A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Centerville Elementary School
Cahokia School District #187
East St. Louis, Ill.

Key Programs: Accelerated Schools

Background

A one-story brick school building is surrounded on three sides by a wide expanse of undeveloped land. A playground area and a baseball field are enclosed by a tall fence adjacent to the back of the school. The main entrance to the school faces a busy thoroughfare that is traveled by owners of a few family businesses and residents of the modest frame homes located to the south of the school. Centerville Elementary School is a safe haven to the many children who enter its doors.

At 8 a.m., in front of the main entrance, the driveway is busy with school buses and vehicles delivering energetic children arriving early to school. Most students are neatly dressed in blue and white uniforms and laden with backpacks bulging with books and homework. Amid sounds of laughter, children are playing, hugging, and eagerly anticipating the start of the school day. Teachers and parents mingle in the front entry and hallways smiling and greeting each student as they enter the building. Accustomed to the routine, the children quietly enter the library, find a place to rest their belongings and await instructions from the teacher who greets each child with a hug.

At 8:30 a.m., the children are quietly escorted from the library and are met by the principal, teachers, and parent volunteers who await them with smiles and hugs in the hallways and outside each classroom door. Children walk quietly and orderly to their respective classrooms, organize their belongings, and move quickly to their desks to await the morning greeting. The warm and pleasant voice of Principal Butler invades the silence while children listen attentively. Following numerous acknowledgments of special awards, birthdays, and the announcements for the day, everyone says the Pledge of Allegiance. Without hesitation, everyone proudly exclaims the following pledge that has become central to life at the school:

I am a winner. I behave like a winner. I treat others like winners. I will rise to the challenge. The tools for rising to the challenge lie within me. We testify that all I have to do is believe that I can. [Look at your neighbor and say]: Keep striving for success. Don?t ever give up!? Centerville School is a safe place where Together, we Excel, Achieve and Mature. We are a TEAM!

Visitors are quickly engaged in the enthusiasm that is observed in all interactions between the staff, students, parents, and community. Throughout every aspect of the school day, there is evidence of the values and sentiments expressed in the daily pledge demonstrated by the students and staff.

Population Served

Centerville Elementary School was erected in 1969 in the city of East St. Louis, Illinois. The school encompasses the Centerville Township, part of the Village of Cahokia, and two unincorporated areas. It is one of 12 schools in the Cahokia School District, #187. The city of St. Louis, with its impressive skyline, is located less than a two-mile drive across the Mississippi River. In contrast, the East St. Louis community is challenged by unemployment and poverty. The perils of the city government have attracted national attention and the residents of East St. Louis have been the topic of news reports from 60 Minutes, Time, Newsweek, and Life. Historians of the community recall that the township of Centerville is "centrally" located in the Cahokia community, thus the name of Centerville was adopted.

Centerville Elementary School, represented by a staff that is 50 percent African American and 50 percent white, currently serves a population of 514 students in grades kindergarten through six. The student population—89 percent African American, and 11 percent white—is primarily from low-income families, given that 86 percent of the students are eligible to participate in the federal free or reduced-priced lunch program.

Academic Improvement

While some schools might consider the high percentage of minority and low-income students a predictor of poor student achievement, this is not the case at Centerville Elementary. In spite of poverty and long, crowded bus rides to and from the school, the student attendance rate is 95 percent. At the third-grade level, a greater percentage of Centerville students meet or exceed the state?s performance goals for reading and mathematics (as measured by the IGAP: Illinois Goal Assessment Program) than do students throughout Illinois. (See Table 7.) In fact, 100 percent of the third graders tested met or exceeded state goals in mathematics. In addition, the percentage of Centerville students who took the IGAP was substantially higher than district or state averages.

Table 7: Percentage of Centerville Elementary Students Meeting or Exceeding State?s IGAP Goals

Starting Points

Nine years ago, Centerville School did not exhibit many of the successes apparent today. The transformation of Centerville Elementary School from low to high performance took almost a decade. Negative stories plagued the community and school. Parents, teachers, staff, and district administrators described Centerville as a school that had earned a poor reputation within the community. Unfortunately, those negative attributes were applied not only to the school, but also to the staff and to the children that attended.

In 1989, Robert Bresnahan, the current superintendent of the Cahokia School District, was asked by the person who was then superintendent to assume the principal?s role at Centerville. He was told that the school had both "the lowest test scores and the lowest morale" in the district. Most district staff regarded the school as "the place where teachers went to die."

When he entered the school the first day, Bresnahan remembered that the building looked dreary and that paint was beginning to peel after years of wear and inadequate maintenance. The classrooms were void of colorful bulletin boards. There was little evidence of student work. The students were unmotivated, showed little self-control, and lacked a sense of responsibility for keeping the building and school grounds clean. He became immediately aware of a continuous flow of parents and strangers throughout the school day who "walked in off the street," entering and exiting all doors of the school building. He was concerned about the safety of students and staff. Parents would often enter the building and go directly to the classrooms to retrieve their children or to confront teachers about a concern. There appeared to be no rules or procedures.

Bresnahan was, however, pleased to discover that the majority of the staff were good teachers. There was a vibrant but subdued air of excitement. He sensed that many of the teachers were committed, but that they felt isolated and were simply not getting any recognition for their efforts. He was pleased to report that he did not regard Centerville School as "the bad place" that the staff and community members had portrayed.

Centerville staff recalled that the building was dismal and the environment was not conducive to learning. Students were undisciplined, were unsure of their abilities, and lacked self-esteem. New teachers were discouraged to find that students were performing well below those students attending other district schools. The teachers were challenged by many issues: the lack of teaching materials and resources, the feeling of being unprepared to handle the problems experienced by students who were living in poverty, and the frustration of trying to maintain high standards and expectations. The significant lack of resources was cited as the most common reason programs did not succeed. Parent and community involvement were virtually nonexistent and the staff seldom sought or encouraged those relationships. The lack of camaraderie and cohesiveness further contributed to the problems experienced by the staff and parents.

During his early tenure as principal at Centerville, Bresnahan learned of an urban grant that had funded several schools in the Chicago area. Interested in pursuing additional funds for Centerville, he researched the details of the grants, talked with staff in Chicago schools, enlisted the help of district personnel in writing a proposal, and submitted an application. Centerville was awarded a $25,000 grant that Bresnahan attributed as the beginning of the school change. The funds were used to purchase classroom supplies, increase professional development opportunities and establish a parent resource center staffed by a full-time parent paid with grant funds.

In 1990, Bresnahan left Centerville to take a position in the district office. He has fond memories of a dedicated Centerville staff and community and remained optimistic in his goals for the continued success of the school. At Bresnahan?s recommendation, the superintendent selected Burnett Butler, the former assistant director of special education in the district, as the new principal at Centerville Elementary. Butler had an extensive background in working with children requiring special accommodations. Bresnahan recommended Butler because of her commitment to setting high standards and her ability to meet the needs of all students. He cited her capacity to work with diverse communities and her skills in working with teachers as important attributes for the position. He viewed Butler?s appointment as a positive one for the Centerville community for two reasons. He explained, "She was a tough person who was very easy to get along with and she was born and educated in the East St. Louis community. She had a vested interest in the children."

In 1994, Bresnahan was appointed to the position of superintendent for the Cahokia School District, #187. He credited Butler with changing the climate at Centerville. He said that she brought rationality, continuity, consistency, and a clear vision at a time when teachers needed guidance and direction.

Changing the School Climate

Principal Butler described the first changes she made when she came to Centerville School. She felt it was crucial for the staff to be united in their expectations and standards for all students. She also knew it was important for the staff to work collaboratively toward the creation of a unified vision. She experienced conflicts with those staff who did not want to be a part of the process. A few felt so strongly that they decided to leave the school. Confounded by the constant turnaround in staff, the school was always in a mode of re-training or re-acclimating.

Steadfast in her plan to consolidate the staff, Butler initiated a process to engage all staff in determining the direction for the school. She actively sought input from students, parents, and community partners in the creation of a unified vision. She said:

The staff became more positive and optimistic when they realized that the decisions they made were valued and taken seriously. They were pleased to discover that they played a significant role in changing the direction of the school, and that their participation was crucial in the process. The staff assumed ownership for the school?s success and were willing to work hard to achieve positive results.

The collaborative efforts of the Centerville staff, students, parents, and community resulted in a unified commitment to high standards and high expectations for all Centerville students. The school pledged to exhaust all resources and opportunities to ensure that all students not only reached, but also exceeded district and state expectations. As one veteran teacher explained:

We had low test scores. Student morale was not what it should be. We needed to determine right away our expectations for these children. It was at that point that we started to look at all the information we had: demographics, test scores, etc. We looked at ways we could improve our school. We thought about the latest trends and what other people were doing to improve their schools. We visited other schools; we looked at their test scores. We analyzed the performance of our students. We participated in a lot of staff development, attended meetings and reading and math workshops. Our goal was to improve the staff?s ability to address the needs of each student. We knew that we had to take the students from where they were to where we knew they could be.

Another teacher summarized the process at Centerville:

I believe the most significant changes began with our taking a good look at where we were, then coming up with a consensus of where we wanted to go (our vision statement), and then setting out to accomplish it. Our vision has been accomplished with dedicated work on the part of the principal and the teachers. Mrs. Butler has such high standards and high expectations for all of our boys and girls. She?ll do anything and everything to make sure that our goals are accomplished.

In modeling high standards and high expectation, Butler reiterated the belief that "all" includes the large population of students served in special education programs on the campus. Neither the staff nor students label them as special education students. Instead, the students are referred to as "Fogel?s class" or "Richard?s class." Although she admitted that team teaching and the integration of special education teachers into regular classroom instruction were not at the level she would like, Butler was diligent in her efforts to include the students in regular class instruction. The students in special education programs were included as recipients of school awards and as participants in district-wide programs, recognition assemblies, and the campus DARE program.

Centerville teachers worked long hours that extended beyond the school day to devote additional time to help students who were falling behind. One teacher explained:

I have lunch from 12 to 1 p.m. The students eat lunch in the cafeteria with their friends from noon to 12:30 p.m. If a student needs a little extra help, I give them a pass and they know to come back to the classroom at 12:30.

Often, during the tutorial time, teachers used peer tutoring as a strategy to help students with comprehension. Lunchtime, however, was not the only opportunity to get extra help. After-school programs also enhanced student learning opportunities. The objective of the after-school program was to target those students who were not performing on grade level and to try everything to pull them up to grade level. As one teacher said:

Last year I had a student who entered my room and could not read at all. He was having a difficult time and missed a lot of school. I worked with him whenever we had extra time, before, during, and after school. This year he believes there is nothing too hard for him to accomplish. He?s making Cs and Bs. That?s pretty good for someone who was reading at a first-grade level in the third grade.

Butler emphasized the dedication and commitment of her teachers and staff. She stressed that the teachers do not hesitate to come in early or stay late for a meeting. They "give up their lunch period to tutor children, go the extra mile, or do whatever it takes to help our students." She added, "They are truly professional people who love children."

Another teacher described the commitment of Centerville teachers,

When we first came, we didn?t have resources. Teachers were going out buying a lot of things themselves to encourage their students. You have to know where your students are, meet them there and take them higher. We don?t use excuses like, ?Oh well, their parents don?t do this or that.? We take the responsibility. It becomes overwhelming at times, but the rewards are great. We love it here.

Parents were optimistic in their reports of the school. They saw the care for the children exhibited by the principal and staff, the high expectations of school staff, and their children?s academic progress as evidence of new strength and improvement.

A family atmosphere is shown at Centerville by the relationships among adults at the school. The staff is cohesive and works well together. The Centerville mission, Together We Can Excel, Achieve, and Mature, is reflective of the TEAM effort and the care and concern exhibited by all the staff toward each other. A collegial environment has been created that encourages and supports risk-taking. Teachers appreciated the freedom to exchange ideas, offer support to fellow colleagues, and to seek help when needed. New teachers reported that a mentoring program designed to support them was meaningful and worthwhile.

A variety of classroom management techniques were used effectively which resulted in a positive effect on the learning environment. Positive reinforcement strategies were observed throughout the school. As principal, Butler modeled a positive, caring approach as she worked with students. For example, she described her role in helping a child who was experiencing difficulty:

A sixth grader, whose father was killed in an automobile accident, had internalized that anger and hostility. He became volatile and was explosive at the slightest provocation. We told him how much we loved him and how much his life meant to us. We told him everyday, ?You can do it. We are here for you. You can talk to us anytime.? We let him know that he was important. We saw a dramatic change in his attitude in a short time.

Butler displayed a genuine concern for not only the children but for her staff as well. According to the staff, she would do "anything and everything" to make sure things were accomplished. The staff credited Butler for nurturing the family-oriented team environment.

Changing Academic Instruction

As one passes classrooms from the hallways, students can be observed raising their hands eagerly, working in cooperative groups, and presenting reports to the class. Kindergartners can be seen completing assignments on the computer and students are seen tutoring peers. The students appear energetic about learning, they care about the school, and they assume ownership for their success. They work hard and they feel important. Student work is proudly displayed. Many of these changes resulted from a focus on meeting the academic needs of individual students.

Meeting the Academic Needs of Individual Students

When students experience difficulties in the classroom, there is a comprehensive effort to assist the student. The speech therapist cited an example of such an effort:

I recall a student who has a problem with stuttering. We knew that his grades were not a reflection of his abilities. His classroom teacher and I began communicating about the best strategies for him. We provided tutoring in a couple of subject areas. We talked with his parents and gained their help. With additional assistance from the paraprofessionals, his grades began to improve, his stuttering began to decrease, and his self-esteem improved tremendously.

Teachers were excited about learning teaching techniques that addressed the individual needs of their students, while increasing their students? levels of performance. A primary teacher recalled the first time that Title I teachers came into the first-grade classrooms during the language arts block. The additional help lessened the noise level, allowed the students to receive more individual assistance, and created a more manageable instructional time. Although that arrangement is not currently used, the teacher explained that it gave her the confidence to try new strategies.

To assist teachers in meeting the academic needs of their students, teachers were provided extensive opportunities to engage in professional development. Teachers were expected to share new strategies and techniques with other members of the staff. Also, Butler spent considerable time assisting teachers in addressing the academic needs of students. Butler was described as a teacher of the teachers at the school. One new teacher explained:

If she sees the need to offer guidance or if she wants to suggest an alternative strategy, she?s doesn?t approach you in a negative way. Instead, she?ll get in there with you and show you. She teaches and models for you to make sure that you understand.

Teachers changed how they taught as a result of professional development experiences, the principal?s support, and their classroom experiences. One teacher described an experience that led her to change her approach to teaching:

When I first came here, I had expectations of what the children could do. After a few weeks, I learned I should have known better. I recall asking my kindergarten children to color their bananas yellow. One student asked, "What do you mean color?" I responded, "This is the third week of school. You know what I mean." I looked at his little face and I realized that he did not know. I sat down beside him and I said, "This is what I mean." I took his hand in mine and I taught him how to color the banana. I learned that you can never assume anything; I had never seen him color. He had not learned how to color, but I knew he could. My job is not to embarrass him or to become impatient. My job is to teach him.

Aligning the Curriculum

Centerville staff described their curriculum alignment effort as one of the major turning points for the school. These efforts were initiated by the district office and implemented district-wide. The district organized teams of campus and district staff that were charged with the responsibility of aligning the curriculum and allocated the time and funds necessary to support the process.

Curriculum committees composed of two staff members from each building and representing grades K?12 were organized. The teams were divided by subject areas and charged with the responsibility of aligning all subject area objectives with the district-adopted curriculum and the state objectives. The final step of the process was to include a consensus of all the teams in the alignment of K?12 curriculum. A teacher who served on a committee explained:

A major change at Centerville has been our taking a look at our curriculum to determine if we were aligned with the state goals. We also asked ourselves if what we were teaching and requiring our students to learn was what was being assessed by the state. The whole process made us more aware of the changes that we needed to implement in our program. It has made me more conscientious.

Teachers were excited about the curriculum and instructional strategies they adopted at Centerville. A kindergarten teacher shared her excitement about the new math program. She stated:

We do so much more in math now than ever before.... Things that I never touched until I was in third or fourth grade like greater-than and less-than symbols and vocabulary like "area" and "perimeter." I now teach in kindergarten. I use every teachable moment. When I want students to sit on the rug, I will say, "Please sit on the perimeter of the rug." They understand.

The staff?s commitment to setting high expectations and high standards was evident in their instructional strategies. One teacher shared a personal experience:

I know what it feels like to be at the bottom of the barrel. I was raised in a rural area. I didn?t have much. Just looking at where I have come from gives me the knowledge that if I can do it, my students can do it. We just need to level the playing field for them. I am a visual learner, so I make sure that I use whatever learning styles work best for each student. I always say, "You can do it. Nothing is too hard for you." We just keep working at it until we get it right.

Changing the Organization of Schooling:
Becoming an Accelerated School

At the end of Principal Butler?s first year at Centerville, the staff voted to adopt the Accelerated Schools Program. The program engaged the staff in a learning process that transformed the way teachers had previously thought about teaching. This learning process was a shared experience involving the principal, teachers, staff, and parents. The school used "test coaches" to arm teachers with innovative teaching strategies. The training provided by the test coaches revamped the way teachers thought about teaching and resulted in dramatically improved test scores. The school staff analyzed all available data and spent several months reviewing test scores. Time was spent identifying weaknesses and strengths and making determinations about where improvements were needed. They discussed the strengths of the staff and made note of where additional professional development was needed. In addition, they studied the curriculum and assessment instruments, and they reported their findings to the group. They were comprehensive in their analysis of their programs. Staff members were convinced that this shared learning experience made a difference in both the performances of the students and their teachers. One teacher reflected on the experience:

The whole staff gets together and learns together. We all get packets and we look at each grade level. We?ve spent several months looking over the IGAP [Illinois Goal Assessment Program] scores and the school data. We saw specifically what the problems were and what needed to be improved. Then we divided into our grade levels and we looked at the test scores and we realized where our students were functioning at low levels. We asked ourselves how we could improve in those areas. We spent time in our groups writing out suggestions and making recommendations.

Acquiring and Managing Resources

The Centerville staff was skilled at acquiring and managing resources. Butler was complimentary of the support she received from the central office staff, beginning with the superintendent. She recalled being told by Bresnahan that she and her staff "were working hard to make a difference with the students, parents, and community and that we [superintendent and district staff] have made the commitment to support your efforts in any way possible." Butler added that such flexibility and unconditional support were crucial to her ability to reinforce her teachers and staff.

According to the staff, the allocation of Title I funds, which had previously been confined to a few schools, has had a great impact on the school. As a result of Centerville becoming a Title I schoolwide program, the staff feels that they now have the resources and the flexibility to make decisions about working with all children with less emphasis on eligibility requirements and far less paperwork. Paraprofessionals are now fully integrated into the classroom versus working with a few students in a "pull-out" program. The site-based decision-making committee has identified teacher training and classroom materials as school priorities and the Title I funds have provided the means to address those needs. The library was upgraded. Computer equipment and other technology were purchased and installed to enable students to move into the next century.

Centerville has effectively used competent grant writers to acquire additional resources. Staff reiterated that knowing where to find available money and how to apply for those grants that respond to specific school needs were the important skills of their grant writer. Project Success, for example, is a grant awarded to Centerville by the governor's office. The grant is designed to initiate the organization of a governing board composed of school staff, parents, community members, and city agencies to support the improvement of the neighborhood community.

At Centerville, teachers communicate constantly and share ideas, materials, and resources. The sharing of resources among teachers has been helpful in managing limited resources effectively. Teachers do not seem to hoard or withhold resources or expertise from their colleagues. The spirit of sharing has helped the school gain maximum value from their resources.

A considerable amount of resources have gone directly into major efforts to improve mathematics and reading instruction. Centerville has invested human and material resources into math and reading enrichment and the training necessary to implement programs that produce positive results.

Centerville has adopted a new math program, a new reading series (adopted last year), and recently added an accelerated reading program.

Changing the Relationships with Parents and Community

Parents have become more involved in the Centerville School programs. Almost 97 percent of the parents were involved in some activity at the school last year. Staff members try different strategies to involve the parents. Many teachers require homework every school night. Parents are asked to sign the work students are assigned to complete; thus, parents are encouraged to be more accountable for their child?s learning. A group of parents volunteer daily in the classrooms and in the cafeteria. Many of them no longer have children attending the school. The school organizes curriculum nights and family fun nights with science and math. PTA meetings are used to teach the parents strategies for working with their children, health and nutrition, home management, and banking. The staff sent surveys to each parent requesting their thoughts on the adoption of school uniforms and more than 90 percent of the parents attended the meeting to discuss the results. The PIPS, Parents Involved in Programs at School, meet at least once a month and discuss various strategies to help their children at home.

Staff acknowledged that they are continually seeking ways to increase parent involvement. Teachers encourage parents to come to the school anytime, to sit in the classrooms and observe, or to call any time they need help. On a regular basis, teachers send information home to make sure that parents know what their children are learning at school. To ensure that parents are receiving the information sent home, parents are expected to sign and return the documents to school.

A parent of a former student and grandparent of two current Centerville students was excited about the opportunity to volunteer at the school every day. She shared:

I love Centerville school. I wanted to give back because they have given so much to my children and my family. They supported me. They supported my kids when they were here. Today my children and grandchildren are confident and educated. They are proud that they attended this school. We just don?t see all the hardships. If we do, we?re not going to focus on them. We?re going to focus on all the positive things that we can do for our children because they are our future.

Community involvement has been critical to the success of Centerville. The philosophy of Centerville staff is that the entire community needs to become involved to ensure the success of the school. The school has organized a subcommittee of the Steering Committee, called the Partnership Cadre, whose main focus is to identify areas of need at the school and to link the school with those organizations that can provide support.

Many of the staff were raised in the community or are current residents of the East St. Louis area. They have a strong connection and commitment to the community. Butler, for example, was born in the community and educated in the school district. She has established a connection with the community and has been instrumental in increasing family and community involvement. Butler capitalizes on every opportunity to engage community support. She recently met with a coordinator with the YWCA, who was interested in initiating a pilot after-school program. The YWCA Coordinator understood about the economic struggles of the community and was aware of the strong efforts at Centerville School. Similarly, Butler reported relationships with McDonald?s Restaurant, Junior Achievement, the East Side Health District, the Southern Health Care Foundation, and Touche Regional Hospital.

A grant received from the governor?s office enabled Centerville to organize a partnership with Parkfield Terrace, a housing development located in the school community. The governing board of Project Success conducted an initial survey of the needs of the community and established goals. The school played a significant role in organizing a neighborhood association that includes the residents, police, and community leaders committed to ensure the safety of the children on their way to and from school. Members of the association reported that the school is committed to helping the residents restore pride in their neighborhood. One parent who served on the committee reported three different events involving the school and the community:

[First,] we had a barbecue two months ago. Everybody came. [Secondly,] when school first started, the school identified children who couldn?t afford school supplies. They bought everything they needed. [Finally,] the last two Saturdays, everyone came out to work: the superintendent, board members, high school and middle school students, Centerville kids [more than 50], the residents, with and without children, and teachers. We had our trash bags and we spent the entire day cleaning up and trying to make it beautiful again, the way it used to be.

Centerville parents and staff reported that they are now focusing on piloting new programs to get more parents and community members to volunteer in the school. One teacher reported:

We created a list of volunteer job descriptions. We realized that in the past, we would send out a list and ask parents to sign up. We?d end up with a list of names and numbers that were never called. We decided we needed to get more specific and ask our staff, "What needs do we have that we could really use volunteers?" We created a list and we sent it to parents and handed it out at parent conferences. The response was great. This Thursday night we?re having a family reading night with "celebrity readers," all volunteers from our list.

Conclusions

Centerville Elementary School is heralded as one of the best schools in the district and in the state. Although it may be evident to visitors that the East St. Louis community has experienced economic challenges, there is seemingly no challenge that could overcome the spirit at Centerville Elementary. Students, staff, parents, and the community share in the enthusiasm. Each interviewee voiced a strong sense of pride in their school, the staff, and in the story of their success.

One teacher, who described the school six years ago as depressing, dreary, and desolate, cried when she was told that she had been assigned to Centerville. Having prior experience in a school located in a middle class community, she humbly recalled the perceptions that she held regarding the potential of minority children who were living in poverty. Her statement today is strong evidence of the dramatic change at Centerville:

The success of our school has become a personal commitment for all of us. There is not a teacher in this school to whom I could not say, 'You can have my own child in your class.' I would trust them because I know that every teacher would give every child the dignity and respect that they deserve.

[Burgess Elementary School]

[Goodale Elementary School]