Lester School
One Team, One Vision, One Goal!
Home of the Lions
320 Carpenter Avenue
Memphis, TN 38112
2014-2015 School Improvement Plan
Ms. Elaine Stewart-Price, Principal
Ms. Nancy Harrison, Assistant Principal
Ms. Tara Williams, PLC Coach
Mr. Terry Brown, ILD
Mr. Dorsey E. Hopson, Superintendent
Assurance Page
I,__Elaine Price______, principal of __Lester Middle_School, give assurance that this Title I Schoolwide Plan was developed during a one-year period with parents and other members of the community. This plan is available to the local educational agency, parents, and the public.
The intent and purpose of each federal categorical program is included. When appropriate there is coordination with programs under Carl D. Perkins Vocational Act, and Head Start.
______
Principal Signature Date
2014-15 Tennessee School Improvement Planning Template
School Name: / Lester MiddleAccountability status: / Priority
Analysis of last year’s final results: / Areas of Greatest Progress: / Areas of Greatest Challenge:
Proficient/Advanced
IMPROVEMENTS
7th Grade Science and 8th Grade Math were our areas of greatest progress:
Science Grade 7: – 13% Gain
Math Grade 8: - 6.8% Gain / Proficient/Advanced
SETBACKS
Reading/Language Arts and 7th Grade Math were our areas of greatest challenge:
RLA Grade 7: -4.1
Math Grade 7: -4.5
Science Grade 8: -19.5
Underlying Reasons for Progress: / Underlying Reasons for Challenge:
The source of Lester’s progress in 7th grade Science was the strength of an existing teacher. Last year, she was a Level 3 teacher and employed excellent classroom management, technology integration, and research based instructional strategies in her classroom. She also utilized data to guide instruction. This was evident from the data wall in her classroom.
The math gains are attributed to the teacher’s attitude with enrichment math challenges. He voluntarily tutored twice per week for students who were deficient in skills. He also created weekly common assessments, tracked student progress, and rewarded students with proficiency parties. / Every 7th grade teacher was new to the grade and subject area. Because of the lack of knowledge base, the instructional best practices were not effective. One of the 7th grade teachers struggled with classroom management, which cause her instructional block to be less effective.
Struggling teachers received a learning coach, differentiated PD by administration, and a Professional Learning Plan to assist them. With the named strategies, 2/3 of the teachers still scored below a 3 in effectiveness.
In 8th grade Science, the teacher was a new teacher working on certification. This teacher received PD tailored to her needs from the administrative team, learning coaches, PIT crew, and district staff, but scored below a 3 in effectiveness.
Goals for 2014-15 school year: / Lester Middle School’s goals for 2014-15 are:
Goal #1 – Lester Middle School will increase the number of students scoring proficient/advanced in Reading/Language Arts from 9.6% to 18.4 % and the stretch target of 20% on Spring TCAP Test 2015.
Goal #2 – Lester Middle School will increase the number of students scoring proficient/advanced in Mathematics from 8.4% to 16.4 % and the stretch target of 20% on Spring TCAP Test 2015.
Goal #3 - Lester Middle School will increase the number of students scoring proficient/advanced in Science from 21.6% to 26.5 % and the stretch target of 30% on Spring TCAP Test 2015.
Goal #4- Lester Middle School with increase the number of students with disabilities scoring proficient/advanced in Reading/Language Arts from 16.7% to 18.4% and the stretch target of 20% on Spring TCAP 2015.
Goal #5- Lester Middle School with increase the number of students with disabilities scoring proficient/advanced in Math from 7.0% to 9.0% and the stretch target of 11% on Spring TCAP 2015.
Plan for this school year: / Key strategies to achieve goals:
1. Strategy: Bi-monthly data meetings to be held in PLC meetings led by the PLC Coach
Implementation Plan: Monthly Data PLCs will begin in late August 2014 through May 2015
Desired Outcomes: The meetings will assure that all teachers can utilize assessment data to determine the content area needs of the students
Projected Cost and funding sources: No cost
Describe how this specific strategy will help you achieve your goals for the 2014-15 school year and address areas of challenge from the past year: This strategy will help teachers make data driven decisions to determine the strengths and weaknesses of all students in an effort to increase the number of students proficient and advanced from the 2013-14 school year.
2. Strategy: Develop District (Istation & IReady)/School (Moby Max) wide initiatives for reading and writing across the curriculum to increase proficiency rates on TCAP tests and close the achievement gap
Implementation Plan: August 2014 with adjustments throughout the 2014– 15 school year based on data results
Desired Outcomes: The school wide initiatives will focus on intervention strategies for content area skills in Reading/Language Arts to help bridge the achievement of the below basic and basic students
Projected Cost and funding sources: No cost
Describe how this specific strategy will help you achieve your goals for the 2014-15 school year and address areas of challenge from the past year: This strategy will decrease the number of below basic and basic students from the 2013-14 school year.
3. Strategy: PDs on common core instructional shifts and implementation from district level content area specialist
Implementation Plan: August 2014 with follow up PLCs through May 2015
Desired Outcomes: The PDs will provide teachers with the knowledge base to implement common core into their daily instruction thus increasing the level of rigor
Projected Cost and funding sources: No cost
Describe how this specific strategy will help you achieve your goals for the 2014-15 school year and address areas of challenge from the past year: This strategy will increase the rigor of instruction in Reading/Language Arts and Math resulting in an increase in the number of students proficient and advance from the 2013-14 school year.
4. Strategy: All teachers will be provided with a Curriculum Area Reading (CAR) period to provide interventions/enrichments to all students
Implementation Plan: August 2014- May 2015
Desired Outcomes: The CAR period will provide interventions/enrichments to all students thus decreasing the number of below basic and basic students and increasing the number of proficient and advance students in all subjects
Projected Cost and funding sources: No cost
Describe how this specific strategy will help you achieve your goals for the 2014-15 school year and address areas of challenge from the past year: This strategy will help teachers create focus groups (80, 90, 100 Club) to meet the individual need of the students in Reading/Language Arts, Math, and Science resulting in an increase of proficient and advance students in core subjects.
5. Strategy: Offer tutoring and small group instruction afterschool for TCAP Achievement
Implementation Plan: September 2014-May 2015
Desired Outcomes: Tutoring and small group instruction afterschool will result in an increase in the number of proficient/advanced students in Reading/Language Arts, Math, and Science.
Projected Cost and funding sources: No cost from September –Feb (teacher will volunteer); Extended Contract for the month of Feb-April
Describe how this specific strategy will help you achieve your goals for the 2014-15 school year and address areas of challenge from the past year: This strategy will decrease the number of below basic and basic students from the 2013-14 school year and increase the number of students proficient/advanced.
6. Strategy: Conduct norming sessions for TEM’s 4.0 rubric so that teachers can understand the expectations of an effective classroom
Implementation Plan: August 2014 – May 2015
Desired Outcomes: An increased in teacher effectiveness resulting in increased proficient/advance scores.
Projected Cost and funding sources: No cost
Describe how this specific strategy will help you achieve your goals for the 2014-15 school year and address areas of challenge from the past year: This strategy will decrease the number of below basic and basic students from the 2013-14 school year.
7. Strategy: Host parent meetings/trainings; Reading/Math Science Night; and Literacy Night
Implementation Plan: August 2014- May 2015
Desired Outcomes: Increase engagement of community and stakeholders
Projected Cost and funding sources: No cost
Describe how this specific strategy will help you achieve your goals for the 2014-15 school year and address areas of challenge from the past year: This strategy will increase parental involvement and support for student achievement.
Key benchmarks for progress on strategies: / Benchmark: / Timeline:
1. All teachers grades 7-8 will review / learn all content required for common core integration; District content specialists will assure that all of Lester’s teachers understand their content and common core integration. / Bi-Weekly PLC meetings throughout the school year;
District personnel and/or school’s administrative team will host content specific collaborative meetings throughout the school year.
2. All grade levels will meet weekly to cooperatively provide lesson plan feedback to colleagues, make revisions to lesson plans to ensure inclusion of common core standards and instructional shifts according to the TEM 4.0 lesson plan template. / Weekly: lesson plans and materials submitted to PLC Coach
PLC Coach will provide biweekly feedback on lesson plans
3. Data Content Area Meeting/Common Formative Assessments Planning / Sept-May :Utilization of data to drive instruction and to create focus groups and action plans
Monthly: Content area teachers will meet afterschool to collaborate, share ideas, and create common formative assessments
4. Formative assessments that align with the common core and SPIs; utilization of data to create target/focus groups and to develop action plans for students / Sept-Oct: Training on administration and use of IStation, IReady, and Moby Max
Ongoing: Analysis of Data and Action Plans for target/focus groups
September 9 – October
18, 2014 – Universal Screening for ISation and IReady
September 15-Oct 17, 2014 –DEA #1
October 28, 2014 - Explore Grade 8
December 1 – December
19, 2014 DEA #2
February 2015- TCAP Writing
February 23 – March 13,
2015 DEA #3
April 28 – May 4, 2015 TCAP Achievement
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