School Accountability Report Card
School Year 2001-2002

School Information District Information
 School Name  Sandpiper Elementary  District Name  Belmont-Redwood Shores Elementary
 Principal  Cherie Ho  Superintendent  Anne Campbell
 Street  801 Redwood Shores Pkwy  Street  2960 Hallmark Dr.
 City, State, Zip  Redwood City, CA    94065-2279  City, State, Zip  Belmont, CA    94002-2943
 Phone Number  650-631-5510  Phone Number  650-637-4800
 FAX Number  650-631-5515  FAX Number  650-637-4811
 Web Site  www.belmont.k12.ca.us/main/sandpiper/  Web Site  www.belmont.k12.ca.us
 Email Address  cho@belmont.k12.ca.us  Email Address  acamp@belmont.k12.ca.us
 CDS Code  41-68866-6114771  SARC Contact  Marcia Harter <mharter@belmont.k12.ca.us>

School Description and Mission Statement

The School Community

Sandpiper School, located in Redwood Shores (Redwood City) on the peninsula south of San Francisco, and east of Highway 101, is one of five elementary schools in the Belmont-Redwood Shores School District. It is the newest school, established in September 1997. Students are promoted to the 6th grade at Ralston Middle School, the only middle school in the District. The Sandpiper School community consists of families for whom education is a priority. The school is the hub of the community for many of these parents. Families enthusiastically support the Parent Teacher Association, School Site Council and countless volunteer activities and projects.


Mission and Goals

The mission of Sandpiper School is to create the finest learning environment for the collective body of students, teachers and parents. The school community embraces the pursuit of excellence in its curriculum, exposure to different cultures and its utilization of creative resources. Sandpiper seeks to embrace the breadth of learning provided in the programs of language arts, natural sciences, mathematics and logic, history/social sciences, visual/performing arts and health and physical education. The advancement of positive attitudes, civic responsibilities, and social conscience promote awareness of global communities and the impact of interdependence amongst groups. All students attend to the interactive process of engaging activities that encourage citizenship, creativity, academic rigor, performance and discovery. These elements of learning produce critical thinkers who cooperatively work together in small groups and as individuals in acquiring knowledge at their highest potential. In addition, we encourage social interactions that advocate independence, confidence and a competitive spirit necessary for optimum learning.
 


Opportunities for Parental Involvement
 Contact Person Name   Lisa Branson  Contact Person Phone Number   650-596-9180
  • Classroom field trips
  • Founders' Day
  • Kollage Art
  • Computer education
  • Classroom supplies
  • Red Ribbon Week
  • Fun Food Lunch
  • Non-A-Thon fundraiser
  • Parent education
  • Adopt-A-Book
  • Monetary gifts and donations
  • Book Fair
  • Assemblies
  • Multicultural Faire

I. Demographic Information

Student Enrollment, by Grade Level
 Grade Level  Enrollment
 Kindergarten 78 
 Grade 1 91 
 Grade 2 69 
 Grade 3 87 
 Grade 4 68 
 Grade 5 56 
 Total 449 

Student Enrollment, by Ethnic Group
The percentage of students is the number of students in a racial/ethnic category divided by the school's most recent California Basic Educational Data System (CBEDS) total enrollment.
 Racial/Ethnic Category  Number
of
Students		  Percentage
of
Students		  Racial/Ethnic Category  Number
of
Students		  Percentage
of
Students
 African-American 5  1.1   Hispanic or Latino 18  4.0 
 American Indian or Alaska Native 0  0.0   Pacific Islander 4  0.9 
 Asian-American 117  26.1   White (Not Hispanic) 258  57.5 
 Filipino-American 8  1.8   Other 39  8.7 

II. School Safety and Climate for Learning

School Safety Plan
 Date of Last Review/Update   September 2002  Date Last Discussed with Staff   September 2002
SCHOOL SAFETY PLAN for 2002-2003

A school safety plan is revised and adopted each year by the School Site Council. Specific procedures for evacuation of buildings, communication and disbursement of emergency supplies are outlined in an emergency handbook in the office and on the school website. Specific responsibilities are given to adults for supervision of students in a safe location when a disaster occurs. Fire drills and earthquake disaster preparedness are practiced during the school year in cooperation with the local fire and police departments. Staff and parent telephone trees and emergency supplies are updated each year.

Emergency Procedures for Sandpiper School

Should an emergency situation (such as an earthquake, chemical spill, power failure, civil disaster, or any other event that interrupts regular school activity) occur while school is in session, Sandpiper’s basic response plan will be as follows:

No student will be dismissed from school unless a parent (or individual previously designated by a parent) comes for him/her.

No student will be allowed to leave with another person unless that particular person is listed on the student’s emergency card in our files. If your child’s emergency card is not up to date, please give us correct information.

We do ask your help in the following areas:

1.        Please DO NOT CALL THE SCHOOL  We must have the lines open for emergency calls.

2.        As soon as possible, come to school to pick up your child and any other children for whom you are the emergency card designee.

3.        Park in designated parking spaces. Leave the driveway clear for emergency vehicles.

4.        If, at the direction of public officials (fire, police, etc.), the children have been relocated to another site for safety, an announcement will be made on Bay Area radio stations and television. A public information line will also be maintained at the District Office, (650) 637-4800, and the PTA will initiate a telephone tree.

5.        Be sure you have told your student to follow the directions of school personnel.

6.        If there is a need to evacuate, we would be at the parking lot of the Community Center next door.

Emergency Procedures for Disaster

Fire Drill:

Alarm will automatically be activated in each classroom with corresponding strobe lights. All students and staff will exit rooms to outside corridors and quickly walk to the play field area in single class lines. Teacher will immediately count all students to confirm attendance and location of each student. Teachers will hold up green cards to designate that all students are accounted for. Red Cards will be held up indicating missing students. Classroom teachers will exit with emergency bag in hand which contains emergency cards and supplies.

Earthquake:

Alarm and/or paging system will alert all students and staff to exit and convene on the play field area. Duck and cover exercise will be used in the classrooms before exit. Emergency cards will be used to exit students from the campus. Emergency provisions are available from custodian’s closet next to Room 11. Ten gallons of bottled water are available for every 20 students plus a small food supply (crackers, oatmeal bars, etc.) for extended stay in an emergency situation.

Maps and telephone trees are available for exit and communication of next steps. Emergency procedures are posted on the website for parents’ use. Cell phone is available in the principal’s office along with emergency cards.

An emergency binder is kept in the school office. It contains maps for exit, circuit breakers and water main locations as well as emergency numbers and telephone trees.

Security Levels:

An all call for “Code 1” indicates that staff needs to be aware of an impending emergency. All students must be accounted for and return to classrooms immediately.

An all call for “Code 2” indicates a “Lockdown”. All staff will immediately lock their classroom doors and account for all students. Students and teachers remain in classroom until further notice.


School Programs and Practices that Promote a Positive Learning Environment

Sandpiper School is a cluster of enhanced modular buildings that depict the ambiance of a Nantucket village. Classrooms surround the village green where an outside stage highlights performance activities. The community center is located next to the square where a kitchen, multipurpose room and five conference rooms are provided for instruction during the day. The play fields are situated along the lagoon for student access during school hours, and for community use after school.

Students are encouraged to keep a safe and clean learning environment through recycling and gardening efforts that enhance their learning space. Rules for play and safety are posted in each classroom and PTA supports programs such as Red Ribbon Week, Conflict Resolution, Bike Safety, Fire Prevention, and the Drug Awareness and Resistance Education (DARE) Program.

The Sandpiper School Community takes pride in their new school, maintaining a strong commitment to support the educational process within the classrooms and keeping the facilities safe and inviting for all who attend.


Suspensions and Expulsions
The number of suspensions and expulsions is the total number of incidents that result in a suspension or expulsion. The rate of suspensions and expulsions is the total number of incidents divided by the school's California Basic Educational Data System (CBEDS) total enrollment for the given year. In unified school districts, a comparison between a particular type of school (elementary, middle, high) and the district average may be misleading. Schools have the option of comparing their data with the district-wide average for the same type of school.
   School  District
 2000  2001  2002  2000  2001  2002
 Suspensions (number)
1
1
0
71
49
58
 Suspensions (rate)
.25%
.23%
0%
2.86%
1.95
2.32%
 Expulsions (number)
0
0 
0 
 0
2 
0 
 Expulsions (rate)
0%
0% 
0%
  0%
  .08%
0%

School Facilities

 Sandpiper School has 22 classrooms. Nineteen of the classrooms are used for regular instruction. One is used for music/science instruction and the other two are occupied for resource specialist, speech and language and county programs. Other classrooms in the community center provide space for special needs, English Language Learners, and Gifted & Talented programs, counseling and parent education.

Our school has over 160 computers within the classrooms and in a computer lab. A special project with Microsoft Systems networks some of the computer workstations to our own server. The lab is used for direct instruction of applications for all students and staff with 20 workstations available.

Sandpiper Community Center provides child care services through a private agency. Before and after school care provides supervision for students in K-5 five days per week as well as all day for district in-service days and some holidays. Our school district and the city of Redwood City share the community center facilities located on site. The multi-use room and conference rooms are available to the school during the day and the rooms available for Park and Recreation Programs after school and into the evenings.

Every teacher in the District has a computer for both instruction and classroom management. Every staff member received technology training and has a telephone number and voice mailbox.

III. Academic Data

Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR)
Through the California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program, students in grades 2-11 are tested annually in various subject areas. Currently, the STAR program includes California Standards Tests (CST) in English Language Arts and Mathematics in grades 2-11, and Science and History-Social Science in grades 9-11; and the Stanford Achievement Test, Ninth Edition (Stanford 9), which tests Reading, Language, Mathematics (grades 2-11), Spelling (grades 2-8), and Science and History-Social Science (grades 9-11 only). Note: To protect student privacy, scores are not shown when the number of students tested is 10 or less.

California Standards Tests (CST)
The California Standards Tests show how well students are doing in relation to the state content standards. Student scores are reported as performance levels. The five performance levels are Advanced (exceeds state standards), Proficient (meets standards), Basic (approaching standards), Below Basic (below standards), and Far Below Basic (well below standards). Students scoring at the Proficient or Advanced level have met state standards in that content area. Note: To protect student privacy, scores are not shown when the number of students tested is 10 or less.

CST - English Language Arts
Percentage of students achieving at the Proficient or Advanced level (meeting or exceeding the state standard)
 Grade
Level		  School  District  State
 2000  2001  2002  2000  2001  2002  2000  2001  2002
 2  ---    73   64  ---    55   51  ---   32  32
 3  ---    46   69  ---    45   55  ---   30  34
 4  ---    65   68  ---    59   63  ---   33  36
 5  ---    62   63  ---    48   53  ---   28  31
 6  ---       ---    58   52  ---   31  30
 7  ---       ---    64   60  ---   32  33
 8  ---       ---    57   66  ---   32  32

CST - Mathematics
Percentage of students achieving at the Proficient or Advanced level (meeting or exceeding the state standard)
 Grade
Level		  School  District  State
 2000  2001  2002  2000  2001  2002  2000  2001  2002
 2  ---   ---   80  ---   ---   60  ---   ---   43
 3  ---   ---   73  ---   ---   60  ---   ---   38
 4  ---   ---   64  ---   ---   62  ---   ---   37
 5  ---   ---   62  ---   ---   51  ---   ---   29
 6  ---   ---     ---   ---   43  ---   ---   32
 7  ---   ---     ---   ---   51  ---   ---   29
 8  ---   ---     ---   ---   41  ---   ---   26

CST - Subgroups - English Language Arts
Percentage of students achieving at the Proficient or Advanced level (meeting or exceeding the state standard)
Grade
Level		  Male  Female English
Learners		 Not-English
Learners		 Socioeconomically
Disadvantaged		 Not
Socioeconomically
Disadvantaged		 Migrant
Education
Services
 2  57  69    66     64  
 3  64  73    69     69  
 4  67  70    68     68  
 5  61  65    64     64  

CST - Subgroups - Mathematics
Percentage of students achieving at the Proficient or Advanced level (meeting or exceeding the state standard)
Grade
Level		  Male  Female English
Learners		 Not-English
Learners		 Socioeconomically
Disadvantaged		 Not
Socioeconomically
Disadvantaged		 Migrant
Education
Services
 2  83  77     81     80  
 3  76  70     73     74  
 4  67  59     64     64  
 5  67  58     61     64  

CST - Racial/Ethnic Groups - English Language Arts
Percentage of students achieving at the Proficient or Advanced level (meeting or exceeding the state standard)
 Grade
Level		  African-
American		  American
Indian or
Alaska
Native		  Asian-
American		  Filipino-
American		  Hispanic
or Latino		  Pacific
Islander		  White
(not
Hispanic)		  Other
 2       71     33     68   64
 3       91     50     65   33
 4       84     50     62  100
 5       79     0     59   50

CST - Racial/Ethnic Groups - Mathematics
Percentage of students achieving at the Proficient or Advanced level (meeting or exceeding the state standard)
 Grade
Level		  African-
American		  American
Indian or
Alaska
Native		  Asian-
American		  Filipino-
American		  Hispanic
or Latino		  Pacific
Islander		  White
(not
Hispanic)		  Other
 2       88     83     76   82
 3       95     67     69   33
 4       79     50     63   33
 5       95     0     52   0

Stanford 9 (SAT 9)
Reading and mathematics results from the Stanford 9 test are reported for each grade level as the percentage of tested students scoring at or above the 50th percentile (the national average). School results are compared to results at the district and state levels. Note: To protect student privacy, scores are not shown when the number of students tested is 10 or less.

SAT 9 - Reading
Percentage of students scoring at or above the 50th percentile
 Grade
Level		  School  District  State
 2000  2001  2002  2000  2001  2002  2000  2001  2002
 2  72  87  81  70  72  75  49  51  53
 3  69  71  87  71  67  74  44  46  47
 4  74  80  85  72  71  78  45  47  49
 5  80  80  80  78  72  73  44  45  46
 6        79  79  77  46  47  48
 7        75  81  76  46  48  48
 8        79  76  79  49  50  49

SAT 9 - Mathematics
Percentage of students scoring at or above the 50th percentile
 Grade
Level		  School  District  State
 2000  2001  2002  2000  2001  2002  2000  2001  2002
 2  77  90  86  72  73  70  57  58  62
 3  78  81  81  75  76  76  56  59  62
 4  74  78  88  73  77  82  51  54  58
 5  82  77  80  73  75  79  50  54  57
 6        79  80  71  55  57  60
 7        73  72  75  48  50  52
 8        82  72  70  48  49  50

SAT 9 - Subgroups - Reading
Percentage of students scoring at or above the 50th percentile
 Grade
Level		    Male    Female  English
Learners		  Not-English
Learners		  Socioeconomically
Disadvantaged		  Not
Socioeconomically
Disadvantaged		  Migrant
Education
Services
 2   80   82     84     81  
 3   88   86     87     88  
 4   84   87     85     85  
 5   71   87     81     81  

SAT 9 - Subgroups - Mathematics
Percentage of students scoring at or above the 50th percentile
 Grade
Level		    Male    Female  English
Learners		  Not-English
Learners		  Socioeconomically
Disadvantaged		  Not
Socioeconomically
Disadvantaged		  Migrant
Education
Services
 2   90   82     87     86  
 3   83   79     81     82  
 4   91   82     88     88  
 5   71   87     79     81  

SAT 9 - Racial/Ethnic Groups - Reading
Percentage of students scoring at or above the 50th percentile
 Grade
Level		  African-
American		  American
Indian or
Alaska
Native		  Asian-
American		  Filipino-
American		  Hispanic
or Latino		  Pacific
Islander		  White
(not
Hispanic)		  Other
 2      82        82  82
 3      99        88  
 4      99        79  
 5      79        83  

SAT 9 - Racial/Ethnic Groups - Mathematics
Percentage of students scoring at or above the 50th percentile
 Grade
Level		  African-
American		  American
Indian or
Alaska
Native		  Asian-
American		  Filipino-
American		  Hispanic
or Latino		  Pacific
Islander		  White
(not
Hispanic)		  Other
 2      88        85  91
 3      99        82  
 4      95        87  
 5      95        72  

Local Assessment
Percentage of students meeting or exceeding the district standard:% scoring at or above 50th NPR
 Grade
Level		  Reading  Writing  Mathematics
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2000
 2001
 2002
 K                  
 1                  
 2
72
87 
81 
      
77 
 90
86
 3
69 
71 
87 
      
78
 81
81 
 4
74
80 
85 
100
91
90
74
 78
88 
 5
80 
80 
80 
      
82
 77
80 

California Fitness Test
Percentage of students meeting fitness standards (scoring in the healthy fitness zone on all six fitness standards)
Note: To protect student privacy, scores are not shown when the number of students tested is 10 or less.
 Grade
Level		  School  District  State
  Total   Female   Male    Total   Female   Male    Total   Female   Male 
 5  10.9  9.7  12.5  29.3  29.7  29.0  22.2  23.4  21.5
 7        47.6  55.1  39.3  25.9  27.3  25.0
 9              22.7  21.0  24.6

Academic Performance Index (API)

The Academic Performance Index (API) is a score on a scale of 200 to 1000 that annually measures the academic performance and progress of individual schools in California. On an interim basis, the state has set 800 as the API score that schools should strive to meet.
Growth Targets: The annual growth target for a school is 5% of the distance between its base API and 800. The growth target for a school at or above 800 is to remain at or above 800. Actual growth is the number of API points a school gained between its base and growth years. Schools that reach their annual targets are eligible for monetary awards. Schools that do not meet their targets and have a statewide API rank of one to five are eligible to participate in the Immediate Intervention/Underperforming Schools Program (II/USP), which provides resources to schools to improve their academic achievement.
Subgroup APIs and Targets: In addition to a whole-school API, schools also receive API scores for each numerically significant racial/ethnic and socioeconomically disadvantaged subgroup in the school. Growth targets, equal to 80 percent of the school's target, are also set for each of the subgroups. Each subgroup must also meet its target for the school to be identified as having met its target.
Percentage Tested: In order to be eligible for awards, elementary and middle schools must have at least 95% of their students in grades 2-8 tested in STAR. High schools must have at least 90% of their students in grades 9-11 tested.
Statewide Rank: Schools receiving an API score are ranked in ten categories of equal size (deciles) from one (lowest) to ten (highest), according to type of school (elementary, middle, or high school).
Similar Schools Rank: This is a comparison of each school with 100 other schools with similar demographic characteristics. Each set of 100 schools is ranked by API score from one (lowest) to ten (highest) to indicate how well the school performed compared to schools most like it.

API criteria are subject to change as new legislation is enacted into law. More detailed and current information about the API and public school accountability in California can be found at the California Department of Education Web site at http://api.cde.ca.gov/ or by speaking with the school principal

School Wide API
 API Base Data  API Growth Data
   1999  2000  2001   From
1999
to 2000		 From
2000
to 2001		 From
2001
to 2002
 Percentage Tested  99  100  100  Percentage Tested  100  100  100
 API Base Score  789  828  840  API Growth Score  828  852  861
 Growth Target  1  #  A  Actual Growth  39  24  21
 Statewide Rank  9  9  9  
 Similar Schools Rank  1  1  1

API Subgroups - Racial/Ethnic Groups
 API Base Data  API Growth Data
   1999  2000  2001   From
1999
to 2000		 From
2000
to 2001		 From
2001
to 2002
 African-American  African-American
 API Base Score        API Growth Score      
 Growth Target        Actual Growth      
 American Indian or Alaska Native  American Indian or Alaska Native
 API Base Score        API Growth Score      
 Growth Target        Actual Growth      
 Asian-American  Asian-American
 API Base Score  859  904  905  API Growth Score  904  911  922
 Growth Target    #  A  Actual Growth  45  7  17
 Filipino-American  Filipino-American
 API Base Score        API Growth Score      
 Growth Target        Actual Growth      
 Hispanic or Latino  Hispanic or Latino
 API Base Score        API Growth Score      
 Growth Target        Actual Growth      
 Pacific Islander  Pacific Islander
 API Base Score        API Growth Score      
 Growth Target        Actual Growth      
 White (Not Hispanic)  White (Not Hispanic)
 API Base Score  795  836  839  API Growth Score  836  853  854
 Growth Target  1  #  A  Actual Growth  41  17  15

API Subgroups - Socioeconomically Disadvantaged
 API Base Data  API Growth Data
   1999  2000  2001   From
1999
to 2000		 From
2000
to 2001		 From
2001
to 2002
 API Base Score        API Growth Score      
 Growth Target        Actual Growth      

API-Based Awards and Intervention Programs
California program data are based on API growth data from the previous academic year.
***The II/USP Program was not funded for the year 2002.
 California Programs  Federal Programs
   2000  2001  2002    2000  2001  2002
 Eligible for Governor's
 Performance Award		  YES  YES  YES  Recognition for
 Achievement (Title 1)		      
 Eligible for II/USP  NO  NO  ***  Identified for Program
 Improvement (Title 1)		      
 Applied for II/USP $  NO  NO  ***  Exited Title 1 Program
 Improvement		      
 Received II/USP $  NO  NO  ***  

IV. School Completion (Secondary Schools)
This section is not applicable: Sandpiper is an Elementary School.

V. Class Size

Average Class Size and Class Size Distribution
Data reported are the average class size and the number of classrooms for each range of students, by grade level, as reported by CBEDS.
 Grade  2000  2001  2002
 Avg.  1-20  21-32  33+  Avg.  1-20  21-32  33+  Avg.  1-20  21-32  33+
 K  16.25  4      19.75  4      19.75  4    
 1  20.00  4      18.67  3      20.00  4    
 2  19.00  3      19.20  5      20.00  3    
 3  16.67  3      20.00  3      19.75  4    
 4  22.50  1  1    28.00    1    25.00    2  
 5  23.50    2    25.50    2    28.00    2  
 K-3  20.00  1      20.00  1      20.00  1    
 3-4          20.00  1      20.00  1    
 4-5  21.00    1    28.00    1          


Average Teaching Load and Teaching Load Distribution
Data reported are the average class size and the number of classrooms for each range of students, by subject area, as reported by CBEDS.
Section not applicable for an elementary school.


Class Size Reduction Participation
California's K-3 Class Size Reduction program began in 1996 for children in kindergarten and grades one through three. Funding is provided to participating school districts to decrease the size of K-3 classes to 20 or fewer students per certificated teacher.

 Grade Level  Percentage of Pupils Participating
 2000
 2001
 2002
 K
 100%
 100%
 100%
 1
 100%
 100%
 100%
 2
 100%
 100%
 100%
 3
 100%
 100%
 100%

VI. Teacher and Staff Information

Teacher Credential Information
Part-time teachers are counted as '1'. If a teacher works at two schools, he/she is only counted at one school. Data are not available for teachers with a full credential and teaching outside his/her subject area.
     2000      2001      2002  
 Total Number of Teachers
 		  24  25  24
 Full Credential
 (full credential and teaching in subject area)		  23  24  22
 Teaching Outside Subject Area
 (full credential but teaching outside subject area)		      
 Emergency Credential
 (includes District Internship, University Internship, Pre-Interns and Emergency Permits)		  1    2
 Teachers with Waivers
 (does not have credential and does not qualify for an Emergency Permit)		    1  

Teacher Evaluations

Formal evaluations are done at least once each year for new probationary staff and every other year for permanent staff.

Formal evaluations include an initial conference with the administrator, observations of the teacher in the classroom, and a final evaluation conference. Progress towards meeting District standards for teaching is monitored by both the teacher and the principal.
 
 


Substitute Teachers

All substitutes used by Sandpiper School have passed a qualifying examination administered by the State of California. When a teacher is absent from class, a qualified substitute teacher teaches the class. If a substitute is not available, the class is taught by a credentialed district administrator or a teacher without a regular class assignment. Last year, teachers averaged about 1.6 days of absence per month. This included illness, in-service training, and other leaves.
 
 


Counselors and Other Support Staff
Data reported are in units of full-time equivalents (FTE). One FTE is defined as a staff person who is working 100% full time. Two staff persons working 50% of full time also equals one FTE.
The regular school staff consists of twenty-one full-time classroom teachers, one school secretary, one library media specialist, two custodians, and one principal. The support staff includes:
Band/String/Vocal/Music Teacher .5
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) Teacher .1
PE Teacher (Grades 1 - 5) .4
Psychologist .2
Resource Specialist Program Teacher .75
Resource Specialist Program Assistant .75
Reading Teacher .5
Science Teacher (4th and 5th Grade) .5
Speech & Language Specialist .4

VII. Curriculum and Instruction

School Instruction and Leadership
Course of Study

  • English/Language Arts
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • History/Social Science
  • Visual and Performing Arts
  • Physical Education
  • Health
Instruction and Support for Special Needs

“Pull-out” programs for students with specialized needs have been scheduled in order to provide an in-depth program for all students. Support for special needs of students begins with Student Study Teams who, meeting regularly, develop strategies to help students become more successful in school. They coordinate school resources and services which include:

  • Referral for Special Education Assessment
  • English Language Learners Program
  • Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) Program
  • Family Counselor services
  • Special Education programs
  • School Psychologist services
School Site Leadership

The School Site Council, comprised of parents and teachers, works together to create the vision and establish goals for the school. Monthly meetings are held to discuss curriculum and programs that benefit the learning community. This advisory council writes the School Improvement Plan, establishes resources for staff development, and approves school programs.

Instructional Staff Qualifications

All teachers are credentialed by the State of California. All Sandpiper teachers have completed graduate work.

Student/Teacher Ratio

Classrooms have a maximum class size of 20 students. K through 3rd grades are staffed at a ratio of 20 to 1. With rare exceptions, classes do not exceed 28 students in grades 4 and 5.

Through SIP funds, instructional assistants were provided for some classrooms. Further assistance is provided by parent volunteers in the classroom. They help with small group and individual instruction in various content areas.


Professional Development
Staff development activities are determined through a process which begins with the staff identifying needs that are related to the goals identified in the School Improvement Plan. District-wide needs identified through the “Futures” planning process are also incorporated into the plans for staff development. The calendar and topics for staff development conducted on non-student days are identified in the School Improvement Plan each year. Sandpiper School’s teachers participate in one day of staff development before the students return to school. Five additional staff development days were conducted during the school year and two non-student days were devoted to parent conferences. During these staff development days, teachers received training in:
  1. English Language Arts
  2. Mathematics
  3. Grade Level Teaming
  4. Curriculum Planning for the Year
  5. Special Education
  6. Curriculum and Instructional Practices
  7. Standards and Assessment

Individual staff members also participated in additional workshops and training in these areas.


Quality and Currency of Textbooks and Other Instructional Materials
Classroom Textbooks and Materials

The District has adopted the following textbooks in accordance with State standards.

  • MathSteps, supplementary math text
  • Harcourt Brace “Signatures” for English/Language Arts
  • Rebecca Sitton Sourcebook for spelling
  • Houghton Mifflin for History/Social Science
  • Silver Burdett Music Series
  • Full Option Science System (FOSS)

The State and District provide regular classroom materials to support our program goals. Enrichment and supplemental materials are purchased through SIP funds and with the help of the Parent Teacher Association. Additionally, the PTA gives money directly to teachers to use for classroom enrichment.

Sandpiper School has one television set and VCR for every classroom. There are two scanners, two video cameras and an electronic projection system for the school. There is a wide variety of software, encyclopedia and reference CD ROMs at the school site, including KidPix®, HyperStudio®, Student Writing Center®, ClarisWorks®, Microsoft Works®, and Microsoft Office®. The school library contains over 4,265 books.


Instructional Minutes
The California Education Code establishes the required number of instructional minutes per year for each grade. Data reported compares the number of instructional minutes offered at the school level to the state requirement for each grade.
 Grade
Level		  Instructional Minutes
 Offered  State Requirement
 K  37,800  36,000
 1  51,250  50,400
 2  51,250  50,400
 3  51,250  50,400
 4  55,240  54,000
 5  55,240  54,000


Total Number of Minimum Days
The school held 47 minimum days. Thirty-six were on Wednesdays; the others are used for parent conferences, last day of school, etc. Four of the minimum days, for parent conferences, were conducted at the end of the Fall and Spring Progress Report periods.
 

VIII. Postsecondary Preparation (Secondary Schools)
This section is not applicable: Sandpiper is an Elementary School.

IX. Fiscal and Expenditure Data

Average Salaries (Fiscal Year 2000-2001)
Statewide data categories used for comparison are determined by type (Elementary, High, and Unified) and enrollment, as defined in Management Bulletin 02-04. The statewide average for principles is aggregated by district. There is no statewide average calculated for Common Administration Districts.
 Category  District Amount  State Average
For Districts
In Same Category
 Beginning Teacher Salary  36903  34611
 Mid-Range Teacher Salary  53878  53100
 Highest Teacher Salary  67636  65312
 Average Principal Salary (Elementary)  79390  80909
 Average Principal Salary (Middle)  87335
 Average Principal Salary (High)  n/a
 Superintendent Salary  103846  109512
 Percentage of Budget for Teacher Salaries  50.2  43.49
 Percentage of Budget for Administrative Salaries  6.26  5.90

Additional Compensation for Administrators
Principals’ salaries are an average over all principals in the District and do include District years of service, extra for advanced degrees, and experience step increases. Superintendent’s salary includes District years of service, extra for advanced degrees, and experience step increases.
 
 

Expenditures (Fiscal Year 2000-2001)
 District  District  State Average
For Districts
In Same Category		  State Average
All Districts
 Total Dollars  Dollars per Student
(ADA)		  Dollars per Student
(ADA)		  Dollars per Student
(ADA)
 15063844  6266  6092  6360

Types of Services Funded
  • Reg. Ed
  • CSR
  • Guidance
  • Music
  • Summer School
  • Community day school
  • Gov's Perf awards
  • API donations
  • ODE
     

Special Education

  • Psychologists
  • County Sp Ed
  • Speech
  • SP Ed IDEA
  • RSP, SDC & NPS
  • Transportation
  • Teachers
  • Classified Staff
  • Benefits
  • Books & Supplies
  • Services
  • Equipment
  • Health Services
  • Food Services
  • Title I
  • Drug
  • Title II
  • Title VI
  • Title VI (CSR)
  • Dist Block Grant
  • NBCT
  • ELLP
  • Classroom Library
  • Public School Library
  • Lottery Prop 20
  • Tolerance Ed
  • School Safety
  • TUPE
  • Arts Ed Partnership
  • EIA
  • Ed. Tech
  • GATE
  • Instructional Materials
  • Standards Based
  • Instructional Mat/Staff Buyout
  • Miller Unruh
  • Oracle Grant
  • ACSD Grant
  • SIP