Manson Northwest Webster About MNW Elementary
The Mason Northwest Webster Elementary School is located in Manson, Iowa, about 16 miles west of Fort Dodge. The majority of the school district is comprised of students from the Knierem, Barnum, Clare, Twin Lakes, and the Manson area. Approximately 220 students attend grades K-4, with an additional sixty children attending the three and four-year-old preschool. The grade levels are divided into two or three sections with class sizes remaining small, usually under twenty students per classroom.
The elementary school offers students a challenging curriculum, supporting all learners of varying abilities. Specialized instructional programs offered at the elementary include Special Education, the Talented and Gifted program, Title I Reading, Reading Recovery, At-Risk Reading and Math, and AEA services. Special programs include physical education, music, art, and library.
To better meet student needs in the content area of reading, the elementary implemented a flexible grouping model, offering the students more opportunity to learn at their instructional guided reading level. Students begin the day with Word Journeys instruction, a spelling/decoding program followed by approximately 60 minutes of Guided Reading instruction. An additional reading period occurs during large group instruction. The new reading model is research-based and results indicate it is raising student achievement.
In the content area of math and science, the staff is reviewing new research-based strategies to increase achievement. Instruction is aligned with standards and benchmarks and continues to be integrated into the curriculum. Teachers collaborate at grade level to create lesson plans aligned with standards and benchmarks. Staff development continues to focus on raising student achievement through data analysis, providing interventions for student needs, and the implementation of Marzano’s research-based instructional strategies to support student learning.
Student data is analyzed at the classroom, grade level, building and district level. A variety of assessments are used to measure student achievement in the elementary. The following assessments are administered to elementary students:
- DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills)
- BRI (Basic Reading Inventory)
- MAP (Measures of Academic Progress)
- ITBS (Iowa Tests of Basic Skills)
Elementary students also receive support through the elementary parent-teacher organization. Their fund-raising efforts and dedication to students result in the continual addition of new playground equipment and the support of numerous special activities.