Small Wonders

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The Harvest Is Here - Talladega, AL
Janet Cumbee
Talladega Public Schools

For those of us in the South, this summer has been a stressful one.  Not only are we battling temperatures well over 100 but also a drought. Signs along the road remind us to conserve water and notify us as to what drought stage we are experiencing.  There are days of hope for an isolated rain shower and we have received a few.  However, the concern for the situation is constant and the hope for rain is ever present.

This situation also reminds me of what we experience each year with AYP (annual yearly performance).  Sometimes it feels like a drought and that relief will never come.  We work hard and hope for the best and wait and wait for the results.  Just as we are waiting for that slow and steady rain that will provide some relief, we are waiting for slow and steady increases that will yield long-term changes in student achievement. 

In Talladega County, we are now seeing slow and steady increases in scores.  For the last two years not only have our district reading scores improved but we have also surpassed the benchmark goals set by our state for reading.  One or more of the four schools involved with Cornerstone surpassed the district average for each of the grades tested, 3rd-6th.  Additionally, the feeder school for Stemley Road Elementary (Cornerstone participating school) has been on the school improvement list in some capacity for eight or more years.  This year the school has cleared after meeting the AYP goals for two consecutive years.  The reading scores for the 7th and 8th graders (former Stemley students) in this school were the highest in the district.  This school was restructured two years ago and at that time several of the faculty members participated in a four-day Comprehension Strategy Institute (CSI) conducted by teachers trained in the literacy practices advocated by Cornerstone.  These 7th and 8th grade students have been a part of the work since the beginning.  Although the test results in the beginning of our work were not as great as we expected, we are now reaping the results of that slow and steady focus. 

Unlike drought conditions where you cannot “do anything” (unless you believe in the rain dance) to improve the situation, Talladega joined in a seven-year colleagueship with Cornerstone and has learned much about ourselves, our instruction, and our students.  We learned from Cornerstone and Cornerstone learned from us; we were indeed a community of learners.  And now the drought has come to an end and we are experiencing in Talladega the seasonal rains and resulting harvests in student achievement.   Obviously, we realize that there may be lack of rain in our future, but we also recognize what can be done to overcome it……….on behalf of our students and their dreams.

A Learning Community - Muscogee County, GA

Principal Sheila Brock is always looking for ways to extend the learning community at Downtown Elementary School.  She urged everyone in the school to create a classroom web page….to share with others near and far. 

Teachers Andrea Walker and Susan Wilheit share a classroom.  They created their classroom web page, but since they are also Cornerstone coaches, they developed a Cornerstone page as well.  “We have tried to include on the web site things that we thought would be helpful to our faculty,” said Susan.  “We have added new things each year as we have branched out.  This year we added the 6 +1 Trait site and the Inquiry Science Gallery, to get ourselves ready for the Winter Conference.  We keep it updated with things that the faculty will use.”

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