in all subject areas. The best way for a child to become a capable reader is to read daily at his independent reading level.
Our reading emphasis begins as babies are born into the Zavala family, and it extends into our students' middle and high school years. During their years at Zavala, children participate in a comprehensive series of programs designed to meet their reading needs.
The challenging Open Court Reading and Writing Program with its strong phonics component, serves as the foundation for reading instruction at Zavala. Kindergarten through fifth-grade students use this program which integrates unabridged, quality children's literature with an emphasis on decoding, comprehension, writing, and thinking skills. Strategies to develop higher-order thinking skills are integral to the program.
First graders who are experiencing difficulty with Open Court are candidates for Reading Recovery. Children who are accepted into this program receive intensive, one-to-one reading support from one of our two highly trained Reading Recovery specialists. Reading Recovery provides students with supplementary work in reading and writing.
The HOSTS program targets students in second and third grades who need assistance in reading, writing, thinking, and study skills. HOSTS, an acronym for Help One Student To Succeed, is a powerful one-to-one reading intervention program. Each of our fifty HOSTS students goes to the tutoring room 4 days a week, for 30 minutes each day. Every day each student has a different tutor, and during the time students are in the lab, they practice reading, writing, and working on a particular skill. Increased skill in non-fiction reading has been identified as a priority to improve reading in science and social studies. Our 200 HOSTS tutors are trained by the HOSTS teacher to provide appropriate instruction and support. Since the introduction of HOSTS, we have seen dramatic gains in reading levels for these students. In 1994-95 the average gain in reading was 1.78 years, and in 1995-96 the average gain increased to 2.17 years.
When a child enters third grade, he begins participating in our library reading programs. After the child's reading level is diagnosed, he receives a reading list of library books at his independent reading level. He is required to read at least 100 pages per week from books on the reading list. After each book is read, he takes an Electronic Bookshelf System (EBS) computer test over the book to assess reading comprehension. As the child becomes proficient at that reading level, he moves to the next reading list. Regardless of the grade, the student is always reading at his own independent reading level. Our library has 1800 fiction and non-fiction titles in the EBS, so there is a great deal of freedom of reading choice. Each child is receiving reading instruction in his classroom at the appropriate grade level, but he is reading daily at the appropriate independent reading level. The needs of accelerated students as well as those of students needing reading remediation are being met.
4b. Writing
Symbol making begins the first time a child picks up a crayon, pencil, or "chalk rock" and begins to make lines or shapes. Writing begins when a child first tells a story. Zavala's pre-k students learn letter formation, illustrate journals, and dictate response stories. Kindergarten expands upon these activities. The narrative writing mode is introduced in first grade and the Narrative Mobile, a visual paradigm, becomes a familiar sight for all students. Successive writing modes include compare/contrast and persuasive. A campus-wide writing calendar ensures alignment across grade levels and student writings are regularly assessed. Writing in other courses provides opportunities for creativity. Journal writing is a daily activity and special-edition classroom newspapers are often a culminating activity for a study trip. Story problems integrate writing with mathematics for students in all grades. Students use non-fiction books and computers for written reports as an active part of science and social studies courses.
4c. Thinking
All students, pre-k through sixth grade, are taught higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills through the Big Six model which was developed by Mike Eisenberg and Bob Berkowitz of Syracuse University. Their model was adapted by Berkowitz and Barbara Jansen of Round Rock Independent School District for use with younger children, and all Zavala teachers have been trained in this model. It is ideal for integrating research skills into the subject-area curriculum. The skills taught are: 1) defining the task; 2) information-seeking strategies; 3) locating and accessing information; 4) extracting information from sources; 5) integrating information; 6) evaluation of the process and the product.
This fall, students in a first-grade class were going to see Austin's bat colony, and they wanted to do research on bats. Our library had many materials on bats, but they were too difficult for the first graders. A fourth-grade class and the first-grade class worked together, with the fourth graders reading the material. The students used the Big Six model to decide what they wanted to know about bats, where they could find the information, how to get the information from the sources, and how to complete their product.
4d. Technological
Technology has become an integral part of the curriculum at Zavala. In the IBM computer lab, keyboarding is taught in grades three through six. Those students come to the computer lab to take EBS tests as a part of our Zavala reading programs. Students use spreadsheets to collect data and develop charts and graphs for science experiments and reports. Students use databases for compiling facts in science and social studies and to keep track of their Mustang money. Word processing programs are used in language arts classes to write, edit and produce final copies of TAAS writings, reports, class and school newspapers, science experiments and other writing assignments.
Education serves a variety of important social, political, and economic functions. How does your curriculum foster your students' personal and intellectual growth, develop responsible citizens, and prepare them for further education and the world of work?
The Zavala Mission Statement calls for the development of responsible citizenship through inspiration, motivation, and education. Students at Zavala are inspired, motivated, and educated in the democratic process by observing their parents, teachers and other community members become active in the political process. The community identification of the need for school-based health services, and the subsequent rallies and sessions before both the city council and the school board, were witnessed by the children in the area. Several young students were with their families at the school board meeting when the approval for the health center was given and shared in the excitement of the victory. Interfaith Accountability Sessions have been held in the neighborhood before elections during the past 3 years. At these sessions, candidates for school board or the city council have been asked questions about their positions on various issues of importance to the Zavala community such as summer youth employment (Youth Charter; G2), after-school programs, and middle school transitions. Many parents have taken their children to these sessions and the students see their mothers and fathers, as well as Zavala teachers, at the podium, questioning the candidates. Neighborhood Walks, held to identify areas of concern in the neighborhood, demonstrate to the children that the opinions of their families are of importance to the school. Our students are learning from concrete examples the benefits and rewards of identifying issues and working within the framework of democracy to find solutions. The value of interpersonal skills and the need to be well-informed in an increasingly complex and diverse society has been demonstrated to our students in the context of the real world - their own community.
The internalization of character development becomes obvious when our children are asked to interact with the larger society outside this community. During a recent trip to Austin, the First Lady, Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton, spoke to our fifth graders after a speech at U.T. The students shook her hand and asked questions about world peace and neighborhood safety. They demonstrated a similar ease at a recent National Library Conference, La Reforma, which was held in Austin. Our students were asked to be part of the award ceremony for the winners of a children's literature award. Several individual students walked to the dais, shook hands with the winners and posed for pictures. Because they have seen their parents in similar positions, as well as having reporters and TV cameramen in our school interviewing teachers and students, they are able to relate confidently with the world outside their own community.
In addition to the many "real life" community activities, the Zavala curriculum also provides opportunities to develop responsible citizenship. Recycling is practiced diligently, and the students are in charge of the day-to-day operation. Last year, a student task force was formed to improve the expected behavior in the cafeteria. Like many other skills, responsible citizenship is best learned in context with concrete examples, rather than solely in the classroom.
How are students with disabilities, limited English proficient students, and at-risk students provided a challenging curriculum?
Zavala is now entering the fourth year of a total inclusion program for students with disabilities, both those identified as special education students and Section 504 students. Students with disabilities, including Learning Disabled, Mentally Retarded, Emotionally Disturbed and Other Health Impaired, receive l00% of their instruction in the general education environment with support from special education personnel. All students are using materials and receiving instruction at grade level. Modifications and different strategies are utilized within the general education classroom but the students remain with the larger group and do not receive remedial curriculum. Support, within the classroom, comes from the special education teacher, the special education teaching assistants, and the general education teacher. Students with disabilities are not designated as such within the class and assistance is offered to all students in the room. Visitors to our inclusion program have commented that they are unable to identify the students with disabilities when observing them in the classes.
There is at least one certified bilingual teacher at every grade level at Zavala. In pre-k through kindergarten, there is constant interaction with other classes at the individual level. Subject matter instruction in the bilingual classes is, at first, entirely in Spanish, with more subjects taught in English as the students progress. A conscious effort is made to integrate both English and Spanish language use with all curricular content, rather than teaching language in isolation. Literacy is developed in the primary language and English as a Second Language (ESL) is provided at all levels. Early reading instruction is entirely in the first language with English reading added at the second grade. Beginning in third grade, bilingual and ESL students are mixed with other students. These classes are taught by a certified bilingual teacher although much of the instruction is in English.
A school-wide reading program through our library and computer lab has greatly enhanced the education of all of our students, including the students with disabilities and limited English proficient (LEP) students. Students receive reading instruction on grade level in their classrooms, but the library program is utilized to foster independent reading. All students are required to read at least l00 pages a week and pass computer-generated comprehension tests. Students receive lists at their instructional level. Students with disabilities have responded favorably to this system; reading levels have improved by up to 2 years in one school year. Of equal importance is the effect on self-esteem. Removing pull-out programs has effectively removed issues of stigma attached to special needs children. The expectation level for these students has increased and with it their progress. During the l994-95 school year the top reader in the entire school was a fourth-grade boy who was labeled Learning Disabled. During Reading Rally Day (C2) he was honored by leading the parade, riding in a convertible. No one viewed him as a student with disabilities; he was looked upon as the child who read the most pages during the year. Limited English proficient students take these same tests and read books in Spanish at their independent levels.
Zavala is designated a Title I school but rather than utilize funds for pull-out remedial programs, smaller class size in the primary grades has been implemented. Speech services are also provided in the general education classrooms, addressing language needs in context rather than in a lab situation. Teachers believe that all students, given support and appropriate instruction, can take advantage of the challenging curriculum offered at Zavala.
What special opportunities do you provide for advanced study or enrichment for unusually talented or motivated students?
Zavala adheres to the philosophy that all students should be provided enriching opportunities. Activities are incorporated to enhance the regular curriculum, whenever possible. In 1995, a second-grade class collaborated with the Austin Lyric Opera Company to create, score, and perform an original opera, The Gold Coin. Teacher Debo Puryear said, "I was looking for a project which would allow my students to use their creativity in a real-life situation."
The Zavala Young Scientists (ZYS) program is the culminating educational experience for Zavala students. Over the past 4 years, the classes have been composed of an average of 60% female, 40% male, 90% Hispanic, and 10% African-American students. Eighty percent of these students have participated in the free and reduced lunch program.
The ZYS curriculum is project-based with a heavy emphasis on reading. Students do research on various topics from science and social studies, using the research format specified by the Kealing Math and Science Magnet School. Students are also required to set up and perform their own experiments in all areas of elementary science: life, earth, and physical science. The math curriculum is delivered solely as it applies to these projects.
Reading is taught through class sets of novels for fiction reading, the social studies and science texts for non-fiction reading and extensive use of research material on topics within the social studies and science curriculum. Also required is an additional 120 pages per week of reading from books the students choose in their areas of interest and reading levels. Writing develops naturally in the context of topics in which the students take an interest. Many styles and purposes for writing are expected of each student. Writing projects are kept in a portfolio, which includes video tapes of formal presentations to the class.
Students take field trips each year, including out-of-town camping experiences. Annual visits to the Natural Science Museum of Houston, the Fine Arts Museum in San Antonio and the Huntington Art Gallery on the campus of U.T. enhance the ZYS program. ZYS gives back to the school through the Science Buddy Program. Each year one class is targeted to team up with the ZYS. As partners with the sixth graders, younger students learn what it means to hypothesize and take an active role in experiments.
What requirements must be satisfied before a student is promoted to the next grade or level of schooling?
Research shows that children who have been retained have a higher drop-out rate and lower self-esteem; therefore, Zavala implements a non-retention policy. The school exercises a proactive approach to learning to ensure that all students are ready for grade-level promotions. Through reading programs for infants and preschoolers (A5), we help parents be effective "first teachers" for their children long before the children actually begin attending Zavala. We begin using the Open Court reading program with our kindergarten children to prepare them for first-grade reading requirements. Children who are having difficulty with Open Court are candidates for Reading Recovery (B3a), and all first graders participate in a 3-week extended-year summer program to ensure greater content mastery. Many second and third graders receive additional reading and writing tutoring in the HOSTS (B3a) program. Older students receive additional help from tutors and mentors, and all students are eligible to participate in the Zavala Alumni Club (ZAC) tutoring program each afternoon. Our library's summer reading program allows third through sixth-grade students opportunities to improve their reading skills.
Students are challenged to excel through participation in museum study trips (B1e), Believe In Me (B1e), the Big Six problem-solving process, and independent research projects (B3c). Students with disabilities are challenged beyond minimum standards by inclusion in general education classrooms.
Participation in the sixth grade ZYS class (A6) challenges students in program content and through the application process for acceptance into ZYS. Interested fifth graders submit applications to be considered for the program, and their parents submit letters of support for their children's qualifications. Students' letters, test scores, attendance, attitude, and academic achievement are taken into consideration by a committee of staff and parents who evaluate the unidentified applicants through a point system. This extensive application prepares these students for the application process to the District's middle school Science Magnet Program.
Library reading programs require students in third through sixth grades to read at their independent reading levels, which challenges the best readers and allows less-accomplished readers opportunities for improvement. Good readers are able to practice at levels above their actual grade assignments, and children who are reading below grade level are passed to the next reading level when ready.
We believe our students need to recognize that the completion of elementary school is one of many steps toward eventual graduation from high school and college. At the end of each year, our fifth and sixth graders receive "certificates of completion" at a special awards ceremony. The students are recognized for their hard work and success in elementary school; former Zavala students, now in honors academic programs in high school and middle school, are featured speakers.
C. Teaching and Active Learning
For two courses discussed in B1 and two skill areas discussed in B3, what teaching approaches and practices illustrate your best efforts to improve teaching and foster active learning?
a. Subject Course 1 - Language Arts
Best Practices, Behavioral and Educational Strategies for Teachers (Susan L. Fister, M. Ed., Education 1st, Salt Lake City, Utah) states "Cooperative learning has clearly been shown to improve collaborative and problem solving skills." This method is used in every classroom and allows all students to be successful by focusing on individual strengths. In one class, students in cooperative learning groups read different stories. Their task was to share their group's story with the class through an oral presentation, a written summary, and an illustration. The groups began by reading the story together, aloud. With little direction from the teacher, strong readers helped their classmates decode and comprehend. A lively discussion followed as they decided what to include in the summary. One student compiled this information while another considered how he would present the oral presentation; the third student illustrated their work. All students were successful with this joint effort on a project that, in its entirety, would have been difficult for any one of these students to accomplish alone.
4b. Subject Course 2 - Science
One of the underlying principles of the National Research Council's National Science Standards is that "Science is for all students," and "Learning science is something students do, not something that is done to them." We are working at Zavala to improve the quality of science in all classrooms and we are enthusiastic about the resources our SCIMAST (B1c) grant will bring to us. One sees evidence of science in classrooms from the non-fiction books students are reading to the activities in class. Water was something many of our students took for granted until our fourth grade classes participated in a collaborative effort with another school. Students built a scale model watershed (B1c), researched ways water is used and wasted, and tested many different types of water. This activity interested all of our children and they were eager to participate and learn more.
The culmination of the students' activity-oriented science learning is our Science Day. For the last 4 years, students have exhibited their favorite class or individual projects for the rest of the school as well as interested parents. Due to the number of projects for 1995-96, this year Science Day will encompass 2 days so that classes will have the time to present their projects and to attend scheduled presentations by other classes. This has become a true celebration of science and learning on our campus.
4c. Skill Area 1 - Reading
The Zavala initiative for reading has focused on the theory that the way to become a good reader is to read, read, read. Utilizing our library program for pre-school children and their parents (A5), we are preparing children for reading success prior to formal schooling. Once in school, the library incentive programs foster the reading habit and visitors to the school notice that the children are reading in the halls, in the cafeteria, and on the playground. Two safety patrols were recently seen standing as sentinels outside the school doors, books in hand.
This momentum to encourage the early exposure to reading and the development of the reading habit is firmly based in research as the most effective method of creating both good and life-long readers. The U.S. Department of Education booklet, What Works: Research about Teaching and Learning, states that parents are a child's first teacher and what they do to help their children learn is more important to academic success than how well-off the family is. The study goes on to state that parental involvement helps children learn more effectively and that the best way for parents to help their children become better readers is to read to them. At Zavala, the pursuit of the influential parental component in the education of children is now reaping dividends as our incoming children are better prepared.
The reading curriculum at Zavala is anchored by a strong phonetic component in the primary grades (Open Court) and the use of independent reading of library books as children progress through the intermediate grades. The same study by the Department of Education quoted research by Allington, Anderson, Becker and Gersten to emphasize the importance of phonics to help children understand the relationship between letters and sounds and to "break the code" that links the words they hear with the words they see in print. It also states that children improve their reading ability by reading a lot. Reading achievement is directly related to the amount of reading children do in school and outside. Zavala's reading program is firmly grounded in current research and the success certainly confirms the findings.
4d. Skill Area 2 - Writing
Journal Writing at Zavala begins with pre-k; children are encouraged early to express their ideas in written form by composing stories, dictating, and making picture stories. Research (Applebee, Graves, and Hilcocks as quoted in the Department of Education booklet, What Works: Research about Teaching and Learning), states that children who are encouraged to draw and scribble "stories" at an early age will later learn to compose more easily, more effectively, and with greater confidence.
By first grade, the Zavala students are being exposed to different modes and have opportunities to practice narrative, descriptive, and how-to writing. By third grade, they are learning persuasive and compare and contrast writing. The success of this teaching is dependent on the strong collaborative effort practiced by all of the Zavala teachers. Writing skills are taught school-wide, with teachers following a writing calendar. Because writing skills are so valued by our school, a collegial effort has gone into the teaching of writing. Knowledge of the current research on the power of collaborative teaching has led many grade level teams to team teach, plan together, and prepare together for writing activities. The book, Tools for Collaborative Teaching, by Anita DeBoer and Susan Fister has proven to be a great help in demonstrating to teachers the best ways to work collectively on problems.
What specific instructional strategies or practices do you employ to develop students' love of learning, motivate them to study, and manage classroom behavior?
We believe in the motivational power of excellence. Children and their families value recognition for real accomplishments, so we reserve our best rewards for prestigious action. Children who work hard to become good readers have high status in the school and community. Readers are called to the stage weekly at school-wide assemblies to receive recognition and prizes for hard work. They are honored with buttons, badges, ribbons, and t-shirts to proclaim their accomplishments. Children who consistently meet their reading goals celebrate their success at Snow Party, Malibu Grand Prix, Discovery Zone, and Celebration Station. On Reading Rally Day (our annual all-day, all-school event celebrating reading), Zavala readers are honored with pep rallies and a parade.
Success is the best motivator. Our children are motivated as they and their families see the many articles about their academic success in newspapers, national magazines, academic journals, and on television programs. Last year, our third-graders were excited to learn that a group of Delta pilots in faraway Atlanta, Georgia, had heard about their reading success and was sending $300 to pay for their trip to Pandemonium Play Land as a reward for their Out-of-This-World reading. Zavala students have seen international visitors observing in our school. They have heard First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton speak to a national audience about our reading accomplishments. Zavala students are motivated because of the status they acquire for doing something important and powerful.
How is technology used to enhance teaching and learning?
Each pre-k and kindergarten class has a Dell 486 computer, allowing our youngest students to use math, science, and pre-reading CD-ROMs daily. Our library is equipped with four new computers and is connected to Internet resources. First and second graders use Apple computers in their classrooms, and third through sixth graders have access to our IBM computer lab. The ZYS students (B6) use a Camcorder to record class presentations, and each student keeps a video portfolio of his progress. The PowerMac 8500 in their classroom is attached to a monitor which allows the students to watch the teacher or research teams as they search for information on the World Wide Web. The two computers in the classroom equipped with CD-ROM drives are used extensively for research. Another computer with IBM PC Lab software allows the class to record temperatures from two external probes and see the information plotted on the screen in real time. It has a motion sensor which can plot distance, velocity, and/or acceleration and is used when the class is performing experiments with objects in motion. The use of technology in the sixth-grade serves as a model for implementation of technology throughout the school.
What role does the school library play in supporting instruction and enabling students to become information literate?
The Zavala Library is a model of service to our community. The library is open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday-Thursday, with tutoring available for current and former students daily, and from 8:00-4:00 on Fridays. A full-time librarian, a library assistant, a full-time volunteer who has come to our school for 10 years, and many community and parent volunteers make up the team offering service to our patrons.
Our library is a resource center for the entire Zavala family. We offer services for newborn Zavala babies and preschoolers, and services for all current and former Zavala students, and their families. The Zavala Library provides a quality collection of books and audio-visual materials for checkout; our reference collection and computer resources are available for information retrieval and independent research; an array of library-sponsored reading-motivation programs are offered; and we provide storytime and literature appreciation for our preschool children. Library service to Zavala infants and preschoolers centers around our Superkids and VYS collections (A5). Parents with children in strollers are seen checking out books every day.
The library's quality collection of library materials was funded through the school budget, community organizations, from the very active Zavala Library Guild whose membership donates money annually, and from many grant funding sources. Last year, we received a grant to improve our reference collection and computer resources to meet the research needs of our current Zavala students as well as former students who are in middle school and high school. We have approximately 30 reference CD-ROMs used for research and we use Primary Search magazine index on CD-ROM. Our new modem gives us access to the local newspaper's "Smart Line" and to Internet resources.
Zavala students are taught problem-solving skills through the Big Six model. Student research projects originate in the classroom, in the form of independent study projects or class projects, and students come to the library to find the information they need. Skills needed by the students are taught by the librarian and/or teacher. Constant collaboration among teachers, librarian, and students is crucial to the success of these research projects.
The library sponsors reading-motivation programs for pre-k through sixth graders. The programs for third through sixth grade form the basis for much of the independent reading done by the students. All programs are based on strict accountability, and students are required to pass computer tests over the books they read. Students who meet the 100 page a week goal for 10 weeks are rewarded with trips to local amusement centers, hence the theme, "Zavala Readers...Kids Who Are Going Places!"
Perhaps the best way to understand the impact of library services on our school is to see what has happened to our students' reading abilities as measured by TAAS (H2). As our circulation of materials rose from 400 a week in 1991 to 1200/1500 a week in 1996, our students' reading scores rose from 45% passing TAAS reading in 1991 to 79.5% passing in 1996.
D. Learning-Centered School Context
How is your school organized to reflect differing student needs and the school's goals and priorities?
The principle goal of Zavala School is to challenge all of our students to learn at their highest potential through the involvement of the entire community. Differing student needs are not viewed as obstacles to success, but as another source for learning and understanding. Classes at Zavala are organized heterogeneously to reflect the reality of the outside world. Limited English proficient students, students with disabilities and general education students receive their instruction together.
There is at least one bilingual classroom for LEP students in every grade. Placement in these classes is determined by the Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) as mandated by state law and District policy. Procedures used to determine LEP status include a home language survey, parent interview, and language dominance testing. Students determined to be LEP are then placed in a bilingual class; those equally proficient in two languages receive ESL instruction. The LPAC closely monitors students through monthly meetings. A yearly review determines student readiness to exit the program. Although individual classes in pre-k through second grade may be composed solely of Spanish speakers, many activities are held with other classes in the grade-level team. Pre-k teachers hold Friendly Fridays where the entire class visits another class for the day to share in activities that allow students to work together. Students receive instruction from other teachers as well as parent volunteers. In the intermediate grades, bilingual classes are composed of both LEP students and English speakers. In addition, 70% of the teachers on the intermediate team are either bilingual or ESL certified.
Students with disabilities (Speech Impaired, Learning Disabled, Mentally Retarded, Emotionally Disturbed, and Other Health Impaired), and students identified under Section 504 are included in the general education classes. Formal assessment procedures, according to federal and state guidelines, are used to identify students with disabilities. The special education staff (which includes one teacher, three assistants and a speech language pathologist) serves the students with disabilities in the general education classroom by modifying and facilitating learning.
How does the climate of your school reflect its mission, foster a sense of community and respect for diversity, and provide an atmosphere that is purposeful, conducive to learning, respectful of diversity and open to change?
The mission statement of Zavala is to develop responsible citizens through inspiration, motivation, and education. Zavala recognizes that respect for culture is extremely important in fulfilling our mission. The climate of our school is set from the minute the children and parents walk through the doors in the morning The auditorium is our community center and as such, we all meet as a community for morning assembly. The tone for nurturing and respecting diversity is set through greeting each other as a group in several languages and having all school and community announcements in two languages. Morning assembly serves as the time to say the Pledge of Allegiance and sing the school song. It is also an opportunity for class presentations, cultural presentations, and recognitions of achievement. The auditorium has become important to the community because it is also a meeting place for evening presentations done by students with local artists, and other parent meetings. The students have gained valuable cultural experiences in the auditorium while learning appropriate behavior and respect for performers. The community values the auditorium so much that when proposals to renovate the school were made, we insisted the auditorium remain intact.
How does your school ensure order, safety, and develop a disciplined environment conducive to learning?
Zavala complies with the District's zero tolerance policy towards violence. Zavala has a school-wide discipline plan that is outlined in the student handbook; behavioral expectations are consistent from grade to grade and classroom to classroom. In support of the discipline plan, school money (Mustang money) is awarded for appropriate behavior and citizenship. The money is spent at the school's Mustang store for school and art supplies. Another positive reward for appropriate behavior is the Zavala Stars. All students in first through fourth grades are given a Star Badge at 3-week intervals. Students who keep their badges the entire period are recognized for their efforts during morning assembly. There is a similar plan for kindergarten students called Los Angelitos. Students in fifth and sixth grades earn Zavala Important People (ZIP) badges. For this program, students write a formal letter explaining how they exemplify appropriate behavior. Students who meet the criteria are awarded a ZIP badge and given special privileges. Martha Rogers, volunteer tutor, recently wrote to the local newspaper: "I feel hopeful about education when I go to Zavala Elementary School...The children are self-controlled and ready to learn in an atmosphere of respect for all."
By what means does the school prevent the sale, possession, and use of drugs, including alcohol and tobacco, by its students on and off school premises and convey a clear "no-use" message?
Zavala complies with the District's zero tolerance drug policy and smoke-free campus rules. For prevention of drug use, we participate in the DARE program. Police officers teach drug, alcohol and gang resistance through realistic role playing to fifth graders. Zavala has a 100% graduation rate from DARE. Recognizing that children are exposed to alcohol and drug abuse, Zavala works with the University YWCA through their Austin Women's Addiction Referral and Education (AWARE) program. An AWARE counselor receives referrals from our school counselor and our social worker and provides counseling at Zavala. She uses a curriculum called Kids Connection, which is based on resilience and coping strategies. All three counselors join forces to provide a 10-week summer camp to extend services.
In the 1996-97 school year, Zavala will begin offering Choices, a Travis County Court program that teaches children in kindergarten through fifth grades strategies to stay away from drugs. Another program is sponsored by the Austin Diagnostic Clinic and the San Antonio Spurs basketball team. Former members of the team will give motivational talks on drug prevention to our students. They will also provide tickets and transportation to a Spurs game for fifty students.
E. Professional Growth and Collaboration
What opportunities are available for teachers and other school staff to collaborate, plan together or work in teams, and develop a sense of professional community?
Teachers at Zavala do not work in isolation. Just as we have realized that the school cannot succeed without support from the community, the teachers have recognized that collegial effort is essential for effective instruction. Team meetings, by grade level, vertical teams based on thematic units, or teachers of LEP students or students with disabilities, take place weekly. Shared planning time for grade levels makes daily instructional planning possible. Planning between the special education teacher and the general education teachers is both formal, when writing an Individual Education Plan at Admission, Review and Dismissal (ARD) meetings, and informal, when planning individual lessons.
Collaboration between teachers is ongoing and continuous. In pre-k, our dual language program integrates a bilingual class with an English speaking class on a daily basis, thus enabling the children to learn two languages at an early age. In fourth grade, with the emphasis on different writing styles, the teachers rotate through the classes, each teacher concentrating on a different style. Reading Buddies and Science Buddies have been two very successful methods of allowing for collaborative planning between teachers. One kindergarten and fifth-grade class regularly celebrate historical holidays together. For example, on Washington's Birthday, they read books about the First President and made cookies from a recipe from Mount Vernon. School-wide health and science fairs are held annually and represent a vast effort of collaborative planning. As a full inclusion school, the special education teacher and support personnel spend l00% of their time in the general education classrooms.
Collaborative planning is essential because Zavala teachers and staff view all children in the building as their own. Colleagues, teaching assistants, and administrators cover classes for other teachers, allowing flexibility for planning, professional development, and proposal-writing. The preparation of the Blue Ribbon Application represents a school-wide effort of support and flexibility.
The sense of professionalism at Zavala has been fostered by the Faculty Concerns Meetings, as described in our CIP. At these sessions teachers and non-administrative staff are able to voice concerns and brainstorm solutions. Notes are kept and given to the principal, who then provides a written response. Interest in a peer coaching initiative emerged from a Faculty Concerns Meeting, a task force was formed, and teachers began observing each other to improve instructional effectiveness.
What staff development opportunities are available? How were they developed? How do they facilitate the goals of your school and the needs of participants?
Professional development opportunities at Zavala are offered at the individual, team and school-wide level, and are generated by student needs and professional motivation. During the l995-96 school year, the need for improved math reasoning skills for our students became a school-wide focus. A teacher task force was formed and a consultant brought in for a one-day workshop on site. The interactive phase was continued during September of l996 when this same consultant returned for a week and worked with a different grade level each day, actually teaching in the classrooms, with the teachers observing. A pre-planning session each morning identified individual skills the students needed which the consultant addressed during the day. A post-class session was held each afternoon in order for the teachers to debrief and solidify their understanding of the lessons presented. All classroom teachers and teaching assistants were involved. A similar professional development activity for teaching students with disabilities in the general education classrooms will be held during the l996-97 school year (made available by a state grant funded through the education service center). A consultant will be on campus to discuss and demonstrate strategies for special needs students.
Many professional development opportunities have been led by our own teachers. The Big Six (reasoning skills for problem solving) and Cooperative Learning strategies are but two examples of staff development that was brought to our campus by our colleagues after they were trained elsewhere. On-site learning activities are also taking place at the individual level with action research by teachers to provide new strategies and collegial support groups supporting both professional and personal needs.
Zavala teachers recognize the importance of interacting with experts in their respective fields and have participated in conferences and workshops world-wide. They return to Zavala and share their knowledge with the entire staff. Some individual examples are:
-Joan Smith, Reading Recovery (RR) teacher, studied RR methods in New Zealand during the summer of l994.
-Todd McDowell, sixth-grade teacher, was a participant in the Science in the Stratosphere, Kuiper Airborne Observatory at NASA, Ames Air Force Base.
-Art teacher Deborah McLouth participated in the Nature Printmaking Society's recent seminar and will travel to Japan in l997 as part of an art exchange program.
-Several teachers, parents, and administrators have received the national leadership training for Alliance Schools, sponsored by the Industrial Areas Foundation.
-Our music teacher, Dr. Dennis Siebenaler, received his Ph.D. from The University of Texas.
-Several teachers have attended language schools in Mexico and central America in order to improve their knowledge of Spanish.
-The art teacher, music teacher, special education teacher, bilingual teachers, librarian, and speech pathologist have all been sent to their respective state and/or national conferences.
The University of Texas is currently collaborating with Zavala to improve the teaching of science. This training, which began in the summer of l996, will continue through the 1996-97 school year and will focus on hands-on science activities for students in pre-k through sixth grade. This program is an offshoot of our alliance with U.T. through the ZYS Program (B6). Zavala has become a teacher training facility for U.T. Beginning with the fall of l996, a coordinator from U.T. will be on campus to supervise activities for eighteen student observers and nine student teachers
What opportunities exist for teachers to be involved in decision making?
Teachers at Zavala are empowered to participate fully in the decision-making process. Many ideas emerge from grade-level meetings. These ideas are brought before the Campus Advisory Council where they are acted upon. Teachers feel free to offer new ideas directly to the principal, knowing that the standard for approval will be whether or not it will positively affect student achievement.
Many of the significant restructuring initiatives at Zavala were teacher-generated. The Zavala Young Scientist Program, the inclusion of students with disabilities in general education classrooms, and looping (teachers following their classes from year to year) are but three of the many programs that were initiated by teachers. The teachers altered our school-wide discipline program to focus on the positive (D3). Decisions concerning day-to-day curriculum are left up to the individual teacher. Decisions about the school calendar and schedules are made prior to the beginning of the school year by a group of teachers.
In l992 when Zavala was experiencing low student achievement, poor attendance, and little community support, the teachers voted to collaborate with Austin Interfaith and become an Alliance School (G3). This interaction has brought Zavala into a larger context and has empowered the teachers as well as the community to advocate for student needs in arenas beyond the campus level.
How are beginning teachers and those new to your school supported and their skills strengthened?
Because of the low teacher turnover at Zavala in the past few years (H3), new teachers can be given the support needed to help them assimilate fully into the Zavala family. Mentors interact on a daily basis with the new staff members, arrange for classroom observations in other rooms, and conduct demonstration teaching sessions in the new teacher's room. Grade-level teams welcome the new member and share in planning and preparation. Training for usage of adopted series (math and reading) is arranged by the principal early in the year in order to fully utilize materials. Attendance by new teachers at workshops and training sessions is facilitated by the principal.
Prospective teachers are interviewed by a committee of parents, teachers and administrators. Because many of our students do not have male role models in the home, special emphasis has been placed on recruitment of male teachers. In six of eighteen classrooms (first through sixth grades) and in the music room, men are currently teaching.
Zavala has demonstrated an openness to change by participating in the Alternative Certification Program for teachers. This has enabled the school to attract people of varying backgrounds who might otherwise have been excluded by the traditional requirements. Two of our current teachers are former teaching assistants at the school, illustrating another avenue to attract the most qualified individuals to teach our student population.
What are your school's formal procedures for supervising and evaluating teachers and instructional practices?
Formal evaluation of teachers at Zavala is in accordance with the Texas Teacher Appraisal System (TTAS). Informal evaluation is ongoing with frequent "walk-throughs." The summative conference both concludes the mandated process and contributes to an evaluation technique, both unique and critical to Zavala's success. Teachers, even those judged to be exemplary, are asked to identify areas for professional growth, improving the quality of instruction and encouraging the continued professional growth of the teacher.
Zavala has earned recognition in national publications and local television and newspaper features during the past 2 years. The administrators have been quick to point out that this success is due to the united efforts of the parents, community, and the teachers. Being the subject of many positive articles on urban education and having the local television station interview teachers has contributed enormously to the high morale and feeling of "being appreciated."
In addition to the more traditional methods of showing appreciation such as Teacher of the Week, and participation in the District-wide Teacher of the Year award, the professional staff at Zavala is encouraged to further their education, receive additional training in areas of interest, attend national conferences, engage in grant writing and take part in District-level task forces. This encouragement often involves both funding and flexible schedules. Three l995-96 teachers are now serving as assistant principals at other schools, an acknowledgment of the excellent leadership found and fostered at Zavala.
F. Leadership and Organizational Vitality
What are the goals and priorities for the school and its students?
Three broad beliefs underlie the goals and priorities of Zavala School. We believe that knowledge is power, each child must be challenged to his highest potential, and education is a community effort. Our goals, derived from these beliefs, are:
-improve the reading, writing, and math achievement of all students as measured by TAAS.
-increase parental involvement as evidenced by attendance records.
Our formal process for goal-setting and reviewing takes place annually as we prepare our Campus Improvement Plan (CIP). Parents, community members, staff, teachers, and administrators prepare this document in which we state our goals and objectives and our strategies for carrying them out. We recognize the need for a formal goal-setting and reviewing process, but this is not where the real goal-setting work takes place. Goal-setting is a continual, collaborative effort taking place throughout the school and community in both informal and formal settings. CAC meetings (F3), PTA meetings, and Austin Interfaith meetings (G1) are formal settings in which parents, teachers, administrators, and community members work together. Parents continue their discussions with each other and with staff in the parent room, during Coffee Times (G2), and at House Meetings (G1). Staff members consider and reconsider goals and priorities at grade-level meetings. When Alice and Sara, former Zavala students told us they couldn't organize themselves to keep up with their assignments from all their classes, that information became part of the study skills component found in our reading, writing, and math objectives for the 1996-97 school year.
At Zavala, we listen to each other. There is complete openness to suggestions, concerns, possibilities, and criticism. According to one of our HOSTS tutors, "Goals seem to grow here. There is trial-and-error. You celebrate successes, work to correct problems, then move to the next level. There is a relentless pursuit of excellence here."
How do the principal and other school leaders motivate staff, parents, and students to accomplish the school's goals?
Since the school goals come from staff, parents, community members, and students, as well as from the administrators, motivation to meet those goals is intrinsic. We consider ourselves equal partners in goal-setting. For the past 5 years, our principal, Alejandro Miñdiz-Melton, and assistant principal, Loretta Caro, have functioned as facilitators of good ideas, not dictators of policy. Their leadership style has created a lateral process for decision-making in which everyone has a stake. Mr. Melton and Ms. Caro are consensus builders respectful of our different approaches to meeting Zavala's goals, and they are community builders who have sought advocates and extra resources to meet our goals. Our counselor, Olivia del Valle, is the third member of our leadership team. She is a strong advocate of children and supports the staff in instructional endeavors.
Our administration's high level of trust in the abilities of the students, parents, and staff of Zavala has resulted in a broad base of leadership within the school. For all of us at Zavala, our goals of student achievement and parental involvement are paramount, and when budget decisions are made or grant funding is sought, programs supporting those goals receive top priority. Improving the reading skills of our students is a major goal at Zavala, so the library consistently receives much more funding than is the District standard. Zavala's 1996 Excel Grant, an in-District grant program supporting innovative programming, was written by staff and parents to support library reading programs for the next 4 years.
How is the instructional leadership role carried out in your school?
Instructional leadership is carried out in a collegial manner, with parents, teachers, and administrators working jointly. Ideas for projects, programs, and solutions to problems come from all constituents: teacher Todd McDowell developed the ZYS program (B6); teacher Joan Smith lobbied for us to fund Reading Recovery; librarian Susan Sanders developed library reading programs; Special Education teacher Judy Enis brought the idea of inclusion to the attention of the staff and administration. Zavala parents told us they wanted the health center and after-school programs, and they continually hold us accountable for their children's academic performance. Our administrators encouraged us to consider incorporating HOSTS (B3a) and Open Court into our school. Grade-level teams and team leaders worked out the ideas for looping (A1) as a method of delivering instruction to our children. Instructional leadership is a collaborative effort.
Acting as a clearinghouse for ideas, the Campus Advisory Council (CAC), made up of representatives from the community, staff, parents, and student body, meets regularly to review campus educational plans, goals and objectives, and major classroom instructional programs. The CAC's scheduled, open meetings are held to consider issues of curriculum, budgeting, staffing patterns, staff development, and to review and revise the CIP (F1).
As collaborative as our leadership roles are, it is understood by the staff, parents, and community that our principal and assistant principal are ultimately held responsible by the District's administration for student achievement and all operations of the school. Once decisions about programming and budget have been made by all of us, through the process described above, our administrators monitor our progress toward meeting our goals and hold each of us accountable.
How is the day-to-day management role carried out in your school? To what extent and how is technology used to improve management efficiency and effectiveness?
Day-to-day management is unobtrusive, orderly, routine, and a result of much pre-planning. In preparation for the following school year, meetings are held at the end of the school year to establish a school-wide, year-long calendar of events and to plan staff development. CIP and budget, in collaboration with the CAC, are reviewed and revised. The principal ensures that all programs, resources, and materials are available to support staff and educational goals. She also promotes high expectations and fosters team-building and unites all the staff and faculty for a common vision
Currently, the use of technology in the day-to-day management of the school includes computer networking between our campus and the District's purchasing department, and the use of E-mail among campuses. The passage of the 1996 bond proposal ensures Zavala will have access to state-of-the-art computer technology within 2 years. By the end of 1998-99, all schools in AISD will be on-line through a sophisticated fiber-optics system networking all management operations and classrooms throughout the District. During the next 2 years, all staff will participate in rigorous training programs conducted on-site and at the District's Professional Development Academy to assure computer competency. Each classroom on campus will have networked computer mini-labs, a full computer laboratory will exist in the school, and the library will be fully automated. On-line access for staff will facilitate communication, and shared resources will allow budgets to be spent in more creative ways. This activation process will involve a collaborative effort by the District and the local campus. The enormity of this task is vast, but updated technology will greatly improve the efficiency of the school.
What kind of school improvement process is in operation at your school? How was the Nomination Form for the Blue Ribbon Schools Program developed and how did this initiative relate to other school improvement efforts?
School improvement initiatives at Zavala have been the result of collaborative efforts by the administrators, the teachers, the parents and the community with input from the students. A formal process based on the annual writing of the CIP (F1) offers the structure for the formation of both long-term goals and short-term initiatives. Changes have been based on student need with student achievement being the baseline by which all initiatives are judged. The vast restructuring that has taken place at Zavala during the last 5 years represents an improvement process that is the embodiment of a successful model for an urban school.
As outlined in the Summary Statement, the catalyst for change at Zavala occurred in December l991 when the parents and staff were forced to face the reality of a school that was not working. Under the guidance of new administrators, the school entered into an alliance with the community through Austin Interfaith (G2) and for the first time the parents were asked about their expectations for the school. This method of involving both internal and external stakeholders in decisions has been in place since that time and has proven to be instrumental in the formation of successful policies.
Restructuring for improvement of instruction led to inclusion of all students with disabilities in general education classes, obtaining a waiver to use a different curriculum, and the initiation of several reading programs (Reading Recovery, HOSTS, and the library reading incentive programs). The Zavala Young Scientists (B6) and the after-school classes (A3) further enriched the education of the students and represent major school improvement initiatives.
The process that led to this Blue Ribbon School application is typical of the collaborative decision-making that has become the norm at Zavala. The administrator, while making the opportunity available, left the decision to apply to the faculty and community. After several team meetings, general faculty meetings, and a meeting with a community group, the Campus Advisory Counsel voted to pursue the application. Two brainstorming sessions were held with the faculty, staff, parents, community members, students, mentors, tutors, and a representative from U.T. Ten teachers volunteered to do the actual writing with other faculty members offering to help by covering for classes, typing and editing. The application represents a true group effort, both in inception and completion, with input from both internal and external stakeholders. It has also become a mechanism for self-evaluation on the part of the school; the research that has been done will be invaluable in the formation of long-term goals for our future.
How does the school use recent educational research, national/state assessments of education, and the school's own internally developed data to formulate goals, engage in benchmarking, develop plans, and measure progress?
Through Austin Interfaith (G3), Zavala teachers have had the opportunity to dialogue with major contributors to recent educational research. Howard Gardner spoke to teachers about the seven intelligences that help identify children?s diverse learning styles. Theodore Sizer spoke to parents and teachers at a Houston conference about curriculum and methodology. Recently, Dr. Roger Soder, Associate Director of the Center for Educational Renewal at the University of Washington, confirmed our belief that the classroom should be an extension of a democratic society in which children are taught to be responsible citizens.
Zavala also incorporates extracurricular activities into our educational assessments. In the 1994-95 and 1995-96 academic years, Texas A&M University conducted a survey on the effects of after-school classes on Zavala students' assessment scores. Results indicated that children who attended after-school classes had increased achievement. The study also showed an increase in these results when students attended more than one class. Project Zero, developed by Tom Hatch of Harvard University, emphasizes the need for students to be responsible for creating a finished product; this requirement has been integrated into the after-school classes.
We constantly seek new research to determine what will work at Zavala and to modify our curriculum (B2c). Reading Recovery (B3a) and HOSTS (B3a) in the primary grades, along with the reading software (B3a) in the intermediate grades, help identify the children that might have trouble in reading and in other subject areas. Data collected from these sources allows teachers to set goals and plan lessons appropriate for all students in the classroom and maintain high student expectations. TAAS results continue to be our most immediate measure of students' success. Dr. Shirley Crook assisted in pointing out "bubble" children who need close supervision to reach academic success. As a result, we continue to monitor student progress closely to support their level of progress.
As you look back over the last five years, what conditions and /or changes have contributed most to the overall success of your school?
The alliance with Austin Interfaith has offered parents and teachers the opportunity to embrace the culture of change and become a community of learners by building relationships, providing training, leveraging money and resources and enhancing the political space needed to create the kind of school community that values children.
The vision of our principal and the leadership style of the administrative team were instrumental in the accomplishment of our goals thus far. The team approach taken by the administrators fostered a sense of professionalism, mutual respect, faith in abilities and a "can do" attitude. The administrative team has brought out the very best in us while allowing us to grow. Teachers feel comfortable bringing new instructional ideas to the team and trust that they will be supported in their efforts. Parents are advocates for their children and share their talents with the community at large. Their voices are a real force in the community. The students feel supported by both parents and teachers. They are recognized for their academic achievements and are proud to see themselves in the media. This leadership style has given everyone a sense of ownership in the community and has brought down the barriers to success.
A deliberate effort was made to form a partnership with businesses in the community. We have formed partnerships and developed collaborative projects with over fifty area businesses, service organizations, churches, Austin Housing Authority, the National Science Foundation, The University of Texas, Texas Education Agency, the Office of the Attorney General, the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, Texas A&M University, and over 100 public schools throughout the state in the Texas Alliance Schools network (G3). Their contributions have allowed us to enhance and enrich our instructional practices to maximize student learning. These monies have helped pay for instructional material, field trips and after-school enrichment, and they will further facilitate our continuance of current and new practices.
What do you consider the major educational challenges your school must face over the next five years?
Zavala's foremost challenge for the next 5 years is to continue to improve the quality of instruction for our students. The l996-97 school year will see the expansion of our outstanding sixth-grade science curriculum, fostered by our alliance with U.T., to all of our students. Our library programs designed to reach the youngest members of our community (A5), and the Zavala Alumni and Transition Team of the Youth Charter (G2) with the middle schools, will be expanded. Increased technology will be a reality as the result of our future renovations and District initiatives. Continued professional development will be necessary to accommodate the changing academic needs of our students. The problems inherent in poverty persist in the neighborhood but several projected community initiatives, including the Youth Charter (G2) and the Neighborhood Conferencing Committee (A7), will begin to address neighborhood concerns.
Many of the programs that contributed to Zavala's vitality are the direct result of the funding that has been obtained from grants and community alliances. A major challenge to the continuation of excellence will be the ability to procure funding sources in the future.
G. Schools, Family, and Community Partnerships
How are families, including parents with disabilities, parents with limited English proficiency, parents of students with disabilities, and parents of limited English proficient students, encouraged to be involved with their children's education?
Parents, teachers, and students all contribute to the decision-making process at Zavala. This was not always the case. In 1991, parent participation was dismally low. According to former PTA president T.A. Vasquez, "We didn't even bother to document who came to the meetings. Hardly anyone came." Today, parents attending to various matters of school business add to the bustle of the busy hallways. Nine parents assist with the after-school program. Parents comprise 50% of the Campus Advisory Council and the Health Steering Committee and 30% of families are represented at a typical PTA meeting. Parents participate in interviewing committees, ask government officials where they stand on pertinent community issues at Accountability Sessions (B4), and regularly voice their opinions to members of the city council, the school board, and the state budget committee.
The staff encourages mothers and fathers to observe their children's classes. As one first-grade teacher pointed out, "Parents who want to drop in, whether it's to have lunch with their child or to observe the class, know they don't need an appointment." Because of this openness, parents become familiar with the methods used to educate their children and with resources they can use to enhance their children's education. Seventy parents are currently checking out books, in English and in Spanish, from the Zavala library. Parents further enable themselves to take part in their children's education by taking advantage of various workshops, and ESL and citizenship classes that are offered at the school.
The staff makes efforts to keep Zavala's doors open for everyone. Anytime an interpreter for the hearing impaired or services for the visually impaired are needed the staff can use the many state agencies located in Austin to quickly fill those needs. When renovations to Zavala are completed in 1999 (A1), the school will be fully accessible for people with physical disabilities.
Monthly newsletters, printed in Spanish and English, inform parents about what is happening at school. Individual teachers communicate with the parents of their students through frequent letters and homework folders. To ensure that communication is two-way, teachers also visit the homes of students in their class. Teams of Zavala parents and staff and Austin Interfaith volunteers solicit families' opinions on major issues. House meetings are another forum available for communication. House meetings are called by parents to discuss topics that affect the neighborhood. The results of the meetings are passed on to Zavala staff. Finally, special measures have been taken to ensure that all parents can attend conferences at school (G2).
While teachers and office staff consistently emphasize the need for volunteers, our strongest tool in the area of recruitment is the example of the many parents who already help in many ways. Parents volunteer in the classrooms reading with children and at special events. The help of sixty parent volunteers made our recent Reading is Cool celebration a huge success. In addition to helping with routine tasks in the parent/teacher workroom, parents actively participate in academic areas such as reading with the children, in the art program by building the ofrenda (B1e), and by sewing story quilts in the after-school art club.
Finally, the best indication of how involved Zavala parents are with the education of their children is the fact that the parents ARE Zavala. Three parents are employed at Zavala as teaching assistants, three work in the office, two work in our cafeteria, and one is the coordinator of the after-school program. Six teachers and our former principal also send their own children to Zavala.
How does the school support the needs of families?
Members of the Zavala community work to ensure families have access to community services, physical and mental health programs, and adult education opportunities.
Zavala played a vital role in the acquisition of a grant, given to only three cities in the nation, from Public Private Ventures to design the Community Change for Youth Development, also known as the Youth Charter. This venture centers around five core concepts: 1) adult involvement with youth; 2) after-school enrichment; 3) youth involvement in decision making; 4) summer youth employment; and 5) smoothing youth transitions between schools. This partnership has allowed Zavala to provide for various family needs.
Through the partnership between AISD and AHHSD (A2), the counselor, social worker and the nurse make between 20 and 50 referrals per month. Referrals include, but are not limited to, the securing of basic needs (e.g., food, clothing, housing), doctors, nutritionists, and mental health counselors. Parents are always encouraged to intervene early when a speech or other developmental delay is noted with their pre-school age children. The Youth Charter has also implemented a Community Support Team (CST) to provide a comprehensive agency referral system. Another beneficial relationship is with Manos de Cristo, which offers a tooth-decay prevention program in which volunteer dentists apply dental sealants.
Once a month, the counselor and social worker host Coffee Time in their office. During this hour parents can socialize and hear a guest speaker. At past Coffee Times, parents have expressed their desires to have certain services, such as English classes, GED training, and parenting offered at the school. Zavala staff has ensured that all three of these programs are now available on campus.
To assist parents some middle school PTA meetings are held at Zavala and a bus is provided for meetings held at the middle school. Buses are also provided for rallies, school board meetings, and other events that impact the community.
What opportunities does your school provide for meaningful collaboration with other educational institutions, businesses and other community groups?
A valuable link has been forged with U.T. The University's decision to use Zavala as a major location for the training of student teachers (E2) exemplifies the strength of the connection. The University provides professional development in areas such as bilingual and science education. Our connection to U.T. has also added a rich dimension to our students' lives. The children visit the U.T. campus for cultural events, pair up with U.T. Hispanic Business Association students for campus tours and career awareness, and participate in the Longhorn Schoolbus (B1e). The University is also an invaluable resource for ZYS (A5). The Longhorn Band and cheerleaders participate on Reading Rally Day (C2) and the Neighborhood Longhorns provide academic incentives. In addition, 50% of our HOSTS (B3a) and ZAC (B7) volunteers are U.T. staff or students.
Through the Austin Adopt-a-School Program Zavala has formed partnerships with fifty businesses. Adopters provide services and materials such as funding for RIF, student incentives for reading, and tutors for the HOSTS program.
Zavala collaborates with many community groups. The most valuable collaboration has been with Austin Interfaith, a local affiliate of the Texas Industrial Areas Foundation. This organization is devoted to helping community families gain the power to improve their lives. Following their Iron Rule, "Never do for others, what they can do for themselves." Interfaith builds alliances among communities, churches and schools for the purpose of training alliance members to organize and address issues of concern. Zavala was the first Alliance School in Austin.
Through the Youth Charter (G2), the school works with the Austin Child Guidance Center (ACGC) and Strategic Intervention for High Risk Youth (SIHRY). Austin's Pan American Recreation Center, located next to the school, provides facilities and support staff that enable Zavala to provide physical education and science classes, which are not available through the standard District curriculum, to pre-k children. Several instructors in the after-school program (A3) also utilize the Center's facilities.
Zavala incorporates many outside educational resources into the school's programs and curriculum. The children take study trips in and around the city to events and locations. The third grade attends the Austin Ballet's yearly performance of The Nutcracker Suite and visits the Elisabet Ney Museum to culminate a unit of study on sculpture. The second and fourth graders visit the Laguna Gloria Art Museum. Fourth through sixth graders participate each year in the Believe in Me (B1e) dance program. The Austin Children's Museum and The Austin Nature Center are also frequent destinations. Zavala has yearly visits from the Austin Jazz Workshop, Austin Symphony Orchestra, and the Austin Lyric Opera. The after-school program utilizes the resources of Austin Community Gardens, Austin Ballet, and the Dougherty Arts Center in its classes.
Families attend community events recognizing Zavala student artists. One example is Toma Mi Corazón, an auction raising funds for La Peña, a local arts advocacy organization. Parents often purchase the hearts created by their own students. Summer opportunities include the U.T. Science Camp for ZYS students, Sunshine Camp sponsored by The Young Men's Business League, AWARE (D4), and the Austin Public Library Summer Reading Program.
What formal procedures does your school have for assessing and reporting student achievement? What relative emphasis is given to various forms of assessment in determining individual student achievement and school performance?
Zavala teachers analyze test results from District and state required standardized tests to determine student deficiencies and areas of instruction that need additional reinforcement. Scores for individual objectives on standardized tests are examined in order to pinpoint needs for future professional development activities. The alignment of curriculum objectives, teaching strategies, and measurable outcomes is significant in the success of our school. Teacher effectiveness is directly linked to student achievement and the entire school staff contributes to that success. At the District and state levels, TAAS scores are used to evaluate and recognize schools. Therefore, this test has also become the benchmark on our individual campus.
Current standard methods of assessment by grade-level are:
-Picture Vocabulary Test (Distric-wide),
-on-going performance-based assessment (journals and portfolios).
-Kinder: On-going performance-based assessment (oral exams, portfolios).
-1st: Primary Assessment of Language Arts and Math (District-wide), Observation summary of Early Literacy Achievement (Reading Recovery placement), Ekwall Individual Reading Inventory .
-2nd: Ekwall Individual Reading Inventory (placement in HOSTS tutoring program).
-3rd: Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (math, reading), Iowa Test of Basic Skills, Ekwall Individual Reading Inventory (placement in HOSTS tutoring program).
-4th: Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (math, reading, writing).
-5th: Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (math, reading), Iowa Test of Basic Skills.
-6th: Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (math, reading).
Other assessment methods: Students with disabilities and/or LEP are assessed by means of portfolios. The Brigance Comprehensive Inventory of Basic Skills is also administered to students with disabilities, annually. Limited English proficient students are identified with Pre-IPT tests and the IDEA Oral Language Proficiency Test. Computer software (EBS) is used to assess reading comprehension for third through sixth graders. Sixth graders videotape oral presentations which are preserved in a "video portfolio." In preparation for the TAAS exam, second through fifth graders are assessed with a commercially produced practice test every 9 weeks.
Provide results from standardized and performance-based assessments at the National or State levels for the grade levels tested in each of the past five years.
The Texas Assessment of Academic Skills is a criterion-referenced test which measures academic skills including higher order thinking skills and problem-solving ability. The TAAS is published annually. All students were tested at grade-level in grades three, four, five, and six. TAAS scores are reported in percent passing in comparison to the District and State. Scores for specific objectives within the main tests (e.g., word meaning and summarization under Reading, measurement concepts and estimation under Math) are available upon request, but were not included in this report because of space limitations.
