Deerfield Elementary School - Rochester Hills, MI

The foundation of success at Deerfield Elementary is collaboration. Our school schedule includes daily common planning time, by grade level, for classroom teachers. Educators use this time to plan and assess instruction to ensure the implementation of academic best practices. Teachers have access to a data room, which houses student assessment scores. This room provides an immersive environment where trends in student growth are easily identifiable. Another layer of collaboration is a Teacher Assistance Team that includes multiple staff members who meet weekly to problem-solve issues of academic and social/emotional progress in students.

Parents are an integral part of the collaborative atmosphere of Deerfield. Parents and extended family regularly volunteer at school to provide support through academic programs. Reading buddies, math facts tutors, Battle of the Books coaches, and art assistants are a few initiatives that rely heavily on families. Special events such as the Family Dance, the Homecoming float, and the Dad's Carnival give families more opportunities to be a part of the Deerfield Community.

To round out the picture, Deerfield principals have a history of maintaining a safe, supportive environment for both students and staff. It is not unusual for the principal to receive a spontaneous invitation to participate in a lesson as both a learner and a critical friend. A unified focus on instruction, with children at the center, allows Deerfield to ensure that all students acquire knowledge and develop the academic, social and thinking skills that will enable them to become productive members of society.