The Virginia Mathematics and Science Coalition has honored William Ramsay Elementary School with a Programs That Work award.
The school received the recognition after designing and implementing customized instruction for fifth grade students in the Science/ELA intervention program.
The non-profit was impressed by benchmark and SOL data that showed significant improvement following the introduction of the initiative.
Principal Michael Routhouska said, “We are happy to hear that the hard work of staff and students has been recognized by the Programs That Work award. William Ramsay’s fifth grade Science Intervention/Enrichment program, which provides students science-based small group instruction designed for students’ interests and academic needs, is making a great impact.”
Each year, the Virginia Mathematics & Science Coalition recognizes exemplary student and teacher strategies that have a measurable impact on learning.
Award winners are evaluated by the extent to which their program innovates and has effect, is able to demonstrate the importance of science concept skills, and can show a measurable impact on teaching and learning.
The Science I/E program created by William Ramsay was designed to accomplish many diverse goals, all within a single 30-minute intervention block:
- Provide small-group reading intervention for students reading below grade level, using science-based texts
- Support EL students with targeted vocabulary acquisition strategies
- Reteach fourth grade science to fifth grade students with gap areas
- Enrich students (including TAG) who have already demonstrated mastery of a specific science topic.
Ramsay teachers regularly meet to assign students to these data-driven science interventions based on criteria that includes test performance on fourth grade science standards along with reading levels and other proficiency tests.
Erica Meili, ACPS Science Instructional Specialist for Title I Schools, said, “The work William Ramsay teachers have done around science is remarkable and this award is truly deserved.”
The school’s work will be showcased by the non-profit at an event in Richmond.
Stay tuned for more coverage of this award-winning program in the coming weeks.