TennesseeSchool Improvement Planning Process

(TSIPP)

Assurances

with Signature of Principal

I certify that ____VANCE MIDDLE_ School has utilizedthe data and other requirementsrequested for each component. The school will operate its programs in accordance with all of the required assurances and certifications for each program area.

I CERTIFY that the assurances referenced above have been satisfied to the best of my knowledge.

Taurin Hardy 10/24/2013____

Signature of Principal Date Signed

VMS School Improvement Plan

2013-2014 School Year

To the Stars with Perseverance

TAURIN HARDY, PRINCIPAL

Tina Hudson-Smith, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Roketta Watson-Blockett, INSTRUCTIONAL FACILITATOR & SIP CHAIR

SCHOOLWIDE ACADEMIC INTERVENTION PLAN

Directions: Complete the form to articulate the programs, models, and strategies which clearly define your school’s intervention plan. What strategies have you incorporated in your school improvement plan to ensure that students experiencing difficulties are identified on a timely basis? How do you provide additional support to these students? These activities should provide students with additional services that increase the amount and quality of instructional time.

SCHOOL: _____Vance Middle School______SCHOOL YEAR: __2013-2014______

Effective Programs, Models, and Strategies
(Ex, Differentiated instruction, Learning Centers, Stanford LAW, Stanford Math, Failure Free Reading, Reading Plus Classroom Libraries, Thinking Maps, ACT/SAT Prep, cooperative learning, CCSC, TEM rubric guidelines etc.) / Extended Day/Year
(Before, during, after school, summer, year round, Excel, SES)
Identify the name of the extended day/year program, date, & time.
Ex.After-school Tutoring or HomeworkCenter, SaturdaySchool / Home-School Connection
Ex. Community Volunteers
List the name of the organization, church, adopter, parent/ community group.
Program Name / Date & Time
Stanford Math Program / During School
After School / Schoolwide on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesday, during Exploratory; Tutoring Program on Tuesdays and Thursdays
Exceptional Children daily / Emmanuel Center allows students to use computers to access Stanford Math after school
Reading Plus / During School
After School / Schoolwide on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays during Exploratory
Tutoring Program on Tuesdays and Thursdays
Exceptional Children daily
Everyday Calendar Math / During and after school / Teachers use it daily during homeroom (20 min)
Teachers will use during weekly PLCs
Tutorial Programs (After School)
  • EmmanuelAcademy
  • Streets Ministries
/ Daily 2:30pm-5:30pm
M-T-Th 2:30pm-4:30pm / EmmanuelCenter Volunteers
Streets Ministry volunteers
Extended Learning/Extended Contract / After School / T-Th 2:15-4:15 pm
Good First Teaching (teachers using DI, Thinking Maps, Cooperative Learning, Learning centers, technology integration- CPS units) / During School / Year Round
Common Core Implementation / During School / Daily
CRA / During School / Twice (October and February)
Academic Advisory / During School / Daily (7th and 8th Grade Students)

VMS TRANSITION PLAN for ELEMENTARY & HIGH FEEDER SCHOOLS

Federal Grants and Programs- NCLB

ACTIVITY / PERSON RESPONSBLE / DATE / OUTCOME
Counseling and Classroom Guidance Sessions / Curtrice Smith, Counselor / On-going throughout the school year / Entering 6th grade students will be presented the various services offered through the guidance department. Students will be informed of academic, career and personal /social standards.
Orientation Day for Elementary Feeder Schools Transition to VanceMiddle School / Curtrice Smith, Counselor
Roketta Watson-Blockett, Instructional Facilitator (IF) / May (First week) / Students from feeder schools will participate in an orientation of VanceMiddle School and learn about the 6th grade. Students will tour the school and experience the middle school transition.
High School Day for 8th grade students / Curtrice Smith, Counselor
Roketta Watson-Blockett, IF
Lakeisha Haywood, IF-BTW / May / Counselors from surrounding high schools will speak to 8th grade students about the high school experience and requirements for entry.
Career Fair
6TH- 8th grade / Curtrice Smith, Counselor
Roketta Watson-Blockett, IF / February (Second week) / Various organizations and community representatives will present information in regards to their careers. Also they will give motivational talks to all students about the importance of staying in school.
Orientation Day at BTW 9th grade Academy / Roketta Watson-Blockett, IF
Lakeisha Haywood, IF
Curtrice Smith & BTW, Counselors / May / 8th grade students will tour the 9th grade Academy at B.T. Washington. They will learn the expectations of the academy and the new challenges in 9th grade.
Focus Plan of Study / Curtrice Smith , Counselor / January - April / Students will select their high school courses to prepare them for graduation. Students will gain knowledge of course requirements and state mandates for graduation as well as college information.
ACT Explore Test / Curtrice Smith, Counselor / November 2013 / To assess 8th grade students readiness for college. As well as give students an interest inventory survey to determine possible career opportunities.

Consolidation of State and Federal Programs

State educational programs and other federal programs consolidated in this plan are listed below.

1. Title I- Intervention Programs for At-risk Learners, Professional Development Programs, Parent Involvement Initiative

2. Title IIA- District-sponsored Professional Development and Literacy Coaches

3. Title II D- District Technology Coaches

4. Title III- ESL Teachers,

5. Title VI-Blue Ribbon Plan

4. Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program- Free or reduced price breakfast/lunch for qualifying students

5. C.L.U.E. (Creative Learning in a Unique Environment)

6. Title X- Support for Homeless students

7. Extended Contract Funds- After-school Intervention Program for At-risk Learners

8. TN Department of Education- School Age Child Care Program (before and after school)

State and Federal Funded Programs

List all State educational programs and other Federal programs that are consolidated in this plan.

** All federal, state, and local services/programs are coordinated and integrated into our School-wide Programs.

Program/Item / Person(s) Responsible / Location
No Child Left Behind / William Morrison / Federal Programs/Grants
NCLB Title I
School-Wide Program / Deborah Currie / Federal Programs/Grants
Fee Waivers / Tiffany Bracy / Financial Secretary
Site-Based Budget / Roketta Watson-Blockett/ Tiffany Bracy / Federal Programs/Grants
Nutrition Program / Gloria Dowdy / Cafeteria Manager
Special Education Services / Janice Holeyfield / Sped. Ed. Supervisor
NCLB Title I
Parental Involvement / Dr. Clementhia Poole / Division of Parent and
Community Engagement
PIT Crew / Kecia Helminski / Teaching and Learning
Academy
2013-2014 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE provided by District and/or State – Federal Grants and Programs (NCLB)

Name

/ Role / Responsibilities
William Morrison
Dr. Deborah Currie / NCLB Supervisor / Monitor and supervise the NCLB school to ensure compliance in budget and documentation
William Graves / School Psychologist / Complete psychological evaluations
Assist with S-Team, E-Team and IEP team meetings
Counsel students individually or in groups
Assist with behavior intervention and functional behavior assessments
Serve as a consultant to school staff
Karen Dotson / Social Worker / Makes home visits to speak with parents and students
Assist with S-Team, E-Team and IEP team meetings
Assist with Student Behavior Interventions
Counsel students individually or in groups
Janice Holeyfield / Exceptional Children Supervisor / Assists teachers with writing, reviewing and implementing IEPs.
Oversees transportation of SWD students
Provides monthly professional development for teachers

Teacher Mentoring Program - Federal Grants & Programs (NCLB)

Complete Action Plan for developing and implementing a mentoring program.

Action Steps / Timeline / Required Resources / Person(s) Responsible
New Teacher Orientation / October 2013 / 2013-14 Teacher Handbook
Attendance Policy
Grade book Guidelines / Roketta Watson-Blockett, Mentor Coordinator
Implement the SCS New Teacher Mentoring Program / October 2013– May 2014 / District trained mentors (PIT CREW) / PIT CREW and Lead Teacher (Kim Barber)
New Teacher Network
New Teachers meet monthly as a group
  • Starting the Year off Right
  • Teacher Evaluation Process
  • Understanding the TCAP test
  • Data Analysis
  • Sharing Best Practices
  • Gender Based Instruction
/ September 2013 – June 2014 / Lesson Plan booklet
Instructional best practices
TN State Standards
Literacy/Writing Plan
Classroom Management
Variety of Assessments
TeamBuilding Exercises / Roketta Watson-Blockett, Instructional Facilitator
Professional Learning Community for New Teachers to research, implement and share best practices and collaboration in teams to provide sustained and on-going professional development based on teachers’ self-assessment / August 2013 – May 2014 / Experienced Teachers for Observations
Substitutes (Title One)
Evaluation Instruments
Professional Planning That Works
Common Core State Standards
Implementing Learning Centers
Understanding Middle School
What I should know my First year? / Roketta Watson-Blockett, Instructional Facilitator

VANCE MIDDLE SCHOOL NCLB FAMILY ENGAGEMENT POLICY

  • REVIEWED & REVISED by Parents on August 16th & by School Staff on May 18, 2013.

Final Document completed on May 25, 2013*

VanceMiddle School has jointly developed with and distributed to parents of participating children, our written Family Engagement Policy. This Policy establishes the expectation for PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT.

VanceMiddle School strongly encourages parental involvement in the educational process. The school and home have a shared goal of promoting success in our children. Our parents are encouraged to become advisors, resource persons and coordinators in all aspects of the school. We encourage this in the following ways:

  • Convene an annual meeting, at convenient times, to which all parents are invited and encouraged to attend. This meeting is established to inform all parents of TITLE I REQUIREMENTS, SCHOOL’S PARTICIPATION IN TITLE I, the school’s FAMILY ENGAGEMENT POLICY, SCHOOL’S COMPACT AND THE RIGHTS OF PARENTS TO BE INVOLVED at Vance Middle School.
  • Vance communicates this and all parent meetings through flyers, team and school letters, Parent Link, and the community outreach program. This meeting is held the Tuesday before the 1st report card is distributed (report cards are given this night) in the school’s auditorium. The annual meeting is conducted at 4:00pm and 9:30am the following day to meet the needs of all parents.
  • Offer flexible schedule of meetings to further encourage parental involvement.
  • NCLB Parents Meetings are offered monthly (PTSA/NCLB meetings; SBDMC meetings, Positive Behavior Intervention and Support meetings), monthly (Parenting training sessions offered by community support organizations, improving student achievement), every semester (Parent-teacher conferences) and yearly (TCAP Writing, TCAP assessment, and summer reading training. These meetings are offered at various times. We have offered meetings early morning (during breakfast), immediately after school, late afternoon, during the school day, and Saturdays. Parents will be provided with information regarding summer employment, summer camps and summer school opportunities for students and their siblings.
  • Involve parents, in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in the planning, review and improvement of programs under parent involvement. Advise parents that they can offer suggestions relating to the education of their children at VanceMiddle School. If requested by parents, Vance provides opportunities for regular meetings to formulate suggestions and to participate in decisions relating to the education of their children. We will respond to any suggestions in a timely manner.
  • During the above meetings, parents input is always requested and documented on sign in sheets with positions, minutes, agendas, phone communications, parent/teacher conference checklist and notes, Intervention Plan and email. Parents are provided parental involvement information through our NCLB Stakeholder Handbook, our school website, letters, Annual Meetings, and student progress reports.
  • Provide parents a description and explanation of the CURRICULUM used at Vance and by the district, forms of ACADEMIC ASSESSMENTS used to measure student progress, and the PROFICIENCY LEVELS students are expected to meet.
  • Through the distribution of our NCLB Stakeholder Handbook, the School Improvement Plan, Think Link Reports, Intervention plan, School Code of Conduct and progress report, parents receive on-going description and explanation of the curriculum and academic assessments.
  • To describe how Vance has jointly developed with parents, the entire school staff, and students to share the responsibility of improved student academic achievement through a school (administrators)-parent-student compact.
  • The development of the school’s-parents-student compact begins with the Site-Based Decision Making Council (comprised of parents, community persons, students, teachers and administrators). It will be reviewed, revised, adopted and presented at the annual meeting. The final document is sent home to every parent and distributed and discussed at registration, parent-teacher conferences, and parent meetings. The document is reviewed annually at SBDMC meetings.
  • The school-parent-student compact describes:
  • The responsibilities of all parties for improving student achievement and the partnership between Vance and its parents to help students achieve the State’s high standards.
  • Vance’s responsibility to provide high-quality curriculum and instruction.
  • The ways in which each parent will be responsible for supporting their children’s learning
  • The importance of on-going communication between the teachers and parents.
  • The parent-teacher conferences held at Vance to discuss the compact as it relates to student achievement.
  • How Vance distributes frequent student progress reports.
  • How Vance gives parents access to staff, to volunteerism participation, and class observation.
  • How Vance distributes an understandable and uniform hard copy of the school’s parental involvement plan in a language parents can understand.

The administrators, faculty and staff will provide a strategic plan and implement NCLB requirements according

to the guidelines set forth by the law to ensure effective involvement of parents and to support this partnership

to include the following:

  1. Provide assistance to the parents of children served by Vance in understanding State’s academic content standards and student academic achievement standards, State and local academic assessments, and how to monitor a child’s progress and work with educators to improve the achievement of their children. Vance provides information through NCLB Stakeholder Handbook, Raising Student Achievement Parent meetings, TCAP writing, TCAP assessment, Student Code of Conduct, Parent Link reports, Curriculum Night, and TCAP Parent Workshops.
  2. Provide materials and training to help parents to work with their children to improve their children’s achievement.
  3. Provide teachers, pupil services personnel, principals and other staff strategies to reach out to communicate with and work with parents as equal partners to implement and coordinate parent programs and build ties between parents and the school.
  4. Provide professional development sessions by the Instructional Facilitator and Principal on closing the relationship gap & provide staff with the Teaching Children of Poverty Training.
  5. Provide and integrate parental involvement programs and activities that encourage and support parents to fully participate in the education of their children. Parent training sessions offered by community partners and the SBDM Council.
  6. Provide the information sent home related to school and parent programs, meetings and other activities in a language parents can understand.
  7. Provide full opportunities for the participation of parents with children with disabilities, and parents of migratory children ensuring the information and school reports are in a language parents can understand.

VanceMiddle School

‘Home of the Eagles’

Taurin Hardy, Principal

Tina Hudson-Smith, Assistant Principal

Roketta Watson-Blockett, Instructional Facilitator

VMS NCLB TITLE I PARENT-STUDENT-SCHOOL COMPACT

This compact has been jointly developed and agreed upon by Vance Middle School, parents, students, and school staff. It outlines how parents/Vance/staff/students will share responsibility for improving academic achievement.

PARENT’S AGREEMENT

I want my child to achieve. Therefore, I will encourage him/her by doing the following:

  • See that my child is punctual and attends school regularly.
  • Teach my child to respect authority, the property of others, and to be non-violent and settle disputes intelligently.
  • Dress my child in uniform each day.
  • Collaborate with teachers and school staff to support and challenge my child.
  • Encourage my child’s effort and be available for questions and conferences.
  • Establish a time for homework and review it regularly.
  • Attend parent/teacher conferences.
  • Communicate with teachers and the school.

Parent’s Signature ______

STUDENT’S AGREEMENT

It is important that I work to the best of my ability. Therefore, I shall strive to do the following:

  • Attend school regularly.
  • Come to school each day with supplies needed for classroom assignments.
  • Complete and return homework assignments.
  • Maintain and observe study hours.
  • Work hard to do my best in school.
  • Help to keep Vance Middle School safe.
  • Ask for help when I need it.
  • Respect myself, respect others, and respect the learning at Vance Middle School.

Student’s Signature ______

TEACHER’S AGREEMENT

It is important that students achieve. Therefore, I shall strive to do the following:

  • Encourage students and parents by providing information about student progress.
  • Provide homework assignments for students.
  • Show empathy to all students.
  • Respect the cultural differences of students and their families.
  • Focus on enriched skills to promote academic achievement.
  • Help to keep Vance Middle School safe.
  • Utilize a variety of teaching strategies to motivate the learner.
  • Dedicate some time to receive professional development to gain knowledge, which will ensure student achievement and

personal professional growth.

Teacher’s Signature ______

VANCE PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITY AND AGREEMENT

I support this parent/student/teacher/principal compact. Therefore, I shall strive to do the following: