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About Madison School
Madison Elementary School, located in Wheeling, West Virginia is situated on an island in
the Ohio River, separating the panhandle of West Virginia from Ohio. As part of the Ohio
County School System, the existing 3-story, brick structure has served the residents of
Wheeling Island and the surrounding area since 1916. Situated on a flood plain, the school
has endured major flooding four times, most recently in January, 1996.
"Resilient in the face of change" describes the school’s unique character
over time. In the early 1900’s, Wheeling Island was inhabited by an affluent
population who constructed spacious, stately homes. Over the years, the demographics and
socio-economic conditions of the Island changed dramatically. As residents migrated to
other parts of the city, their mansions have been subdivided into apartments. The Wheeling
Downs racetrack is a primary source of seasonal employment and has contributed to the high
mobility of Island families. In 1995, as a result of district consolidation, students from
North Park School became part of the Madison "family".
Over the past decade, Madison School has experienced a rebirth, as it has received
recognition on the local, state, and national levels. These milestones include West
Virginia School of Excellence in 1992 and West Virginia Blue Ribbon School in 1996.
The pinnacle of success was being named a National Blue Ribbon School in 1997, as well as
a National Distinguished Title I School that same year. The school currently serves a
diverse population of approximately 320 students in grades Kindergarten through
fifth. Reflecting a mixed social stratification, the school’s current statistics
include:
-Standardized test scores above the national average in grades 3-4-5 in Basic Skills
Grade 3 - 67%ile
Grade 4 - 70%ile
Grade 5 - 78%ile
Madison School offers a wide range of programs and services to meet the needs of its
students and their families. The emphasis is on increasing levels of literacy and student
achievement, beginning with an extensive early intervention component. MAPPING,
(Management of Academic Performance) is the acronym used for all efforts aimed at these
initiatives. Specialized programs and services include: Parents as Teachers, Reading
Recovery, special education, Title I, adult basic education, a community-based dental
clinic, and extended day and summer remediation programs. A staff of approximately 60
professional and service personnel ensure the success of these programs.
Madison serves as a "center for learning" in the community, with extensive
involvement of families, businesses, and community groups. Its Local School Improvement
Council serves as a site-based, decisionmaking body, and is able to personalize the
programs offered by the school to meet the needs of its students. Parent involvement is
extensive, as indicated by attendance at "3-way Conferences", parent workshops,
volunteerism, and the school's parent organization, "PTK", (Parents, Teachers,
and Kids). Both the Faculty Senate and the Curriculum Team play active roles in site-based
management.
Madison has several official business Partners in Education, one of which is a
Professional Development School partnership with West Liberty State College. Several
"unofficial" partnerships also play supportive roles, including financial and
human resources. These include the Wheeling Rotary Club, who established at Madison the
first read-aloud program in the district, Oglebay Institute, (providing interactive,
environmental science programs), Wheeling Downs.Racetrack and Gaming Center. United
National Bank, North, Wheeling Fire Department, Beyond Marketing, Island Lions Club,
Island Dairy Queen, the Wheeling Fire Department, RAX Restaurants, and Papa John's
Pizza.
MISSION STATEMENT
Our Mission is to develop young people to their maximum potential in social
responsibility, employability in the work place and lifelong learning by emphasizing the
following goals:
Providing a safe, orderly, businesslike atmosphere conducive to teaching and learning.
Believing all children can learn and assisting them in appropriate placement and
activities.
Focusing on learning as our primary purpose and providing many additional services making
student achievement our priority.
Providing leadership by continually reviewing our program to ensure effectiveness.
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