Miscellaneous » School Improvement » ATSI Parent Letter (10/31/25)

ATSI Parent Letter (10/31/25)

Dear Parent/Guardian:

I am writing this letter to notify you that West Wilkes Middle School has been dually designated as both a North Carolina Low-Performing school and a federally identified Additional Targeted Support & Improvement (ATSI) school by the North Carolina State Board of Education.

As defined in G.S. 115C-105.37: "The State Board of Education shall identify low-performing schools on an annual basis. Low-performing schools are those that earn an overall school performance grade of D or F and a school growth score of 'met expected growth' or 'not met expected growth' as defined by G.S. 115C-83.15." Legislation (G.S. §115C-83.15) passed during the 2013 long North Carolina General Assembly session provides parents with an additional measure of school performance in the form of School Performance Grades. Beginning with the 2013–14 school year, the annual North Carolina School Report Cards display a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F for each school in the state.

School Performance Grades are based 80 percent on our school's achievement score (student proficiency) and 20 percent on students' academic growth. At West Wilkes Middle, our achievement score for the 2024-2025 school year is based on how well our students performed on Grades 6-8 Mathematics, Grades 6-8 English Language Arts/Reading, Grade 8 Science, NC Math 1, and additional indicators, including English Learner Progress. West Wilkes Middle received a School Performance Grade of D and a growth designation of Did Not Meet for the 2024-2025 school year.

In addition, per the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Section 1111(d)(2)(C), schools receive the federal identification of TSI-AT in North Carolina by having one or more of the following subgroups receive a subgroup performance grade score at or below the lowest 5% of schools across the state during the 2024-2025 academic year; and being identified as a consistently underperforming subgroup for the previous year. Subgroup performance scores are provided for the following subgroups of students: (1) Students with Disabilities, (2) Economically Disadvantaged, (3) Black, (4) White, (5) Hispanic, (6) Asian-Pacific Islander, (7) Multi-racial, and (8) English Learner

As a dually designated ATSI and NC low-performing school, West Wilkes Middle is required to develop a comprehensive improvement plan that specifically addresses how the school will improve student achievement. The plan will also include strategies that our district or charter will employ to support West Wilkes Middle School's improvement efforts. The comprehensive improvement plan will address the following areas:

  • Classroom Management
  • Standards-aligned Instruction
  • Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)
  • Instructional Leadership
  • Recruitment & Retention of Effective Teachers
  • Support for Grade-to-Grade Transitions
  • Implementation of a Tiered Instructional System
  • Data-Driven Decision Making
  • Student Support Services
  • Family and Community Engagement

We have set the following goals for West Wilkes Middle this year:

  • Through more consistent usage of the school-wide behavioral system and the implementation of a multi-tiered system of support, opportunity gaps will be eliminated by 2027.
  • Through regular systems of communication with student families and alignment of instruction to individual student needs, WWMS will improve school and district performance by 2027.
  • Through regularly examining performance data that aligns with decision making and providing staff with ongoing professional development, WWMS educator preparedness will better meet the needs of students by 2027.

Here are some strategies that West Wilkes Middle will be implementing to improve student outcomes:

  • Form a PBIS team that meets monthly to review behavioral data.
  • Use behavioral data to inform staff of student needs and further support.
  • Award positive Spotlight points that can be used in a schoolwide School Store.
  • Implement Character Strong Lessons to support SEL needs.
  • Schedule data days for teacher collaboration.
  • Review data in grade level MTSS meetings.
  • Form student intervention groups that meet daily to focus on individual student instruction.
  • Track student data and update MTSS groups as needed.
  • Provide multiple forms of parent communication that is accessible to all families.
  • Share relevant information regularly.
  • Maintain a school PTO that allows opportunities for families to visit campus.
  • Implementation of a research-based EC program.
  • Intervention and enrichment opportunities are provided within instructional delivery by all core teachers.
  • Provide staff with Professional Development opportunities that promote instruction within the classroom.
  • Provide frequent observations that guide teacher content delivery and ensure that teachers are supported.
  • Use monetary resources as a priority for advancing student learning.

Parent engagement is at the heart of our school improvement efforts. Here are some ways you can help:

  • Ensure you and your child know the academic expectations for your child this school year. A list of learning objectives in student-friendly language is available from your child's teacher(s).
  • Call our Front Office (336-651-4381) if you have questions or concerns about your child or to set up an appointment to meet with a school staff member who will be working with your child.
  • Make sure that your child is prepared and attends school each day.
  • Monitor your child's homework.
  • Monitor the progress your child is making and attend meetings with your child's teacher(s).
  • Keep track of our website and social media sites: https://wwms.wilkescountyschools.org/.
  • Volunteer.
  • Join the PTO and/or Athletic Boosters.

Additionally, listed below are a few resources available to help:

We are committed to improving student performance. It is important to remember that just as no one single score or grade tells the whole story of a student, neither does it tell you everything about the performance of a school or the opportunities that our school provides. The intent of receiving these designations is to improve educational outcomes for all students, close achievement gaps, increase equity, and improve the quality of instruction. We're excited about this school year and are working to make it a success for your child. Already, we have:

  • Began providing students with daily interventions and enrichment opportunities during morning WIN time.
  • Created tools to track student progress on a regular basis.
  • Communicated with parents through weekly messenger calls, Infinite Campus, Remind, and through a newsletter.
  • Updated the school social media site and focused on the update of our school website.
  • Held monthly PTO meetings and planned upcoming events.
  • Provided staff with professional development opportunities.
  • Began the process of observing teachers and offering support for improving instructional practices.
  • Created consistency among staff meetings that focus on the advancement of student learning.

If you have questions about the content of this letter, please contact Dr. Grant Tharpe at [email protected] or (336) 651-4381.

Sincerely,

Dr. Grant Tharpe