As with any initiative or improvement change, there are peaks and valleys during implementation. Through the continued focus of the leadership team in Martinsville City Public Schools, we are successful with implementation of the Effective Schools correlates teams to focus on school improvement. However, it is important to note that our immediate challenge is to sustain full state accreditation and meet federal Adequate Yearly Progress in all schools. All of our schools became fully accredited last year. Our high school remains accredited with approximately 75 % of the graduating class being accepted in either two or four year colleges. We have a division wide rate of 62% free and reduced meals, which shows a high level of poverty and the research is abundant on the challenges for students from poverty. Additionally, we have as many students in our gifted classes as we have in programs for children with disabilities. Improving our schools through the effective schools correlates helps us address the needs of our student population. The Harvest Foundation funding provides much of our professional development in attaining our goals and objectives. We will use The Harvest Foundation focus group interviews and walk-through information as we plan for next year. As we move forward, the funds provided by The Harvest Foundation will be most helpful.

Who We Are:

Mission:
Martinsville City Public Schools provides exemplary programs that embrace the diversity of our students.  Our programs establish high standards and expectations for learning, measure student performance, provide accountability to the public, and promote a culture of lifelong learning.

Our division goals are to:

• meet or exceed the state passing rate of 77% in Reading and 75% in Math for each subgroup as required by Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), or decrease the number of students not meeting AYP by 10% with the ultimate goal of 100% pass rate in each subgroup.
• increase the percentage of minority students who will obtain an advanced diploma by 20% for the year 2007-2008.
• increase the percentage of minority students who will participate in advanced classes by 20% for the year 2007-2008.
• develop and implement plans to actively engage parents in their child’s learning.
• reduce the number of student discipline referrals to the office by 20% as compared to 2006-2007 baseline data.

Our schools are led by dedicated school board members, administrators, teachers, and support staff. The Martinsville City Council and community support our schools. Partners include:

• The Harvest Foundation
• Virginia Museum of Natural History
• Piedmont Arts
• New College Institute and Patrick Henry Community College and Universities such as UVA, Longwood, VA Tech, Radford, Averett
• Boys and Girls Club, Head Start, Success By Six, Smart Beginnings, Piedmont Community Services
• National Math and Science Initiative for Advanced Placement (AP) classes
    

We invite surrounding school divisions to join us in professional development sessions, keynote presentations, developing teacher licensing programs, and offering classes. Instructional consultants work with our teachers and administrators as needed, through the funding provided by The Harvest Foundation and other means.

What We Do:

Learning is the heart and soul of what we do. Our schools are learning centers for students and adults alike. All schools are fully accredited and met most of the federal Adequate Yearly Progress requirements base on 2006-2007 student achievement results. Additionally, more students are enrolled in advanced classes at the middle and high school. Students are encouraged to take rigorous classes. In 2008-2009, Martinsville High School will provide students with many more opportunities to take Advanced Placement (AP) classes.

The improvement in the overall learning environment for our division is attributed in part to the adults in our division continually striving to improve the art and science of teaching by:

• establishing Effective School Correlates Teams in each building
• promoting shared leadership and teacher capacity (i.e. Ruby Payne trainers, Effective School Correlate Team leaders)
• including administrators and teachers on division Instructional Council, Division Leadership Team, Grading and Reporting Committees, Writing Committee, Literacy Committee, Formative Assessment Team, etc.)
• continuing to collect monthly data and share results and plans of action at monthly DLT meetings
• analyzing data for improved student learning
• continuing monthly Division Leadership Team (DLT) meetings
• focusing on student learning
• involving correlate teams in School Improvement planning
• providing professional development sessions on Effective Schools
• attending the annual Effective Schools Conference

The Harvest Foundation grant funds are used to support professional development and adult learning as described above.

Our Hopes for the Future:

Our vision: Martinsville City Public Schools is a place where learning has no limits and academic excellence is measured one child at a time. Martinsville City Public Schools is on a journey towards academic excellence and the ultimate goal of all children learning at high levels. As we move along this journey, we create a legacy of excellence. The journey to create the organization where all children learn at high levels is in itself a learning experience for all of us. Education is impacted by the limits of fiscal resources, time and belief, but learning has no limits. Organizations, such as, Martinsville City Public Schools, who understand the concepts of unlimited opportunity are the ones who seize the day. This is what makes Martinsville City Public Schools one of the best.

In our pursuit for continuous improvement, we face many challenges, but behind each challenge is an opportunity. We are fortunate in Martinsville to have a community that supports public education and a school board and staff that are committed to the highest levels of professionalism and excellence for all children.