School Improvement Plan

2013-14Hanmer School – Margaret ZaccheiHighcrest School – Maresa Harvey Webb School – Michael Verderame

Emerson-Williams School – Neela ThakurCharles Wright School – Glenn Horter

October 22, 2013Wethersfield Board of

Education

Student Learning Outcomes Goals

2 Goals - Performance and progress on the academic learning measures in the state’s accountability system for schools◦ School wide SPI Progress ◦ School wide SPI subgroup Progress

  3 Goals - Performance and growth on locally

determined measures◦ Non-tested subject or grades (high school must include

graduation goal)◦ Two more Student Learning Goals – indicators may focus on

student results from a subset of teachers, grade levels, or subjects

At this time the CSDE has not released School Performance Index data.

This data will be shared once available.

2 SPI Goals

Goal 1: First grade students meeting or exceeding goal on the number of words written and number of words spelled correctly on the Test of Written Expression in the spring of 2014 will be 5% higher compared to the scores in the spring of 2013.

3 Locally Determined Goals

To understand the impact of increased instructional time as a result of full day kindergarten

Increase the volume and quality of student writing across all genres

Implement calendar days where teachers participate in grade level professional development

Rationale & Strategies

Implement district bottom lines in writing

Increase opportunities to write for authentic purposes

Rationale & Strategies

Goal 2: The percentage of students in K-3 in the levels of meeting standards and exceeding standards will increase from the fall 2013 to the spring 2014 as measured by the DRA.

3 Locally Determined Goals

Building strong reading skills in the primary grades is foundational to success across all content areas in the intermediate grades

Implement Common Core State Standards in reading through the implementation of the workshop model

Implement Teacher’s College units of study

Rationale & Strategies

Strengthen the effectiveness of grade level collaborative teams

Implement Teacher’s College units of study

Facilitate professional book clubs for staff to expand knowledge of best practice

Rationale & Strategies

Goal 3: 80% of the students will increase by at least one band from the pre to post on demand writing assessment in each genre as measured by the Columbia rubric.

3 Locally Determined Goals

With the implementation of the Common Core State Standards, students must meet higher expectations in writing

Utilize the Columbia Teacher’s College writing rubric

Develop collaborative process to analyze student work, monitor progress and adjust instruction

Rationale & Strategies

Increase students’ opportunities to write for authentic purposes

Utilize curriculum specialists, reading consultants and instructional supervisor to support implementation of writing initiatives

Generate enthusiasm for writing through school-wide writing initiatives

Rationale & Strategies

Organizational Capacity-building Goals

1 Goal - Teacher Practice ◦ What will be the building level focus to improve

classroom instruction? Consider the bottom lines, Framework for Teaching Evaluation Instrument (Danielson, 2013) and district focus areas.

1 Goal - Team Improvement Goal◦ Based on The Seven Stages of Professional

Learning. What is the goal related to data teams? 1 Goal - School Climate and Culture

◦ Consider stakeholder feedback survey data (parent and staff)

Teacher Practice Goal

By the end of the 2013-2014 school year, 90% of teachers will effectively implement conferring /student feedback strategies linked to the Teachers’ College as measured by a self-rating of four in all categories on the conferring rubric.

Rationale & Strategies Domain 3 in the Danielson rubric utilized in

the teacher evaluation plan focuses on questioning techniques, feedback and conferring

Facilitate professional book clubs

Utilize faculty meetings and grade level collaborative meetings to share best practices on conferring

Improve the effective use of conferring notebooks

Goal: By the end of the 2013-2014 school year 90% of our grade level data teams will be working at or above Stage Four (4) as described in The Seven Stages of Professional Learning Teams Rubric

Team Improvement Goal

This goal is directly related to the Wethersfield School Improvement Plan for improving instruction across all content areas

The emphasis will be on utilizing data to drive instruction and improve teaching and learning

The process will require continuous reflection and collaboration throughout each cycle

Data teams will assist with improving our universal assessment scores as well as state standardized test scores

Rationale & Strategies

Data team work will allow for quality lesson planning to challenge students to meet high expectations

Instructional strategies derived from meaningful data will enhance student learning

Data teams will be initially facilitated by district curriculum specialists and teacher leaders

Teachers will write SMART goals based on assessment data

Rationale & Strategies

Rationale: At all schools we strive to set high academic, social and behavioral expectations for students in order to create an optimal environment for learning.

The school climate and culture goals at each school are based on the spring 2013 parent survey data.

School Climate and Culture

Goal: Comparing the Spring 2013 parent survey results with the Spring 2014 parent survey results, 85% of parents will respond favorably to question #4 (My child is challenged to meet high expectations at the school.)

Hanmer School

Improve communication to parents; increase information on content learning

Implement school-wide behavioral program

Facilitate and utilize parent forums to share curriculum information

Strategies

Goal: Comparing the Spring 2013 Parent Survey results with the Spring 2014 Parent Survey Results

◦ 85% of parents will respond favorably to question #4 (My child is challenged to meet high expectations at the school)

◦ 93% will respond favorably to question #3 (The school offers me many ways to be involved in my child’s education)

Webb Elementary School

Improve quality and frequency of communication with parents

Increase available information related to curriculum and instruction

Infuse differentiated instruction daily

Implement new parent involvement opportunities

Incorporate six Town Meetings

Strategies

Goal:

On the Spring 2014 Parent Survey, 85% of all parents will respond favorably to the following question:  Bullying is a problem at my child's school. (Question # 8)

Emerson-Williams School

Improve both parent and student education about the definition of bullying

Improve utilization of School Psychologist and School Social Worker

Work with staff to ensure that mean acts, student conflicts, and bullying are dealt with in a swift and consistent manner

Strategies

Goal: On the Spring 2014 Parent Survey, 85% of all

parents will respond favorably to the following question:  Bullying is a problem at my child's school. (Question # 8)

Charles Wright School

Implement Covey’s Seven Habits for Healthy Kids followed by the Leader In Me program in following years

Improve both parent and student education about the definition of bullying

Implement and communicate a referral process

Strategies

Goal:

Comparing the Spring 2013 Parent Survey with the Spring 2014 Parent Survey results, 85% of all parents will respond favorably to question #4 (My child is challenged to meet high expectations, both academic and behavioral, at school).

Highcrest School

Effective lesson planning and classroom instruction as well as implementation of core principles that guide school-wide discipline.

Increase communication with families regarding high academic and behavior expectations.

Provide extension activities tailored to meet the needs of students who are achieving at high levels.

Strategies

Emphasis on rigor and how to embrace academic challenge and behavioral expectations to parents at Open House, PTO meetings, parent conferences and special programs: 2nd cup of coffee and literacy night.

Utilize the school website to share information regarding academics and behavioral expectations. (Bulldog Blast-Highcrest Intervention Team Blog)

Staff book study, Jim Fay’s “Schoolwide Discipline Plan without the Loopholes.”

Strategies