Hickory Creek Elementary School stands at the foot of the Ben Lomand Mountains. Hickory Creek School is surrounded by nature, which gives the students and staff a unique view of the beauty of the area. Located off Highway 55 on the southwest edge of McMinnville, Hickory Creek Elementary stands as a symbol of the importance of education to the Warren County Community. Hickory Creek Elementary School was constructed in 1993, after the county decided to combine North Elementary and William Biles Schools for a more modern and accessible facility. Hickory Creek was recognized as one of the top five attractive schools in the state. The School continues to be a member of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The last review team visit was in the fall of 2003. During the visit the review team unanimously recommended the School be granted continued accreditation by the Commission of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Hickory Creek Elementary School, a K-5 school, is a site for ESL and CDC Special Education students in the Warren County School System. The school building contains one main office, which consists of two conference rooms, one principal’s office, one bookkeeper’s office, one copy/teacher work area, one teacher supply room, and one nurse’s station. Hickory Creek’s building contains thirty-five regular classrooms, 10 special education classrooms, one art room with an office and work area, one music room, which connects to a stage in the gymnasium, one gymnasium with an office, stage, and storage room, one library with an office and storage/work area, one cafeteria with a food preparation area and an office, one guidance room with two offices and a small conference room, one school psychologist office and testing room, one main teachers’ workroom,

2 teacher/staff work areas, and one computer lab.

Hickory Creek Elementary School was constructed with environmental and safety conditions as a main concern. Upon entering the campus, everyone must pass through a guard station. The guard station houses a security guard, who documents anyone entering the campus. Once on the campus, everyone is required

to register at the front desk and given a visitor’s pass to wear in plain sight. The classrooms, the library, the cafeteria, the gymnasium, and the hallways have exterior exits. All exterior exits are kept locked at all times except the main doors in the front of the school. Hickory Creek has a silent alarm system. The alarm system is connected to the police department. The alarm is set for unauthorized entrance, and motion sensors pick up motion in the hallways. The principal is notified of each response along with the police. Hallways are monitored by video surveillance during the school day. Movement by staff and students are taped and monitored for safety reasons. Key personnel have two-way radios, which are carried at all times for a quick response, if needed. Hickory Creek has lock down procedures. When the code EMT Secure is given, all classrooms are locked and key personnel stay in the hallways and at the main hallway exits, until the all clear is given. Hickory Creek also practices fire and tornado drills. Each classroom teacher goes over the procedures with their students for the drills. The classroom teacher explains the safety rules of the playground. Teachers monitor students while they are on the playground.

The environment surrounding the school is monitored by the use of the Nature Trail. The trail was funded by a forty thousand dollar grant. The trail measures over a half mile (.52). The Nature Trail at Hickory Creek has been a great asset to students and faculty. Many teachers and students walk this paved trail everyday, if weather permits. The trail is paved and about half way along the trail is the amphitheater, also known as the outdoor classroom. It is a great place for teachers to take their students for lessons with the scenery and the sounds of nature. There are identification markers posted along the trail to inform students of the natural wildlife and plants, which can be viewed while on the trail. Birdhouses and a fish pond are located at the back of the school grounds to encourage wildlife and for student observation. The trail is used by many students for daily walking to give

students and teachers more exercise. Students are instructed to leave wild plants alone in order to keep the habitat natural. Students are taught to keep the area free

of litter. Hickory Creek also has a weather station located at the back of the school. The weather station shows the temperature, humidity, wind speed, wind direction, barometric pressure, and rain measurement.

Hickory Creek Elementary School consists of grades kindergarten through fifth. The school year consists of 180 days for students, 200 days for teachers, and 240 days for principals. The average school day for students is seven hours and seven and one half hours for teachers and principals.

Per Pupil Expenditures are as follows for the 2004-2005 school year.

Per Pupil Expenditures per Funded ADM - National: $8,554, State: $6,970, Warren County: $6,334

Per Pupil Expenditures per ADA – National: $9,102, State: $7,366, Warren County: $6,689

Warren County Schools per pupil funding for ADA and ADM is below the State and National averages.

Approximately 75% of the county’s public housing school age children attend Hickory Creek Elementary. As a result, 52% of our students are on free and reduced breakfast and lunch. The current attendance rate for Hickory Creek Elementary School is 94.9%

Hickory Creek School faculty works hard to avoid discipline referrals. Positive actions are rewarded to avoid punishment. The rate of referrals for discipline is 1%. The referrals are dealt with by the principal and the behavior management teacher with some referrals to the school counselor when appropriate.

Hickory Creek Elementary has a very low retention rate. The rate of retention is 2%. The teachers and staff work very hard to meet the needs of each student and use preventive measures to help students succeed in school.

The Warren County School System has a policy in place to recruit and hire highly qualifies teachers and paraprofessionals. Hickory Creek Elementary School has one male administrator, six female kindergarten teachers, six female first grade teachers, six female second grade teachers, six female third grade teachers, four female and one male fourth grade teachers, five female fifth grade teachers, eleven female special education teachers, three Title I teachers, one female school counselor, one half-time female music teacher, one female librarian, one female half-time art teacher, two female physical education teachers, one female ESOL teacher, one female ESOL tutor (grant), one female ESOL translator, eight female food service members, two female and two male custodians. The staff also includes one female secretary, one female attendance secretary, one female

bookkeeper, twelve female special education assistants, one female library

assistance, four female general teacher assistants, one female Title I assistance, one female school psychologist, one female school nurse, three female and one male extended daycare workers.

The table below shows the grade level, years of experience, gender, race, degrees, highly qualified, waivers, and teaching outside certified area.

Teachers (3), who are teaching on waivers, compose 5% of the faculty. Two of these teachers will be highly certified this summer. The other teacher has a plan for working toward certification.

Fifty-three percent of the faculty at Hickory Creek Elementary has a Master’s Degree. Sixteen percent of the faculty has a Master’s Degree plus 45 hours. Sixteen percent of the faculty has an EDS Degree.

Hickory Creek Elementary meets the guidelines set forth by the State Department of Education. Instructional materials are chosen based on their

capability to support curriculum goals and objectives, which fulfill the students’

individual needs and levels of maturity. The local textbook selection committee, composed of instructional staff from across the System and the Director of Instruction, has the responsibility for textbook selection every year. Textbook adoption occurs every five years per subject area. Hickory Creek Elementary meets the state guidelines in the use of computers. The school houses one computer lab equipped with 25 Dell computers, one Dell computer connected to Net/OP and a projector, and two printers. Each class in every grade level has a scheduled time to attend the computer lab each week. The students work on the computers in the lab using the Orchard Program. Every classroom has one Dell PC for teachers to use and two or more IMAC computers, which the classroom teacher and students use to supplement the use of textbooks and state guidelines. Homework assignments are given to enhance classroom instruction. The assignments are used to keep track of the students’ progress towards mastering the objectives. Students learn to work in groups, as well as, work independently. The assessment of student mastery at Hickory Creek Elementary is an ongoing task. Subjective assessments are gathered through formal and informal observations. Hickory Creek student assessment data are gathered through the use of teacher made tests, textbook test, yearly TCAP, and ThinkLink tests. The TCAP Writing Assessment test is given at the fifth grade level to assess students’ writing abilities. Special needs students are assisted in mastering the state’s objectives by modified regular classroom instruction with periodic consultation from the Special Educational teacher, a Speech and Language Program, a Resource Program, or a Comprehensive Developmental Program. When a student with special needs is identified, the principal and teachers follow State and Federal guidelines for placement in the proper program(s).

The library at Hickory Creek School was the first in Warren County to use the Accelerated Reader Program. The library contains over 7,000 A.R. books alone. These books are labeled with the grade level and point value of each book. The students may read A.R. books and take a computerized test in their regular

classroom, special education classroom, ESL classroom, or Title I classroom. A list of books is kept on the computers, in order for students and teachers to view the scores for each test. Teachers offer different types of incentives for the students as their points accumulate. The library holds two Book Fairs each year. During each Book Fair, the library extends its hours one afternoon in order for the parents to visit the Book Fair with their children and help them select books. Teachers make a "wish list" of books for their classroom. Parents view the lists and may purchase books for their student’s classrooms. The librarian is the Yearbook sponsor for Hickory Creek School. A yearbook is planned and organized for purchase by the students in all grades, K through fifth. This allows many students to have a school yearbook for kindergarten through twelfth grade. The library has available book kits for each reading level for the teachers to use in their classrooms. Some kits contain thirty A.R. paperback books, which are identical. Some book kits have a variety of books. Students have access to several different books in their classrooms.

Hickory Creek School participates in the Summer Reading Program, which is sponsored by the Magness Memorial Library in McMinnville. Students are given a reading list of requirements during the last month of school. Parents and students complete the summer reading assignments. The students, who complete the assignments, are given a reading trophy in the fall during a special assembly program.

A Special Education Pre-Kindergarten class is available at Hickory Creek. This program is for students who are three to four years old and have special needs. The program is designed to prepare pre-school children in areas of language development, fine motor skills, reading and math skills, and self-help skills.

All upcoming kindergarten students attend a one-day screening for pre-registration. Using the results of the screening process, principal and teachers determine special needs, student-teacher ratios, and preparations needed for the upcoming school year.

Hickory Creek School offers an Extended Day Care Program. Day Care is open at 6:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. every school day. Students who arrive at school before 7:00 a.m. pay a small fee to attend Day Care. The Day Care is re-opened in the afternoon from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. The students are supervised by four day

care workers. Students may receive homework assistance or participate in various activities. There are approximately forty students currently enrolled in the Extended Day Care Program.

Under the direction of Hickory Creek School physical education teachers, students participate in competitive physical activity events yearly at the Warren County Fair. Students compete with other elementary students in the county. Students at Hickory Creek School are given a Fitness Test at the end of each school year. The physical education teachers log abilities and speed. These records are kept and compiled as the students progress in school. The physical education teachers direct a Field Day in May of each school year. Teachers and students spend the day outside participating in a variety of activities.

The guidance department is the heart of Hickory Creek School. The counselor works and coordinates multiple activities for the school. The school counselor conducts classroom instruction, small group instruction, support groups, and individual counseling. Consultation services are offered for parents, teachers, other educators, and community agencies regarding strategies to assist students. The school counselor uses referral resource