Bester Elementary School Portfolio

Bester Elementary School and the Chesapeake Coalition of Essential Schools began their alliance in the winter of 2004. The purpose of the alliance was to improve instructional practice, increase parent involvement, and engage the community in the education of the children. The Chesapeake Coalition of Essential Schools is a national organization with the focus on increasing student achievement. This focus is measured through a series of benchmarks and indicators that when connected assist schools in implementing strategies that increase achievement for all students.

This electronic portfolio is a showcase for displaying how Bester Elementary School worked to implement these strategies to enhance the learning for all schools. It will also showcase the involvement of parents and community in the learning process to meet the varied needs of all of the Bester students and families.

Bester Elementary School is an urban school located in Hagerstown Maryland. It is one of 24 elementary schools in the Washington County Public School System. The current student population is 580 students ranging in grades from Pre-K to grade 5. Bester is the home of the Judith P. Hoyer Judy Center which serves families with children from birth to age five. The Judy Center provides a program for three year old students as well as cooperative pre-school programs with a local daycare provider and the community college. The students at Bester are 73.5% white, 23% African American, and 3.5% Hispanic, Native American Indian, and Asian Pacific Islander. Special Education services are provided to 13.3% of the school population. Bester has a mobility rate of 42.8% inclusive of students moving into the district and out of the district. Bester has a 78% Free and Reduced Meal population which cross all ethnic groups. For the past two years Bester has made Annual Yearly Progress for all students in all sub-groups as defined by the No Child Left Behind Law. Bester has also been recognized as a National Title I School of Excellence.