UNDERSTANDING THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT

Student: Kanza Bhatti School: W.A. Johnson

Elementary School Term: Spring of 2017
Your site visit experience offers you the opportunity to learn how schools operate as a large
community promoting the growth of a learner. School environment is determined by the schools
culture, its history, its belief in how to do things and what is worth doing. Become familiar with the
school environment by completing the table below. Accomplish this by using the host schools
website, the Illinois Public K-12 School Rankings based on the Report Card and school personnel
interviews.
Demographics
The following elements look at the demographic information of a school.
The demographic information of a school can provide an excellent look at the diversity of the
school environment.

What is/are the Answer Resource for the

Answer: Persons
name and title,
document or
website.

Current school 715 W.A. Johnson

enrollment School
Bensenville
School District 2
Report Card &
Continuous
Improvement Plan
2016 - 2017

Percentage of White: (27.8%) W.A. Johnson

various races and Black: (2.1%) School
ethnicities Hispanic: (65%) Bensenville
Asian: (2.9%) School District 2
Two or more races: (2.1%) Report Card &
Continuous
Improvement Plan
2016 - 2017

Number of males 354 Females Lisa Simoncelli,

and females as per 370 Males Project Care
school report card Coordinator

Percent of low 60.3% W.A. Johnson

income students School
Bensenville
School District 2
Report Card &
Continuous
Improvement Plan
2016 - 2017

Percent of students 14.8% W.A. Johnson

with IEPs School
Bensenville
 School District 2
Report Card &
Continuous
Improvement Plan
2016 - 2017

Percentage of 46% W.A. Johnson

English Language School
Learners Bensenville
School District 2
Report Card &
Continuous
Improvement Plan
2016 - 2017

Composite percent Overall Performance- All State Tests: W.A. Johnson

of students who 23.7% School
meet and exceed PARCC: Bensenville
state standards 24.2% School District 2
Report Card &
Continuous
Improvement Plan
2016 - 2017

# of FTE (full time 163 W.A. Johnson

equivalency) School
teachers Bensenville
School District 2
Report Card &
Continuous
Improvement Plan
2016 - 2017

School Organization
The following elements identify various aspects of the organization of the school.
By understanding the school organization, teachers can better plan their lessons and their day.

School Mission Maximize the unique potential of each child by W.A. Johnson
Statement honoring a natural curiosity and igniting a desire to School
learn. Bensenville
School District 2
Report Card &
Continuous
Improvement Plan
2016 - 2017

Length of school Monday Tuesday Wednesday and Fridays: 6 hours W.A. Johnson
day for students and 15 minutes School
Thursdays: 5 hours and 10 minutes Bensenville
School District 2
Report Card &
Continuous
Improvement Plan
 2016 - 2017

Length of school 6 hours and 50 minutes Lisa Simoncelli,

day for contracted Project Care
staff Coordinator

Number of minutes Mathematics: 75 minutes W.A. Johnson

per class or time Science: 26 minutes School
allotted for each English/Language Arts: 180 minutes Bensenville
subject Social Science: 24 minutes School District 2
Report Card &
Continuous
Improvement Plan
2016 - 2017

Number of minutes Art: 40 minutes Lisa Simoncelli,

for specials Music and Physical Education: 30 minutes Project Care
Art, P.E., Music, Coordinator
etc.

Elective classes Choral Bensenville

offered Fine Arts Elementary School
English Language Arts & Literacy District 2 Student
Handbook 2016-
Foreign Language
2017
Health Education
Instrumental Music
Math
Physical Education
Science
Social Science
S.T.E.A.M. Science, Technology,
Engineering, Arts, Math
Spanish
Music
Applied Math and Robotics Lab
STEM Lab
Assessment
Partnership for assessment of
Readiness for College & Careers
(PARCC)
Illinois Science Assessment

Extracurricular Girls On The Run, Intramural Sports, Art Club, W.A. Johnson
activities offered Beginning Band, Drama/Theatre, Family Nights, School
Homework Club, Parent Associations, Spanish Bensenville
Quest, Tutoring Program. School District 2
Report Card &
Continuous
Improvement Plan
2016 - 2017
Types of duties Getting students to buses and helping them get to Lisa Simoncelli,
which teachers are the Common Areas in the morning and afterschool Project Care
assigned Coordinator

Types of ...calling childs teacher or requesting a conference Bensenville

communication to meet in person. Translation support is available. Elementary School
between the ...contact childs principal. District 2 Student
school, home, and ...call the Superintendents Office at 630-766- Handbook 2016-
community 5940. 2017
...consult the districts website at www.bsd2.org
and e-mail us at contactus@bsd2.org.

Types of all-school Talent shows, Jump Rope for Heart, Reptile guy Lisa Simoncelli,
or grade level (for the kindergarteners) Project Care
assemblies Coordinator

School colors and Jaguars, blue and gold W.A. Johnson

mascot School
Bensenville
School District 2
Report Card &
Continuous
Improvement Plan
2016 - 2017

Student and faculty The following are not allowed: Bensenville

dress code Clothing with emblems, logos, insignias for Elementary School
alcohol, tobacco or sexually explicit companies. District 2 Student
Coats, gloves, and sunglasses are to be left in the Handbook 2016-
lockers 2017
Exposed undergarments
Hats, bandanas, hoods, hairnets, sweatbands, or
other head coverings except for religious reasons
Midriffs showing, including when arms are raised
Pants and shirts having excessive or
inappropriate rips or holes
Pants worn below the waist (boys may be asked
to wear belts and/or tuck in shirt)
Short shorts or short skirts (shorts and skirts must
be longer than arms length when held at side)
Shorts and skirts worn with tights or leggings must
be longer than arms length when held at side
Studded, spiked, jewelry or hanging chains
Tops that are low-cut or overly revealing, such as
off-the-shoulder or scoop neck shirts
Tops that are see-through or contain mesh or lace
Tops with low armholes (e.g. basketball jerseys)
Tops without sleeves
Writing on skin (tattoos must be covered).
Clothing that promotes the use of drugs or
alcohol, displays inappropriate language, depicts a
violent or inappropriate theme, identifies gang
affiliation, or is in poor taste is also not allowed.
 Assistance
The following elements identify various types of assistance available to students and faculty.
Identifying and understanding the various types of assistance available to students and
teachers provides a teacher with a greater sense of community.

Student Tier I: The classroom teacher differentiates Bensenville

intervention plans instructional strategies and/or materials to help Elementary School
such as Response each child become successful and monitors District 2 Student
to Intervention (RTI) progress continually through formative assessment. Handbook 2016-
This might include differentiated work assignments, 2017
special seating, conferring, etc.
Tier II: School Intervention Team develops
individual academic support and review progress
for 9-12 weeks. This might include additional time
with specified staff, tutorials, Saturday School, or
before/after school support.
Tier III: Involves more frequent and additional
help.

Provisions for Free bus transportation is provided for all children Bensenville
students so that who live at least 1.5 miles from school as required Elementary School
they can participate by state law. The distance is measured as the law District 2 Student
in extracurricular directs from the exit of a students property to the Handbook 2016-
activities (e.g. point where students are unloaded at school using 2017
transportation) the shortest distance on normally traveled streets.
Other students who receive free bus transportation
are students who live in designated hazard areas;
students in Kindergarten-Grade 3 who live more
than one mile from school; and, students in Grades
4-5 who live more than a mile from school if space
is available. Transportation may be available on a
fee basis for students in Grades 6-8 who live in a
routed area more than a mile from school

Types of Modern electronic overhead projectors, Lisa Simoncelli,

technology chromebooks Project Care
available for Coordinator
teachers

Types of Chromebooks Lisa Simoncelli,

technology Project Care
available for Coordinator
students

Types of Language Assistant, Reading Specialist, Bilingual W. A. Johnson

professional Reading Specialist, Teacher ISP Primary, Teacher School Website-
development ALS Primary, Teacher ISP Intermediate, Teacher Staff Directory,
available to staff ALS Intermediate, ESL Teacher, Tech Specialist, W.A. Johnson
Literacy Aide Grades 3-5, Bilingual School Social School
Worker, Psychologist, Social Worker, Math Bensenville
Specialist,Speech-Language Pathologist, Learning School District 2
Center Aide, Speech ALS, Special Education Report Card &
Classroom Aide, Professional Development Continuous
 Council, Professional Learning Communities & Improvement Plan
Coaches, Peer Assistance & Review Cohort, 2016 - 2017
Induction & Mentor Program, School-based
Professional Learning (e.g., miscues analysis,
guided reading, special education topics and
strategies, technology), selection of teachers for
demonstration classrooms, encouraging teachers
to attend Bensenville Universities; sharing out at
school site during PLC with subsequent follow up at
staff meetings and evaluation, Increase
communication about professional development
opportunities within the district (e.g., Induction &
Mentor Program, consulting teachers, Student
Achievement Collaborative, Action Research
Thursdays, curriculum committees), external
Consultants (Math, PBL, Writing), provide Sub-
release planning time, in-house training for
paraprofessionals, Math and reading through the
Math Specialists and Reading Specialists, PBIS
with PBIS team, behaviors and working with
students with disabilities (outside resources such
as NDSEC), Library Assistants, school based
training (in-house) based on student needs (e.g.,
helping students with sensory needs, setting up a
classroom with ADD children in mind), co-teaching
PD over the summer; plan time for co-teaching
teachers

Policies
The following elements provide a greater understanding of the policies that exist in a school
environment.

Read and Respect everyones rights; have courtesy, decency, Bensenville

summarize the morality, language and honesty towards others; Elementary School
Schools digital respect school property; attend classes daily and District 2 Student
etiquette policy for on time, be prepared for class; respect authority; Handbook 2016-
students. complete homework on time, cooperate and work 2017
to the best of ones abilities; dress appropriately.

Staff credentials to In bs2, have the extracurricular activity approved by Lisa Simoncelli,
sponsor the administrator and then the extracurricular Project Care
extracurricular activity can be run by anyone certified. Coordinator
activities

Philosophy of the A District Librarian ensures a high-quality library Bensenville

school library or media program with two learning center assistants Elementary School
learning center at each school overseeing the day-today operation District 2 Student
and management of the learning center Handbook 2016-
2017

Study hall policies There are no study halls for students at W. A. Lisa Simoncelli,
for students and Johnson Elementary Project Care
teachers Coordinator
Lunchroom policies No running, ask for permission to get a drink of Carol Menotti,
for students and water or going to the bathroom, no toys, no fidget Lunch
teachers spinners, stay in assigned lunch seat, no food Supervisor
outside, no roughhousing or fighting, no eating
utensils outside the lunchroom

Hallway policies: Level zero voices when transitioning from Lisa Simoncelli,
during class time classroom, lunchroom, and/or recess to hallways Project Care
and between and classrooms, no running, stay in a single file line Coordinator
classes

School discipline The use of corporal punishment as a Bensenville

policy disciplinary method of dealing with student Elementary School
behavior is not permitted as a matter of District 2 Student
School District Policy and Illinois School Handbook 2016-
Code 2017
Temporary Exclusion from Class: The
teacher is expected to deal with routine
behavior problems in a positive corrective
manner within the classroom setting and
when necessary, confer with the parents or
guardians. Should the behavior problem
persist, the teacher has the authority to
remove the student from the classroom.
After notifying the office staff, the teacher
may send the student to a supervised area
designated by the principal. After the
teacher and principal have conferred, the
teacher and/or principal will then notify the
parents or guardians about remedial
measures.
Detention: Student detentions may be used
before, during or after school as a
corrective disciplinary measure. Notices will
be issued to parents. The teacher or school
administrator will make prior arrangements
with the parent/ guardian for the student to
serve a detention before or after school.
The parent/guardian may be responsible
for the students transportation.
Behavior Subject to Suspension or
Expulsion: The Board of Education defines
gross disobedience or misconduct to
include any behavior that is of such
egregious nature as to constitute, on its
face, gross disobedience or misconduct.
Gross disobedience or misconduct also is
any conduct, behavior or activity, as
defined by the Board of Education in its
policies that causes, or may reasonably
cause, school authorities to forecast
substantial injury or disruption or material
interference with school-related activities or
the rights of other students or school
 personnel or the risk of same. Gross
disobedience or misconduct may occur on
school grounds, on a school bus or at a
school activity or activity reasonably related
to school. It also may occur in a situation
other than on school grounds or at a school
related activity, provided, however, that a
reasonable relationship exists between the
conduct of the student and a potential
impact on the school, its processes or
student environment.

Emergency Severe Weather Procedures: Lisa Simoncelli,

procedure plans An announcement will be made by the Project Care
(fire, tornado, office to, take cover for severe weather Coordinator
evacuation, and and the alarm will sound.
lockdown) Teachers and staff will lead students to the
closest designated Safe Area shown in
yellow on the Severe Weather Maps.
Wing leaders will grab the walkie talkie for
communication.
Teachers are encouraged to grab their cell
phones for communication.
Make sure classroom doors are closed
once students have exited.
Students are to sit on the floor against the
wall and lean over, covering their heads
with their arms.
Silence is imperative in order to hear any
announcements/directions.
An All Clear announcement by office staff
indicates a return to the normal school
schedule.