School Improvement Team:

(Your school improvement team should consist of a variety of stakeholders within your school community including parents)

Instructional Overview  

Provide descriptive information related to the curriculum, instructional programs, professional learning and existing interventions utilizing a Response to Intervention approach to support the academic needs of students.

Provide explicit connections to your  school’s instructional overview and how it supports and aligns with GOAL 1: Empowered Students of the LCPS Strategic Plan and Goal 2.1 Offer high-quality Ongoing Growth and Development available to all staff; 2.2 Develop dedicated resources to improve Professional Collaboration across schools and the division

Overview: Lovettsville Elementary School is dedicated to instructional excellence and the academic success of every one of our students. We are committed to maintaining a high level of instructional rigor while continually challenging our staff to grow as teachers and learners.  Additionally, we strive to ensure that every student achieves academic success and to significantly close the gap for our students who require targeted academic interventions. A key area of focus for the 2025-2026 school year will be accelerating the reading skills of our above-level readers and increasing the use of higher-level thinking skills for all learners. We are excited to pilot the Thinking Maps instructional model this year in LCPS as one of two pilot elementary schools. Thinking Maps will directly support our focus on building students' capacity in implementing higher-level thinking skills when reading across content areas.

The heart of our instructional model is focused on providing sound Core Instruction to all students.  Core instruction is differentiated to meet the individual needs of each learner.  Our Responsive Instruction (RI) program provides targeted remediation and enrichment to every student in our building. Lovettsville Elementary will implement a Personalized Learning model for the 2025-2026 school year.  This instructional model enables us to tailor instruction to meet the needs of learners who require both remediation and acceleration. All students will continue to have STEM learning experiences through an integrated computer science program in all grades.

Elementary Reading & Writing: Elementary Reading and Writing instruction is grounded in the science of reading and utilizes evidence-based literacy practices that reflect the five pillars of literacy: Phonemic Awareness, Phonics and Word Study, Fluency, Vocabulary, and Comprehension, in addition to Writing.  Instruction across all areas of literacy should be explicit and systematic, aligning with the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs).  All classrooms are equipped with state-approved resources that align with the expectations of the Virginia Literacy Act.  Students are empowered through the integration of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt's Into Reading as the core instructional resource that supports each of the five pillars of literacy.  Teachers are provided with continuous professional development to support the implementation of best practices for literacy instruction.  Each student’s literacy progress is monitored through state-provided assessments (Virginia Language and Literacy Screener [VALLS]) or the use of Measures of Academic Progress (MAP).  Students who have identified areas of need are provided with differentiated classroom instruction and/or evidence-based intervention.  Using the LCPS decision trees as guidance, tiered supports are provided to students that align with expectations outlined in the Virginia Literacy Act.  All teachers are provided with professional learning on specific intervention strategies and programs.  To support this collective and ongoing effort to deliver high-quality literacy instruction and intervention, all teachers participate in Literacy CLT/PLCs with their grade-level teams.  During these instances, teachers can collaborate and share student progress, strategize, and plan instruction for all students. 

At Lovettsville Elementary School, we have been highly successful in implementing the new HMH Into Reading core instructional resources.  Under the leadership of the administration, our reading specialists and LCPS instructional facilitators will ensure that our staff continues to receive high-quality professional learning on the implementation of HMH resources. At the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year, our School Improvement Plan included a goal that all students, with a targeted focus on Students With Disabilities, would increase their conditional growth in reading from an average conditional growth of 52% to 55% for all students and to an average of 50% conditional growth for SWD and EL’s by June 2027. Based on the Spring MAP Reading assessment, our students demonstrated 58% conditional growth overall, and our students with disabilities achieved an average conditional growth of 59%. A conditional growth rate of 50% ensures that our students, on average, make at least a year’s progress in reading.  

Through an extensive and targeted responsive instructional model, we will continue to set goals for students who require both remediation and intervention in reading.  This past year, more than 70 students received remedial reading support or participated in a reading intervention model.  As a result, our students demonstrated conditional growth gains of over 65%, indicating that not only did they make at least a year’s worth of progress in reading, but they also made significant strides toward closing achievement gaps in reading.  This model will continue during the 2025-2026 school year, and parents will continue to be informed of the reading goals set for their child, receiving ongoing updates on their child’s progress in reading.

A targeted area of focus will be supporting students with disabilities to better prepare them for success on the Reading SOL assessment.  In Spring 2024, 50% of students with a disability in grades 3-5 did not pass the reading SOL. Lovettsville Elementary School will continue to implement specialized literacy instruction during the 2025-26 school year using Spire and Lexia Core 5. These instructional models also allow us to monitor the reading progress of many students on a weekly and bi-weekly basis. This data is used to inform instructional decisions and to personalize learning for our students.

Math: The LCPS Math Curriculum and instruction utilize a math workshop structure, focusing on student-centered learning activities that include daily number sense routines and reflection.  Teachers plan small-group targeted instruction, varying the groups regularly.  Instruction prioritizes hands-on, inquiry-based learning, focusing on conceptual understanding through the use of representations and models/manipulatives.   Instruction also emphasizes the implementation of the Process Goals and the 5Cs through student collaboration, reasoning, communicating, making connections, and problem-solving.  Students who have identified areas of need are provided with differentiated classroom instruction and/or explicitly taught, evidence-based intervention.

At Lovettsville Elementary, math instruction is consistent and follows the math workshop structure. This provides students with opportunities to solve more challenging math problems, work collaboratively, and expand their overall understanding of numbers. Based on the Spring MAP assessment, students receiving remediation or intervention in math made an average of 65% condition growth from Fall to Spring. Overall, our students demonstrated a conditional growth rate in math of 60%.  This indicates that responsive instruction was effective in helping our students who were behind in math at the start of the school year to demonstrate significant progress and close the gap with their peers who began the year performing at or above grade-level standards in math.

A targeted area of focus will be supporting students with disabilities to better prepare them for success on the Math SOL assessment. In Spring 2025, 40% of students with a disability in grades 3-5 did not pass the math SOL. Although this was reduced from 46% the previous year, targeted math intervention using the Bridges or Kiddom instructional models will be implemented, and student progress will be monitored on a weekly and/or biweekly basis.

Science: At Lovettsville Elementary, science instruction is designed to actively engage students in the scientific process and utilize reasoning processes that foster scientific thinking and reasoning. These programs teach students to understand, apply, and interpret scientific explanations of the natural world; to generate and evaluate scientific evidence and explanations; to comprehend the nature and evolution of scientific knowledge; and to participate effectively in scientific practices and discourse.

Social Sciences & Global Studies: At Lovettsville Elementary, Social Science and Global Studies instruction is grounded in a culturally responsive approach to the content, elevating multiple perspectives. Students are empowered through authentic, inquiry-based learning experiences that promote the development of historical thinking skills and provide opportunities for their thinking to be made visible and acknowledged.  Students demonstrate their understanding, knowledge, and skills through authentic performance tasks.

Comprehensive Needs Assessment

Academic Achievement

A summary providing evidence of analysis of trends, patterns, proficiency, and growth in student academic achievement data.  Provide a clear connection between outcomes and contributing factors.

Upon reviewing student academic achievement data, it was evident that Lovettsville’s dedication to continuous professional development, emphasis on offering authentic learning opportunities, and high expectations for all students have made a significant impact to date. Standards of Learning (SOL) scores indicated strong levels of student achievement; however, noticeable differences were observed in outcomes among the gap groups. In reading,  we achieved an overall pass rate of 81%. It is worth noting that 55% of students with disabilities in grades 3-5 passed the Virginia Reading SOL assessment this year, compared to a 37% pass rate the previous year. It must also be noted that Lovettsville Elementary School achieved a 10% pass advanced rate on this year’s reading SOL. We have set a goal to increase this to 15% by Spring 2026. On the math SOL, Lovettsville demonstrated an overall pass rate of 79%; however, only 62% of students with disabilities passed the math SOL. While this represents an increase from 54% the previous year, we will continue to focus on strengthening our core math instructional practices, with an emphasis on number talks and targeted small-group instruction.

A measure that we found most effectively demonstrates the impact of our instruction in reading and math was in our review of NWEA’s Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Growth assessment data. These computer-adaptive tests help us determine a student's instructional level of readiness and measure academic growth throughout the school year and from year to year. Data yielded from the Spring 2025 MAP assessments indicate that Lovettsville Elementary students outperformed LCPS division averages in both reading and math. In reading, Lovettsville Elementary achieved an average reading achievement profile of 64% as compared to 59% at the district level. In math, Lovettsville Elementary achieved an average math achievement profile of 63%, compared to 59% at the district level.

It is also notable that, based on Spring 2025 MAP scores in reading, only 4% of students in grades 3-5 continue to require intensive reading intervention. In math, students in grades 1-5 showed a CGP of 60%. While these scores are something to celebrate, one significant observation is that many of our students who are identified at the beginning of the year as high-achieving students in reading are ending the year showing low to moderate growth rather than high growth. This is demonstrated by the fact that students who scored between 70% and 100% on the Fall MAP had an average conditional growth of 47%.  Our goal is to support all students in their growth and development as learners. This year, we will also focus our efforts on consistently offering opportunities for enrichment and deeper learning within the curriculum for all learners, with a particular emphasis on high-performing students. In addition, we will implement common assessments across grade levels with fidelity and assist in monitoring student achievement and growth between district assessment windows, allowing for increased differentiation opportunities that are individualized based on data-informed determinations of student need.

Aligned to the Division’s goals of providing rigorous teaching and learning and encouraging individualized success, one of the overarching goals Lovettsville aims to achieve by the end of the 2025-26 academic year is to ensure that all students are exposed to rigorous instruction marked by explicit instruction in thinking skills and the use of higher-level thinking strategies. We hope to achieve this by piloting the Thinking Maps program this year. Additionally, professional development opportunities will be provided to build teacher capacity. A regular review of student data, including lesson plans, classroom observations, learning walks, and a review of student thinking maps during CLT’s will enable us to track progress effectively and provide necessary support promptly.

Comprehensive Needs Assessment

Student Engagement

A summary of trends, patterns, strengths and areas for growth in student engagement data, including attendance, discipline, perceptual data, and graduation data (HS only).

Each year, Lovettsville Elementary collects feedback directly from our students on their perceptions of our school.  Based on data collected for the 2024-2025 school year, our students expressed very positive feelings about the academic environment (97%) and the student-teacher relationships at Lovettsville (95%). Ninety-three percent of students reported that they like attending Lovettsville Elementary School, and 97% reported that their teachers expect them to do well academically.  Two primary areas of concern for students at Lovettsville Elementary are school safety and developing empathy for the feelings of others. Fourteen percent of students indicated that they do not always feel safe at school, while 17% reported struggling to recognize the feelings of others.

The Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) model at Lovettsville was revamped entirely at the start of the 24-25 school year. This has yielded positive results with 88% of students indicating that teachers let them know when they are demonstrating positive school behaviors, and 75% of students feel that staff discipline all students in the same way for the same behavior infractions. It is our goal to improve both of these numbers to over 90% by the end of the 25-26 school year.

Our goal at Lovettsville Elementary is to provide a safe, equitable, and inclusive learning environment for all students, staff, and visitors who participate in our school's learning activities.  Based on the 24-25 student climate survey, 91% of students feel a strong sense of belonging at our school, and 96% of students strongly agree that they have had opportunities to learn about people who are different from themselves.

We are excited to report that the chronic absenteeism rate dropped to 7% during the 2024-2025 school year, thanks to the outstanding efforts of our UMHT and Lovettsville parents.

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Extended Learning and Engagement Opportunities

Provide information to describe extended learning and engagement opportunities for students, families, and community including what events you have planned or are considering hosting.

Provide explicit connections to your school’s extended learning and engagement opportunities and how they support and align with GOAL 4: Engaged Community of the LCPS Strategic Plan, especially GOAL 4.1 Deepen Family Engagement by offering inclusive opportunities for conversation across the division.

Extended Learning:

Extended learning opportunities are embedded across the curriculum and throughout each school day at Lovettsville Elementary.  Additionally, all students at Lovettsville Elementary will have a chance to participate in site-based and virtual field trip experiences that are directly tied to our curriculum.  Students will engage in multiple authentic project-based learning activities this year.  With the support of our IFT, Lovettsville students will participate in a minimum of three core curriculum-integrated computer science activities.  Students in third through fifth grade will also have the opportunity to have a computer science immersion experience at the Amazon Think Big Space at Simpson Middle School in Leesburg this year.  Our Career Day program will provide students with the opportunity to learn from professionals in the community about careers available to them upon graduation.  

Lovettsville Elementary is committed to providing intervention and enrichment opportunities across the curriculum to all students, based on ongoing analysis of various data points that determine student strengths, needs, and growth over time. Dedicated time is provided weekly for staff to review student achievement, instructional strategies, and collaborate to maximize effectiveness. Providing instruction tailored to meet the needs of each student is crucial for identifying potential instructional gaps and ensuring that all our learners receive equitable instruction.

Lovettsville Elementary School will pilot the Thinking Maps instructional program this year.  The Thinking Maps model emphasizes eight key cognitive skills that foster lifelong learning across various content areas. “By clearly defining these cognitive skills, students quickly become aware of the thinking skills that drive their learning, giving them explicit pathways for thinking about their thinking and improving their performance.”(Hyerle, D. 2017.  Thinking Maps: A Language of Learning. Thinking Maps, Inc.)

Family and Community Engagement Opportunities:

At Lovettsville Elementary, we are committed to partnering with families to ensure the academic success of every student.  In the Fall of the 2025-2026 school year, Lovettsville Elementary will host a Pasta & Parents event, where parents can learn more about our instructional models, counseling programs, and PBIS practices.  In addition, we will provide parents with tools and activities that they can implement at home with their children. Our annual “Night at the Museum” event is a showcase of student learning.  Parents and community members are invited to volunteer in various capacities at Lovettsville Elementary, including classroom support, school and PTO evening events, lunchtime mentoring, our Career Day program, field trips, Parents in PE, and fine arts events. This year, we will be implementing a “Roaring Readers” program to encourage parents to engage in reading with their students at our school regularly. Lovettsville Elementary will once again host a Science Night in the Spring of 2026.

In addition to student-centered extended learning opportunities, Lovettsville Elementary maintains a dedication to engaging all members of our community. This includes the school administration conducting virtual and in-person events to communicate updates and address inquiries ( “Coffee Talks”), providing opportunities for parents to learn how to support their children at school better, fostering a collaborative and supportive relationship with our PTO, and developing successful school-business partnerships for the benefit of our students and stakeholders.

Climate and Culture

Provide a description of strategies that address the needs of all children in the school, but particularly the needs of those at risk of not meeting the challenging state academic standards, through activities such as counseling, social emotional learning and mental health programs, and PBIS implementation.

Make explicit connections to the LCPS Strategic Plan goals of 1.3 Prioritize Care for Students by

ensuring a safe and affirming learning environment for all;  

At Lovettsville Elementary, we are committed to providing academic instruction at an appropriate level of rigor to meet the individual needs of all learners, while prioritizing the well-being of our students by creating a safe and inclusive learning environment that celebrates their cultures and traditions. We actively engage in discussions and initiatives surrounding Equity, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), and Social Emotional Learning (SEL) to continually assess our practices and address potential areas of concern. In addition to dedicated teacher-led committees, staff regularly review student achievement, attendance, and behavior data to determine areas of strength and/or need. Beginning with the 25-26 school year, all students and staff will adopt the motto “R.O.A.R” to identify the importance of Responsibility, Organization, Acceptance, and Respect at Lovettsville Elementary. During the 2024-2025 school year, a new Patrols program was implemented at Lovettsville, providing opportunities for students to serve in leadership roles while supporting their peers.  This year, we engaged students in various roles, including Bear Ambassadors (student leadership team), Bear Buddies (student engagement), flag patrol, and bus patrols.

As evidenced by the LCPS Annual Family Survey, over 98% of Lovettsville respondents believed “teachers at this school care about how my child does in school.” This reflects an increase from the previous year’s responses.  95% of parents believed that the school provides a high-quality education for their child and that there are high expectations for academic achievement, an increase from 88% the previous year. 97% of parents indicated that their children felt a strong sense of belonging at our school.  An area that needed to be addressed during the 2024-2025 school year was improving communication with families (LOV = 84%, LCPS = 91%). Survey results indicated that 93% of parents felt that the school communicated effectively with families. An area of focus for Lovettsville Elementary School for the 2025-26 school year will be seeking ways to improve our ability to provide timely feedback to parents based on their child’s work.

As evidenced by the LCPS Annual Staff Survey, 100% of those surveyed indicated that Lovettsville Elementary is a good place to work and learn.  Notable gains were also made in the area of staff feeling comfortable raising issues/concerns with administration (100% positive response rate). Ninety-seven percent of staff also indicated that teachers and other adults consistently enforce rules related to student behavior. An area of focus noted by the staff is bullying. Ten percent of the staff surveyed felt that bullying was a problem at our school.

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS): PBIS is a systemic approach for establishing a safe and supportive learning environment. Through the implementation of a consistent vision, language, and practices, school staff promote social, behavioral, and academic success for all students.  

The successful implementation of PBIS can lead to a favorable school climate, improved classroom management, increased understanding of school-wide expectations, strengthened relationships, increased positive behaviors, enhanced academic achievement, and equitable learning experiences, as well as decreased office referrals and suspensions. To support implementation, the PBIS team meets regularly to evaluate behavioral data, provide behavioral lessons based on identified needs, and share resources.

At Lovettsville Elementary, we use R.O.A.R, which stands for Responsibility, Organization, Acceptance, and Respect. Students are taught that their “purpose” each day is to show “Roaring Behavior” around the school and when riding the school bus. These expectations are taught to all students as part of our PBIS matrix of expected behaviors and are reinforced positively when they display their outstanding “Bear Behaviors” at school.

Social Emotional Learning (SEL): The social-emotional learning framework provides students with explicit SEL instruction, practice, and reinforcement of skills through academic integration, and a supportive environment that cultivates relationships, belonging, safety, and a student-centered approach. The framework is supported by the involvement of all community members, including staff, students, families, and community partners.  

The staff at Lovettsville Elementary School is committed to continually improving our instructional skills and to creating a learning environment that is second to none in Loudoun County. We are FOR LOVETTSVILLE!