Kate Wenzl
Principal

Dry Creek Statistics	2008-09	2007-08
Enrollment	427	452
Smallest Class	17	17
Largest Class	26	26
Average Class Size	20	20
Classroom Teachers	23	24
Support Staff	2	1.9
Administrators	1	1
Secretaries	1.5	1.5
Paraeducators	10	10
Custodians	1.5	1.5
Food Services	3	3
Volunteers	100	100
Avg. Annual Attendance	93	92.59%
Suspended	37	49
Expelled	0	0
Students Promoted	99.99%	99.3%
Free/Reduced Lunch	65%	56.6%
Title I/Lap	school-wide	school-wide
Special Education	68	78
Bilingual	4	1

Reflections on the 2008-09 School Year

At Dry Creek Elementary School, staff members work to provide all students with a rigorous and relevant curriculum in a caring, academic climate.  Our successful efforts were recognized as Dry Creek received the School of Distinction Award for improvement of our WASL scores.  Dry Creek was one of 55 elementary schools across Washington State to receive this honor!  This past year, our WASL scores demonstrated several achievements:

• Nine out of 10 WASL scores exceeded state scores; 6 out of 10 exceeded District scores.
• Dry Creek made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in reading in all four WASL grades.
• Third grade reading scores increased 5%; third grade Native American readers met AYP; female third grade readers increased scores by 16%.
• Fourth grade readers built on cohort third grade reading scores by 6.7%. 
• Grades 4 and 6 had the second highest reading scores in the District. 
• Grade 5 had the highest math scores in the District, 6th Grade, 2nd highest.
• Grade 5 readers in level 4 increased 20% over cohort data from 4th grade. 
• Five years in a row “above District average” 5th grade science scores.
• Grade 6 readers increased scores by 11.4%. 

Plans for the 2009-09 School Year

Student Learning.  Our school-wide approach to student learning and improvement can be found in the structures and systems put into place across the curricula to support individual students.  Our Response to Intervention (RTI) plan responds to these needs in a proactive manner. Staff members use comprehensive data to inform our next instructional steps. Use of the students’ own words through test talks and inquiry will increase our understanding of the learners’ abilities for next instructional steps. Focusing on these objectives will enable us to achieve our goals.

Reading:  We are maximizing existing resources (paraeducator time and schedules) to enhance the education of each student with strategic interventions.  Students who are identified as intensive will have research based replacement curriculum.  We have just ordered Reading Mastery.  Books are Fun reading incentives, as well as other library programs, promote literacy school-wide.

Math:  Bridges (K-5th) and McDougal Littell (6th) math curriculum is used within all schools in the District. Specific goals:  Student learning plans will address specific student needs; test talks will allow students’ to describe their thinking to their teacher in their own words; and After School Math Tutoring sessions will help with students’ specific needs. AmeriCorps and community math volunteers will help students improve their basic math facts and fluency.

Professional Development.  At Dry Creek we continue our focus on student achievement in reading, writing, math and science, and our learning environment through professional development. This support allows us to provide research based instruction.  We recognize that successful remedial strategies need to be at the student’s instructional level, and provide incremental steps to build proficiency. 

School Climate.  Students are challenged with rigorous curriculum and given support to improve their skills with confidence. As a staff and community, we continue to celebrate student success with Dragon Deeds, incentives, math dragons and postcards with the Principal. Dry Creek awards monthly: Golden Pig for cleanest classroom, Dragon to the class with the best monthly attendance, and Thing 1 and Thing 2 awards as a reading incentive.  With the  support of the Dry Creek PTA and Port Angeles Education Foundation, we offer enriching opportunities (Book It Theatre, Science Center Van, Veterans’ Day Assembly, Annual turkey Feast, Elder’s Luncheon) and field trips (Seattle Children’s Theatre, Victoria Trip, firehouse tour, Dungeness River water quality, etc.) to expand learning in the classroom to real-life experiences.  With combined efforts of staff and our community, we hope to increase daily average attendance to at 95%.

How You Can Help

Every child deserves the opportunity to succeed. We know that not all children learn in the same way at the same time. The parents, friends of Dry Creek students and our community are all instrumental in providing the additional support that makes learning at Dry Creek motivating and rewarding. We are always looking for more volunteers, so that every child has an adult advocate for his or her personalized support. This will allow us to continue our rich history of an elementary school that cares for kids and celebrates success. Please call us at 360.457.5050.

Use and Condition of Building

Dry Creek is the fourth largest elementary school, rebuilt in 1996. The facility supports pre-school through grade six classrooms, as well as outdoor fields for district and community recreation. The physical evaluation of this educational facility is rated 81% based on a January 7, 2008 study and survey by BLRB Architects.  Facility Use and Conditions Report available at the Port Angeles School District office.

Dry Creek Elementary School 4th Grade WASL Trend 2006-2009

For more information on Port Angeles School District’s Report Card go to: reportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us.