Oregon Schools To Watch (STW)

Application

2008-2009

A Middle School Improvement Partnership

COSA

ODE

OMLA

Applications are due by 5:00 p.m., November 7, 2008

For more information, please contact Colin Cameron at COSA at

Oregon Schools To Watch (STW) 2008-2009 Application

APPLICATION CHECKLIST

Please review your application to make sure you have completed each step of the process. Complete the following checklist and attach it to the front of your application. All of these items should be in the order listed

_____ SECTION I: All components of this part of the application are fully completed, including

any narrative responses that are inserted as per application directions and they are in

the following order:

  1. ____Principal’s Checklist
  2. ____Coversheet
  3. ____School Characteristics (including narrative questions 1-8)
  4. ____Demographic Information Chart for 2007-2008
  5. ____Absentee and Suspension Information 2007-2008 (including narrative questions/chart 1-4)
  6. ____Evidence of Academic Achievement (including Chart and narrative questions 2-4)

_____SECTION II: The 10-page Narrative regarding the components of Schools to Watch

_____ Oregon Schools To Watch Agreement and Signature Agreement

_____Your school’s “Schools To Watch School Self-rating” (see additional attachment)

_____TWO completed applications are sent via email to Colin Cameron at COSA at

Applications must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, November 7, 2008

For questions on application process, please e-mail Colin Cameron at

Oregon Schools To Watch

Oregon Schools to Watch

Oregon Schools To Watch (STW) 2008-2009 Application

PRINCIPAL’S CHECKLIST

Your school may be a high performing, high impact middle school, but is it ready to be designated as a model for others? Making an application is not an easy process, so before you begin, here are a dozen items to consider. If you have some Not Yets, you may want to rethink or postpone making application at this time, or make sure that you explain in your application narrative how you are addressing the Not Yets.

We’re There / Not Yet
1. / The STW program is seeking high-quality, public middle schools in Oregon that are “on the move” toward higher achievement for all students. Schools must satisfy the minimum eligibility:
1. Must have at least 2 grade levels, including 7th grade
2.Must have 3 years of State Report Card data for current configuration
3.Can not be in School Improvement w/sanctions
4.Must be designated as Strong or Exceptional on State Report Card for the most recent school year
OR
Must have above the state average in math, reading/language arts, in all grades tested within the school's middle level program for the most recent school year
2. / Our school is not in School Improvement, is not being state monitored, and does not have any unanswered or ongoing civil rights violations
3. / Our school’s programs are replicable by schools with challenging and diverse populations
4. / Our school has an operational, school wide progressive discipline plan. All students receive consistently fair and equitable treatment. The suspension data reflects that no subgroup is being unreasonably suspended.
5. / Our school actively supports the mental, physical, emotional, and social health, welfare and safety of our students with counseling, health services, adult advocacy, developmentally responsive activities, and positive incentives. Cognitive and non-cognitive programs are designed and implemented to encourage, motivate, resolve conflict, and build character, resiliency, attendance, and achievement for all students.
6. / The district (superintendent and school board) provides strong support for its middle schools to meet the needs of young adolescents with financial resources, highly qualified teachers, administrators, and counselors, curriculum and instructional materials, and professional development for its teachers
Explicitly, the middle school is not an island operating successfully with limited district support.
7. / The school has an operational and formalized structure of distributed leadership that embraces a clear and current vision and mission for the school. Groups meet independently and regularly with a clearly articulated system of norms, collaborative purpose, communication, and ability to make meaningful decisions.
District wide teacher-leadership in curriculum-instruction-assessment-data and budget groups.
School wide leadership team with representation from key individuals
Department curriculum-instruction-assessment-data groups
Grade-level department groupings
Grade-level interdisciplinary teams of teachers with common set of students and mutual accountability for student behavioral and academic success.
Student study team for at risk students
School Site Council with student voice
English Language Advisory Council
Parent or Parent/Teacher association
Student council
Explicitly, the school leadership is not just the administration or a small group of teachers, nor is it “all the teachers buying in to top-down decisions.” It is an organized system of learners and leaders.
8. / The school is an integral part of the community. It seeks support from the community (universities, colleges, businesses, non-profits) and provides support to the community in terms of student volunteer services, facilities, and joint projects
9. / The master schedule of the school is a reflection of students’ needs and school mission. It is flexible and innovative in providing time and opportunity for coherent, rigorous, standards-based instruction for all students within the school day. It provides students with curricular opportunities in core subjects, targeted intervention opportunities, electives, and physical education. It provides common planning time for teacher teams in the school to work collaboratively on the behalf of their students. It creates smaller, closer learning communities for students.
Explicitly the master schedule gives priority to students’ needs over adult needs
10. / Students are heterogeneously placed on teams and in classrooms to the fullest possible extent. Instruction is differentiated for interventions and enrichment opportunities. Resource specialists collaborate or co-teach. Additional intervention or content specific classes are provided for students with specialized needs that cannot be met in the regular classroom (i.e. math intervention, beginning and early English language development, remedial reading). Enrichment and leadership opportunities are accessible by all and not determined on the basis of IQ and test scores. Advanced content classes (algebra, geometry) may have prerequisite standards and support classes for student success. All classes have high expectations and high levels of student engagement.
Explicitly, there is no tracking of students throughout the day in classes with lower expectations and rigor or with less qualified teachers.
11. / Curriculum, instruction, school-wide strategies, pacing, assignments, homework, assessment, grading and reporting, enrichment projects and activities (i.e. History Day, Science Fair, field trips) in each subject area is consistent and coherent across the school.
Explicitly, each and every student has equal access, opportunity, and challenge in any classroom to which they are assigned.
12. / By the time application is submitted, the entire administration and faculty will have participated in an extensive and ongoing discussion using the Self-Rating document in the development of the application. If selected, we will be prepared to honorably fulfill the obligation of sharing with others statewide and nationally what it takes to be a high performing, high impact middle school that is on its own continuous journey of improvement.

Oregon Schools to Watch (STW) 2008-2009 Application

COVERSHEET

School Name/School District
Street Address
City
State/Zip
Phone/Fax
Name of Principal/Years at School
Principal’s E-mail
Application
Writing Team / Name Position
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Memberships and
Affiliations (Please Highlight) and list any others / COSA PTA NASSP OMLA NMSA
Others:
In the space allowed (10 font size), please describe the process you used to develop the application, noting the level of involvement of teachers, counselors, school site council and any others:

Oregon Schools to Watch (STW) 2008-2009 Application

SCHOOL CHARACTERISTICS

  1. What grades are included in your school?
  1. What is your total school enrollment
  1. What is the total number of students in your school district?
  1. Is your school on a traditional or year-round calendar?
  1. List your administrative team (i.e. Principal, Assistant Principal, Dean). How long has each been at your school?
  1. What is the FTE of your counseling staff?
  1. NARRATIVE: Please describe the Instructional Structure (periods per day, block schedule, self-contained, departmentalized) of your school for each grade level. One page maximum.
  1. NARRATIVE: Please describe the Instructional Offerings (core, elective, exploratory courses, etc.) that are offered for each grade level? One page maximum.

Oregon Schools to Watch (STW) 2008-2009 Application

DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION FOR 2007-2008

Total Number in Grade / 5th / 6th / 7th / 8th / 9th / Total Number
of Students / % of Total
Enrollment
American Indian
(Native American)
Asian/Asian American
Black/African American
Filipino/Filipino American
Hispanic/Latino
Pacific Islander
White (not of Hispanic
origin)
Other
Percentage and number of students eligible for free or reduced lunch
Percentage and number of students classified as ELL
Totals / 100%

Oregon Schools to Watch (STW) 2008-2009 Application

ABSENTEE AND SUSPENSION INFORMATION (2007-2008)

  1. What is your school’s 2007-2008 absentee rate, as reported to ODE for school report card purposes?
  1. What is your school’s 2007-2008 suspension rate, as reported to ODE for school report card purposes? (Suspension Expulsion and Truancy Report (SET))
  1. Complete the following table detailing your school’s 2007-2008 suspension data.

(1) = Number of
Students
Enrolled and / In-School Suspensions / Out-of-School Suspensions
Number of Students
Suspended for
1 to 10 days / Number of
Students
Suspended
for 10+ days / Number of
Students
Suspended for
1 to 10 days / Number of
Students
Suspended for
10+ days
(2) = Percent
of Total
Enrollment
American Indian
(Native American) / 1. / 2.
Asian / Asian
American / 1. / 2.
Black / African
American / 1. / 2.
Filipino / Filipino
American / 1. / 2.
Hispanic /
Latino / 1. / 2.
Pacific
Islander / 1. / 2.
White (not
Hispanic) / 1. / 2.
Female / 1. / 2.
Male / 1. / 2.

4. NARRATIVE: Please describe your school’s suspension data, addressing any discrepancies between sub-groups. Describe interventions in place to meet the needs of students either in or out of school. One page maximum.

Oregon Schools to Watch (STW) 2008-2009 Application

EVIDENCE OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

  1. Complete the chart for your school’s 2005-2006, 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 Oregon State Assessment data for Reading/ELA and Math. Please indicate the percentage of students that Met/Exceeded.

GRADE LEVEL / 2005-2006 / 2006-2007 / 2007-2008
READING / ELA / MATH / READING /ELA / MATH / READING /ELA / MATH
6th Grade
7th Grade
8th Grade
  1. Attach your school’s most current School Report Card and AYP report.
  1. NARRATIVE: Provide an analysis of your school’s data, including trends in the achievement of sub-groups and any trends in cohort data. Summarize the progress your school has made in ensuring all students meet high academic standards. Two page maximum.
  1. If applicable, describe any recent and significant changes that may have impacted your school’s academic achievement data (i.e. shifts in attendance boundaries, grade configuration etc) One page maximum

Oregon Schools to Watch (STW) – Section II Application

(Not to Exceed 10 Total Pages)

Part A: Section II consists of responding in writing about your school’s instructional practices and programs based on the four components of the Oregon Schools To Watch program:

1. Academic Excellence

2. Developmental Responsiveness

3. Social Equity

4. Organizational Structure and Processes

Write a two-page maximum narrative for each of the four components substantiating your school’s ratings from your Self-Rating rubric. Providing detailed evidence of a replicable middle school program and clear evidence of a school on an upward trajectory for student success are keys. To complete Part A:

  1. Refer to your school’s data from the Self-Rating already completed.
  2. Address each of the four main components stated above by providing detailed evidence and examples based on the numbered General Criteria and the bulleted Detailed Evidence of Criteria from the School Self-Rating.

Scoring Rubric (based on details and attention to the criteria in each of the four components):

  • A score of 4 indicates the narratives provided veryconvincing and strong evidence
  • A score of 3 indicates the narratives provided fairly substantial evidence
  • A score of 2 indicates the narratives provided generally adequate evidence
  • A score of 1 indicates the narratives provided minimal or weak evidence

Part B: Please describe in a narrative no longer than two pages how your school will continue to sustain itscommitment to systemic middle school grades improvement. This narrative should include:

  1. An identification of a continuous school improvement process to refine and improve towards desired outcomes that will guide the school’s future work.
  2. A review of how both formative and summative data is used by staff to guide the school’s improvement efforts.
  3. A description of the school’s ability, capacity and support to carry out and sustain its overall school improvement plan.

Please adhere to the following narrative mechanics for Parts A and B:

  • Include the school name in the header of each page
  • Include page numbering in the footer of each page and include a consecutive page number
  • Narratives and charts must be typed or word-processed
  • Charts and graphs will be included in the ten page maximum
  • 12 point Times New Roman font with .5 inch side and bottom margins
  • Do not include website links in the Narratives for additional information
  • Label each page with the Narrative title and number as indicated below:
  1. Section II-Part A: Academic Excellence (2 pages)
  2. Section II-Part A: Developmental Responsiveness (2 pages)
  3. Section II-Part A: Social Equity (2 pages)
  4. Section II-Part A: Organizational Structure and Process (2 pages)
  5. Section II-Part B: Sustainability (2 pages)

Oregon Schools To Watch Agreement and Signature Agreement

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We are aware applications developed and written solely by consultants will not be considered, and certify that the School Self-Study and Rating Rubric and Application (including narrative) were completed using a collaborative process involving site administrators, teachers and other key stakeholders. We understand that the Oregon Schools to Watch™ committee may conduct a site visit to the school in January 2009, and we agree to host such a visit.

If selected as an Oregon School to Watch school:

  • A documentation team may visit the school in order to gather further information for a case study, such as written, photographic and/or videotaped documentation. District and school staff will cooperate to the fullest extent possible and will assist in obtaining any necessary releases.
  • Visits from other educators and media publicity will result. We will gladly participate in a network of middle-level practitioners, share our knowledge and experience with others in order to accelerate middle-grades reform, and document these experiences using simple forms provided by OSTW.
  • I/we give permission to the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform and to the Oregon Schools to Watch program to publish the information and materials included in this application on their web sites in order to help other schools move toward high performance.
  • I/we recognize that state and National recognition is an integral part of the program. I/we agree to participate as presenters and participants in the following:
  • OMLA Annual Conference in March 2009
  • National Schools to Watch™ Conference (Washington, D.C.) in mid to late June 2009.
  • Registration for both conferences will be paid through the Oregon Schools to Watch program. Travel expenses will be the responsibility of the school / district.
  • In addition I/we will:
  • Provide pertinent materials to be posted to the OMLA and ODE and COSA websites.
  • Serve as participants on future OSTW review teams (activities include reading applications, visiting potential OSTW school sites, coaching future applicants, etc.)
  • Agree to notify the State Schools to Watch office if there is a pending change in school administration, programs, or policies which may impact the school in any way or raise concerns about the quality of programs or ability of the school to meet its obligations as a Oregon School to Watch school. I/we further certify that if there is a change of principal leadership at the school, the new principal will fulfill the obligations and take OSTW training at the earliest opportunity.
  • Agree to annually review and update our OSTW self-evaluation and to keep OSTW apprised of our continuous improvement.

Principal’s SignatureDate

District Administrator’s (Superintendent or Designee) SignatureDate

Watch

Application 2008-2009

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