student achievement
Objective #1
By 2018, each school and the division will meet or exceed the established state and federal performance benchmarks for English, mathematics, science and history/social science, as evidenced by Standards of Learning assessment data.
Activities and Strategies:
Curriculum
Continue to implement and refine, as appropriate, a process for the continuous development and update of curricula that are challenging and rigorous for all students.
Review and modify as appropriate curriculum pacing guides to ensure vertical alignment.
Contract with a K-12 science content consultant to facilitate development and revision of pacing guides and formative assessments, and to recommend instructional best practices and resources.
Contract with a 6-12 English content consultant to facilitate development and revision of pacing guides and formative assessments, and to recommend instructional best practices and resources.
Instruction
Establish a system for monitoring the allocation of time to instruction within the school day across schools, grade levels and content areas. Revise master schedules, as needed.
Reinforce to PK-3 teachers and parents the importance of each student reading at or above grade level by the end of third grade.
Establish one full-time math specialist position at each elementary school and the middle school.
Strengthen inclusion models for students with special needs and train teachers in effective instructional strategies for such students in collaborative settings.
Establish a gifted education program resource teacher/coordinator position for the division to work directly with identified gifted students, provide support to classroom teachers, and coordinate various aspects of the gifted education program.
Provide opportunities for foreign language exploration at the middle school, utilizing live instructors.
Expand virtual learning opportunities at the high school level; and orient students to the range of available options.
Develop a plan to acquire appropriate technology (based on identified needs of each school) and train staff in using technology to enhance instruction.
Provide special education classrooms with appropriate assistive technologies designed to provide increased access to the general curriculum.
Maintain existing PreK programs and explore the possibilities for expanding PreK programs to serve all four-year-olds whose parents wish to enroll them.
Implement student-led conferences at the middle school allowing students to articulate their understanding of new learning to their parents.
Assessment
Continue to implement and revise, as appropriate, an online formative assessment system for grades 1-5, to include both benchmark assessments and more frequently administered common assessments.
Develop and implement consistent grading policies within and across schools.
Intervention
Develop, implement and revise as appropriate a system for identifying students in need of reading and math intervention and/or enrichment at all schools.
Develop, implement and revise, as appropriate, a tiered system of interventions for reading and math at all schools.
Develop, implement and revise, as appropriate, a process for monitoring the fidelity of implementation and the effectiveness of each intervention.
Provide supports to ease student transition from 5th grade to 6th grade by expanding activities offered during spring orientation, fall open house and study/organizational skills training.
Professional Development
Develop and implement a comprehensive staff development plan, addressing needs supported through data (surveys, student achievement data, and observations); to provide ongoing, high-quality, job embedded professional development.
Continue to utilize School Improvement Teams and School Improvement Plans to support instruction and promote increased academic achievement.
Curriculum
Continue to implement and refine, as appropriate, a process for the continuous development and update of curricula that are challenging and rigorous for all students.
Review and modify as appropriate curriculum pacing guides to ensure vertical alignment.
Contract with a K-12 science content consultant to facilitate development and revision of pacing guides and formative assessments, and to recommend instructional best practices and resources.
Contract with a 6-12 English content consultant to facilitate development and revision of pacing guides and formative assessments, and to recommend instructional best practices and resources.
Instruction
Establish a system for monitoring the allocation of time to instruction within the school day across schools, grade levels and content areas. Revise master schedules, as needed.
Reinforce to PK-3 teachers and parents the importance of each student reading at or above grade level by the end of third grade.
Establish one full-time math specialist position at each elementary school and the middle school.
Strengthen inclusion models for students with special needs and train teachers in effective instructional strategies for such students in collaborative settings.
Establish a gifted education program resource teacher/coordinator position for the division to work directly with identified gifted students, provide support to classroom teachers, and coordinate various aspects of the gifted education program.
Provide opportunities for foreign language exploration at the middle school, utilizing live instructors.
Expand virtual learning opportunities at the high school level; and orient students to the range of available options.
Develop a plan to acquire appropriate technology (based on identified needs of each school) and train staff in using technology to enhance instruction.
Provide special education classrooms with appropriate assistive technologies designed to provide increased access to the general curriculum.
Maintain existing PreK programs and explore the possibilities for expanding PreK programs to serve all four-year-olds whose parents wish to enroll them.
Implement student-led conferences at the middle school allowing students to articulate their understanding of new learning to their parents.
Assessment
Continue to implement and revise, as appropriate, an online formative assessment system for grades 1-5, to include both benchmark assessments and more frequently administered common assessments.
Develop and implement consistent grading policies within and across schools.
Intervention
Develop, implement and revise as appropriate a system for identifying students in need of reading and math intervention and/or enrichment at all schools.
Develop, implement and revise, as appropriate, a tiered system of interventions for reading and math at all schools.
Develop, implement and revise, as appropriate, a process for monitoring the fidelity of implementation and the effectiveness of each intervention.
Provide supports to ease student transition from 5th grade to 6th grade by expanding activities offered during spring orientation, fall open house and study/organizational skills training.
Professional Development
Develop and implement a comprehensive staff development plan, addressing needs supported through data (surveys, student achievement data, and observations); to provide ongoing, high-quality, job embedded professional development.
Continue to utilize School Improvement Teams and School Improvement Plans to support instruction and promote increased academic achievement.
