Town Creek Elementary

St. Mary’s County Public Schools
2014-2015 School Improvement Plan / School: / Town Creek Elementary

Introduction:

This introductory narrative should provide a brief overview of the school-wide initiatives and information that are addressed as part of the school Improvement planning process.

Together Creating Excellence
At Town Creek Elementary School (TCES) we believe in the potential of each student and
will do everything we can to help each child succeed in a safe and supportive learning environment.
Our Goals
v Continue Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and Achieve Gold Standard Recognition ( 5 consecutive years to date)
v Fully Align Instruction and Assessment to the Maryland College and Career Readiness Standards
v Emphasize Healthy Habits
v Determine Appropriate Interventions with Maintenance and Generalization of Skills into the General Education Curriculum
v Use Visualizing and Verbalizing for Language Comprehension and Thinking Program Strategies- School-Wide
v Maximize Use of Technology for Instruction/Learning (Moodle; Google Drive, Sites, Calendar; Promethean Boards; iPads; Laptops; “Clickers”)
v Use Cooperative/Flexible Grouping and Movement Breaks
v Develop Higher Order Thinking Skills/Questioning
v Provide Differentiated Professional Development (PD)
v Continue Green School Initiatives- determine a project i.e. butterfly garden, rain barrels
v Have Fun While Learning!
Last school year our Educator’s Effectiveness Academy (EEA) plan provided professional development preparing teachers to understand the implication of the instructional shifts in English/Language Arts (E/LA) and Mathematics and to examine PARCC expectations. We will continue to use SMCPS planning documents and guides to fully align instruction and assessment to the Maryland College and Career Readiness Standards.
Last school year we addressed Tier 1 behavior interventions by increasing monthly and quarterly incentives through our PBIS program. We will continue this focus and seek additional proactive ways to increase student achievement among all sub groups and minimize disciplinary/ISIC referrals. School-wide professional development will focus on the use of strategies from the book, 1-2-3 Magic for Teachers. An additional book study PLC using 1-2-3 Magic for Teachers will be offered.
An underlying theme throughout our school is an emphasis on healthy habits. Whenever possible, healthy habits are integrated into instruction. A culminating activity is a healthy habits theme based Field Day.
Last school year our Grade Level Professional Learning Communities (GLPLC) focused on student achievement, student behavior, attendance, and interventions. Purple folders were used to contain student data, such as DIBELS, Rigby or other IRI by classroom teachers, FASTT Math data for the year and interventions.
Our professional development focus this school year will be on the practical application of the instructional shifts to meet the needs of all students. Our GLPLC’s will continue to meet bi-weekly to review student achievement and response to intervention. Our GLPLC meetings will be focused, using an agenda developed by each team in order to maximize the time allotted (25 minutes).
Technology is integrated into daily instruction. Each classroom has an interactive Promethean Board. We will focus on using all available technology to enhance lessons and develop technology savvy staff and students.

Principal: Marie E. Hankinson

Section 1: Instruction

Brief narrative of instructional focus areas for 2014-2015.

To focus on student proficiency in reading and mathematics. Interventions (remediation and enrichment) are provided to all students based on needs and assessment data. Bi-weekly Grade Level Professional Learning Community (GLPLC) meetings are held to review student progress and determine appropriate interventions. Each GLPLC consists of respective grade level classroom teachers, IRT, Special Education Teacher, and Principal. This model has proven successful in providing differentiated interventions to all students in need, thus increasing overall student achievement.
A greater emphasis is being placed on our primary students (grades K-2) to ensure they are provided with the appropriate learning tools to access the curriculum. Our intermediate students receive differentiated instruction from a team of teachers to provide leveled instruction in reading and mathematics in a smaller group setting. We will provide professional development on strategies from the Visualizing and Verbalizing for Language Comprehension and Thinking program to support the maintenance and generalization of skills into the general education curriculum.
Our curriculum leadership team (CLT) will provide on-going staff development. The CLT includes English/Language Arts, Mathematics, STEM, and Disciplinary Literacy teacher representatives, IRT, Special Education Teacher, and Principal.

Outcome 1: English/Language Arts

Fully implement instruction aligned to the Maryland College and Career Readiness Standards for English/Language Arts.

Focus Area (e.g., instructional practices, assessment, professional development) / Activities
(learning designs, implementation) / Target Staff
(learning communities) & Responsible Person(s) (leadership) / Required Resources / Timeline / Progress Monitoring and Measurement
(data)
Professional Development (PD) / -Visualizing and Verbalizing for Language Comprehension and Thinking program
-Professional Develop on Seeing Stars/Visualizing/Verbalizing Strategies / Target Staff:
All Staff
Responsible Persons: Special Education Staff; Andrea Atlas, SLP GWCES;
Teachers / Visualizing and Verbalizing for Language Comprehension and Thinking by Nanci Bell / August 2014-June 2015
PD September 19, 2014 at GWCES 1-3:30 PM / Use of visualizing and verbalizing strategies during instruction
PD / -Provide professional development on administration/interpretation of Rigby Reading Inventory, GATES or other reading inventory to establish/monitor students’ reading level and progress / Target Staff: All Teachers
Responsible Persons: IRT / Rigby Reading Inventory or materials provided by SMCPS / August 2014- June 2015 / Use of Rigby Reading Inventory to provide differentiated instruction
PD / -Provide professional development to transfer intervention instruction into the general education curriculum / Target Staff: All Teachers
Responsible Persons: IRT/CLT / Interventions being utilized (See list of available interventions below) / August 2014- June 2015 / Staff using intervention strategies and students applying strategies in the general education setting
Application: Response to Intervention (RTI) / -Intervention usage (appropriateness)
-Maintenance and generalization of skills into the general education curriculum / Target Staff: All Teachers
Responsible Persons:
Teachers/PST/IEP Team/IRT / Interventions:
Tier 1
Houghton-Mifflin Reading Program Grades K-6;
Comprehension Tool Kit;
Fundations;
Visualizing and Verbalizing Strategies
Tier 2/3
Phonemic Awareness for Young Children;
LiPS;
Seeing Stars;
ABA Principles/Mixed VB/
Discrete Trials;
Road to the Code;
Fundations;
PCI ;
Fountas & Pinnell Leveled Literacy Intervention;
Read Live/Read Naturally;
SRA Specific/Multiple Skills Series;
REWARDS;
Just Words;
Wilson Reading System;
Corrective Reading
Highly Able
Junior Great Books Program
Gifted
William & Mary Lessons / August 2014-June 2015 / Classroom progress
Assessment / -Determine reading levels for every student / Target Staff: Teachers
Responsible Persons: Classroom Teachers/IRT / Rigby Reading Inventory or materials provided by SMCPS / August 2014- June 2015 / Use of Rigby Reading Inventory to provide differentiated instruction
Assessment / -Develop quarterly common grade level assessments aligned to PARCC format / Target Staff: Teachers
Responsible Persons:
Grade level teams / PARCC and SMCPS resources; / August 2014- June 2015 / Common Grade Level Assessments

Outcome 2: Mathematics

Fully implement instruction aligned to the Maryland College and Career Readiness Standards for Mathematics.

Focus Area (e.g., instructional practices, assessment, professional development) / Activities
(learning designs, implementation) / Target Staff
(learning communities) & Responsible Person(s) (leadership) / Required Resources / Timeline / Progress Monitoring and Measurement
(data)
Instructional Practices / -Integrate Math Practices vocabulary into daily lessons;
-Align CGI/Practice Forward tasks with math practices / Target Staff: Teachers
Responsible Persons: Grade Level Teams / SMCPS Math Practices posters/handouts / August 2014-June 2015 / Students applying mathematics practices
Instructional Practices / -Continue to focus on teaching fact fluency working towards computational fluency (K-5);
-Understanding and teaching fraction progressions (1-5); / Target Staff: Teachers
Responsible Persons: Grade Level Teams / Mastering the Basic Math Facts in Addition and Subtraction by O’Connell and SanGiovanni;
Mastering the Basic Math Facts in Multiplication and Division by SanGiovanni;
Maryland College and Career Readiness Standards for Mathematics / August 2014- June 2015 / Students’ increased computational fluency and understanding of fractions
Application: Response to Intervention (RTI) / -Intervention usage (appropriateness)
-Maintenance and generalization of skills into the general education curriculum / Target Staff: All Teachers
Responsible Persons:
Teachers/PST/IEP Team/IRT / Interventions:
Tier 1
Math Investigations;
Math Connects;
FASTT Math;
Visualizing and Verbalizing Strategies;
Touch Math
Tier 2/3
Key Math;
Do the Math;
FASTT Math Next Generation;
Math Triumphs (Gr. 4-5);
Digi Blocks
Highly Able
ORIGO Think Tanks (Gr. 1-3);
Project M3 (Gr. 3-5);
Challenging Word Problems (Singapore Primary Math Method Grades 1-5)
Gifted
Challenging Word Problems (Singapore Primary Math Method Grades 3-5) / August 2014-June 2015 / Classroom progress

Outcome 3: Disciplinary Literacy

Fully implement instruction aligned to the Maryland College and Career Readiness Standards for cross-disciplinary literacy.

Outcome 4: STEM Education

Incorporate the Maryland State STEM Standards of Practice through interdisciplinary STEM for All instructional tasks.

Focus Area (e.g., instructional practices, assessment, professional development) / Activities
(learning designs, implementation) / Target Staff
(learning communities) & Responsible Person(s) (leadership) / Required Resources / Timeline / Progress Monitoring and Measurement
(data)
Enhance and implement STEM for All performance tasks that are cross-disciplinary and aligned to appropriate content standards. / -Implement cross-disciplinary performance tasks that incorporate the use of the iPads and Moodle / Target Staff: All Teachers
Responsible Persons: STEM CLT Member/IRT / iPads;
Moodle;
Internet Access;
CCSS instructional support documents: units, model lessons/units / August 2014- June 2015 / Lesson plans reflecting integration of technology
Evidence of cross-disciplinary initiatives in daily classroom instruction;
Student performance on SMCPS cross-disciplinary tasks
Instructional / -Incorporate at least one Moodle Activity per quarter / Target Staff: All Teachers
Responsible Persons:
All Teachers / Moodle;
SMCPS Unit Maps/Pacing Guides / August 2014- June 2015 / Moodle Planning Sheet or Lesson Plan
Implement Language Arts Performance Based Assessments into Science units. / -Collaboration among teachers to incorporate SMCPS Language Arts Performance Based Assessments along with aligned science unit. / Target Staff: All Teachers
Responsible Persons: STEM CLT Member/IRT / SMCPS Language Arts Performance Based Assessments and rubric / First Quarter and then as developed and provided by SMCPS / Student performance on SMCPS Language Arts Performance Based Assessment

Section 2: Attendance

Brief narrative of attendance goals for 2014-2015. Include data or needs assessment information as rationale for goals.

Town Creek Elementary School’s attendance has remained steady over the years with an average daily attendance rate of 95% or better (exceeding the minimum 94% required outcome). TCES will look to maintain and/or improve overall attendance/habitual truancy rates. By focusing on reducing the number of unlawful absences in SY 2013-2014, TCES has gone from 35% unlawful absences in 2012-2013 to 25% unlawful absences in 2013-2014. Late arrivals and early pick-ups impact student’s learning/instruction in the same manner as absences. We would like to emphasize the importance of being on time for school (Ready to Learn) and remaining for the entire school day (Responsible).

Outcome: Attendance

Maintain or improve attendance to achieve 94% average daily attendance rate and less than 1% habitual truancy rate.

Focus Area / Activities
(learning designs, implementation) / Target Staff
(learning communities) & Responsible Person(s) (leadership) / Required Resources / Timeline / Progress Monitoring and Measurement
(data)
Decrease Unlawful Absences / -Friendly phone calls from Nurse/Counselor/Teacher after 3 days consecutive absences
-Attendance letters sent monthly to appropriate students’ parent/guardian
-Phone calls from Guidance Counselor regarding unlawful absences
-Home Visits / Target Staff: Students/Parents
Responsible Persons:
PST; PPW; Counselor; Nurse; Classroom Teacher; Principal / Monitor attendance bi-weekly at GLPLC meetings;
Quarterly/End of Year Perfect Attendance Recognition;
Attendance Letter / August 2014- June 2015 / ADA/ADM Attendance Statistics;
Parent/Guardian response to attendance letters;
PST referrals;
Monitor specific student attendance data pre/post intervention
Decrease Late Arrivals and Early pick-ups / -Phone link reminders to parents/guardians
-Late Arrival/Early Pick Up letter sent monthly to appropriate students’ parent/guardian / Target Staff: Students/Parents
Responsible Persons:
PST; PPW; Secretaries; Nurse; Teachers / Monitor late arrivals and early-pickups monthly;
Late Arrival/Early Pick up letter / September 2014-June 2015 / Parent/Guardian response to Late Arrival/Early pick-up letter;
Decrease in number of Late Arrivals/Early pick ups

Section 3: School Climate and Discipline

Brief narrative of school climate and discipline goals for 2014-2015. Include data or needs assessment information as rationale for goals.

School Climate
Town Creek Elementary (TCES) has been a Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) School since 2005, achieving the highest standard (Gold) since 2009. Staff and students embrace PBIS as evidenced by the supportive nature of the environment for students. With a focus on continuous improvement, TCES will seek ways to improve our behavior support systems. Our goal is to establish a School-wide Classroom Behavior Management System (Clip/color system (Recovery System); 1-2-3 Magic for Teachers; Token economy with response cost) and achieve Gold Status recognition again this school year. We will continue Tenacious Terrapin recognition (implemented in 2013-14) to recognize positive behaviors (22 awardees in SY 2013-14).
Discipline
Over the past 4 years our discipline referrals* have increased:
2010-11 13 referrals
2011-12 12 referrals
2012-13 27 referrals
2013-14 21 referrals *Bus referrals are not included in discipline referral count
For 2012-13 and 2013-14, increased disciplinary referrals (early in the school year) were attributed to two students with multiple referrals. Both students were provided Tier 3 interventions and numerous supports.
We had 107 ISIC referrals during the 2013-14 school year. We anticipate an increase in ISIC referrals during the 2014-15 school year as our Special Education Teacher/Staff and IRT will provide additional coverage for students requiring the In School Intervention Center (ISIC) throughout the school day. Our school is currently allotted a half-day ISIC Coordinator. The ISIC Coordinator provides interventions to students when not performing ISIC duties.

Outcome: School Climate and Discipline