Class of 2015

St. John the Beloved School

Annual Report 2014 - 2015

St. John the Beloved School • 905 Milltown Rd. • Wilmington, DE 19808

www.saintjohnthebelovedschool.org

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, COMMUNITY, SERVICE, WORSHIP!

“Lead me, Lord.”

MIDDLE STATES

Accredited

NCEA Member

AMLE MEMBER

Class of 2015

Our Mission

MISSION STATEMENT

The MISSION of St. John the Beloved School is to teach and model the Gospel of Jesus Christ, foster

academic excellence, and encourage service to others.

BELIEF STATEMENTS

1. We believe that Reverence, Respect and Responsibility are the foundations of our Catholic School.

2. We believe that the whole child will be developed spiritually, intellectually, physically and socially.

3. We believe that the academic and Catholic religious formation of our students is a shared

responsibility among the home, the school and the parish.

4. We believe that the diverse academic needs of students are met in a rich learning environment with a

challenging curriculum and dedicated teachers.

Class of 2015

Page 1

November, 2015

Dear Staff, Students, Families & Friends of Saint John the Beloved School,

Catholic education is a great benefit for us. Our parish and staff are able to

hand down what is most important to us, the evangelization of the

Gospel. Our students and graduates are privileged to be handed to them this

discipline in the discipleship of Jesus Christ. Our families and friends make

sacrifices to enable this to occur and, most often, reap the goodness in the

world around them.

As a product of Catholic Education, I cherish what I received from those who

loved me and most often are reminded, in my daily routine, of the

fundamentals that I was taught. More than the solid basics, Catholic

Education establishes a spiritual fabric that is essential for the diversity of

life.

Rooted in Jesus, Catholic Education seeks to be holistic and promote

holiness. The efforts that are spent for this purpose are never wasted. As we

celebrate our sixtieth anniversary as a parish this year, may the continued

blessings of our parochial school enhance the world.

God Bless You!

Rev. Joseph J. Piekarski

Pastor

Class of 2015

St. John the Beloved School Serving 4 year old Early Childhood through 8

th Grade

905 Milltown Rd. • Wilmington, DE 19808 • 302-998-5525 A Catholic school in the Franciscan Tradition. www.saintjohnthebelovedschool.org

Yours in St. Francis,

Richard D. Hart

Principal

Page 2

Dear Friends,

“Lead me, Lord” was the theme for our 2014 – 2015 school year.

Keeping this phrase in mind, I am happy to present to you our Annual

Report.

Our Mission Statement - “The mission of St. John the Beloved

School is to teach and model the Gospel of Jesus Christ, foster academic

excellence, and encourage service to others” – is alive and well. It is visible

on a daily basis in the interactions of faculty, staff, parents, and students and

is the driving force that holds our school together. Each and every one must

be committed so that it is not only lived out between school families but

impacts the larger community. In short, we have strived to become what we

are today.

Our school has a rigorous academic program as evidenced by our

yearly TerraNova results for grades two through eight and the number of

scholarships attained by the class of 2015. The gospel is lived out in our

religion classes and our worshipping together as a community. Our service

to the larger community is quite visible through our participation in

Neighbors to Nicaragua and our sister school, John Paul, II. The

outstanding efforts of our Student Council and student body enable

countless agencies to benefit from our fundraising activities.

Our mission is not just made possible by the committed people

inside the building. Our school families, as witnessed by our Home and

School Association, our Enrichment Association as well as the parish at

large support us financially. This allows us to move forward to instruct the

next generation in the faith and prepare them for academic success and a life

of service to others.

Class of 2015

CATHOLIC IDENTITY

Celebrated monthly liturgies

Prepared second grade for First

Communion

Celebrated First Reconciliation &

Communion for second grade

Spotlighted a student choir and band

for liturgies

Participated in the Faculty Retreat

Day

Created a retreat experience for our

sixth, seventh, and eighth grades

Instructed Kindergarten in prayer

assisted by their eighth grade buddies

Recited the Rosary in October and

May as a school community

Participated in the Stations of the Cross

during Lent

Eighth grade performed Living Stations

School community honored Mary by

participating in a traditional May

Crowning

Students participated in a monthly service

project that benefited various

Organizations

Franciscan Award at eighth grade

graduation

Peacemaker awards awarded each

trimester to those who model our

Franciscan Values

Continued support to our sister school with

Neighbors to Nicaragua

Participated in Diocesan Pilgrimage

Initiated school wide service requirements

CURRICULUM

Middle States Reaccredited

Adopted the new Terranova testing

program – 2nd

to 8th grade

Emphasis placed on Step Up to

Writing Program school wide

Expanded Spanish Program

Instituted an in-depth memorization

program for multiplication in grades

three through five

New Wonders reading program K-6

All updated Curriculum has online

component

My Math program grades 2-5

Wonders Reading 6th grade

New Spanish Books 8th grade

Vocabulary Workbooks grade 3

1:1 Chromebooks 6th & 7

th grades

Chrome Book Carts grades 3-5

Additional iPads for primary grades

FACILITY ENHANCEMENTS

New sidedwalk between buildings

Parking lot resurfaced and relined

Updated school roof

Replaced Ceiling tiles

MAINTENANCE

Stripped and waxed all floors

Area Carpets Cleaned

Windows Cleaned

Asbestos Inspections

Detailing of Student bathrooms

Highlights Accomplishments 2014 - 2015

Page 3

Class of 2015

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Raised $5,000.00 for various charities

including Multiple Sclerosis Society,

Lymphoma Society, SJB Food Closet

Easter Baskets for Ministry of Caring

Honored our Veterans on Veterans

Day with a special celebration

Raised money for John Paul II school

in Nicaragua

SJBAC (Students Joining the Battle

Against Cancer) raised $10,000.00

Memorial donations made to recently

deceased members of our school

family

Raised over $52,000.00 during the

Bi-Annual Bid-A-Mania.

STUDENT ACTIVITIES, ATHLETICS

EXTENDED CARE & SUMMER

SCHOOL

Hosted Art Fairs in January and April

Received first and/or second place by

several athletic teams in all sports

Fourth grade hosted Career Week

Annual Christmas concert K – 3rd

with school Choir and Drama Dept.

Middle School trips for Character

Education/Leadership & Team-

Building

Bricks for Kidz

Expanded Band Program

Soccer Shots

ASSEMBLIES

Honors Awards and Breakfast of

Champions

Slim Good Body

Pep Rally

JMT Productions of Christmas,

Easter and First Penance

Mad Science

TECHNOLOGY

Lap Tops for Grade 8

IPADS – ECP through 2nd

grade

Upgraded technology curriculum

Math Skills tutor program

Expanded Teacher Web-pages and

Week in Review Bulletin Board

School Reach Broadcast System

Web-based curriculum for Math,

Science, Social Studies, Reading &

Vocabulary

Smart Boards in all classrooms

ACHIEVEMENTS & RECOGNITIONS

Received acceptances of all Graduates

into a High School of their choice

Fourteen students received twenty-

one scholarships to various High

Schools

Acknowledged Mary Ann Thompson

and Marie Malatesta with 30 years

service each.

Fifteen 8th grade students received

U.S. President’s Award for

Educational Excellence

Celebrated Sr. JoAnn McPolin’s 50th

Jubilee

HOME & SCHOOL ASSOCIATION/

EDUCATION COMMITTEE

Finances the following after school

programs: Italian Club, Young

Rembrandts, Mad Science, Math

Leagues, Science Olympiads, Bricks

for Kidz, It’s Academic, Jr. and Sr.

Chess Club

Coordinates Recess Volunteers

Breakfast with Santa and Santa’s

Secret Workshop

Wacky Walk-A-Thon

Grade Level Socials

Family Night Bingo

Multiple Business Take-Overs

Tuition Assistance

PARENT PARTNERSHIP

Donuts and Dads; Muffins and Moms

Special Persons Week

Coffee and Conversation with the

Principal

Curriculum/TerraNova Night with

Dr. Louis DeAngelo

Page 4

Class of 2015

Our History Celebrating over 50 years of Catholic Education

In 1953, after two years of searching for a desirable site, his Excellency Bishop E. J. Fitzmaurice and

Monsignor John J. Lynch decided to purchase a nine acre farm on Milltown Road, which included a nine room

house. Boundaries for the proposed parish were loosely drawn up and some 500 families began congregating at

the armory on Kirkwood Highway for Sunday service. Bishop Fitzmaurice appointed Rev. John J. Sheehy, the

founding pastor of the parish, to select a new name for the community, to organize a building program and to

establish various parish committees. During this time, a contract for the design of the school was confirmed.

Construction began in the summer of 1956 and in August 1957, seven Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia

moved into their new home and began preparations for students to enter their new school. On September 4, 1957,

Sister M. Eutropia, the grade school principal, along with four sisters and four lay teachers, opened the doors to

approximately 500 students. The school at this time was a nine classroom structure.

With time and the expansion of surrounding suburbia, St. John the Beloved’s much heralded school became

increasingly crowded. Enrollment increased from 500 in 1957 to 940 in 1963, requiring the scheduling of split

academic sessions, under the principalship of Sister Edward Augustine, OSF. To meet the demands of this

growth a new junior school was built and on September 6, 1964, it opened to provide much needed classroom

space.

In its first 15 years of growth, St. John’s experienced many clergy changes; the second and third pastors

respectively were the Rev. Alex Gorski and the Rev. Monsignor John H. Dewson, and the third principal was

Sister M. Synesia, OSF. Later, in 1971, Sister M. Rita Thomas, OSF, assumed the principalship of the school and

introduced updated teaching methods in reading and mathematics. In 1974, the new church was built. The

fulfillment of a promise made to the parishioners since 1955 was realized on December 21, 1976 with the

dedication of the church. Shortly afterwards, in the spring of 1978 the Rev. Daniel W. Gerres became St. John’s

fifth pastor and in the fall, Sister Patricia Hutchison, OSF, assumed principalship of the school.

Page 5

Class of 2015

The school’s population continued to increase and once again in 1983, the need was recognized to enlarge the

school. With the help of Rev. Gerres and Sister Hutchison, and the aid of the parish council, plans to renovate the

existing junior and senior school were developed. Under these plans, an extension was to be built in the vacant

areas between the two schools thus joining the educational buildings. The extension would house a new

library/media center, two small reading centers, a religious education center, the principal’s office and

multi-purpose office. The previous library would now become the much needed computer center. At the same

time, other facilities were remodeled and/or relocated. The new building was approved by both the Parish Council

and Bishop Mardaga. Construction began in the winter of 1983 and was completed by the fall of 1984 when

Sister Ursula Tisdall, OSF, assumed principalship of the junior and senior schools.

In 1985, the school’s Long Range Planning Committee was established to promote development of the school.

The goal of the committee was to provide for the future needs of the school in such areas as: budgeting,

maintenance, funding, public relations and development. In 1986, the Christian Formation committee was

established. The task of this committee was to promote and review educational policies and programs that

support total Catholic education. Another milestone was reached in 1987-88 with the completion of the Middle

States process for school certification. Both faculty and administration made this process a reality.

In the fall of 1987, the Rev. John Kavanaugh became our parish’s sixth pastor. In September 1988, Sister

Elizabeth Doyle, OSF assumed principalship of the junior and senior schools. In January 1989, the school was

granted full accreditation. A Development Committee was also formed in 1989 to meet the long-range

educational needs of St. John the Beloved so that the parish could continue to provide quality spiritual and

educational enrichment that would not be cost prohibitive for its parishioners.

Mrs. Joanne Capodanno became the principal in 1994. The 1998-99 school year brought more changes to the

school. The Eagles Club, an after-school extended day program, opened its doors in September 1998. The

process for the Middle States Certification was undertaken in the fall of 1998 and reaccreditation was given in the

spring of 1999. The computer lab was upgraded with new computers and a technology committee was formed.

The building was also wired to provide access to the Internet.

Rev. Charles Brown III was installed as the seventh pastor of St. John the Beloved Parish in the fall of 2005. Mr.

Richard Hart assumed principalship in 2008. St. John the Beloved School received its reaccreditation from the

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools during the 2008-09 school year.

2010 brought the expansion of our school with the addition of a separate building to house our new Early

Childhood and Kindergarten Programs. This also provided space for our new Art, Faculty, and Multi-purpose

meeting rooms. The Nurse’s Room, Music Classroom and the Teachers’ Work Room have also been renovated.

On January 30, 2010, Fr. Charlie Brown was bestowed with the Papal Honor of Chaplain to His Holiness and

became Monsignor Charles L. Brown III, V.F.

June 2012 found St. John the Beloved in a pastoral transition. Msgr. Charles Brown retired after 41 years of

service. He served 6 of those years here at St. John the Beloved. The Computer Lab was completely renovated –

including all computers and servers.

In June 2012, Reverend William Cocco was installed as eighth pastor of St. John the Beloved.

2013 brought 2 new priests to our parish, Fr. Etim and Fr. Brian Lewis.

The Rectory office moved to the Vianney house in 2014 and Fr. William Cocco was transferred to St. Edmond’s

Catholic Church in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware at the end of the school year. We welcomed Fr. Joseph Piekarski

as pastor at St. John the Beloved Parish in July of 2015.

Page 6

Class of 2015

Programs & Services Living our Mission Beyond the Classroom

Extended Care – The Eagle’s Club

During the academic year St. John the Beloved’s The Eagles Club Extended Care Program is designed to meet the

needs of school families by offering after school care until 6:00 p.m. The program offers a nurturing environment

where children can be safely supervised while completing their homework, eating nutritious snacks, and enjoying

age-appropriate games and activities.

Athletics • Choir • Student Council • Band

All our children have the opportunity to participate in a variety of sports programs through CYM (Catholic Youth

Ministry): girl’s volleyball, basketball, cheerleading, soccer, softball, track and cross country; boy’s football,

basketball, soccer, wrestling, cross country, track, and baseball. This year several teams placed either first or

second in their division. Athletics had a great year! St. John the Beloved also offers instrumental band and a

student Choir. Student Council is made up of students from all grades under the supervision of mentors Mrs.

Sharon Magee, Mr. Matt Myers, Mrs. Dawn Hartley, and Mrs. Diwanna Walus. They host several events

including Open Houses, Middle States visits, and the school Spirit Assembly. The Student Council prepares and

presents our daily televised morning announcements. They raised over $14,000.00 for various charities this year.

Kitchen and Lunch Service

St. John the Beloved School offers lunch service to our families. On a daily basis, students have the option of

purchasing nutritious complete meals at lunch. The menu changes monthly and families can view the menu a

month in advance. The school also participates in the Federal Milk program.

Page 7

High School Musical

Student Council Officers

Alumni receive St. Francis de Sales Award Winners

Feast Of St. Francis

Class of 2015

TECHNOLOGY The administration, faculty, staff, parents and students of St. John the Beloved School value the use of technology to enhance the education of our students.

This year, both 6th and 7th grade students have their own 1:1 Chromebooks to be used in classes, and at home. Thanks to the financial support of our Enrichment Committee, and Bid-A-Mania, we have a cart of 30 Chromebooks to be shared among the fourth and fifth grade classrooms. We also have a cart of 15 Chromebooks to be shared between the third grade classrooms. These will soon be set up and ready to go.

Now that students in grades 3-5 will be working with Chromebooks, they, too, needed Google Apps for Education accounts (GAFE). The 3rd and 4th graders do not have email, but they will soon be learning to use the other components of this package of collaborative tools for schools.

The Enrichment Committee also funded the purchase of additional iPads to be used in the PreK through 2nd grade classrooms, bringing the total in each room up to three. These will be used in centers, as tools for remediation or challenge, and to help personalize learning for our students.

With all these “connected” devices, we needed to upgrade our WiFi again! During the summer, new enterprise edition access points were installed throughout the school, allowing our students to connect more quickly and easily.

All of this requires a lot of training - for teachers and students! The administration of St. John the Beloved School recognizes that the #1 reason technology integration fails in schools is lack of professional development for teachers. To that end, five teachers were sent to Boston to attend a Chromebook Workshop for 3 days over the summer. They are sharing that knowledge with other teachers, and many teachers are learning through the self-paced, online Google Apps training courses.

Our school has also been selected for a one year trial of five new EdTech apps. We will use these, some with the Chromebooks, and others with iPads, for the year, and provide feedback to the developers.

As a leader in technology integration in the area, we will be hosting a Google Chromebook and GAFE conference here at SJB in the spring. Presenters and attendees will be invited from Catholic, private and public schools in the area. By sharing what we know, we can all become better able to meet the needs of all our students.

Page 8

Class of 2015

TECHNOLOGY

Page 9

Class of 2015

Graduates

Instruments of Peace Class of 2015 St. John the Beloved School sent off fifty-seven

graduates of the Class of 2015. Our graduates

apply to and attend a variety of Catholic & Public

High Schools throughout Wilmington. All of our

graduates achieved entrance into a high school of

their choice and have truly emerged to exceed all

expectations, 51 or 89%, of our graduates are

attending Catholic school while 6, or 11%, are

attending public or charter high schools.

Thirteen of our graduates achieved a total of 22

High School scholarships.

Fifteen of our graduates received the

Presidential Award for Educational Excellence.

Number of

Graduates

Catholic High Schools

20 Salesianum School

15 St. Mark’s High School

9 Padua Academy

5 St. Elizabeth High School

2 Archmere Academy

Number of Graduates Public /Charter High Schools

2 Delaware Military Academy

1 Delaware Design Labs

1 Charter School of Wilmington

1 Cab Calloway

1 Tatnall School Number of

Scholarship

Winners

Scholarship/High School

1 Archmere Academy

5

1

Padua Academy &

Service & Leadership

5 Salesianum

4 St. Elizabeth High School

5 St. Mark’s High School

1 Tatnall (Full)

Page 10

Class of 2015

GRADUATE PROFILE Graduates exhibit a strong foundation in the Catholic faith that is based on a deepening relationship

with Jesus.

Graduates practice the values of Reverence, Respect and Responsibility to inform choices

in their lives and continue to model Franciscan values in order to lead a moral life.

Graduates continue to be sensitive to others in need and to participate in service-related

opportunities locally and globally.

Graduates recognize the privilege and value of their education; they utilize their skills to lead

and to collaborate with others.

Graduates continue to participate in the supportive and caring community at St. John the Beloved

in order to grow and to benefit from its strength.

Graduates become examples of Christian leaders who are confident and who have the courage

to “think out of the box”.

School Administration

August 31, 2015

Page 11

SJB Alumni at St. Elizabeth High

SJB Alumni at Salesianum

SJB Alumni at Padua Academy

SJB Alumni at St. Mark’s High

Class of 2015

St. John the Beloved School maintains a system of internal controls over financial reporting to provide

reasonable assurance that assets are safeguarded and transactions are executed in accordance with the

Diocesan policy.

Rev. William T. Cocco Richard D. Hart

Pastor, St. John the Beloved Principal, St. John the Beloved School

Page 12

Administration

6%

Operation of

Facility

6%

Fixed Charges

20%

Student

Services

8%

Capital

Expenses

1%

Personnel/

Instruction

59%

Expenses

Revenues

St. John the Beloved School

Financial Statements

Class of 2015

St. John the Beloved School

Financial Statements

Page 13

Class of 2015

August 30, 2015

General Information

St. John the Beloved School is a private non-profit elementary catholic school providing Pre-school through eighth grade

elementary education. In addition to providing an elementary education, St. John the Beloved also provides an Extended

Care program and collaborates with catholic youth organization and various organizations for seasonal athletic events and

sponsors various fundraising events. St. John the Beloved School is affiliated with St. John the Beloved Parish and operates

under the control of the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington. St. John the Beloved School is accredited from the Middle States

Association of Schools and Colleges.

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Fund Classification

The financial statements have been prepared using a single set of self-balancing accounts. Funds collected under restriction

are segregated from those funds with no restrictions. The fiscal year begins on July 1st and ends June 30.

School Equipment & Improvements

School equipment and property improvements are stated at cost.

Reclassifications

Certain reclassifications were made to conform to the Diocesan Financial Guidelines in preparing the 2010 financial

statements. Accordingly, report classifications may vary with those in the annual School Financial Report submitted to the

diocese.

School Equipment and Improvements

School Equipment and property improvements are stated at cost:

2015 2014 School Equipment $ 26,728 $ 38,265

Technology 30.667 96,084 Property Improvements 61,331 51,574

Total $ 118,726 $ 185,923

Statement of changes in the Restricted Fund Balance

Donor

Donation

Restricted for:

Balance

at

June 2014

Restricted

Donations

collected

Released

from

Restriction

Balance

at

June 2015

Development Fund

Academic

Improvement

$ 282,769

$ 7,910

$ 0

$ 290,679

TOTAL

$ 282,769

$ 7,910

$ 0

$290.679

St. John the Beloved Development Annual Fund

The Annual Fund was established in 1989 with the idea of raising approximately one million dollars to be kept in an

endowment fund. The goal of the fund is to sustain and improve the school. The funds are raised through the generosity of

parents, parishioners, and alumni. Most of the funds were raised from annual Phone-a-thons. The fund is an interest-bearing

one that will not decrease in value, is tax deductible and is administered by the school and parish only. We are happy to

report that at the completion of our 2014-15 Campaign, 205 pledges were received with a total collection of $ 3,440.00.

Company matching gifts were a part of this total. Thank you to everyone who participated. May God bless you for your

generous spirit!

Page 14

St. John the Beloved School

Financial Statements

Class of 2015

Page 15

Class of 2015

Partners in our Mission

Bid-A-Mania – Friday, February 28, 2015

The Home and School Association along with the Education Committee hosted our 4th Bid-A-Mania. This event

was a fun-filled evening for adults with raffled baskets for the students. There were many silent and live auctions,

from a variety of generous donors, which raised over $52,000.00! Thank you to all for your generous

participation. A job well done!

Menu for Success You’re invited! Coffee Conversations with the Principal are scheduled twice per year. This is an open forum to

discuss issues that will further the education and well being of our students.

Honor Assemblies

The Breakfast of Champions and the Honors Luncheon are celebrated at the conclusion of the first and second

trimesters.

Family Time

Muffins & Moms, Donuts & Dads, and Special Persons Week is an ideal time for students to spend time with

their loved ones.

Visit our website at www.saintjohnthebelovedschool.org to access our calendar and newsletters or please call us

at 302-998-5525 ext. 200 for more information.

Page 16

Class of 2015

Home & School Association/

Education Committee St. John the Beloved’s Home and School Association & Education Committee

The goals of Saint John the Beloved’s Home and School Association and Education Committee are the following:

to support the Catholic education of all children of SJB

to promote shared educational responsibilities of parents and teachers

to organize the varied talents of parishioners and others in the community

to contribute to the school financially as appropriate.

The 2014 - 2015 Home and School Board The 2014 – 2015 Education Committee

members are: consists of:

Fr. William Cocco, Pastor Fr. William Cocco, Pastor

Mr. Richard Hart, Principal Mr. Richard Hart, Principal

Diwanna Walus – Faculty Advisor Jennifer Sheridan, President

Debbie Portale, President Susan Guariano, Vice-President

Annemary Kluska, Treasurer Paula Jaco - Treasurer

Michele Kane, Secretary Michele Honaker, Secretary

One Home Room Representative

from each class

Both Boards oversee various activities each year and raise funds to support these activities. These activities

include: Coordination of Recess Duty Volunteers, Various Faculty Appreciation Activities, New Family and

Kindergarten Picnic, Spirit Wear, Student Themed Contests, Muffins and Moms, Donuts and Dads, Spirit Rally,

8th Grade versus Faculty Volleyball Game, Breakfast of Champions, Breakfast with Santa, Santa's Secret

Workshop, Chess Club, Science Olympiad, Math League, Bricks for Kidz, Cooking’s Cool, Summer Bridge

Workbooks, 8th Grade May Procession Flowers, Summer Reading Books,Co-Sponsor of The Wild and Wacky

Walk-a-Thon, After School Programs, Bid-a-Mania and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Walk.

Page 17

Class of 2015

S J B

Page 18

Band at the Blue Rocks

Halloween

Christmas

Polar Express

Sr. JoAnn’s Jubilee

ART

Blessing of the Pets

Class of 2015

Page 19

Dream It…Believe It…Achieve It… Veteran’s Day Mass

The Bat Mobile

Boys Cross Country

Chess

Fr. Lewis

Band at the B&N Book Fair

Fellowship Farm

Class of 2015

Students Achieving Excellence

All students in grades two through eight participate in yearly Terra Nova testing. These tests are nationally-

normed achievement tests that measure progress in Math, Language Arts, Science and Social Studies.

Additionally, all children complete In View tests for cognitive skills. Students in grades four and seven also

complete a writing assessment. Our students consistently meet or exceed all national standards. The

Superintendent of schools holds sessions with parents and faculty members to explain our yearly score averages

to families.

Assessment drives instruction.

Standardized Tests

snapshot of skills

Classroom Assessments

portfolio of skills

One-time feedback

Multiple choice

Standard questions

Specific time limit

Objective

No self assessment

Measures prior knowledge

Continuous feedback

Multiple formats

Choice of questions

Flexible time limits

Objective/subjective

Self-assessment

Measures application and transfer

There are two types of Standardized Tests: Aptitude and Achievement. Aptitude tests are designed to predict a

student’s potential acquisition of knowledge/skills by using InView. Achievement tests measures a student’s

current acquired knowledge/skills in one or more content areas using TerraNova.

Achievement tests that are standard format, questions, instructions and time allotment are Standardized Tests.

Standardized Tests are used for needs assessment, curriculum analysis, instructional program planning, program

evaluation and class grouping.

Page 20

CLASS OF 2015

Class of 2015

National Percentile Scale

National Norm – 50th

percentile

1 5 1 0 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 95 99 average range

These test results were compiled from March 2013. (+/- shows points above national average for SJB students.)

GRADE READ

CMPS.

LANG.

CMPS.

MATH

CMPS.

SCIENCE SOCIAL

STUDIES

SPELLING TOTAL

SCORE

2ND SCORED

ANTICIPATED

DIOCESE

77 (+27)

70

76

80 (+30)

67

76 (+26)

72

76

69 (+19)

65

68 (+18)

69

74 (+24)

65

78 (+28)

72

3RD SCORED

ANTICIPATED

DIOCESE

84 (+34)

88

77

87 (+37)

84

81 (+31)

80

77

89 (+39)

78

82 (+32)

81

71 (+21)

72

85 (+35)

86

** 4TH SCORED

ANTICIPATED

DIOCESE

82 (+32)

79

76

91 (+41)

85

84 (+34)

78

75

87 (+37)

79

87 (+37)

80

74 (+24)

72

87 (+37)

86

5TH SCORED

ANTICIPATED

DIOCESE

79 (+29)

80

76

81 (+31)

80

83 (+33)

81

80

76 (+26)

77

80 (+30)

79

73 (+23)

72

87 (+37)

85

6TH SCORED

ANTICIPATED

DIOCESE

84 (+34)

81

82

88 (+38)

84

81 (+31)

79

78

78 (+28)

79

90 (+40)

78

76 (+26)

70

87 (+37)

86

**7TH SCORED

ANTICIPATED

DIOCESE

82 (+32)

82

80

90 (+40)

84

83 (+33)

79

83

78 (+28)

82

88 (+38)

80

79 (+29)

70

88 (+38)

86

8TH SCORED

ANTICIPATED

DIOCESE

83 (+33)

85

82

89 (+39)

87

79 (+29)

86

75

78 (+28)

79

84 (+34)

82

73 (+23)

78

87 (+37)

89

** TerraNova with InView Common Core (Common Core is only Language Arts and Math)

A difference is considered meaningful when the difference between scores is seven or more NCE units.

Class of 2015

The academic program is strengthened by our implementation of the following:

Academic Intervention and Support: The staff and administration continually review academic standards and

student performance in order to develop and to implement policies and practices that enhance academic

outcomes. By looking at the task of engaging and motivating students in a meaningful way; developing

pedagogy that incorporates 21st Century learning skills, teachers incorporate differentiated instruction, varied

assessment and the integration of technology into every lesson.

In order to insure student academic development on all levels, a tiered approach to that goal was initiated over

the past three years. Generally, St. John the Beloved School enjoys above average performance on

standardized tests. We face the daily challenge to “have all the boats rise”. The establishment of an academic

support team (2015) insures the identification of students who are struggling academically. The identification

process is data driven through the use of screening assessments to determine the level of intervention needed.

This year, all students in grades K-5 were screened for competencies in word decoding, reading fluency and

comprehension. Students who scored below benchmark are eligible to participate in a Reading Assist tutoring

program. This program offers support for basic phonemic skill development, decoding skills and

comprehension. Students will meet with a trained mentor three times weekly for the length of the program. A

second level of intervention using this same approach will be for students who need specific skill

reinforcement in Reading. These students will receive individual instruction that is targeted to their weaker

Reading skills. The coordinator of this support program will guarantee a continuity of instruction for students

receiving either level of intervention. There will be regular periodic progress monitoring of students while in

the program.

An instructional coach is working with our teachers to implement reasonable accommodations for our students

who have received psycho-educational testing. The school counselor, instructional coach, and the Reading

Assist coordinator function as an Academic Intervention Team providing guidance; establishing appropriate

accommodations and interventions for the students who need academic support.

Reading Counts: Progressive system developed by Scholastic Books that improves reading

comprehension and accountability for students in grades two through eight. Reading Counts exposes students

of all grades and accomplishment levels to exceptional literature. Comprehension is measured through

computer generated testing.

Wonders Reading: Through an integrated approach, literacy solutions Reading Wonders, build all learners –

both striving and struggling, into stronger readers and writers.

Continuous Development of Science Fusion: This is a state-of-the-art science program designed for building

inquiry, STEM, and optimized for learning in the classroom, at home, on a laptop, a tablet, or using a science

textbook. The digital curriculum, virtual labs and hands-on activities, and write-in science textbook develops

important critical thinking skills that prepare students for success in future science courses and in the workplace.

Instructional Grouping 5th

– 8th

grades: By academic apititude: excellerated or average.

Continually reviewing and enhancing our text book series: Over the last four years we have upgraded:

Social Studies, Grammar, Delaware History, Science, Reading, Vocabulary and Spanish. Presently all texts

book series have been upgraded. This year, the faculty and staff reviewed a number of potential new math

series for the school. A new math program will start 2015-16.

St. John the Beloved School achieved reaccreditation with distinction in April 2009 from the Middle States

Association of Colleges and Schools; our graduates are accepted to the high school of their choice. The academic

program is further enhanced through Spanish Language for all grades and a selection of electives that includes music,

math league and science olympiad. A developmental curriculum of study skills and social skills is coordinated by the

school counselor.

“Start by doing what’s necessary, then what’s possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” ~St. Francis of Assisi

www.saintjohnthebelovedschool.org