Highland Elementary School 2015-2016 School Improvement Plan

Highland Elementary School 2015-2016 School Improvement Plan

Highland Elementary School

School Improvement Plan

2015-2016

2015-2016 School Improvement Plan Summary

TEACHING AND LEARNING:

Our building plan focuses on a continuation of our work from last school year, as we fine tune and perfect the work we are doing with students in regards to building self-advocacy and a growth mindset in them. We continue to believe our students are the most vital users of assessment data, and it is our role to provide them with clear, actionable feedback which they can both reflect and goal set upon in order to improve their levels of achievement. Strategies 5, 6, & 7 of our “7 Strategies of Assessment for Learning” will offer our teachers additional professional support in helping our students to take part in focused revision of specific standards they need additional support and/or enrichment in. Our teachers and support staff are working to also become effective consumers of assessment data in order to reflect upon their professional craft to make timely decisions- both in the moment, and for longer-term implications. We are utilizing a data cycle in which teachers examine the most essential grade-level standards, unpack them, and plan for instruction. Teachers will use formative data on a daily basis to make adjustments to their instruction and provide feedback to students. Larger assessments will help direct teams of teachers and support staff to examine the data, and make additional decisions on next steps and building support models needed to ensure each students finds academic success.

TECHNOLOGY EMPOWERED:

Being receptive and open to the needs of our staff and students in the area of technology is our focus this school year. Students and staff alike have had a growing exposure to the use of Chromebooks and our Google platform. Although the comfort level in this arena is growing, we are very interested in continuing to survey and offer responsive levels of support and new learning for our teachers, whose job it is to expose our students to new uses within the classroom. Once exposed, it is the role of the teacher to allow for responsible exploration and discovery by our students, utilizing our technology-use standards we have taught and modeled for them. Our goal is to find ways to utilize the technology available in order to better differentiate and provide what each student needs to find success- whatever that route may be. We will continue to utilize our online learning support programs which offer individualized, responsive learning opportunities for our students before school and throughout the day.

THOUGHTFUL TRANSITIONS:

We will continue to be thoughtful in the level of support we plan for, and provide each of our students. Realizing that every student needs a different level of support based upon a variety of factors, we will work to get to know each of our students by name and need at the classroom level. We will also build in building-level supports to ensure that new students to Highland feel welcome and empowered. Through the use of our Student Welcome Team who meets with every new student to take them through our student handbook, 7 Habits common language, and school tour, we will make sure every student receives a baseline of understanding and support. For students entering Highland as kindergartners, and leaving us as fifth graders, we have thoughtfully planned for their entry and exit to best support them in their time of transition.

ENGAGED COMMUNITY:

Our goal continues to involve the engagement of our community- within Highland in addition to our surrounding community. We are fortunate to have several partnerships within our Lake Stevens Community and beyond. We will continue to foster these relationships, as they allow our students to see the impact their leadership, care, and passion can have on another, whether they’re five years old or eleven. Our students can, and continue to make a positive impact across the globe and in our own backyard. We will do everything we can to allow them to see their potential for greatness.

ASSESSMENT DATA

Smarter Balanced Assessment Data 2015

ELA

Year / 3rd School / 3rd State / 4th School / 4th State / 5th School / 5th State
2015-2016
2014-2015 / 75.7% / 52% / 73.3% / 54.5% / 68.2% / 57.5%

Math

Year / 3rd School / 3rd State / 4th School / 4th State / 5th School / 5th State
2015-2016
2014-2015 / 63.5% / 56.6% / 71.4% / 62.5% / 64.4% / 48%

Science

Year / 5th School / 5th State
2015-2016
2014-2015 / 79.8% / 63.3%
MEASURES OF SUCCESS
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: MEASURES OF SUCCESS / 2012-
2013 / 2013-
2014 / 2014-
2015 / 2015-
2016
Students Ready for Kindergarten / ●Kindergarteners meeting benchmark on the fall DIBELS assessment / 62% / 56% / 57%
Second Graders at Grade Level / ●Second Graders meeting benchmark on the spring DIBELS assessment / 80% / 77% / 81%
●Second Graders meeting benchmark on the spring math assessment / 83% / 64% / 65%
Preparing Students for Middle School / ●Fourth grade students meeting or exceeding standard on state writing assessment (SBA ELA 2015) / 79% / 80% / 71%
●Fourth grade students meeting or exceeding standard on state reading assessment (SBA ELA 2015) / 93% / 84% / 71%
●Fourth grade students meeting or exceeding standard on state math assessment / 91% / 87% / 68%
●Fourth grade students at or above 95% attendance / % / 68% / 62%

EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

All students and staff are engaged and accountable learners, meeting high expectations through demonstrated growth, in an educational structure that is differentiated, challenging and focused. We provide quality instruction and leadership through consistent, proactive support of our students and staff.

District Strategies / District Action Steps
Design and implement a comprehensive professional learning plan to deliver embedded, ongoing, collaborative professional learning in the Danielson Framework, TPEP, Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and the use of data / District-wide Elementary Professional Learning:
➢K-2 Wonders literacy Implementation (Year 2)
➢P-5 Literacy Alignment - Writing - Full Implementation K-5
➢3-5 CCSS Aligned ELA Units of Study (Expanded Units)
➢Instructional Coaches - Individual, group, & school-wide coaching
➢K-5 CCSS Math - Full Alignment and Implementation
➢Embed Danielson’s Framework, differentiation, integration of technology, and formative use of data in all professional learning opportunities
Increase student achievement through the alignment and implementation of curriculum based on the Common Core State Standards / Elementary CCSS Full Implementation (Year 2):
➢ELA CCSS Alignment: Wonders (K-2); Units of Study (3-5)
➢Math CCSS Pacing Guides - full alignment and implementation
➢Instructional Coaches to support CCSS Alignment
Create and maintain a data dashboard system to compile and track student performance data / Data Dashboard:
➢Continued implementation of Homeroom Premium data dashboard
➢Fully integrate Homeroom Premium in the Data Review Cycle
➢Support full implementation of Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments and optional Resources/Interim Assessments
➢Instructional Coaches to support effective use of data
Building Plan
➢Utilization of LIM leadership model to build student self-advocacy in academics/learning
○Leadership Notebooks for collection/reflection of data
○Use of formative data (exit tickets, quizzes, etc.) to make adjustments to learning and student goal setting based upon feedback from teachers and peers
➢Implementation of Elementary (LAP/Title) Intervention Plan (Continuum of Services)
○Monitoring growth of all K-4 LAP-qualified students through data cycles and moving towards intervention models that best meet the needs of struggling learners
○SST (academic) and Proactive Support Team (behavior) to further support teachers in meeting the needs of struggling learners
➢Implementation of the Data Review Process
○Connection to unpacking standards
○Revisiting struggling learners and the interventions being provided every 8 weeks, and making needed adjustments
➢Work of Data Team
○7 Strategies of Assessment for Learning, continued focus on strategies 5-7 to increase use of formative assessment tools and student reflection on learning
○Book Study for new staff to learn strategies 1-4
○Reflecting on each data cycle and monitoring process for students and staff
➢Continued expanded use of Homeroom Premium
○Use during SST (academic support) and PST (behavior support) team meetings
○Data cycle meetings for examining student growth on interim assessments
Results (To be reported Fall 2016)
Fountas and Pinnell Data
DIBELS Data
3rd-5th Performance Tasks in ELA
Math Unit Benchmark Assessments

TECHNOLOGY EMPOWERED

Our use of technology will be bold, intentional and accessible. Innovative approaches will be encouraged and embraced and our technology will be intuitive, collaborative and an empowering to all for students, staff and parents. Technology will transform our data systems to be unified, accessible, timely, informative and adaptable, and capable of being tailored to each school, program, class, staff member and student.

District Strategies / District Action Steps
Technology and Technology Use: Develop and provide the resources necessary to provide all students and staff with access (to information, tools, resources, collaborative opportunities) when and where they need them / ➢Implement digital citizenship curriculum and technology skills as part of Common Core and Smarter Balance Assessment
➢Continue roll-out of student devices
Data Systems: Develop information systems that help teachers to individualize instruction and school leaders to manage instructional goals / ➢Continue embedded professional learning to ensure intentional use of Homeroom Premium in instructional, placement, and curricular decisions
Building Plan
➢Staff survey of needs and comfort level at beginning of year and end of year
➢Tech Fairs with differentiated options (Google Classroom, sharing ideas around educational sites, Hapara, peer writing support, etc.)
➢Admin and staff members will model use of tech tools at meetings
➢Model Google Classroom for Evaluation Documents
➢Create a Highland All-in-One folder for resources and documents
Results (To be reported Fall 2016)
Staff survey of needs and comfort level
Staff Participation in Tech Fair
Results of feedback surveys after staff meetings with Technology Fairs

THOUGHTFUL TRANSITIONS

Transitions in our district are planned, focused, collaborative and intentional. Whether transitioning from preschool to kindergarten, into the next grade, building, curriculum or to post-graduation endeavors, we will actively facilitate a path to success for students and staff.

District Strategies / District Action Steps
Create a consistent mode of communication to support transitions / ➢Continued consistent district procedures that support transitions
Expand opportunities for intentional social connections for all students / ➢Continue activities and/or programs that facilitate social connections for transitioning and existing students
Expand opportunities for intentional academic connections for all students / ➢Continue use of Homeroom Premium to identify academic opportunities for students
Increase awareness and planning for post-secondary endeavors starting in elementary / ➢Continue to implement activities that support students’ awareness of college and career possibilities
Building Plan
➢Our plan/continued activities to support positive transitions
○Open House for Kinder, letters and continuous communication in first month of school, bracelets to identify homeward bound
○Welcome Leaders Student Team for new students
○Welcome assembly for students at each grade level - common expectations and growth mindset
➢Promoting character and leadership development and social connections
○Leader in Me common language
○Year-round buddy classrooms with shared leadership jobs
○Student Lighthouse Team
○Student Habit Hurrays
○K-Kids Club, partnering with Kiwanis
○Additional clubs: running club, cheer club, Rubik's Cube club, Swatters Club, etc.
➢Programs that support academic connections (transitioning & existing students)
○Transitioning Special Education students to 6th grade - connections made with middle school counselors
○“Eat Your Lunch at School” for half day kinder to transition to 1st
○1st to 2nd - “upstairs” meet and greet
➢Activities that support college and career awareness for elementary students
○Community Leadership Fair on November 19, 2015, putting community members and leaders in front of our students to expose them to a variety of pathways, in addition to application of the 7 Habits and how they apply to our leaders’ world.
Results (To be reported Fall 2016)
# of kids participating in a club
# of kids who held a leadership role
Results of transition survey

ENGAGED COMMUNITY

We consistently engage with our diverse communities of students, families, staff and the public. We create inclusive partnerships to share our sense of purpose and district goals, invite continuous input and act on the feedback we receive.

District Strategies / District Action Steps
Expand volunteer opportunities to include “non-traditional” groups such as retirees, working families, military personnel and non-English-speaking individuals / ➢Meet quarterly with volunteer coordinators to gauge needs and provide support
➢Refine materials based on program outcome and interest
➢Continue to increase volunteer opportunities at each school and increase number and type of volunteers at each school
Building Plan
➢PTA staggered meeting times to increase accessibility for family involvement
➢Watch DOGS program to involve father figures in volunteerism
➢Ideas for home around 7 Habits in monthly BUZZ Newsletter
➢Parent Council (planning parent and family education)
➢Partnership with community organization: Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis, Lake Stevens Food Bank, Snohomish Conservation Group, PUD
➢Use of Twitter to communicate great learning/happenings at Highland Elementary
Results (To be reported Fall 2016)
PTA attendance
Volunteer attendance
Twitter followers

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