Surrounded by redwood trees, the beautiful Winship campus has been enhanced by recent bond and modernization projects. A new multi-purpose room was constructed and classrooms and the office were remodeled. Construction was completed in Spring, 2006. Current enrollment is 639 students. 

Winship’s Academic Performance Index (API) and Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) show continued growth. Our 2006 API is 813, a growth of 32 since 2005. We met all Federal Adequate Yearly Progress criteria in 2006.

Major Achievements:

• Student involvement in clubs, intramural sports, and community service continues to increase. Students enjoy participating in over 12 clubs on campus, year-round intramural tournaments, and afterschool community service projects.
• Our After School Program continues to support one third of our students each trimester in academics and enrichment activities. Over half of our students participate on a yearly basis.
• Our “Push-In” resource program, which provides extra help in the regular classroom setting, continues to be successful. We will refine the program to ensure success for all students with disabilities.

Focus for Improvement:

• Continue using the Accelerated Reader and Accelerated Math programs to move all students towards the proficient level in reading and math on standardized tests.
• Create an academics-only seventh period in the afterschool program. Students will enroll in classes for extra help (intervention) in reading and math, homework support, tutor time, or credit make-up to improve basic skills and increase our graduation rate.
• Establish English learner classes by grade level and by proficiency levels, as measured by the California English Language Development Test. These assessments will help us coordinate instruction for English learners with the students’ language arts classes. In most cases, if not all, the language arts teacher will be the English Language Development teacher.
• Writing scores are of the highest concern at Winship. We will establish a schoolwide writing program: Step up to Writing.

The active Winship PTSA provides support for valuable school programs such as Red Ribbon Week. Our monthly Lunch on the Lawn provides an opportunity for parents to join their child at school for lunch. Please come visit us; we would love to show you around. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate call.

Mission Statement: The mission of Winship Middle School, a collaborative community of dedicated students, families and staff, is to empower and inspire each student to maximize academic success and social development by providing a challenging, standards-driven curriculum in a creative, nurturing environment of mutual respect.

Component 1- The Social Climate

Goal 1: Create a caring, safe and supportive environment

Objective:  By September 2006, all staff and students will implement the Raise Responsibility System (RSS).

Goal 2:  To promote a higher degree of respect between student groups

Objective:  By February 2007, 80% of all students  will report experiencing increased mutual respect at school.

Component 2- the Physical Environment

Goal 1:  To reduce campus litter and increase campus beautification.

Objective:  By December 2006, the custodial staff will spend less of their on-duty time cleaning up litter on campus.

Goal 2:  To continue to improve campus safety and security.

Objective:  By December 2006, 85% of all students and staff will report feeling safe in regards to physical, social and/or cultural aspects as identified in surveys.

The 3 levels of social development are summarized below. All students should be able to classify a behavior as one of these levels.

3.  Acceptable & exemplary level.

Student motivated by an internal force.   Does the right thing for personal reasons.  Self-controlled, self-motivated, mature.  Kind, compassionate, considerate & caring.  Responsible, respectful, & honest.

2.  Acceptable & appropriate level.

Student manipulated by an outside force.   External motivation of bribes or threats.  Does the right thing when teacher is watching.  Conforms to what peers are doing.   Complies with accepted class standards.

3.  Unacceptable & inappropriate level.

         Child must be bossed into behaving.   Bullies others. Makes up own rules.

         Disturbs the learning experience. Violates accepted classprocedures/standards.

         Selfish, unkind, uncaring.

Students who operate on the upper two levels of social development are exhibiting the following behavior expectations:

• Respect yourself and others.
• Be safe at all times.
• Allow others to learn without distraction.
• Do your work during the whole class period.
• Follow all teacher directions the first time.
• Bring your supplies.
• Do your best.
• Dress appropriately.
• Attend school every day/be on time to class.
• Make up missed work.

With this in mind, rewards are not given for expected behavior just as society does not give rewards for behaving properly. Also, irresponsible behavior is seen as an opportunity for growth rather than for punishment.

Our approach encourages students to exercise self-discipline through self-evaluation and reflection. Students learn to control their own behavior rather than relying on the teachers for control.

We want our classrooms to be encouraging and conductive to learning at all times. In this way, young people develop positive attitudes and behavioral skills that are so necessary for successful lives.

Winship Middle School has an effective conflict resolution program that teaches appropriate ways to solve problems. The resolution process begins with our Conflict Mediation program.  A team of eighth graders is nominated by students and staff to be trained as dispute managers. Two trained mediators meet with the two disputing students and follow a step-by-step process that leads to a settlement agreeable to both disputants.  This peer program has been very successful at Winship and is an excellent opportunity for students to learn how to solve their problems in a responsible manner.

SLIBG funds are used for technology services, supplies, equipment and classified salaries.

Title III (LEP) and EIA  funds are used for certificated and classified salaries and supplies.

The school staff makes it a priority to know each student personally, making sure that there are no anonymous students at Winship.  The school day is configured to allow for maximum student contact.   Sixth graders learn in self-contained classrooms in the morning.  Resource and EL students are clustered to facilitate access to needed services.   After lunch, sixth grade students move to science, electives and P.E classes.  Seventh and eighth graders are scheduled in blocks to help meet the instructional needs of a diverse student population.  Electives include art, music, Spanish, drama, Academic Support, English Language Development, EAST and AVID (described below).  Academic difficulties are addressed  The instructional program at Winship is enhanced through two groundbreaking programs on campus- EAST and AVID.  The Environmental and Spatial Technology (EAST) elective provides opportunities for students to learn in a project-based environment, with a goal of creating projects that are of service to the community.  The goal of the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) elective is to “create a college-going culture” for students who may not have considered a four-year college as a personal option.  Organizational and note-taking skills help students prepare for successful post-secondary education.

The after-school program provides strong academic support in math and language arts, homework support, community service projects and enrichment opportunities for approximately one third of the Winship student body each day. Over one half of the student population participates over the course of the school year.  Expectations in the After-School Program are the same as those during the school day, and there proactively as teachers, parents and students meet to create Individual Learning Plans for students scoring below the Proficient level on standardized testing.  Translators are available as needed for parent conferences.  Parents are encouraged to monitor student academic progress and attendance on-line through the district’s PowerSchool student information system.   

A key component to the success of the after-school program is that classroom teachers who are paid hourly for their additional teaching responsibilities provide core instruction.  At any given time, 8-10 Winship teachers are teaching after school.  This continuity of instruction helps bridge the gap between the regular school day and the After-School Program.