Castle Heights Elementary is dealing with an unprecedented situation that many schools usually don’t face. And it is a very good situation.

Last spring when the students at the school were tested the overall average of math scores in the school was 62 percent. When testing was done on students at the beginning of this school year the average was 60 percent.

“We were very excited because there was very little regression over the summer break,” explained Wendy Fluckey, the schools Principal. “Second grade actually scored 70 percent proficient. That was also the group with some of the highest reading scores as well.”

While many people don’t realize it, reading is the basis for most other subjects, including math.

Fluckey went on to say that during one of the Professional Learning Community meetings with the teachers in October they were trying to decide why the scores were so high and then it dawned on them that last year the
school had piloted a special phonics/reading program in the first grade. It appears that led directly to higher scores as the students came into the second grade.

“It’s that explicit and intensive phonics program that made the difference,” she said. “The second grade teachers said they have noticed a big difference with their kids this year in terms of their skills and what
they are able to do.”

She said that all the kindergarten, first and second grade teachers went to the training for the program this year and they started teaching it from the beginning of this school year.

“I have received nothing but positive from the teachers using it,” she said. “It is very systematic and explicit and they like that. The kids are really picking up on it and doing well with it. I can’t wait to see what
our scores will look like next year after all three grades have been using the program. With that achieved, we can then really start working on comprehension skills in the third grade rather than continuing to do more
phonics training. It is the basis for a really great foundation.”

She said for students that presently have gaps in their reading skills in the second, third and fourth grades the school has a research based intervention to help them that is called Read Naturally. Aides have been
trained on the program, which is explicit and effective.

“We don’t have any data on it yet, but I have had teachers come to me and say ‘The kids are getting it, it is working,’” said Fluckey. “Some of the students are out of their intervention group and back where they need to be.”

Fluckey said that the new programs are fun for the kids and they involve multimedia presentations that help the students to learn. They are using all kinds of learning devices from white boards to tiles to learn phonics.

She said that the staff is trying to maximize their instructional time for the seven hours they have the students each day. They also need to maximize their teaching time, by using programs and processes that are proven to work.

“There is a lot of learning going on. Students are engaged,” she stated.
Parents at the school are also engaged, which also helps a great deal.

“We had well over a 95 percent attendance from parents who came to parent teacher conferences,” she stated. “Many of the teachers had 100 percent.”

Activities at the school this past fall have been a lot of fun for students and have also been productive for the school community as well.

Fluckey said that for Halloween this year they held their celebration during the last part of the school day instead of after school as had been done in years past.

“There are transportation issues that get in the way for many students who want to be there and we decided that would allow all students to attend,” she stated.

The food drive at the school was also very successful this year. The food was gathered for a few weeks before Thanksgiving and then that week it was picked up in conjunction with the Southeastern Utah Department of Health. It was taken to the food pantry in Green River because the pantry there was in dire need of help. The PTA and the schools student government ran the drive.

Veterans Day activities included having the students write a letter to Mr. Bate, who is the schools adopted veteran.

The letters were then posted on the walls in the gym by the PTA so everyone could see them.