A Brief History
Nestled within the Great Lakes neighborhood of Decatur, Clairemont Elementary has been serving students since 1936. Clairemont Elementary is part of the City Schools of Decatur, a small school district situated outside of downtown Atlanta. In 1994 we became one of the first Expeditionary Learning schools in the country. When the school district reconfigured in 2004 from five K-5 schools to three K-3 schools, all the K-3 schools became Expeditionary Learning. City Schools of Decatur now has five K-3 schools serving students through the Expeditionary Learning Model.
Nestled within the Great Lakes neighborhood of Decatur, Clairemont Elementary has been serving students since 1936. Clairemont Elementary is part of the City Schools of Decatur, a small school district situated outside of downtown Atlanta. In 1994 we became one of the first Expeditionary Learning schools in the country. When the school district reconfigured in 2004 from five K-5 schools to three K-3 schools, all the K-3 schools became Expeditionary Learning. City Schools of Decatur now has five K-3 schools serving students through the Expeditionary Learning Model.
Points of Pride
Our motto, “Learning Together with our Heads, Hearts and Hands” is more than a set of words, it is a way of life at Clairemont. It is an excellent description of what we do.
Our motto, “Learning Together with our Heads, Hearts and Hands” is more than a set of words, it is a way of life at Clairemont. It is an excellent description of what we do.
- We have deepened our work with students each year by being focused on our next steps and most needed change. Most specifically, staff have realigned all expeditions to CCSS along with identifying the purpose and authentic audience for each expedition.
- The use of experts and fieldwork is one of our greatest strengths. Each expedition has direct contact with either the local Decatur community or the greater Atlanta community. Experts are an integral part of the students' learning. Experts visit or skype with students on a regular basis.
- Parent education and engagement are a crucial part of supporting our students at Clairemont. We host monthly “coffee-chats” that focus on various topics including growth mindset, Common Core State Standards, and student-engaged assessment. In addition, we have defined a strategic communication plan between home and school.
- Every Friday, staff members gather for a pre-weekend “huddle up” to celebrate successes and acknowledge individuals who have embodied the EL Design Principles and Habits of Scholarship.
- We have high family participation in such opportunities as tutoring, Walk and Roll to School, clubs, and volunteering. Our Walk and Roll to School program is an example of this support. This thriving program has received several accolades from the state. In addition to our monthly school-wide walks, we support a walking school bus a couple times a month from the Decatur Housing Authority.
- An integral part of the Clairemont community is our School Leadership Team which consists of elected/nominated staff and parents. This team has thoughtfully drafted, implemented and monitored a school improvement plan that is proactive and focused on measurable student growth. This growth focuses not only on academic achievement but also on habits that support an academic mindset along with promoting strong student and family engagement.
- Currently we have 320 students. The student population is diverse in culture, socio-economic status, learning needs and styles. We have full-time ESOL, Early Intervention, Title I, Gifted and Special Education programs.
Accolades
- Expeditionary Learning school since 2004
- Expeditionary Learning Mentor School since 2011
- 2011 Georgia School of Excellence for “Greatest Gains” on state test scores
- Ranked 6th in the state out of all elementary schools for 2012-2013 based on College and Career Readiness Index
- Ranked 1st in the state of all elementary schools for 2013-2014 based on College and Career Readiness Index
- State of Georgia Safe Routes to School Partner and state profile school for Walk and Roll to School program
- Hosted site visit for the Council of State Governments for state level legislators
- National Blue Ribbon School 2015
2014-2015 Demographics
- 2 % Asian
- 37 % Black or African American
- 4 % Hispanic or Latino
- 52 % White
- 5 % Two or more races
EL Mentor School Profile and Implementation Review Data
clairemont_profile_el_092914.pdf | |
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clairemont__spring_2015_ir_report.pdf | |
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clairemont__spring_2014_ir_report.pdf | |
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clairemont_report-spring_2013_ir.pdf | |
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A NOTE TO THE READER
The purposes driving Clairemont’s credentialing initiative are twofold: First, we want to tell our story and where we are in the work with our students as accurately and honestly as possible. In crafting our story, we were able to identify and claim our strengths as well as where our next steps lie—which we share throughout this portfolio. Second, we want to help tell Expeditionary Learning’s story by specifically highlighting the implications of deep implementation of EL core practices.
As you move through the portfolio you will notice that while it starts with our instructional coach and me, it grows in teacher voice and student work. Our foundation is the upfront work we have done with Common Core, deeper learning, and focused professional development. I strongly believe that school success lies in the development and vision of the staff. Thus, leadership and teacher development are two integral parts that we can attribute to our high student achievement and high quality student work. In addition, the portfolio is intentionally text heavy. We decidedly believe keeping the teacher reflections intact demonstrates that our foundation provides consistency in our thinking and work with students.
The purposes driving Clairemont’s credentialing initiative are twofold: First, we want to tell our story and where we are in the work with our students as accurately and honestly as possible. In crafting our story, we were able to identify and claim our strengths as well as where our next steps lie—which we share throughout this portfolio. Second, we want to help tell Expeditionary Learning’s story by specifically highlighting the implications of deep implementation of EL core practices.
As you move through the portfolio you will notice that while it starts with our instructional coach and me, it grows in teacher voice and student work. Our foundation is the upfront work we have done with Common Core, deeper learning, and focused professional development. I strongly believe that school success lies in the development and vision of the staff. Thus, leadership and teacher development are two integral parts that we can attribute to our high student achievement and high quality student work. In addition, the portfolio is intentionally text heavy. We decidedly believe keeping the teacher reflections intact demonstrates that our foundation provides consistency in our thinking and work with students.