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Principal's Message
Exceeding Standards and Maximizing Student Potential

In my message last month, I wrote about the School Improvement Plan for Advancing Academic Achievement (SIPAAA) that we are developing at Palmer School.  This is the strategic plan that describes our goals and activities for the next two years.   As I had indicated, our major goal will be to move every student to the next higher achievement level, with an emphasis on increasing the number of students who exceed rather than simply meet state standards. 

The key is to develop the educational program and provide resources and experiences so that every student reaches his or her optimal level of performance…academically, physically, culturally, socially, and emotionally.  As our vision states, our school empowers all students to exercise critical thinking skills, become respectful and responsible life-long learners, achieve their personal goals, and maximize their contributions to society.  

We have researched and planned activities and programs that will support the vision, attain our goal, and take our school to a higher level of performance.  Even though we are still refining the specifics of our plan, the following is a summary of our strategies for next year.

  • Increase the resources and raise the level of learning expectations in mathematics for students in kindergarten through grade 5 to better prepare them for the Connected Math program in grades 6 through 8 which has been successful in raising student achievement.
  • Increase the emphasis on literacy, with increased resources, teacher development, novel-based reading, and an enhanced writing program.
  • Implement a pilot social studies program in selected grades that will include more teacher prepared materials and primary source research to develop greater connectedness to the content and also increase literacy skills.
  • Increase differentiation of instruction for all students by providing greater resource materials and staff to address needs of accelerated as well as low achieving students.
  • Provide increased enrichment programs and activities before, during, and after school to address academic, social, physical, and arts development for students in all grades.

We will be discussing the final plan at the LSC meeting this month, so please come out and join us to hear all about our exciting plans for the future of Palmer School.

Enjoy learning and reading with your family!

Don Anderson
Principal



Copyrights John M. Palmer Elementary School
5051 North Kenneth Avenue, Chicago, IL 60630, Phone: (773) 534-3704 - Fax: (773) 534-3771