News & Updates
JP Associates is continually undertaking new initiatives with school organizations, attending conferences, and further establishing ourselves as the leaders in the field of school improvement. Below, please find our latest news and check back frequently for more up-to-the-minute information.
Big Congratulations to Lakeside Lower Elementary's Principal Tim Watkins - Lake Village, AR School Principal Honored by Delta State University
02.21.2012 - We are thrilled to share the news of Principal Tim Watkins' recent honor from the College of Education at Delta State University - he was recently bestowed the title of Outstanding Alumnus during homecoming festivities.
Even better, Dr. Watkins was presented with a plaque and a gift during the annual alumni luncheon at Delta State by one of his former professors, Dr. Joe Garrison. Dr. Watkins has known Dr. Garrison since August of 1979. Said Dr. Watkins, "He was my advisor in the education program at Delta State University when I enrolled as a freshman." And later, Dr. Garrison served as the chair for Dr. Watkins' dissertation committee.
Dr. Watkins has continued to stay connected to Delta State University since his days as a freshman in 1979. He received his undergraduate degree from DSU and then in 2008, his graduate degree, which included his Doctorate of Education. He also serves as an adjunct professor for the College of Education, teaching graduate students in the master, specialist and doctorate programs.
When asked how he felt about receiving the Outstanding Alumnus award, Dr. Watkins said he was delighted. "I could hardly believe it when I received the notice in the mail. It was an unexpected surprise and it made me feel blessed and thankful."
Dr. Watkins and his school, Lakeside Lower Elementary have been partners with JP for years, and he feels JP's professional development played a large part in his success as an educator and award recipient. "Professional development has allowed me to grow as an educator in both acquiring knowledge and applying knowledge in a school setting." Furthermore, he credits much of the professional development he received from JP as having a positive impact on the achievement level of students in his school and the instructional expertise of his teachers. He has been the principal of Lakeside Lower Elementary for eighteen years.
Lakeside Lower Elementary has been working with JP's Veronica Stevens for several years. Veronica says the Lakeside staff are always welcoming and supportive. "The people are very friendly and willing to do whatever it takes to make children successful." She feels Dr. Watkins is the epitome of an inspirational administrator, and she appreciates the fact he knows his staff and students so well. "Many times," says Veronica, "Dr. Watkins knows the students who are having difficulty and is already working with the Reading Coach and classroom teacher to plan an intervention to help the student be successful before I get there for my regular visit."
This article was taken from the February 21st issue of our RSN Newsletter. You can view the issue by clicking here.
The Plain Talk About Reading Institute is Coming Soon!
April 30 - May 2, 2012
Join JP in beautiful New Orleans for the 2012 Plain Talk About Reading Institute! This year, JP will be presenting Problem Solving in a Culture of Change and Supporting Students with Autism in the Regular Classroom: Elements for Literacy.
Join Doug Blancero and Omar Tabb as they present Problem Solving in a Culture of Change. This interactive breakout session will show participants how to use problem solving models that will also serve as team building and coherency building strategies that can be implemented immediately upon return to their schools.
Janie Feinberg, David Whiting and Natalie Beach will present Supporting Students with Autism, which will familiarize attendees with the core elements of a current, successful model for preparing and supporting regular classroom teachers who currently struggle to meet the needs of mainstreamed students on the Autism Spectrum.
Appling County Elementary School Achieves Silver Award - Baxley, GA School Earns "Greatest Gains" on State CRCT
02.07.2012 - Boy, are we proud of Appling County Elementary School - they just won the coveted Silver Award from the Governor's Office of Student Achievement for "Greatest Gains" on state assessments under the Single Statewide Accountability System. Now that is something to celebrate!
The Governor's Office of Student Achievement in Georgia awards schools that show excellence and/or progress in student performance. The award means Appling County Elementary was able to meet AYP for two consecutive years, 25% of their students exceeded the state testing standards and they were in the 96% of greatest gains.
Appling County Elementary has worked with JP and SIS Maggie Boozer for the past ten years. Maggie says the award is well-deserved and no surprise to her considering how hard the leaders of the school work.
According to Maggie, Appling County has always been on top of their game. Since joining forces with JP Associates back in 2002, they have consistently managed to stay a bit ahead of the learning curve. Says Maggie, "We've taught them to develop specific plans to address needs based on what data reveals, and they have always made efforts to follow what research indicated was needed."
Appling County's Superintendent, Scarlett Copeland, and Special Education Director, Darlene Schieber, have been extremely receptive to JP and understand and believe in the importance of ongoing professional development. Appling County continues to call and rely on JP's ongoing training, guidance and support. The district feels JP's Professional Development Services provides realistic training to the teachers at Appling County Elementary, and according to school leaders, this has been a major factor in their continued gains on high stakes testing.
Appling Special Education Teacher and JP Teacher of the Year for 2011, Elaine Black, is grateful to have JP's guidance and support. "JP has taught me how to teach reading!" And beyond reading, Ms. Black says JP encouraged Appling to use the program in other areas, as well, and they have met with success for teachers and students. "I am a better teacher because of JP," claims Ms. Black. She remembers years earlier feeling frustrated that her students could not read, no matter how many programs she tried to use. The frustration soon gave way to joy once she became trained by JP, and "the reading ability of my students improved greatly in just one year. It was the most amazing thing to watch. My kids loved it and I did, too!"
The folks at Appling County Elementary hold a special place in Maggie's heart. "I love many things about Appling County. I have always loved South Georgia, and these folks are for real South Georgians. They are all so welcoming and open to new learning!" Due to the low teacher turnover many of the teachers have remained the same over the years, and Maggie says she feels like she is at home when she is on their site. She counts the teachers and leaders there as some of her dearest friends.
To learn more about the Professional Development Workshops JP offers, click here You will find full descriptions of all the workshops JP has developed. Take advantage of these wonderful professional development opportunities!
This article was taken from the February 7th issue of our RSN Newsletter. You can view the issue by clicking here.
Noble Elementary Scores Big on Iowa Test Series - Best Scores in Ashely County, AR
01.24.2012 - The proof is in the pudding, as they say, and Noble Elementary has proven to be exceptional based on student scores on the Iowa Test Series. Of the participating schools in Ashley County, Noble had the best overall score at 73. The score means Noble students performed at the same level as the top 27 percent of students in the nation.
A JP partner for eight years, Noble is reaping the benefits of their commitment to increasing student achievement by selecting a research-based curriculum (Direct Instruction) and maintaining the fidelity of the program for many years. Noble Elementary has ensured a high level of proficiency for their students by continuing to utilize ongoing Responsive Coaching™ support with JP Associates.
Noble Elementary is in the Hamburg School District in Southeast Arkansas. The district has utilized the Direct Instruction Model with JP for over fifteen years. No elementary school in the Hamburg School District is currently in any state or national school improvement status. Marilyn Chambers, Special Program Director/District Curriculum, credits perseverance and cooperation with JP Associates in improving the literacy skills of all students. Says Ms. Chambers, "Based on mastery of fluency, rate, accuracy, comprehension and reading skills, students in Hamburg Schools have benefited from this very structured, sequential program which differentiates instruction based on individual needs."
Noble Elementary Principal Tracy Streeter echoes Ms. Chambers' feelings, and likens their success to a "three legged stool." Says Principal Streeter, "We must first have a credible curriculum and program. Next, we must have people that can push the curriculum/program. Then, we must bring all of this together with support to make it work and that is what JP offers us - without the third leg, it would not work. The coaching and support they provide is the difference maker."
Specifically, Noble Elementary staff have used The Five Big Ideas of Effective Reading Instruction (click here to view this workshop - scroll to the Responsive Coaching™ Domain) along with the Common Core Standards. Furthermore, the school has utilized teams as an active component of their system. Members of the team closely monitor "at-risk" students and provide supportive supervision to the staff to ensure success of these students. "JP Associates has worked with us for eight years and has helped us embrace the challenges within our district," said Principal Streeter.
Ms. Chambers credits the work of JP not only in Noble, but in the entire Hamburg School District as being most beneficial to the staff in aiding their teams with developing capacity for teaching reading, spelling and language skills. "The regularly scheduled coaching sessions by skilled educators have provided research-based reading strategies and have helped principals hold the teachers accountable for every student's learning," claims Ms. Chambers.
Success is recognized and positive reinforcement is given to students and staff at all Hamburg Schools. Recognition is given individually as well as in groups/classes. Says JP School Improvement Specialist Kim Burgess, "The atmosphere and positive school culture makes Noble very enjoyable to visit." Kim has worked with the team at Noble for eight years.
To learn more about the Responsive Coaching™ Workshops JP offers, click here and then scroll to the Responsive Coaching™ Domain on the Workshops/Seminars page. You will find full descriptions of all the workshops JP has developed. Take advantage of these wonderful coaching and professional development opportunities!
This article was taken from the January 24th issue of our RSN Newsletter. You can view the issue by clicking here.
Meet Julie Burke, One of JP's CCS Experts - Learn Why Julie is So Passionate About the Common Core Standards
01.12.2012 - With over twenty years of experience in leading school reform, Julie Burke was a natural choice to help develop JP's Common Core Standards Workshops. And thanks to the team's fervent dedication, JP is able to offer a series of Professional Development Workshops to help school systems ensure they have a clear understanding of the CCS and also have confidence in aligning their current curricula to the CCS.
When asked about her thoughts on the CCS, Julie said, "I believe the Common Core Standards have the potential to ensure that all of our children, no matter where they grow up, will be prepared for success in college and the global workforce. But that potential will only be realized through careful implementation."
In developing the CCS Workshops for JP, Julie thought about the many questions and concerns educators and parents would have on how they would be affected by the CCS, and what the impact on students would be.
"I think classroom teachers are the most important group in moving the Common Core Standards from mere words to actual improvements in learning," explains Julie. She feels it isn't enough to simply distribute the new standards to teachers with the expectation of positive, meaningful change. "We need to provide educators with targeted professional development that helps them understand the new standards, plan lessons and deliver instruction that are are aligned to them." The next step, according to Julie, is evaluating learning on an ongoing basis to determine how well students are mastering the standards and to provide additional support to the students who need it.
JP's series of Common Core Standards Workshops address every aspect of what schools will face when implementing the Standards. There is an introductory session for participants to work alongside JP School Improvement Specialists as they model the process of analyzing and rating how schools current curriculum aligns with the CCS. From here, participants are taken through the process of implementing the Standards on their own, complete with a take-home rubric for future analysis. Four workshops in all, every detail of implementing the standards into current school systems is addressed in JP's CCS Workshops.
You can learn more about these workshops by clicking here. Simply scroll to the Curriculum Domain at the bottom of the Workshops/Seminars page to view full descriptions of these stimulating professional development opportunities.
This article was taken from the January 10th issue of our RSN Newsletter. To view past newsletters or to sign up to receive future issues, go to the Newsletter Archive page by clicking here and then click the button at the bottom of the page, "Sign up for our newsletter."
Department of Education Awards $200 Million to Seven States to Advance K-12 Reform
12.23.2011 - The U.S. Department of Education announced today that seven states -Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania- will each receive a share of the $200 million in Race to the Top Round 3 (RTT3) fund to advance targeted K-12 reforms aimed at improving student achievement. Click here to read the original article.
A Big JP Welcome to David Whiting!
It is with great pleasure that JP introduces the newest member of our team, Mr. David Whiting of Williamsburg, Virginia!
David comes to JP with over forty years of experience in education. A graduate of Northeastern University's Cooperative Education Program, he has worked a variety of positions, including elementary teacher, tutor, remedial reading teacher, school district integrator, coach, scoutmaster and nearly every job in educational publishing.
A fan of JP for nearly fifteen years, David brings his love of education and his love of working with autism to JP and JP partners. He is greatly looking forward to expanding JP's influence in autism support for schools throughout the country. "There will soon be at least a million children with autism in our public schools, yet there is no increase in the number of teachers who know the techniques which will improve the opportunities for these kids. We need to help these educators with practical, research-based instructional techniques." For the past year, David has been working with Putnam County Schools in Tennessee to translate their internal program for teaching children with autism into a training and coaching program for universal use.
Currently, David is focusing on JP's ideas, Improving the Development and Education of Autistic Students, a program that addresses the ever-increasing need to provide solutions to schools and teachers related to autism, providing them with classroom-proven, evidence-based assistance to improve instructional practices.
David and his wife Sally are the proud grandparents of 15 grandchildren, ranging in age from one to eleven. They currently make their home in Williamsburg, Virginia where they enjoy the warmer side of winters and the joy of each season. They love how the area provides a variety of places for their children and grandchildren to see and experience.
To learn more about David, please visit the Our Team page on the JP website by here: Our Team. JP is thrilled to have his experience and enthusiasm on our journey as we share our knowledge and reach as many educators as we possibly can. Welcome, David!
