School Improvement Plan

Fort River Elementary School

2009-2011 School Improvement Plan

The mission of Fort River Elementary School is the development of the whole (intellectual, physical, social, emotional) child in an environment in which all students are appreciated, nurtured, and challenged according to their individual strengths and needs.

A Fort River education will foster students’ desire and provide the skills and strategies necessary for lifelong learning. Students will also develop a strong sense of caring and responsibility for themselves and others, their community, and our natural resources.

We believe:

That all children can learn and achieve.
That we should hold high expectations for all children (and ourselves).
That our environment should be one in which there is unconditional respect and acceptance for all individuals, and that we are members of a professional learning community that extends to all students and families.

Goals

I. Curriculum

ELA: Work on consistency in Language Arts curriculum development Explicit horizontal (within grade levels) and vertical (K-6) alignment and consistency of curriculum across entire school (regular education classrooms, ELE, SE) Improve achievement in ELA as per AYP status. - Examine all ELA MCAS data, esp. for Low Income and SE students Writing: Lucy Calkins in alignment with district-wide curriculum (Calkins is K-5) Collaboration among staff members: SE/ELL/Classroom/Related Service Providers Vertical Understanding of Curriculum	All Staff/Teachers, Principal, Language Arts Resource Teacher(s); Fort River Data Team	1. Development and implementation of curriculum, specific focus on Writing for the terms of this SIP 2. Having productive sessions on curriculum days and staff meetings dedicated to creating and implementing a consistent curriculum 3. Monitoring of implementation via use of time at grade level meetings to check on pace and sequencing 4. Do scores indicate improvement on district writing prompts? 5. Improving MCAS scores on the ELA exam 6. Formal and informal observations of the ELA program in each classroom	Write Traits and Lucy Calkins materials and professional development, time (and substitutes for coverage) for staff members to observe and become immersed in writing workshop, time for discussion on our current strengths and areas in need of improvement, a coordinated assessment system in reading and writing, continued funding support for this professional development program, collaboration between Language Arts Resource Teacher and staff members	The writing workshop model will require professional development work for 2009-2010 and beyond. We will work on partial implementation in the 2009-2010 academic year and full implementation (for grades K-5) in subsequent years.
Math K-5: Implementation of the Math Plan/Investigations	Principal, math interventionist, teachers, and data team members	1. Grade Level Meetings: Use of at least three meetings to review scope, sequence, and pacing of units at each grade level. 2. Formal and informal observations of the math program in each classroom 3. Use of the End-of-Unit assessments as a reflective tool to inform instruction (as well as a student assessment) 4. Improving MCAS scores on the Math exam	Time, Investigation materials, the Boston Assessment system, time on curriculum day(s), curriculum maps	This is a continuation goal, and much work has been completed in 2008-2009. The task is to continue full implementation of consistent K-5 math curriculum for 2009-2010.
Math 6^th: Implementation and Professional Development for the new curriculum in 6^th grade (Impact)	Principal(s), 6^th grade teachers, other interventionists	Development of math curriculum for 6^th grade based on state standards and Impact scope & sequence (Is it developed and able to be implemented?)	Meeting time with 6^th-8^th grade teachers (of math), district leadership (PD in summer 2009)	Beginning of ’09-’10 academic year
Use data to inform instruction and curriculum decisions	Principals, Language Arts Resource Teacher, Data Team, Central Office Support	1. Prompt sharing of MCAS results with staff 2. Discussion and work with MCAS (and possibly other) data at grade level meetings 3. Use of Data Warehouse (IT assistance) to examine assessment data	Data system on network, time for staff to give results to staff, training for secretarial staff with data system, training for entire staff at looking at/using data system, more common assessments to use to put into data system	Ongoing, but completion of creation of systems of database and training in the ’09-’10 academic year
Science curriculum implementation	District Science Coordinator, principal, teachers	Implementation of Science curriculum	In-building time for District Science Coordinator, time for professional development at grade level meetings	Plan to implement during 2009-2010 academic year
Social Studies Curriculum	Principal, teachers	District-wide K-12 review is in process.	NA	NA

II. Instruction

Differentiation of Instruction

Principal, teachers

Principal observation; teacher self-report; parent survey results

Time: “LASW time” built into staff and grade level meetings (to inform instr.)

Ongoing

III. Other Goals

Scheduling: Building of a master schedule that maximizes students’ time on learning and the school’s ability to provide services effectively and efficiently	Principals, Principal Advisory Committee, Staff Members	A clear master schedule for the use of the entire staff that allows for services to be offered to students based on need, not “scheduling”, and less disruptions from the academic content, particularly in math and language arts	Teacher input, staff meeting time devoted to the process in building the schedule, PAC time	’09-’10 academic year
Communication: Newsletter - Continue with E-Newsletter and (paper as needed)	Principal, Staff, Technology Support	Measure is regular e-communication and updating of website	Administrative and secretarial time, paper, computers	January 2009 and ongoing
Communication: Math night to inform families of math curriculum and instruction	Principals, staff members, PGO	Expanding math night event to include more grade levels	Time for planning & Parent Council funding and support	Fall 2009
Plan to address social/emotional issues in the school	Principal, Mental Health Team	Is there a plan? Develop in the fall of 2009 How is it implemented?	Time for the staff; Second Step Curriculum and PD for Second Step	Partial implementation in the 2009-2010
Review homework policy and communication to families	Principal, grade level representatives	A transparent homework policy that clearly indicates approximate workload (in terms of time) and content of homework assignments at each grade level	Time for a process to evaluate our current reality and discuss what a consistent policy would look like	’09-’10 academic year

IV. Use of Physical Space – More Appropriate for Learning and Other Needs (meetings, etc.)

Use space in a manner that best needs the learning needs of all students

Principal & All Staff Members

Teacher, principal, and student feedback on the use of more “same grade level” quads.

Time

2009-2010 academic year for monitoring