Overton Elementary School

1825 W. Park Road

Salisbury, North Carolina 28144

704-639-3000

 

November 18, 2024

 

Dear Parent/Guardian:

I am writing this letter to notify you that Overton has been dually designated as both a North Carolina Low-Performing school and a federally identified Targeted Support & Improvement Additional Targeted Support (TSI-AT) school by the North Carolina State Board of Education.

 

As defined in G.S. 115C-105.37: “The State Board of Education shall identify low-performing schools on an annual basis. Low-performing schools are those that earn an overall school performance grade of D or F and a school growth score of "met expected growth" or "not met expected growth" as defined by G.S. 115C-83.15.” Legislation (G.S. §115C-83.15) passed during the 2013 long North Carolina General Assembly session provides parents with an additional measure of school performance in the form of School Performance Grades. Beginning with the 2013–14 school year, the annual North Carolina School Report Cards display a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F for each school in the state.

 

School Performance Grades are based 80 percent on our school’s achievement score (student proficiency) and 20 percent on students’ academic growth. At Overton Elementary, our achievement score for the 2023-2024 school year is based on how well our students performed in Grades 3–5 Mathematics, Grades 3–5 English Language Arts/Reading, Grades 5 Science. Overton received a School Performance Grade F and a growth designation of Did Not Meet for the 2023–2024 school year. In addition, per the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Section 1111(d)(2), schools receive the federal identification of TSI-AT in North Carolina by having one or more of the following subgroups receive a subgroup performance grade score at or below the lowest 5% of schools across the state during the 2023–2024 academic year; and being identified as a consistently underperforming subgroup in 2023-2024. Subgroup performance scores are provided for the following subgroups of students: (1) Students with Disabilities, (2) Economically Disadvantaged, (3) Black, (4) White, (5) Hispanic, (6) Asian-Pacific Islander, (7) Multi-racial, and (8) English Learners.

 

As a dually designated TSI-AT and NC low-performing school, Overton is required to develop a comprehensive improvement plan that specifically addresses how the school will improve student achievement. The plan will also include strategies that our district will employ to support Overton’s improvement efforts. The comprehensive improvement plan will address the following areas:

 • Classroom Management

 • Standards-aligned Instruction

 • Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)

 • Instructional Leadership

 • Recruitment & Retention of Effective Teachers

 • Implementation of a Tiered Instructional System

 • Data-Driven Decision-Making • Student Support Services

 • Family and Community Engagement

 

We have set the following goals for Overton this year:

 • Improve core instruction through the implementation of evidenced-based practices.

 • Provide experiences that will lead students to engage with academic content inside and outside the classroom.

 • Utilize a variety of wellness strategies to meet the needs of our students and staff.

 • Strengthen the instructional capacity of certified and classified staff to improve teaching and learning.

 • Establish processes and procedures to provide a safe learning environment that increases student outcome.

 

Here are some strategies that Overton will be implementing to improve student outcomes:

 • Conduct walkthroughs and observations to provide feedback to teachers on the use of evidence-based practices.

 • Provide teachers with Professional Development on Depth of Knowledge in order to increase the level of thinking and engagement.

 • Mindfulness grounding exercises will be used in all grade levels.

 • Provide authentic feedback to teachers during walkthroughs and observations.

 • Collaborative planning days will be scheduled each semester for teachers to plan with coaches.

 • MTSS framework is used to support academics, discipline, and attendance.

 

Parent engagement is at the heart of our school improvement efforts. Here are some ways you can help:

 • Ensure you and your child know the academic expectations for your child this school year. A list of learning objectives in student-friendly language is available from your child’s teacher(s).

 • Call Overton if you have questions or concerns about your child or to set up an appointment to meet with a school staff member who will be working with your child.

 • Make sure that your child is prepared and attends school each day.

 • Monitor your child’s homework.

 • Monitor the progress your child is making and attend meetings with your child’s teacher(s).

 • Keep track of our website and social media sites. https://www.rssed.org/overtonelementary Please stay informed with school events and classroom specific information by joining your scholar’s classroom Class Dojo.

 • Volunteer.

 • Join the Overton Parent Teacher Organization

 

Additionally, listed below are a few resources available to help:

 • Graduation requirements: www.ncpublicschools.org/gradrequirements/

 • K-12 standards in academic subjects: www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/

 • State student achievement test results: www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/

 • N.C. School Report Cards: https://www.dpi.nc.gov/data-reports/school-reportcards We are committed to improving student performance. It is important to remember that just as no one single score or grade tells the whole story of a student, neither does it tell you everything about the performance of a school or the opportunities that our school provides. The intent of receiving these designations is to improve educational outcomes for all students, close achievement gaps, increase equity, and improve the quality of instruction.

 

We’re excited about this school year and are working to make it a success for your child. Already, we have:

• Provided collaborative planning for our teachers.

• Have enlisted outside organizations for tutoring and mental health assistance.

• We have a full-time social worker. 

 

If you have questions about the content of this letter, please contact our school administration at 704-639-3000.

 

Sincerely,

Susan Heaggans Susan Heaggans

Interim Principal