Franklin Elementary School

For more information on Franklin Elementary School, click here to view Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Washington State Report Card information.

Our Vision
All students will become lifelong learners, problem solvers, and successful citizens.  We teach and learn to empower hearts and minds.

Our Mission
Our mission is to provide a safe, healthy, caring environment where all students are challenged to think, grow and achieve academic and social independence through shared responsibility and a commitment to life long learning. Students will leave Franklin Elementary with the skills to interpret and use data to make sense of information and complex situations, to make meaningful connections and discover new insights leading to the formulation of new questions.

Reflections on the 2011-12 School Year

At Franklin, we teach and learn to empower hearts and minds.  We value our strong community that supports and challenges students to think, grow, and achieve academic and social independence through shared responsibility and a commitment to lifelong learning. Our students – at all grade levels – consistently rank higher than other State schools of similar size and demographics. Our strength is in powerful teaching and learning by our staff and students. We continue to:  

• Differentiate specialized instruction
• Personalize instruction by taking time to know all students
• Provide a variety of program configurations and opportunities for success
• Guide instruction with student-driven data
• Develop and maintain high expectations and standards for both students and staff
• Encourage high levels of involvement in professional development for all staff.

We celebrate our academic achievements on the 2012 Measurement of Student Progress (MSP):

• All of Franklin’s reading scores exceeded the State.
• 80.7% of our third grade students met standard in reading.
• 92.2% of our fourth grade cohort met standard in reading.
• 32.7% of our fourth grade students exceeded the standard (Level 4) in math.
• Fourth grade math scores increased 20% from 2011 results (49% to 69%).
• 32.1% of our sixth grade students exceeded standard in math.
• Fifth grade students outscored the state in science by 17%.
• 43.3% of our fifth grade students achieved a level four in science.

Plans for the 2012-13 School Year

Student Learning: At Franklin Elementary, we dedicate our time to improving student learning. Our vertical teams in literacy, math, and science along with our Site Team, Student Council, Instructional Leadership Team, grade level teams, and Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) ensure shared leadership throughout our school. Our Continuous School Improvement Plan (CSIP) guides our work at Franklin.  As part of our Response to Intervention (RTI) model, students, teachers, and paraeducators work in focused, flexible, small groups to target differentiated student needs. We screen and monitor student progress in reading using the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy (DIBELS). We monitor progress more frequently for at risk students and adjust our instruction accordingly. We dedicate resources of time, personnel, and professional development to the grade levels with the highest need for support in the subject areas which need the most support.

Reading:  We work to refine our use of the Houghton Mifflin curriculum to meet the needs of students both in the classroom and during RTI intervention time.  We continue Dynamite Readers, providing a second dose of reading instruction based on need.  We will examine the common core standards and deliberately draw out standards in our reading curriculum as we commit 90 minutes a day to reading instruction and work to read aloud to students each day.

Writing:  We use the writing curriculum calendar as a guide to focus writing instruction.  We returned to a monthly focus on a specific writing trait while making it visible in the monthly newsletter and in the hallway.  We use rubrics to score student papers in class along with peer evaluation.  We will dedicate two early release times to share writing samples and score collaboratively.  We will work to provide extra writing support to students as well as focused feedback and many opportunities to model our writing expectations:, i.e., an after school “aspiring writer’s club.”

Math:  We plan to study our new curriculum, use AmeriCorps and LST support, and offer after school MSP math preparation to support our students in their math thinking.  We continue arithmetic raccoons focused on improving math fluency.  We provide after school support four days per week staffed by our LST and paraeducators to third grade students.  We use Student Planners to assist students with study skills and in keeping track of assignments.  Homework club offers support before and after school to students. 

Science:  We will continue consistent science instruction with focus placed on the scientific process. Teachers will review the end of kit assessments prior to beginning each unit in science.  We will examine kits compared to tests and ensure that the kits match the tests or that we create supplements to a fill in gaps in the science. We will review forms of energy and energy transfers as well as refer to forms of energy when teaching our all FOSS kits.  We will provide enrichment in science through guest speakers and field trips along with our all school “Science Night.”

Professional Development: At Franklin Elementary, we dedicate our time to improving student learning.  Our vertical teams in literacy, math, and science along with our Site Team, Student Council, Instructional Leadership Team, and PTO ensure shared leadership and communication throughout our school.  We will implement the use of planners as a tool for teachers and students to communicate with families as well as improve organization and study habits.  We will support a book study on our new math curriculum allowing us time to delve into the background knowledge needed to provide focused instruction toward mastery.  As part of our response to intervention model, students, teachers, and paraeducators continue to work in focused, flexible, small groups to target differentiated student needs. We will use our second year with Houghton Mifflin to refine our focus on teaching reading strategies needed to unlock the intricacies of complex text.  We have designed a schedule to support cohorts with the highest academic needs as well as provide time for our youngest learners to develop confidence from the beginning of their school careers.  We will continue to explore feedback we give to students as a motivating instructional tool in all subject areas. 

School Climate: Our fall 2012 Center for Educational Excellence (CEE) survey data indicates that students (96%) believe their teachers expect them to do their best, staff (89%) believe we create a supportive learning environment, and parents (93%) are pleased with our high standards and expectations.

We encourage and delight in community involvement through reading volunteers in our Title One program, enrichment opportunities at all grades, family nights and activities, and stimulating visits to our school by authors, musicians and other community efforts. We celebrate our valued partnership with Holy Trinity Lutheran Church which supports both our school facility and our students.  Our work at Franklin Elementary revolves around our vision to help mold successful graduates and lifelong learners while making learning relevant, challenging and fun.

How You Can Help:  Every child deserves the opportunity to succeed. But not all children learn in the same way at the same time. The parents, friends of Franklin students and our community are all instrumental in providing the additional support that makes learning at Franklin motivating and rewarding. We need your support to continue our rich history of an elementary school that cares for kids and celebrates success. Please call us at 360.457.1343.

Use and Condition of Building:  Franklin Elementary School is the second largest elementary school in the District, built in 1954, with additions in 1956, 1958 and 1978. The facility supports kindergarten through grade six classrooms, as well as outdoor fields and a track for District and community recreation. The physical evaluation of this educational facility is rated 55.4% based on a January 8, 2008 study and survey by BLRB Architects. Facility Use and Conditions Report is available at the Port Angeles School District office.