CoLA 9 Project15 May 2008

Phillip A. Sloop

Southside Middle School

Southside Middle School2005-2006 SITREP

• Academically Unacceptable

• Not meeting AYP in four areas

• Significant student discipline issues

• Faculty departing in large numbers

Areas Requiring Attention

• Leadership

• Staff Morale/Professional Development

• Low Expectations (staff, students, parents)

• Curriculum & Instruction

• Unsatisfactory TAKS Performance

1st - Leadership Issues

• Organizational Atmosphere

• Staff Potential Competence

• Curriculum and Instruction

Crew’s State of Affairs

• Teacher turnover: 33%

• Declining morale

• Frustration!

• Low student performance expectations

Curriculum/Instructional Issues

• TEKS & curriculum not fully aligned

• Minimal collaboration across departments or grade levels

• Limited curriculum rigor

Instructional Concerns

• Teacher professional development

• Old school delivery of lessons

• Lack of supplemental resources

Reading TAKS SCORES - 2005

Grade Campus State

6th 69% 86%

7th 68% 81%

8th 70% 84%

Math TAKS Scores (2005)

Grade Campus State

6th 40% 79%

7th 35% 65%

8th 26% 62%

Writing & Social Studies - 2005

Grade/

Subject

Campus State

7th Writing 79% 89%

8th Social Studies

65% 85%

Striking Back!

Leadership Order of Battle

• Communicate Purpose and Meaning

• Remove Instructional Roadblocks and Build Trust

• Establish and Enforce Good Order and Discipline

Leadership Order of Battle

• Holistic Approach to Improvement Processes

• Inspire a “We Can Do Anything” Mentality

Staff Professional Development

• Focused on needs, not wants

• “In School Model” of Professional Development

• On-site consultation/training with instructional facilitators (contractors/ESC-20).

• Pre-AP Training – All Core Courses

Expectations Overhaul

• Released control of improvement processes to staff

• If you need it…you’ve got it!

• Ownership – “It’s Your School”

Expectations Overhaul

• Improved content and frequency of teacher/parent contacts.

• Increased number of parent volunteers.

• Provided ongoing information exchange on SSI, early college programs, etc.

• Implemented a meaningful student awards program (each grading period).

Curriculum & Instruction Initiatives

• Fully Aligned Scope & Sequence with TEKS (vertically and horizontally)

• Meetings with elementary and high school teachers

• Initiated Grade-Level Teacher Teaming

• Implemented Block Schedule

Curriculum & Instruction Initiatives

• Implemented Algebra and Pre-Algebra

• Implemented “Pre-AP” Curriculum

• Created TAKS Reading & Math Classes

• Homeroom – Instructional Period

• Contracted with outside curriculum expects

Curriculum & Instruction Initiatives

• Tutorials – After School/In School

• Project “X”

• More Effective Use of Inclusion Teachers

• Elective Teacher Collaboration (mini lessons/concepts/vocabulary)

Curriculum & Instruction Initiatives

• TAKS Blitz Sessions

• Contractors: instructional mentoring

• Technology – Laptop/In-Focus Projectors, Curriculum on Wheels (COW), Wireless laptops for classrooms, 3 computer labs.

Curriculum & Instruction Initiatives

• Just say “yes”. Provided teachers with supplemental instruction materials.

• Everyone made a “Plankowner” – It’s Your

School.

• RIGHT TEACHER – RIGHT STUDENT!

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to School…

• Staff pushed administrators aside and took ownership for student academic achievement.

• Teachers volunteered conference time for pull-out tutorials.

• Elective teachers, instructional aides, librarian, even secretaries volunteered conference time for core course instruction/tutoring

• Teacher retention jumped to 90%

TAKS ReadingGrade 2005 2006 2007 Change

6th 69% 91% 94% +25%

7th 68% 67% 82% +14%

8th 70% 81% 85% +15%

TOTAL 69% 80% 87% +18%

TAKS MATHGrade 2005 2006 2007 Change

6th 40% 67% 72% + 32%

7th 35% 46% 67% +32%

8th 26% 47% 58% +32%

TOTAL 33% 54% 66% +33%

8th Grade TAKS – 2008 Subject 2007 2008 3YR Chg

Reading 85% 94% +24%

Math 58% 72% +46%

Social

Studies

78% TBD +13%

Science 58% TBD

Righting the Ship

• Missed recognized campus (2007) by only 3 points

• Met AYP in all areas

• Five Gold Performance Stars

Students, Staff and Parents Win!