August 22, 2011
Dear Parent/Guardian:
Brookwood School District 167 is committed to providing a high-quality educational program for your child. We are working hard to provide programs to help all students succeed in our school district.
Your child attends Longwood School which receives federal Title I funds. These funds provide help for your child to meet state achievement standards. In the 2010-2011 school year, the school did not meet the adequate yearly progress (AYP) targets. Your child’s school, Longwood School is in school improvement which means the school has failed to make adequate yearly progress for 2 consecutive years in the same subject but has been granted a “reverse” waiver which allows the school to offer supplemental education services (SES) instead of choice to students who meet the income guidelines.
Our district’s 2011 report card and the most recent AYP status report for your school shows how your child’s school compares to other schools in our district and state. These reports are available on our Web site at www.brookwood167.org, at your child’s school, and at the school district office.
Under “No Child Left Behind” in order to make adequate yearly progress for the 2010-2011 school year 85% of the students in grades three and four had to meet or exceed state expectations on the ISAT in reading and mathematics. Your child’s school has been identified because 78% of the students met or exceeded state expectations on the reading test on the ISAT and 95% of the students met or exceeded expectations on the mathematics test on the ISAT. The school is working to improve the school’s academic program by intensive ongoing staff development in the area of reading instruction. After school assistance will be available to all students in reading and math. The district and the State Board of Education are working with your child’s school to help improve the academic standards of the school. This is being accomplished by providing technical assistance to the teachers and administrators within your child’s school.
However, this may not be enough and we want to request your help as the school addresses its academic problems. You can be involved in addressing these academic issues by checking your child’s assignments on a daily basis, assisting your child in studying for a test, regular communication with your child’s teacher, attending school events, especially Parent/Teacher Conference, and being involved in school and district committees such as the Parent Advisory Council.
The No Child Left Behind Act provides you, as a parent, the option to transfer your child to another public school within the district with transportation provided by the district. However, the district has been granted a “reverse” waiver, which allows the school to offer supplemental education services (SES) instead of choice to students who meet the income guidelines.
Please call Mr. Reginald Patterson, Principal of Longwood School at 708-757-2100 if you have any questions about these services.
Sincerely yours,
Dr. Pamela K. Hollich
Superintendent
