School Improvement Team:

Instructional Overview

Provide descriptive information related to the curriculum, instructional programs, and/or existing interventions to support the academic, behavioral, and/or social emotional needs for all students.

Cardinal Ridge is a community that BELIEVES in fostering critical thinkers who are challenged to SOAR to their potential and honor diversity in a safe, engaging, and respectful environment. Our mission at Cardinal Ridge Elementary, is to provide scholars with a respectful and safe environment guided by the Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) framework. We will facilitate learning opportunities that promote scholars to achieve academic excellence and encourage scholars to reach their fullest potential by setting individualized goals achieved through varied and challenging opportunities. We will provide explicit and systematic instruction in a supportive environment while maintaining high expectations and recognizing scholars' need for differentiation to maximize high levels of high achievement. We are committed to embracing diversity through personalized learning and cultural exploration. Cardinal Ridge is committed to empowering all scholars and staff to make meaningful contributions to the world.

Extended Learning Opportunities

Our Beliefs

Cardinal Ridge is a community that BELIEVES in fostering critical thinkers who are challenged to SOAR to their potential and honor diversity in a safe, engaging, and respectful environment. Our mission at Cardinal Ridge Elementary is to provide scholars with a respectful and safe environment guided by the Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) framework. We will facilitate learning opportunities that promote scholars to achieve academic excellence and encourage scholars to reach their fullest potential by setting individualized goals achieved through varied and challenging opportunities. We will provide explicit and systematic instruction in a supportive environment while maintaining high expectations and recognizing scholars' need for differentiation to maximize high levels of high achievement. We are committed to embracing diversity through personalized learning and cultural exploration. Cardinal Ridge is committed to empowering all scholars and staff to make meaningful contributions to the world.

Demographic Description of the Cardinal Ridge Elementary

Cardinal Ridge Elementary currently serves 832 scholars, of which 422 are boys and 410 are girls. 51.2% (426 scholars) are Asian,  25.2% (210 scholars) White, 10.3% (86 scholars) Black/African American,  6.3% (52 scholars) Hispanic, 5.5% (46 scholars) 2 or more races, 1.4% (12 scholars) Native American, 14.5% (121 scholars) economically disadvantaged, 26.9% (224 scholars) are enrolled as English Language Learners, and 8.2% (68 scholars) are enrolled as scholars with a disability.    

Extended Learning Opportunities

Loudoun County Public School is a Personalized Learning school district. Cardinal Ridge continues to focus on providing personalized learning for scholars by providing scholars with the opportunity to experience authentic learning through the Core Four Elements of Personalized Learning. Through a nurturing learning environment, we are able to place our scholars at the center of every decision we make as we seek to identify and maximize opportunities to provide scholars to reflect and set goals, receive targeted instruction (small groups), engage in flexible paths and pace for learning, and create platforms for collaboration and creativity.

Math Workshop Learning Opportunities

During the 2022-2023 academic school year, Cardinal Ridge Elementary will continue to focus on providing scholars with high levels of differentiated learning through the Reading and Math Workshop model, with an emphasis on personalized learning through targeted small group instruction and reflection/ goal setting. Research has shown that personalized learning provides scholars with the motivation to take ownership of their learning while ensuring scholars are still accessing expected standards of learning. Our focus on targeted small group instruction provides teachers with the opportunity to support curriculum differentiation to meet scholar needs and provide multiple entry points to our taught curriculum. While focusing on goal setting and reflection provides both teachers and scholars with the opportunity to take ownership of each learning experience. Staff members have participated in professional development opportunities to grow their professional capacity of the reading and math workshop model with an emphasis on mini-lessons, explicit tier 1 core instruction that uses the gradual release of responsibility teaching strategy (“I do, we do, you do”), and targeted small group instruction to meet all scholars. Various stakeholders participate in weekly Collaborative Learning Team meetings that focus on powerful lesson planning, differentiated instruction,  and cross-curricular integration of all content areas.

Classroom teachers, resource staff, and administration participate in quarterly math labsite planning opportunities with LCPS math instructional facilitators with a focus on planning,  learning new high yield math strategies (number talks, rich mask task, math focus lessons), implementation, and reflection. The math labsite visit provides support for teachers with embedded and sustainable professional learning in order to strengthen the implementation of the core mathematics curriculum to foster scholars’ deeper learning, engagement, and growth while closing opportunity gaps. Teachers and our  Instructional Leadership Team utilize Digital Usage Report data to develop flexible targeted small group instruction and monitor scholars’ usage and the effectiveness of the technology resources. Scholars use a variety of technology programs to personalize learning, such as Dreambox and Reflex Math.

Reading Workshop Learning Opportunities

School administration and reading specialists participate in quarterly reading Onboarding Foundational meetings with an LCPS division level Instructional Facilitator for Elementary English and Reading with a focus on reading workshop and topics that are supportive of establishing foundations of a strong comprehensive literacy program. The reading specialists provide ongoing professional development opportunities through Pathways training for teachers who are new to Loudoun County Public Schools. Various onboarding professional development opportunities are offered throughout the academic school year for all Cardinal Ridge staff members. As a means of continued support and meaningful collaboration, teachers participate in Learning Walks focused on the LCPS framework guides. Our Learning Walks provide a way for teachers to celebrate, learn from each other, and provide guidance on the expectations for each comprehensive literacy component. Various stakeholders take part in our reading CLT meetings to help provide feedback on aligned lesson objectives, explicit core instruction, and formative and summative assessments for reading. General education teachers and instructional leadership team utilize digital usage reports to form targeted instructional small groups, to meet the specific needs of our scholars. Scholars use a variety of technology programs to personalize learning, such as Reading A to Z, Epic, Flocabulary, ReadLive, and PebbleGo.  

PBIS Learning Opportunities

At the beginning of the 2021-2022 academic school year, staff and scholars participated in creating a new S.O.A.R (Self Control, Ownership, Appreciate Others, and Respect) behavior matrix. The S.O.A.R matrix is used to help scholars identify ways to S.O.A.R in common areas of our school. Our CRE staff use the S.O.A.R matrix throughout the day to provide teachable moments for scholars. We conduct morning meetings and use our PBIS SOAR matrix to highlight and articulate expected S.O.A.R behaviors. Scholars have the opportunity to reflect and articulate character traits and ways in which they can S.O.A.R and help other scholars S.O.A.R at Cardinal Ridge. As an incentive, scholars earn SOAR Bucks when displaying S.O.A.R behaviors.  During the 2022-2023 Cardinal Ridge stakeholders will identify ways and systems to deepen our understanding of S.O.A.R and how to demonstrate S.O.A.R in various settings beyond Cardinal Ridge.

Areas of Strength

Strong tier one instruction and opportunities for scholars to learn at high levels are increased when schools have strong professional learning communities. Cardinal Ridge has and will continue to leverage the power inherent in job-embedded professional development opportunities and strong professional learning communities through weekly collaborative team meetings focused on lesson planning.

Reading

Historically, 75%+ of our scholars have met or exceeded the Spring DRA benchmark. Additionally, we have consistently scored above the 70% reading achievement for the MAP assessment.

Areas for Growth

Our data analysis has highlighted our need to provide multiple access points to the taught curriculum for our scholars. As a school, we have and will continue to strengthen our workshop model to include:

• differentiated independent activities
• targeted small group instruction to close academic gaps
• utilizing real time assessments to drive instruction.  

We will also continue to focus on job-embedded professional development to increase the professional capacity of our staff by:

• engaging in professional development rounds (learn, implement, evaluate)
• increasing opportunities for staff to observe one another within and outside of their grade level

Reading

It is important to note our school performed above the district average for growth goals met in reading (CRE- 71%):

• 53% of our scholars with disabilities did not meet their growth goals
• 61% of our English Language Learner scholars did not meet their growth goals

Math

In math, our school performed slightly above the district average for growth goals met in math (CRE- 66%):

• 57% of our scholars with disabilities did not meet their growth goals
• 57% of our English Language Learner scholars did not meet their growth goals

School Improvement Goals

Strand 1

STRAND I: TEACHING FOR LEARNING

Domain 2 - Mathematics

Outcome Goal:

By May 2024, scholars who scored at or below the 39th percentile on the MAP Math Assessment will have a Fall to Spring average conditional growth percentile of 55 or higher.

Process Goal:

School instructional leadership will provide ongoing explicit feedback and support to teachers on lesson planning, instructional delivery, and professional development (Math Workshop)

Domain 1 - English Language Arts

Outcome Goal:

By May 2024, scholars who scored at or below the 39th percentile on the MAP Reading Assessment will have a Fall to Spring average conditional growth percentile of 55 or higher.

Process Goal:

School instructional leadership will provide ongoing explicit feedback and support to teachers on lesson planning, instructional delivery, and professional development (Reader's Workshop)

Outcome Goal:

By June 2024, 75% of scholars will experience Personalized Learning (PL) as a primary mode of learning and be able to articulate “the how” (flexible tools & Content / target instruction) and “the why” (student reflection & ownership / data driven decisions) of Personalized Learning.

Process Goal:

School instructional leadership team will provide ongoing professional learning opportunities to 1) strengthen the implementation of personalized learning and 2) increase the teachers’ capacity to engage and empower scholars in the learning process.

School Improvement Goals

Strand 2

Strand II: School Environment

Domain 8 - Safe and Supportive Environments

Outcome Goal:

By May 2024, 60% of scholars in grades K-1, will be able to articulate & identify their Greatness (personal characteristics/attributes/self worth) and Great places they will SOAR to (potential career aspirations) as measured by end of year post survey.

Process Goal:

School counselors, administration, and various stakeholders will provide ongoing professional learning opportunities for all teachers to build teacher capacity to provide scholars with opportunities to identify and demonstrate their greatness.

Domain 8 - Safe and Supportive Environments

Outcome Goal:

By May 2024, 60% of scholars in grades 2-5, will be able to articulate & identify their Greatness (personal characteristics/attributes/self worth), a coping mechanism to handle stress, and Great places they will SOAR to (potential career aspirations) as measure by end of year post survey.

Process Goal:

School counselors, administration, and various stakeholders will provide ongoing professional learning opportunities for all teachers to build teacher capacity to provide scholars with opportunities to identify and demonstrate their greatness.

PBIS Action Plan

Tier 1

Comprehensive (broad-based) PBIS Goal

Smart Goal: By June 2023 the CRE PBIS Team and all stakeholders will develop a comprehensive PBIS plan to include the PBIS specialist and classroom matrix, PBIS incentives/reward system to monitor behavior in the cafeteria setting, and create a school wide calendar for PBIS school wide initiatives and programming.