Executive Summary

Description of the School

The South Ripley School Corporation lies nestled at the edge of the hills of southeastern Indiana, taking in most of the southern third of Ripley County and covering 190 square miles. The area is beautiful and rural, but economically and culturally disadvantaged. Over 60 percent of our students receive textbook and meal assistance. Our school is a center of multiple activities and a source of pride for the community. South Ripley Junior High School has 165 students housed in a 7-8 building that is physically connected to our high school. The junior high and high school were both renovated in 2006, and the junior high became its own school in 2007 when it received its own school code from the IDOE. However, we do share facilities and staff throughout the year. Our school facilities are in great condition. Our building, along with the high school, is used frequently and enjoyed by both school and community groups. Our school population reflects the community and has few minority groups represented. Our teaching staff has an average teaching experience of 13 years. SRJHS has 12 teaching staff members, one administrator, one guidance counselor, and 7 paraprofessionals. Our students rotate through a 7-period day. Our average attendance rate last year is 96%. We have one full-time Special Education Coordinator, with various paraprofessionals to help within classrooms and during resource periods. South Ripley also employs a School Resource Officer.

Our principal and staff are enthusiastic and put the needs of our students first. We meet monthly through team and data PLCs to discuss individual students and strategies for all students to be successful. Our school follows monthly lifelines, and by teaching these each month, we have established a school-wide climate of respect for others and attention to good behavior. We have a strong parent/staff rapport. Our parents and guardians are interwoven into many facets of our school, and we strive to keep communication open with them. Our school works hard at public relations and community outreach, including spreading school news on Twitter and the Facebook Parent Page and incorporating our local businesses into various events at our school. We try to spotlight students' successes in different areas by recognizing students of the month and sending home a digital newsletter.

Academically, we work hard to meet the individual needs of every student. Our building works to reach all students, wherever they are academically. We include supports for our low-achieving learners, which includes working with our functional skills classroom and Mrs. Ochs, and we also have identified our high ability students and how we can best differentiate for them. Additional help is received from ROD (Ripley-Ohio-Dearborn), our area special education cooperative. In order to help our students master the Indiana Standards, the following programs are in use: Reading Renaissance, iReady, Study Island, Learning Farm, and IXL. Professional development is encouraged. Our contract with Five-Star Technology allows our teachers to engage in high-quality professional development. We have utilized built-in 2-hour delay days and eLearning flex days for professional development. Our eCoach and teachers lead sessions on a variety of topics that help our educators effectively integrate technology. Our school system enjoys superior technological resources and training.

School’s Purpose

South Ripley Junior High School's mission statement reads, "South Ripley Educates Students Today to Become Responsible Citizens of Tomorrow." SRJHS fosters student growth and sets high expectations for its students. We provide students with access to the latest technology, teaching them not only how to use the device to expand their learning opportunities, but also how to be responsible digital citizens. We analyze data in order to provide the support and strategies each student needs to be successful and show growth. Teachers are regularly evaluated to ensure students are receiving equitable learning opportunities and that our curriculum is rigorous. Family and community are important to SRJHS. Our yearly Meet the Teacher Night and parent-teacher conferences show the emphasis we put on relationships and transparency.

STEM Focus

South Ripley Junior High School began implementing a STEM-dedicated learning model to prepare our students for the careers of tomorrow. Through professional development, collaborative planning, and curriculum maps, teachers have been able to design project-based learning and performance-based assessments aligned to grade-level standards. Integration across subject area curriculum creates a challenging environment with authentic application.

Learning experiences occur in all classrooms and STEM electives. In science classrooms, teachers and students work in critical-thinking teams, collaborating and problem-solving to create innovative solutions to real-world problems using PLTW kits. In STEM electives, students test hypotheses, solve problems, and share solutions through an inquiry-based learning approach.

STEM educators at SRJHS have implemented a collaborative planning model, sharing practices and core strategies that support an inquiry-based approach to teaching and learning. Teachers have been trained in PLTW, PBL, and Makey-Makey. Several of our teachers have completed Google Certification in Level 1 or Level 2. Teachers participate in collaborative meetings to discuss research-based methods to engage students in STEM activities using grade-level curriculum maps. Educators also share STEM student products throughout the year with each other or through our social media outlets.

Throughout the STEM certification process, we have had several meetings for planning and sharing STEM-based projects and goals. This has allowed us to connect through the two grade levels and across the subjects to ensure students are experiencing STEM-based, problem-based, or inquiry-based learning throughout their time here at SRJHS .

In conclusion, STEM learning experiences are evident throughout the building as students and teachers engage in critical-thinking teams, collaboration, and problem-solving situations with real-world application. The scientific process is supported through an inquiry-based learning setting.

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