Running head: COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL ASSESSMENT

Robyn Talley
Comprehensive School Assessment
Arizona State University
PPE 310
February 6, 2016
Dr. Hesse

COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL ASSESSMENT

Assessment Results

According to the School Assessment Tool, as well as my own observation, I would say
the biggest strength on the campus is with creating an active and healthy environment after
school. They have an afterschool program for students to engage in physical activities. I have
heard multiple students talk about how much fun and awesome the after school program is.
Programs like this are a safe and easy way for kids to incorporate physical activity into their
daily routine. Students can learn different activities and effective ways to live active and physical
lifestyles. Furthermore, Stetson host events like Staff vs. Student Games where students play

COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL ASSESSMENT

sports in teams against teacher teams. Activities like this promote community and family
involvement as well.
Another strength Stetson Hills has is providing healthy options for school lunches and
recess time for the students. Every meal consists of a protein, vegetable, and carb/starch. In the
cafeteria there are displays of what a healthy balanced meal should consist of. Along with their
being a salad bar available during every school day. The lunch lines provide additional purchase
items like baked chips as well which are a healthier alternative when choosing to eat chips. After
lunch students have a 20 minute recess as well, this allows for some physical activity before
returning to the classroom.
One weakness I have observed is the focus on promoting healthy snack options. I have
only had experience in the middle grades but, in the classrooms students are allowed to snack on
whatever they want and drink whatever they please. Students show up to school with sodas for
breakfast and snack on unhealthy chips throughout the day. The teachers all need to be on board
with allowing only healthy snack options into their classrooms, as well as allowing only water to
be brought into the classrooms.
After speaking with several staff members it is evident that another weakness is that
physical activity is only being implemented in PE during school hours. Teachers are not
incorporating physical activities into their lessons. In my personal placement, neither my mentor
nor the two general education classes that I push into integrate any type of physical activities in
the classrooms. In both these classes the students often have built up energy, lose focus, and are
often chatty. In some cases students are even up wandering around because they are sick of
staying seated all day long. Stetson Hills assessment results for curriculum were a 40%,
showing there is definite room for growth of physical activities throughout the school day.

COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL ASSESSMENT

I believe the best place to start at Stetson Hills will be to target the teachers. Health and
nutrition trainings need to be provided to the staff, so that the staff can lead by example with
healthy lifestyles. Perhaps setting up workout sessions or Zumba for staff would be a great place
to start. Next, teachers should be offered nutrition training courses in order to begin eating
healthier themselves and promoting heathier eating habits in their own classrooms. Stetson Hills
could begin by allowing only water on campus instead of allowing students to bring 44 ounce
sodas on campus every day. Furthermore, teachers need to be provided with strategies on
incorporating physical activities in the classroom. If healthy eating habits and physical activity
gets pushed more from the teachers side of things I believe Stetson Hills could see great
changes.
Another way to improve health on campus could be by providing stations that promote
physical activity during recess. While recess is provided for students, it is not guaranteed that
every student is physically active during recess. By provide stations and activities students will
be more motivated to get physical during recess. If teaches were to integrate minutes of physical
activity into each class, plus a 20 minute recess, students could have the option of reaching 60
minutes of physical activity at school per day.
Healthy lifestyles overall improve the quality of life. If you eat better, work out more,
you will feel better both physically and emotionally. Not only will healthier children do better
academically, but they will have higher self-esteems, and be less stressed. For my signature
assignment I will focus on how nutrition and physical activity impact and reduce stress. With
research, and the use of statistics and research bases strategies I can help make staff, students,
families, and the community more aware of the importance of integrating health into our school.
Overall, I believe awareness is the best way to bring about a change. Studies show that childhood

COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL ASSESSMENT

obesity is a predictor of adult obesity (Pangrazi, 2009). As educators we need to make it a

priority to embed our students with the knowledge and skills to lead healthy lives starting in their
youth. I can make the school and community aware and with more hands on deck I can make a
change for the health and well-being of our students and staff.
Information
I am currently completing my last semester of student teaching in 7th and 8th grade
Special Education at Stetson Hills Elementary, which is located in the Deer Valley School
District. In 2014 there were 1025 students enrolled. According to School Digger, the racial
makeup of those 1025 students enrolled were 77.5% White, 12.6% Hispanic, and 2.0% African
American, 3.4% Asian. The percentage of students receiving free/reduced lunch for 2015-2016
school year is 13% which is down from 2014 at 18.4%. The proportion of ELL students was
unavailable. However, from personal experience and speaking with educators on campus there
are a low proportion of ELL students. Stetson Hills Elementary serves students from
Kindergarten to 8th grade. In 2014 the student to teacher ratio was 18.4. While websites are
stating class sizes of 18.4, I have experienced middle grades class sizes to be roughly 30-35
students per class.
Stetson Hills Elementary is an urban public school located in Phoenix. Stetson Hills
Elementary received a letter grade of an A in 2014. According to United States Zip Codes, the
ethnic makeup of the neighborhood is 84.4% White, 2.1% African American, and 8.4% Asian.
Below is a more detailed chart of the ethnic makeup of the surrounding area.
White
Black Or African American
American Indian Or Alaskan Native
Asian
Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander
Other Race

15,281
375
99
1,512
17
353

84.4%
2.1%
0.5%
8.4%
0.1%
1.9%

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Two Or More Races

6
467

2.6%

References
Active & Healthy School Programs. (n.d.). Retrieved February 04, 2016, from
http://www.gophersport.com/resources/active-healthy-schools/
Pangrazi, R., Beighle, A., & Pangrazi, D. (2009). Promoting physical activity & health in the
classroom . San Francisco: Benjamin Cummings.
Stetson Hills Elementary. (n.d.). Retrieved February 06, 2016, from
http://www.schooldigger.com/go/AZ/schools/0775002128/school.aspx
U.S. ZIP Codes. (n.d.). Retrieved February 07, 2016, from
http://www.unitedstateszipcodes.org/#stats
(n.d.). Retrieved February 6, 2016, from https://azreportcards.com/ReportCard

Link to E-Portfolio:
http://rtalleyasu2016.weebly.com/healthy-leadership.html

COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL ASSESSMENT

Criteria

Assessme
nt
SCORE:

School
Context /
Writing
Style
SCORE:

Exemplary: Points (5)

Proficient: Points (3)

A minimum of 2 strengths and

2 weaknesses were described

A minimum of 1 strength and

1 weakness was described

Assessment was completed

online and posted to your EPortfolio

A direct link was placed at the

end of your document to the
assignment in your E-Portfolio

Suggestions to improve school

policies were clearly stated

At least 2 suggestions to
engage stakeholders were
provided

School context contained

detailed information on
grade levels

% free/reduced lunch
enrollment,
proportion ELLs
average class size
urban/rural/suburban,
ethnic makeup
state test scores
AYP status
All of the following are listed
in the file document name
submitted
Lastname.firstname.assignme
nt#.course#

This rubric was added to the

last page of the document
submitted

Your document was in APA

6.0 format, including cover
page, body and reference
section with no errors

Unsatisfactory: Points (1)

Suggestions to improve school

policies were stated but lacked
sufficient detail

Assessment was not

completed online or in your EPortfolio

At least 1 suggestion to
engage stakeholders was
provided

No direct link was provided to

this assignment in your EPortfolio

Strengths and weaknesses

were not, or poorly described

Assessment was completed

online and not in your EPortfolio

Suggestions to improve school

policies were not stated

A link was provided to your

E-Portfolio to this assignment,
however it wasnt a direct link
to this assignment

No suggestions to engage
stakeholders were provided

School context contained

some detailed information
on
grade levels

School context contained little

detailed information on
grade levels

% free/reduced lunch
enrollment,
proportion ELLs
average class size
urban/rural/suburban,
ethnic makeup
state test scores
AYP status
Most of the following are
listed in the file document
name submitted
Lastname.firstname.assignme
nt#.course#
This rubric was added but not
at the end of the document
submitted
Document was in APA,
however errors were found in
formatting of the sections

% free/reduced lunch
enrollment,
proportion ELLs
average class size
urban/rural/suburban,
ethnic makeup
state test scores
AYP status
Few of the following are listed
in the file document name
submitted
Lastname.firstname.assignme
nt#.course#

This rubric was not added to

the document submitted

APA was not used

COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL ASSESSMENT