Creating safe spaces for students, fostering an environment that welcomes family engagement, and encouraging extensive exploration of new ideas and practices among teachers is why Lyons Farm Elementary School has exceeded growth expectations every year since it opened nearly four years ago.

In fact, Lyons Farm ranked number one among newly opened schools for the 2022-23 school year, with a growth index of 4.68. 

“This year (2024-25, the most recent school year that growth has been measured) we were in the top 16 or 17 percent in the state collectively among all schools,” said Lyons Farm Principal James Hopkins, adding that a strong academic team makes all the difference. 

“We always exceed growth because we have great teachers,” said Hopkins. “I think that it’s hiring great teachers that is my number one most important thing I can do as a principal.”

Hopkins looks for seasoned teachers and asks for their teacher effectiveness data when they apply to work at Lyons Farm. The “seven-step” interview process includes a visit to the school for a “walkaround,” at least two phone conversations, then formal interviews after that.

Empowering teachers as leaders

Once they’re “in” at Lyons Farm, teachers are given a wide berth to explore how they can access resources, engage families, and ultimately pinpoint specific needs and goals for improvement among their students. Collaboration among teachers is paramount as teachers seek to address academic and social/emotional challenges.

“Our leaning into resources that will help us is a big thing,” said fifth-grade teacher Sam DelVerne, who has pursued and won grants for instructional programs. “I feel we have a big drive to explore different avenues to make our children interested in whatever we’re doing.” 

Grants that DelVerne and colleagues have secured grants that have funded roundtables for inviting families in and providing input; instructional supplies such as flash cards, fidgets, stuffed animals, noise cancelling headphones, and tablets; and an outdoor exploration grant for students to learn about trees, entering data to track the progress of trees as they grow.

Progressive ideas for instructional approaches are welcome and encouraged at Lyons Farm, too.

“If there is a concern or an idea, it’s not just something that’s whispered in the hallways,” said Lindsey Russ, a fourth-grade teacher at Lyons Farm. “Teachers can submit a proposal for a new idea that explains, ‘How does this relate to our school’s values?’” 

The Lyons Farm School Improvement Team discusses all ideas presented and diplomatically decides whether to go forward with them, said Russ. “The process is always transparent.”

The school employs a model team approach, with all teachers and support personnel taking part in ensuring that all students receive the care and attention they need to learn and succeed.

“The whole of all the supports in the school is very strong,” said fifth-grade teacher Sam DelVerne. “We have the mentality that, ‘That's just not my kid, but these are all of our kids, and this is what we need to do for all of them to be successful.”

Data-led instruction leads to student success

Effective instruction is all about knowing how to use the right kinds of data in making decisions around what will best work for individual students’ learning needs. That is a mainstay in how the teaching staff goes about their work. 

“We have a really good instructional coach and vice principal who brought in some great data regarding areas of literacy that we need to improve on,” said DelVerne. … “We are using data-led instruction and we’re communicating together. We really take that data and make decisions based on the data.”

Fifth-grade teacher Megan Lewis added that the teaching staff pays close attention to a variety of student data.

“We collect a lot of data, and not just assessment data, but also informal and anecdotal data,” she said Lewis. “We are paying attention and getting that information to the right stakeholder.”  Lewis reiterated the concept of the team approach. Different teachers and support personnel are constantly reaching out to each other and ensuring that if a student needs extra help they will receive it.

“People just jump in and help whenever they can … AIG teachers, EC teachers, our speech therapist, our occupational therapist …everybody’s everywhere,” said Lewis.

When all is said and done, setting and maintaining high standards along with instilling a love of learning make all the difference at Lyons Farm.

“We have high expectations for our students. I believe every student has the ability to grow in their own way,” said DelVerne. “I really feel that I love teaching so my love for teaching I hope transfers to the kids and their joy for learning and makes it exciting, fun, and tangible.”