ATSI Designation

11/25/2025

 Dear Parent/Guardian:

I hope the school year is off to a successful start for you and your child.  I am writing this letter to let you know that Alderman Elementary has been designated as an Additional Targeted Support & Improvement (ATSI) school by the North Carolina State Board of Education.  Per ESSA Section 1111(d)(2)(C), schools are identified as ATSI schools in North Carolina because one or more of the following subgroups received a subgroup performance grade score at or below the highest identified CSI-LP school’s All Students group during the identification year; and is on the TSI-CU list for the subgroup(s) for the previous year. Subgroup performance scores are provided for the following subgroups: (1) Students with Disabilities, (2) Economically Disadvantaged, (3) Black, (4) White, (5) Hispanic, (6) Asian-Pacific Islander, (7) Multi-racial, and (8) English Learners. This letter is to notify our parents and guardians of Alderman’s intentions to improve educational outcomes for underperforming student subgroups and close achievement gaps for all students.

As a ATSI school, Alderman Elementary is required to develop an Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI)  plan that specifically addresses how the school will improve outcomes for underperforming subgroups. The plan will also include strategies that our district or charter will employ to support Alderman’s improvement efforts. The ATSI 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 Alderman Elementary this year:

• Using EVAAS data, student proficiency on the ELA & Math EOGs will increase by 10%.
• Using EVAAS data, all students will demonstrate growth in ELA & Math EOGs. 
• Increase parental/guardian engagement in student learning.
• Increase student engagement and decrease disruptive behaviors through the use of the CHAMPS/STOIC framework
• Increase teacher retention.                            

Here are some strategies that we will be implementing to improve student outcomes:

• Daily Small Group Instruction in Every Classroom
• Daily Targeted Interventions (What I Need, W.I.N) in Master Schedule
• Instructional Monitoring by Administration and Support Team
• Parent Engagement Events
• Weekly Newsletters from the Principal
• Skill Building Time through our SOAR Special in the Master Schedule
• Positive Behavior Incentives for Students 

Also, parent engagement is at the heart of our school improvement efforts. Here are some ways we can work together:

• Ensure that both you and your child know the academic expectations set for your child this school year.  A list of learning objectives in student-friendly language is available from your student’s teacher(s).
• Call Alderman Elementary @ (910) 350-2031 if you have questions or concerns about your student 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, punctual, 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://alderman.nhcs.net/
  • https://www.facebook.com/AldermanEagles/mentions/
  • https://www.instagram.com/alderman_eagles/?hl=en
• Volunteer.
• Join the Alderman Elementary PTA

 

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

• K-12 standards in academic subjects: www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/
• State student achievement test results: www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/
• N.C. School Report Cards: https://ncreportcards.ondemand.sas.com/src

 

We are committed to improving student performance. It is important to remember that just as no single score or grade tells the whole story of a student, neither does it tell you everything about a school's performance 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:

• Incorporated the use of CHAMPS/STOIC to support the framework that increases student engagement and reduces disruptive behaviors.
• Refined our Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) to increase the opportunities to celebrate student social and academic behaviors.
• Weekly school newsletters to keep families informed about what is happening at the school and provide ideas for ways to support their child.
• Integrated Advanced Phonics and/or Morphology for fourth and fifth-grade students to extend their phonics and decoding skills.
• Continued to strengthen our Fundations Curriculum, Kindergarten -third grade, to improve students' phonics, spelling, and handwriting.
• Implemented dedicated Geodes Curriculum time Kindergarten through 3 grade to strengthen the bridge between Fundations (foundational skills) and Wit and Wisdom (comprehension skills) by building reading fluency. 
• Implemented flex grouping based on student needs to provide differentiated instruction from interventions to enrichment.
• Continued our partnership with Communities in Schools (CIS) and LPI to assist with student interventions.
• Hired 3 tutors to assist with academic interventions. 
• Created academic and behavioral intervention groups through our Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS).
• Provided targeted literacy support through our Early Literacy Facilitator.

If you have questions about the content of this letter, please contact Dr. Garcia at bobby.garcia@nhcs.net.

Sincerely,

Dr. Bobby Garcia, Principal