Appendix a (Page 1 of 4)

Appendix A (Page 1 of 4)

Excerpted from the WCSD

District Plan on Shared Decision Making

AN SLT IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

KINRYROADELEMENTARY SCHOOL

October 28, 2008

Project Title:

“Developing Kinry Authors” –

Project Summary:

1. Student outcome or district goal(s) the plan hopes to influence:

This plan hopes to influence District Goal # 1: Academic Performance (3) “There will be consistent and measurable improvement in ELA…”

2. Detailed descriptive narrative of the Improvement Project, including a time line and names of persons responsible for implementing each phase and activity in the project.

Understanding the writing process and how to become an excellent writer is a difficult task. Many Kinry teachers have recently completed new training in writing instruction. They have learned to use the writing process, the 6-traits writing approach and the writer’s workshop model. They are developing learning communities to share how to apply these techniques. Teachers and students are also receiving training in how to use the new Mac iBook computers.

Members of the SLT agree that writing is one of the most essential skills that a student must acquire to be successful academically,so writing instruction is the area where the SLT has decided to focus its energy and resources. The use of new technology, primarily the Mac Lab, will facilitate our efforts as we continue to focus on writing instruction at Kinry. The Macs have a program through iPhotothat would allow classes to publishbooks created by individual classrooms.Having a finished, student-created publication is a great reward for a writer’s efforts; however, it is also an expensive endeavor.

The Kinry SLT would like to support this school-wide initiative to improve writing at Kinry. Since the Mac iBook has a program for publishing student writing through iPhoto, the SLT would like to fund the publishing of these classroom books with our yearly SLT budget.It will also support the celebration of our finished publications.

Appendix A (Page 2 of 4)

Opportunities

Participating teachers will have the freedom to explore creative approaches to writing instruction with their classes. Each class will have the opportunity to create a book together. Each student may create illustrations and text. Possible themes that have been discussed, but which we are not limited to are:

Using pictures of artwork made during art class and creating Haiku poetry to go with it
Photos and interviews of a special person in a student’s life
A favorite narrative, short story or journal entry
Writings on a class theme or topic
Non-fiction collections on a social studies or science topic that builds upon the current curriculum
Reflections from a field trip

3. Term of Project: Beginning Date: 11/1/08

November – Training begins for teachers and students on how to use new

technology to create published works. Teachers apply 6-traits and

writer’s workshop approach.

December – Teachers select a theme and project plan for their classroom

publication.

January

& February – Teachers and students work on their book projects

March – Teachers collect finished writing pieces. SLT members collect

money orders for published books and assist in the final editing

process

April –Writings and pictures are submitted for publication

May – Book Release and Signing Celebration

June – Review surveys and collect evaluation information

Ending Date: 5/15/08

4. Assessment Date: 6/1/08

5. Method(s) of assessing success of the project:

1. Surveys and other anecdotal information from teachers, parents, guidance, and administration. (See attached samples).

2. Samples of student writing andfinished/published books.

Appendix A (Page 3 of 4)

6. Names and signatures of SLT members with representative role title.

(parent, teacher, administrator, other)

SLT MEMBER NAME
(Please Print) / MEMBER
SIGNATURE / REPRESENTATIVE ROLE
John Farrell / Administrator
Elizabeth Daley / Teacher – SLT Chair
Cheryl Callaghan / Teacher
Adeline Anderson / Teacher
Colleen Orth / Teacher
Debra Scarano / Parent and PTA Chair
Gale Gemmell / Parent
Debra Paskowski / Parent
Teacher

7. NOTE: If any waiver of contractual obligation is being requested this form must continue to circulate to those responsible for granting a waiver and signatures must be obtained before the project is implemented.

Contractual provision(s) which you wish to have waived and for what period of time:

Signatures of appropriate individuals below indicate a waiver is approved for the period(s) indicated.

______for the ______(organization)

Title: ______

______for the ______(organization)

Title: ______

Appendix A (Page 4 of 4)

Additional note: If a variance from Commissioner’s Regulation is being requested, such variance must be approved using the form required by the New York State Department of Education (Appendix C). A request for a variance must be approved BEFORE a project is implemented.

8. If the project has impact on another building(s), consultation and consensus must be reached with the other building(s). The signature(s) of the chairperson(s) of the Building SLT’s in the impacted building(s) below indicate that consultation and consensus between the building(s) has occurred.

______, Building Team Chairperson at ______

9. If resources or funds are being requested to implement this project, the project must be approved BEFORE implementation. This completed form should be forwarded to the Superintendent’s (or designee’s) office FOR PRIOR REVIEW by the District Steering Committee’s Review Panel which may recommend the project (as written or amended) to the Superintendent of Schools for final approval. The superintendent’s signature below indicates approval has been granted. If granted, normal requisitioning and purchasing procedures for accessing funds should be followed.

Resources or funds being requested:$1,140 (the balance of Kinry’s SLT funds) to be used for the publishing of the “Developing Kinry Authors” books.

Date by which resources and funds are required:12/1/07

10. Superintendent’s Approval:

______

Superintendent of Schools Date