Dear Weddington Elementary Stakeholders,

State and local education leaders are committed to providing parents with information about schools, believing that well-informed parents and community members will be empowered and involved with their children's learning. North Carolina's Ready Accountability Model provides information about our school through the North Carolina School Report Card. This yearly report card includes important information about school and student performance, class sizes, attendance, school safety, instructional resources, and teacher quality. There is also information about how our school measured against federal targets. School Report Cards are provided for regular public schools, charter schools and alternative schools. Our school’s full Report Card can be found on the NC School Report Cards’ website. Report Card data is also available for our district and for the state’s education system as a whole.

Please note that NC School Report Card data is limited for the 2020-2021 school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For the 2020-2021 school year, grade level proficiency in grades 3, 4, and 5 for reading and math exceeded 80%. Math and science proficiency for 5^th grade students was 94.1% and 95.5% respectively. The comparisons to previous year’s results are only intended for informational purposes. Lack of standardization concerning the testing windows, the fluidity of student attendance, the multiple models of instruction, and school closures as a result of the COVID pandemic should be considered as mitigating factors for these results.

For the 2018-2019 school year, Weddington Elementary students exceeded expected academic growth with a growth score of 93.8. Our school also achieved an NC Report Card Grade of an “A”. In addition, the overall performance grade score was 94, with math also at 94 and reading at 91. Weddington Elementary continues to receive top rankings for growth, proficiency, and college and career readiness in both the district and state.

The assessment data only represents a portion of the excellence at Weddington Elementary School. The Weddington Cluster's Global Focus and Service Learning identity instills an appreciation for serving our community and understanding various cultures all over the world.  When you enter our building, it is evident our students have developed a passion for global and service learning. The Weddington staff is dedicated to continual improvement of our school. We are constantly looking for innovative ways to advance our instruction and learning environment. Our teachers are committed to the execution of high level differentiated instruction to meet the individual learning needs of all students. The Weddington staff participates in professional development and Professional Learning Communities to add innovative and collaborative strategies to their “blended” teaching repertoire. They also spend an extensive amount of time disaggregating student data to ensure their instruction is individualized according to student academic needs. With 1:1 technology access in grades 2-5 and teacher use of technology, our students are continually engaged in 21st century learning and instruction.  

The first priority of all Weddington staff is, and will continue to be, the safety of all students. We make a collective effort to ensure we practice diligence in protecting our students and their school environment. The staff consistently takes every necessary precautions to ensure the health and safety of our children.

Weddington enjoys a rich history of academic and cultural excellence that is the result of a collegial partnership between the school staff and parents who provide a diversity of experiences for our students. Parents, teachers, support staff, and administration all have an important role to encourage our children to be innovative and globally competitive students. Weddington Elementary staff also place a significant focus on qualities and attributes which are crucial to the success of students as they transition into adulthood and enter the work force. Through our Terrific Kids award program, “Paws”itive Reward Program, individual classroom rewards, and student leadership opportunities, we consistently celebrate all students as they exhibit these qualities.

We are also extremely proud of our Spanish Dual Language program. Our Dual Language classrooms consist of one or two classes per grade level, with a gradual progression from a 90/10 model in kindergarten to a 50/50 model in 4^th and 5^th grades. Our youngest children enter with a minimal command of the Spanish language and develop into fluent Spanish speakers within one school year. You are encouraged to review our "Dual Language" tab under "Quick Links".   

At Weddington Elementary, stakeholder involvement is critical to student success. Our school Site Based Team, the Weddington Elementary PTO, and our parent volunteers play a vital role in the success of our school. There are numerous opportunities to volunteer and we welcome all parents to participate in these opportunities.

Finally, please review our Report Card in its entirety and feel free to contact me should you have additional questions about our school. Together, the Weddington staff, students, parents and community stakeholders will work collaboratively to continue the excellence that surrounds Weddington Elementary School.

Emily Kraftson, Principal

Weddington Elementary School