Statewide recognition for Valley Stream school

Forest Road School is a place of academic excellence among “critical needs” groups, according to an independent report from the University of Albany’s School of Education. The District 30 elementary school was the subject of a recent case study on best practices in education.

The school serves the Mill Brook section of South Valley Stream, and opened in 1953. It has about 275 students.

The case study was undertaken by Albany’s Know Your Schools – for N.Y. Kids Project. The topic of the study was “Meeting Critical Needs at the Elementary Level.” According to Project Director Janet Angelis, numerous schools were identified in which students with critical needs were performing above average. Ten schools around the state, including Forest Road, were then chosen for case studies.

Those with so-called critical needs include various ethnicities, students enrolled in special education or with limited proficiency in English, and students who receive free or reduced-price lunches. “We looked for schools whose students are consistently performing better than one might predict, given the demographics,” Angelis said.

Valley Stream Schools Superintendent Dr. Elaine Kanas said that while the study focused on Forest Road, it highlighted district-wide educational initiatives. District officials target students’ learning difficulties — and in particular their literacy skills — at a young age. Each spring, district officials screen incoming kindergartners. Those who have trouble identifying letters and sounds can take part in a five-week summer program.

Working together

There is much collaboration at the school among the teaching staff, the report says. Regular classroom teachers, special education teachers, reading specialists, English as a Second Language instructors and others work together to identify the learning needs of each child and create an individual program that meets those needs. These Literacy Support Team meetings (formerly called “red zone” meetings), allow school officials to monitor the progress of each student, and change course if a certain program isn’t working to meet a child’s needs.

Forest Road Principal Erin Malone said that the communication among the faculty and staff is a large part of the school’s and the district’s success. “Everybody is really in this together,” Malone said.

ESL teacher Consuelo Fusaro, who met with the Albany evaluators when they visited in June, said she told them about the faculty’s collaboration. She described how teachers “find ways” to meet and talk about the progress of each child. Fusaro said she also noted the involvement of the principal and central office administrators in making sure that every child’s needs are being met.

“The success of the school lies in the communication there is between people,” she said. “We make sure that we communicate. We’re working toward the same goal.”

Angelis said it is particularly impressive in District 30 that edicts aren’t just handed down from the central office to be implemented in the schools. Everyone at the individual schools is part of the decision-making process. “The communication is running in both directions,” she said.

The study cited the extensive use of student performance data to monitor progress and success.

Being recognized

Kanas said that she received a call from University of Albany officials last year and was told that Forest Road was identified as a high-performing school for those with critical needs. She said that officials at Albany, who strive to share best educational practices with others, asked to visit the school. They came and spent two days at Forest Road and at district offices. “We learn a lot from other people,” Kanas said, “and we’re glad to share as well.”

The study should make everyone at Forest Road and in District 30 proud, Kanas said, because others are recognizing how successful the district’s programs are. “When somebody from the outside comes in, that is what they see,” she said. “They really got it.”

Malone said that two evaluators from Albany met with at least one teacher from every grade, as well as special-area teachers. They got a “broad picture” of all that goes on in the school, she explained.

Nancy Blankshine, a fourth-grade teacher who has worked at Forest Road for 15 years, said that its success is also a result of the support that comes from the top. She noted that the administrators and Board of Education members provide teachers with extensive resources. And, she said, there is ample training.

Kindergarten teacher Jessica Santarpia, who has spent a decade at Forest Road, said that the focus on early literacy skills has really made a difference. The summer-school program, classroom support from reading specialists, small group instruction and the assistance of a literacy coach goes a long way in helping students — and helping their teachers as well.

Santarpia said that the principal’s door is always open. She also noted the connection between school and home. Parents are very involved in the education of their children, she said, and many come in to meet with teachers more often than the two required conferences each year.

She described Forest Road as a hidden gem, and said she was excited that the school has been recognized by education professionals. “It makes you feel good because other people are seeing it, too,” she said. “And I’m not surprised.”

A diverse community

Teachers also spoke highly of the school’s diversity: Its student population is 6 percent white, 39 percent African-American and 17 percent Hispanic. Santarpia said that while the state labels these students by sub-groups when analyzing performance, the teachers at Forest Road do not. Simply put, she said, they look at what each child needs to be successful.

Blankshine said that the presence of students from different cultures gives children the opportunity to learn about the rest of the world from one another. She noted that there is a general excitement among the students to learn about one another’s background. Yet, she said, at the school’s core, race, religion and other differences do not matter. “The kids are the kids,” she said. “They just see each other as equals, as friends.”

“What the children see are other children,” added Malone. “What the teachers see are students. While diversity is something we celebrate, it’s not something that defines us.”

Kanas noted that the Albany case study serves to humanize the school’s results. It doesn’t just report numbers, but cites the hard work and successes of people in the district.

Malone said she is extremely proud of the students, parents and staff members who have contributed to Forest Road’s recognition beyond its community. “I get to see the hard work that goes into the education of our students on a daily basis,” she said, “but it’s wonderful to be recognized.”