Carman Trails Elementary School
School Improvement Plan
2009-2011
Level One
District Mission: The mission of the Parkway School District is to ensure that our students are capable, curious, and confident learners who are fully prepared for current and future educational challenges. We aim to provide a stimulating and worthwhile education that enables our graduates to lead fulfilling, productive, and responsible lives in an ever-changing and complex world.
Needs Assessment:
Carman Trails Elementary has been identified as a school in Improvement, Level 1, due to not making Adequate Yearly Progress as defined by NCLB for two consecutive years. In 2009, Carman Trails made AYP in all subgroups for Communication Arts. Despite our considerable efforts to implement well researched interventions, Carman Trails fell short of proficiency targets in both Communication Arts and Mathematics.
In Communication Arts Carman Trails met 4 out of 4 subgroups. While we met AYP for all students, the proficiency rate remained below the state target for all students (Target 59.2, Proficiency Rate 51.5), White (Target 59.2, Proficiency Rate 58.7), Free/Reduced Lunch (Target 59.2, Proficiency Rate 21.3) and IEP (Target 59.2, Proficiency Rate 37.5). Advances were seen through the growth model, indicating progress working with students scoring in the bottom two levels: All students (Target 59.2, Proficiency Rate 51.5, Growth Model 70.5), White (Target 59.2, Proficiency Rate 58.7, Growth Model 72), Free/Reduced Lunch (Target 59.2, Proficiency Rate 21.3, Growth Model 66), and IEP students (Target 59.2, Proficiency Rate 37.5, Growth Model 68.8).
In Mathematics Carman Trails met 3 out of 4 subgroups. While we met AYP for all students the proficiency rate remained below the state target for all students (Target 54.1 Proficiency Rate 44.3) White, (Target 54.1, Proficiency Rate 50, and IEP (Target 54.1, Proficiency Rate 33.3). Carman Trails did not make AYP for the subgroup of students receiving Free and Reduced Lunch (Target 54.1, Proficiency Rate 8.3). Advances were seen through the growth model, indicating progress working with students scoring in the bottom two levels: all students (Target 54.1 Proficiency Rate 44.3, Growth Model 60.2), White (Target 54.1, Proficiency Rate 50, Growth Model 64.6), Free/Reduced Lunch (Target 54.1, Proficiency Rate 8.3, Growth Model 37.5) and IEP (Target 54.1, Proficiency Rate 33.3, Growth Model 60.4).
Goal 1 – Student Performance: Develop and enhance quality educational/instructional programs to improve student performance and enable students to meet their personal, academic and career goals.
Objective 1: By the end of 2010 school year, the group of all students and students in each subgroup identified for NCLB accountability will make AYP as reported on the DESE AYP report in the areas of Communication Arts and Math.
Communication Arts:
· 67.4% or more of Carman Trails students will achieve at the level of proficient or advanced on the 2010 MAP test in Communication Arts.
· The total number of students in Free and Reduced Lunch, IEP, LEP, Black, and Hispanic subgroups achieving at proficient and advanced levels on the 2010 MAP test in Communication Arts will increase by 50%.
Mathematics:
· 63.3% or more of Carman Trails students in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades will achieve at the levels of proficient or advanced on the 2010 MAP test in Mathematics.
· The total number of students in Free and Reduced Lunch, IEP, LEP, Black, and Hispanic subgroups achieving at proficient and advanced levels on the 2010 MAP test in Communication Arts will increase by 50%.
Strategy 1 – Utilize building literacy coach to assist teachers in using formative data to differentiate and inform instruction.
MSIP Standard: 6.7
Person(s) Responsible: Teachers, Literacy Coach, Administrators
Funding Source and approximate amount of funding
· Building Funding Amount: $0
· School Improvement Amount:$0
Date to implement: 9/09 Date to complete: ongoing
Type of plan addressing: NCLB
Action Step 1: End-of-Unit Assessments will be jointly scored at each grade level.
Action Step 2: Grade level teams will meet bi-monthly with literacy coach to analyze common assessments, review MAP data, and plan lessons based on data indicators and recommended best practices.
Action Step 3: Administrators will meet weekly with building literacy coach to collaborate on supporting teachers in using data to inform practice.
Strategy 2 – Implement building-wide structure for directly teaching vocabulary and building prior-knowledge in the areas of communication arts and mathematics for all students, with an emphasis on English speakers of other languages and students of low socio-economic status.
MSIP Standard: 6.3
Person(s) Responsible: Teachers
Funding Source and approximate amount of funding
· Building Funding Amount: $0
· School Improvement Amount:$0
Date to implement:10/09 Date to complete: ongoing
Type of plan addressing: NCLB
Action Step 1: Classroom teachers will send a weekly communication to all staff that includes Enduring Understandings, Essential Questions, and vocabulary for upcoming Units of Study in communication arts and mathematics.
Action Step 2: Specialists, including ESL, Special School District personnel, music, art, and physical education teachers will reinforce vocabulary within all settings.
Action Step 3: Specialists will push in to grade level classrooms for one hour each week to work with small groups or individual students to directly teach background knowledge and vocabulary for upcoming units of study.
Action Step 4: Teachers will pre-assess prior knowledge and pre-teach vocabulary prior to beginning a new unit of study in mathematics and communication arts.
Action Step 5: Vocabulary and enduring understandings for upcoming units of study will be sent home to parents in monthly newsletters, with recommended activities to reinforce concepts at home.
Action Step 6: Teachers will provide timely feedback to students regarding performance on district common assessments.
Strategy 3 – Building math intervention specialist will assist teachers in analyzing formative assessments and utilizing data to differentiate and inform instruction.
MSIP Standard: 6.2
Person(s) Responsible: Math intervention specialist
Funding Source and approximate amount of funding
· Building Funding Amount: $0
· School Improvement Amount:$0
Date to implement: 9/09 Date to complete: ongoing
Type of plan addressing: NCLB
Action Step 1: Following the administration of each district common math assessment and formative end-of-unit assessment, teachers will meet with math intervention specialist to collaboratively grade, analyze results, and plan for instruction.
Action Step 2: Math specialist will push into selected classrooms to collaboratively teach and model best practices in differentiated math instruction based on review of student data.
Action Step 3: Using pre-assessment data, third grade teachers will create flexible groups for each mathematics unit of study. Each teacher will take responsibility for teaching a different flexible group for each unit. The math intervention specialist will push into classrooms during 3rd grade mathematics instruction daily.
Strategy 4 – Teachers at all grade levels will utilize research-based supplemental materials for mathematics instruction, to be purchased with School Improvement Funding.
MSIP Standard: 6.4
Person(s) Responsible: Teachers, Math Intervention Specialist
Funding Source and approximate amount of funding
· Building Funding Amount: $0
· School Improvement Amount: $500
Date to implement: 10/09 Date to complete: ongoing
Type of plan addressing: NCLB
Action Step 1: Math coordinator will collaborate with math intervention specialist to determine specific items and quantities, to include written materials and manipulatives (rekenreks) from nationally recognized researcher in math instruction, Cathy Fosnot.
Action Step 2: In-service for use of the materials will be provided by the district math coordinator, the math intervention specialist, and/or guest mathematics presenter, Greg Tang.
Strategy 5 – Based on the findings of the school’s progress monitoring team regarding an area of need among our students in all subgroups, teachers will increase opportunities for students to read non-fiction text, and write about the text by responding to high level questions.
MSIP Standard: 6.3
Person(s) Responsible: Administrators, Literacy Coach, Literacy Intervention Specialists, Progress Monitoring Team, Teachers
Funding Source and approximate amount of funding
· Building Funding Amount: $0
· School Improvement Amount: $0
Date to implement: 10/08 Date to complete: ongoing
Type of plan addressing: NCLB
Action Step 1: Progress Monitoring Team will present identified problem to staff, including national and local research findings.
Action Step 2: Teachers will be provided with Depth of Knowledge model, and will develop high level questions through team collaboration, with the support of the building literacy coach and administrators.
Strategy 6 – Provide Extended Learning Opportunities for identified students.
MSIP Standard: 6.3
Person(s) Responsible: Administrators, teachers, reading intervention specialists, math intervention specialist
Funding Source and approximate amount of funding
· Building Funding Amount: $6,000 (extra duty pay)
· School Improvement Amount: $12,400
Date to implement: 11/09 Date to complete: ongoing
Type of plan addressing: NCLB
Action Step 1: Invite students who demonstrate need to participate in before- school Learning Club to reinforce skills in mathematics and communication arts.
Action Step 2: To improve math support and instruction, provide identified students with opportunities to utilize web based instructional and formative assessment software Dream Box Learning Math (www.dreambox.com). Student achievement will be monitored using the software’s detailed reports. Purchase 10 additional site licenses, beyond the 16 that will be provided through district funding for our school.
Strategy 7 – Offer single-gender classroom option in grades 1, 2, and 3 to focus on brain-research/gender-based learning strategies.
MSIP Standard: 6.3
Person(s) Responsible: Administrators, Teachers
Funding Source and approximate amount of funding
· Building Funding Amount: $1,545
· School Improvement Amount: $10,000
Date to implement: 7/09 Date to complete: ongoing
Type of plan addressing: NCLB
Action Step 1: Provide development opportunities regarding differentiating instruction for male and female learners, with 2 day presentations by author and researcher Dr. Leonard Sax in July 2009 and David Chadwell, Coordinator, Single-Gender Initiatives, South Carolina Department of Education, in July 2010.
Action Step 2: Expand existing 1st and 2nd grade single-gender program by adding 3rd grade option in 09-10 school year
Action Step 3: Develop systematic data-collection format and procedures for tracking impact of single-gender classrooms by collaborating with Dr. Margaret Ferrara of the University of Nevada at Reno and Carman Trails’ Progress Monitoring Coach.
Goal Area 2: Highly Qualified Staff: Recruit, attract, develop and retain highly qualified staff to carry out the District Mission, goals and objectives.
Objective: By the end of the 2009-2010 school year, professional staff will have participated in at least 30 hours of professional development activities focused on improving instruction and support for students not scoring at the proficient or advanced levels on the MAP.
Strategy 1 – Staff will be mentored by our Literacy Coach and Math Intervention Specialist, and district math personnel through small group and individual meetings. The coaches will facilitate conversations regarding best practices and will help teams to analyze assessment data.
MSIP Standard: 6.7
Person(s) Responsible: Literacy Coach, Math Intervention Specialist, Teachers, Administrators
Funding Source and approximate amount of funding
· Building Funding Amount: $0
· School Improvement Amount: $0
Date to implement: 9/09 Date to complete: ongoing
Type of plan addressing: NCLB
Action Step 1: Each Grade Level will meet bimonthly with our literacy coach and a minimum of once per month with the math intervention specialist.
Action Step 2 – Literacy coach and math intervention specialist will work directly in classrooms to guide and model best instructional practices.
Action Step 3: District math personnel will meet with whole staff and small groups 2-3 times per year to provide development regarding best practices and curriculum knowledge.
Strategy 2 - Provide six half-day substitutes to release teachers in grades 3-5, and four half-day substitutes to release teachers in K-2 to analyze data and discuss and observe best practices in literacy instruction.
MSIP Standard: 6.7
Person(s) Responsible: Literacy Coach, Administrators, Teachers
Funding Source and approximate amount of funding
· Building Funding Amount: $0
· School Improvement Amount: $10,600
Date to implement: 10/09 Date to complete 3/10
Type of plan addressing: NCLB
Action Step 1: Use school improvement funding to provide Substitutes.
Strategy 3 – Conduct Book Studies with teams throughout the year to address questioning strategies and background knowledge. Impact of book studies will be monitored through observations by administrators of change in classroom practice
MSIP Standard: 6.7
Person(s) Responsible: Literacy Coach, Math Intervention Specialist, Teachers
Funding Source and approximate amount of funding
· Building Funding Amount: $175
· School Improvement Amount: $1,000
Date to implement: 10/09 Date to complete: 5/10
Type of plan addressing: NCLB
Action Step 1: Provide 4th and 5th grade teachers with copies of Notebook Connections for their reference, dialogue, and implementation during student instruction and grade level meetings.
Action Step 2: Provide all staff with a choice of, Quality Questioning: Research-Based Practice to Engage Every Learner by Walsh and Dankert-Sattes or Building Background Knowledge for Academic Achievement by Marzano, for small group discussion during staff development.
Strategy 4 – Use bi-monthly staff meetings as a means for staff development as it relates to best practices in improving student achievement.
MSIP Standard: 6.7
Person(s) Responsible: Administrators
Funding Source and approximate amount of funding
· Building Funding Amount: $0
· School Improvement Amount:$0
Date to implement: 8/09 Date to complete: ongoing
Type of plan addressing: NCLB
Strategy 5 – Provide funding for classroom teachers and specialists working with single-gender classrooms to learn from and collaborate with other single-gender teachers, and learn best practice strategies within that setting.
MSIP Standard: 6.7
Person(s) Responsible: Administrators, Teachers
Funding Source and approximate amount of funding
· Building Funding Amount: $3,500 (2009 – 4 teachers, administrator)
· School Improvement Amount: $3,500 (2010 - additional staff)
Date to implement: 9/09 Date to complete: 10/09
Type of plan addressing: NCLB
Action Step: Administrator and four teachers will attend national conference presented by the National Association for Single Sex Public Education in October 2010 (NASSPE).
Goal Area 3 – Facilities, Support and Instructional Resources: Provide and maintain appropriate instructional resources, support services, and functional and safe facilities.
Objective: One hundred percent of our facility will be safe and conducive to student learning in order to support our programs and services.
Strategy 1 – Restructure our Master Building Schedule to ensure that there are large blocks of learning time and allow for adequate instruction in all curricular areas as identified by DESE.
MSIP Standard: 6.6
Person(s) Responsible: Administrators
Funding Source and approximate amount of funding
· Building Funding Amount: $0
· School Improvement Amount: $0
Date to implement:8/09 Date to complete: ongoing