With smiling faces, students stream through the door of Phelps Luck Elementary School in Columbia to a chorus of greetings.
“Good morning,” the staff say to the children, as they bound past a brightly colored mural of the school?s mascot, a falcon soaring above a mountain.
“Good morning!” the children shout back.
But Phelps Luck wasn?t always pleasing to the eye.
The school, which opened in 1972, had worn carpet, old paint jobs and outdated technology, said John Morningstar, the school?s principal from 1999 to 2005.
“We had the whole building recarpeted and repainted, and high-tech computers were also installed,” said Morningstar, who is now principal at Ilchester Elementary School in Ellicott City. “School culture [a climate of values and practices] is so important, and it?s important that kids have positive feelings about their school.”
Morningstar?s efforts helped improve state-mandated test scores, said current Principal Pamela Akers, who has worked for two years at the 600-student school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade.
Since 2004, the school has exceeded the county?s 70 percent proficiency standard in reading on the Maryland School Assessments. In math, the school exceeded the standard in 2004 and 2006.
Akers said school officials analyze test scores and look for trends in areas where students are having trouble.
Phelps Luck has before- and after-school tutoring, Saturday School where students are taught core subjects such as math and reading on Saturday and the Play Program, in which students take physical education three times a week before school, she said.
Studies show students excel academically when they get enough exercise, she said.
In keeping with the school?s focus on continual improvement,cafeteria procedures were revamped to create more orderly lunchtimes.
“We came up with using quiet, soothing music and dimming the lights as students enter the cafeteria,” said Michelle Leader, assistant school principal.
She said the lunch tables are arranged horizontally, not vertically, so students can go from the tables to the doors for recess.
The school has a great sense of community with parents organizing International Day, where diverse music is played and different foods are offered, said Tanya Brogan, school PTA president, whose daughter is a first-grader there.
Most importantly, students enjoy the school.
“I enjoy everything here: physical education, music and art,” said fifth-grader Kent Ma.
“I like the specials [subjects such as art, physical education and media]. … They?re great,” said fifth-grader Kelsey Bettencourt.
Test results
» Maryland School Assessment proficiency results for Phelps Luck Elementary School
Reading:
» 2004: 77
» 2005: 76
» 2006: 83
Math:
» 2004: 73
» 2005: 66
» 2006: 75
Source: Howard County Public School System
