"Excellence is the only option" is the mantra of Seabrook Elementary School Principal Marvel Smith. Her words and demeanor imbue this confidence, and give the impression that anything is attainable with the right mindset.

However, when she became principal of the school in 2000, she faced a daunting task. Seabrook was on the state's watch list for failing to make adequate yearly progress and in danger of a state takeover. Smith knew that to turn things around in Seabrook, she would need to change the culture, the academics, and the organization.

About Seabrook Elementary
Seabrook Elementary, located in Seabrook, Maryland, is a Title I school with a student population consisting of 83 percent African-American, 12 percent Hispanic, 2 percent Asian/Pacific Islander, 2 percent Caucasian, and 1 percent American Indian. In 2000, the district was among the lowest-performing schools in the state, with only 22 percent of children performing at proficiency in math and reading.

First Step: Change the Academics
Despite the challenges she faced, Smith used the school's performance status to her advantage by leveraging increased county, state, and federal funding to overhaul the instructional approach at Seabrook.

With the funding received, Seabrook purchased a single reading textbook program. As part of the implementation, the school conducted extensive staff training on all new materials. Through this increased training, the teachers learned how to fully utilize the resources of the comprehensive program and were able to address student needs more effectively.

Seabrook standardized the teaching objectives for each class and closely monitored the creation and use of teachers' lesson plans. Under the uniform plan, all classes were to include instruction in whole-group, small-group, and learning center settings.

In addition, all teachers in grades 3 through 6 received in-depth training on a reading intervention program that is closely aligned with the core textbook program. This training gave teachers the skills and materials necessary to address intervention needs immediately during regular class time, while also allowing the school's reading specialists to implement pull-out programs to address severe needs.

"At first, our intervention model wasn't delivering the results we needed," said Smith. "However, by integrating our intervention curriculum more closely with our core program, we were able to provide intervention by keeping students in the classroom and giving them the help they needed to stay on course. It was with this change that we really began to see a turnaround in our reading performance."

Preparing for Tests: Bringing All the Pieces Together
As the students prepared for the Maryland State Assessment (MSA), Seabrook stepped up its efforts even more. During the weeks preceding the test, all administrators and teachers, including physical education and music teachers, became instructors of reading and math. Through in-service training, these teachers learned reciprocal teaching methods to deliver small-group intervention, which was scheduled in place of gym and music class and during reading blocks either before or after their core instruction. After the tests were completed, the students and staff returned to their regular routine.

To further prepare students, the school also created MSA practice packets. These timed, five- to ten-minute tests gave students practice with a variety of question and answer formats that are similar to those used on the MSA. Although the school tried to simulate the MSA experience accurately, they weren't completely on the mark.

"Students commented that the MSA practice packets were harder than the actual MSA test," said Smith. "Still, the MSA packets gave students valuable exposure to the format and time constraints they would face on testing day."

True to form, the school wasted no time in putting the MSA practice test data into action.

"Even though the district completed benchmark assessments during that same time period, we did not want to wait to receive the data on our progress," continued Smith. "We scored our MSA packets immediately, and implemented the results into our subsequent lesson plans."

Changing the Culture
"In order to effect culture change, the first thing we had to make everyone realize is that all of us—students, parents, and educators—are all responsible for our success or failure," explained Smith. "The change revolved around making test scores important, becoming a high-performing school that continues to make gains under NCLB, and making a firm commitment to our students and their success. So, we communicated regularly with these stakeholders regarding performance data and the need for improvement."

Seabrook also made significant efforts to change the culture of its teachers by creating an environment of stronger collaboration. Based on the Comer Process, developed by Dr. James P. Comer at Yale University, Smith used three guiding principles—collaboration, consensus, and no-fault—to drive decisions and mobilize teachers. Together, Smith and her team supported students' learning and development by collaborating on issues, coming to a consensus, and instituting changes without placing blame. "The School Development Program was instrumental in helping us pursue all the changes necessary to move our school forward and improve math and reading proficiency," noted Smith.

Each week, teachers participated in collaborative planning sessions, during which they focused solely on sharing instructional strategies and examining such issues as:

• How well are the activities working?
• How can teachers better utilize the materials?
• Where are the opportunities for improvement and needs for further staff development?
• How is the school progressing toward established benchmarks?

In addition, as these groups conducted their planning sessions, Smith attended the meetings to guide the discussion and instructional planning. "It's my responsibility to give some guidance and help shape our school's approach," she said. "Initially, such participation was met with a bit of resistance, but before long, our teachers realized that my presence there was to support their efforts, set clear expectations, and serve as an active stakeholder in their efforts."

Parents and students were also required to shift their thinking and raise their expectations regarding schoolwork.

"We give homework every night," said Smith, commenting on the need for constant reinforcement and skills practice. "Every day, every weekend, every holiday, and over the summer, our children have homework. Our students understand that's what it takes to succeed. And with these assignments, we do a great deal of monitoring and reporting on their progress."

Although the teaching staff and students at Seabrook understood the expectations, the school was not experiencing complete buy-in and support from parents. Subsequently, the school created report cards that evaluated parental involvement and offered workshops to show parents how to help and give them experience with the lesson material so that they could become active participants in their children's education.

Higher Expectations and Higher Achievement
By raising expectations, investing in the right educational materials, focusing on collaboration, and shifting the culture of the school community, Seabrook Elementary was able to reverse its fortune. "We want to be the best and the brightest in Prince George's County," said Smith. Not only is Seabrook one of the best schools in the district, but it has also become one of the state's highest-performing schools. Over the past four years, Seabrook has improved its reading scores by more than 60 percent.

However, with higher achievement, comes a higher expectation for ongoing success. Because Seabrook is now one of the state's highest-performing schools, parents can send their students from low-performing schools to Seabrook under the Choice program. In 2005, Seabrook welcomed forty new students, who transferred from failing schools, and most of them arrived with extremely low reading abilities.

"In many ways, we're back to where we started three years ago," said Smith, undaunted by the task.

"We must constantly be reminded of what it takes to succeed," she said. "This is not a nine to five task. It takes a great deal of time and commitment." Still, with the new challenges, Principal Smith continues to foster a culture based on the belief that the school can and will achieve all of its goals. With math and reading proficiency levels of 85 and 80 percent respectively, the students and staff at Seabrook continue to reach for their goals. As one of her enthusiastic students put it, "That's what we do here. We're the best."