LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL  

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   Before You Begin We would like to thank you for taking the time to review our plan and to provide you with a brief, but clear, explanation of this document’s purpose and organization. The purpose of Lancaster Elementary School’s Strategic and Continuous School Improvement and Achievement Plan is to improve student learning. This plan is the product of many hours of discussion and contemplation, and it reflects our commitment to fulfill our mission to develop appropriate learning experiences for all students. Because of the evolving and ever-changing nature of people and society, this plan is a working document - guiding our steps toward improved student achievement and keeping these efforts focused on our vision. This document is organized into five sections. Below is a description of what you will find as you review each section:

School and Community  

 

 

 

In this section, you will find out about Lancaster Elementary School and the people who learn and work here. In addition, this section includes our commitment to maintain a safe and disciplined school environment, and our determination to understand and appreciate the cultural populations within the school.

   

Determining Our Needs      

     

This section reports what we found as we reviewed information about our school’s operations, particularly in terms of how well students have learned. Here, you will find the strengths and needs we identified from this study.

     

Finding What Works According to Research  

 

 

 

One of the best ways to make a school better is to find out what works according to studies that have been done. In this section, you will see a summary of research-based findings that relate to the needs we identified for our school.

 

Plan For Improvement  

 

The action plan is the heart of this document. In this section, the plan to improve our school is detailed to include our primary goals and key strategies.

 

Appendices The last section includes charts, graphs, and other such information used by our study team as we prepared document. It is also important to note that Lancaster Elementary School’s Strategic and Continuous School Improvement and Achievement Plan has been designed to be in alignment with the Huntington County Community School Corporation Strategic Plan. The intent is to ensure that our in-depth and collaborative efforts, which yielded specific and consistent information from a large group and variety of stakeholders, are uniformly implemented. A copy of this plan is available for review by the public in the school office, weekdays between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS BEFORE YOU BEGIN…………………………………………………………..i An introduction to this document and its format SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY - Section 1 General Information About Lancaster Elementary School . Enrollment…………………………………………………………………… . Staff and Staff Certification………………………………………………..... . Attendance Rate…………………………………………………………..…. . Student Activities………………………………………….….………….….. . Academic Programs…………………………………….……………………. . Families………………………………………………………..…………….. . Free/Reduced Lunch Program Participation………………………………... . Curriculum and Location for Public Review*……………………………….

1-1 1-1 1-1, 1-2 1-2 1-2 1-3 1-3 1-3

Plan for a Safe and Disciplined Environment*………………………………….. 1-3, 1-4, Appendix E Ensuring Cultural Competency*………………………………………….……… 1-4 Our Beliefs, Vision, and Mission………………….………………………...…... 1-4, 1-5 Technology Integration*…………………………………………………………. 1-5, 1-6, 1-7 Description of Assessments Used in Addition to ISTEP+*………………….….. 1-7 DETERMINING OUR NEEDS - Section 2 Introduction …………………………………………..…………………………. 2-1, 2-2 Areas Where Improvement is Needed Immediately* List of Statutes/Rules Requested to be Suspended or Waived*……………….… 2-2 Data Statements for 2007-2013………………………………………………….. 2-3 - 2-6 FINDING WHAT WORKS ACCORDING TO RESEARCH - Section 3 Introduction………………………………………………………………………. 3-1 Guiding Principles and Emerging Strategies for Reading….……………………. 3-1 - 3-3 Guiding Principles and Emerging Strategies for Writing……………………….. 3-3, 3-4 Guiding Principles and Emerging Strategies for Math………………………….. 3-4, 3-5 Bibliography of Studied Resources……………………………………………… 3-5, 3-6 OUR PLAN FOR IMPROVEMENT - Section 4 Introduction………………………………………………………………………. 4-1 Plan for Improving Student Achievement in Reading………………………..…. 4-2 - 4-20 Professional Development of Staff* 4-14 – 4-15 * Required Components for PL-221

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS   Plan for Improving Student Achievement in Writing…………………………. Professional Development of Staff*

4-21 - 4-22 4-21 – 4-22

Plan for Improving Student Achievement in Math……………………………. Professional Development of Staff*

4-23 – 4-24 4-23 – 4-24

APPENDICES - Section 5 Appendix A

Student Achievement Data - Reading

Appendix B

Student Achievement Data – Writing

Appendix C

Student Achievement Data - Mathematics

Appendix D

Student Attendance

Appendix E

Key Documents

Appendix F

Glossary of Terms

Appendix G

Title I Documentation

                                               

 

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OUR SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY   General Information About Lancaster Elementary School Lancaster Elementary School is located approximately five miles southwest of the city of Huntington, Indiana. Built in 1967, the facility houses twenty-three classrooms, a media center, a combined cafeteria and gymnasium with a stage, two multi-purpose rooms, and an office suite. Lancaster Elementary, with an enrollment in May 2014 of 360 students, is one of seven elementary schools in the Huntington County Community School Corporation. The instructional day at Lancaster Elementary is from 8:55 am to 3:40 pm. Enrollment at Lancaster Elementary declined steadily after 1996, notwithstanding the removal of sixth grade classes from elementary schools in 1998, reaching the lowest enrollment during the 2006-2007 school year. As a result of decreased enrollment, the number of sections at each grade level was reduced from three to two over a period of three years. Since 2008, enrollment has averaged approximately 248. During the 2007-2008 school year, there was a slight increase in general education enrollment and the addition of the cross-categorical program for eligible HCCSC elementary students. The closure of Horace Mann Elementary School and reassigning a portion of that school’s students to Lancaster began an increasing trend in enrollment starting with the 2011-2012 school year.

Student Enrollment 450   400   350   300   250   200   150   100   50   0   2007  

2008  

2009  

2010  

2011  

2012  

2013  

2014  

In 2014, the Lancaster staff will consist of one principal, one guidance counselor, and twenty-seven certified staff members. The latter number includes part-time teachers in music, physical education, and art, as well as one part-time speech pathologist, and four full-time special education teachers (two resource and two cross-categorical). Lancaster will also have one secretary, six cafeteria staff, sixteen bus drivers, two custodians, one clinic assistant, one media clerk, four part-time instructional assistants (who assume cafeteria and playground supervisory duties in addition to classroom assistance), two part time lunch and recess supervisors, and five full-time resource assistants. All certified staff, including the principal and guidance counselor, are licensed by the State of Indiana in the areas to which they are assigned. Instructional assistants, who work with children in the classroom, are highly qualified as defined by the No Child Left Behind Act and Public Law 221. Of the total student population in 2014, 93.0% were white, 2% were Hispanic, 1% was African American, 1-1

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   1% was American Indian, and 3% were multiracial. The most recent home language survey indicated that English is the primary language in all but two homes. Historically, Lancaster Elementary has maintained an attendance rate above 96%, with an annual goal of achieving a 97% attendance rate. The current year’s projected percentage is 97.39%, which marks the school’s highest attendance rate. Annually, the attendance policy is presented and explained to parents and students. It can also be found on the school’s webpage. Students at Lancaster are incentivized to attend school with individual, grade level, and school programs to reward reaching attendance goals (i.e. Attendance Champion of the Week, traveling classroom trophies, and posted data tracking). Additionally, personal contacts and connections are made with students and families that are at risk for poor attendance or may have exhibited poor attendance habits in the past. These contacts and connections include phone calls, home visits, mailings, and meetings. The principal, guidance counselor, and secretary coordinate to ensure that student attendance is closely monitored and information is shared for tracking and accountability purposes.

Attendance Rate

100   95   90   85   80   75   2007  

2008  

2009  

2010  

2011  

2012  

2013  

2014  

Since 2003, Lancaster Elementary has experienced an increasing percentage of students moving into and out of the school throughout the year. The result of this is a less stable student population and less time to build students’ skills without disruption to the teaching/learning process. The 2011-2012 increase in student population saw the trend of instability continue to increase. Students may participate in a number of organized enrichment activities during and beyond the school day. These opportunities include the LES Express choir, cross country, boys’ and girls’ basketball, Scripts-Howard Spelling Bee competition, Bookworm (corporation bookmobile), student council, Red Ribbon Week, Pizza Hut Book-it Program, Fort Wayne Tin Caps Reading Program, American Legion Flag Program, Journal Gazette Stock Market Game, chess competition, and the third grade swimming and fitness program. Academic support programs during the school day include special education services and a program for students who are highly able. In the special education program, children with learning disabilities and those who are identified as mildly-mentally handicapped, moderately-mentally handicapped, severe and profound, emotionally handicapped, orthopedically impaired, or as having autism-spectrum disorder are served by three special education teachers and five instructional assistants. Although the special education teachers assigned to Lancaster are not certified in all of these areas, a teacher-of-record is provided by the school corporation, thus ensuring all students receive appropriate instruction. To better serve the needs of the expanded number of at risk students, one and a half Title 1 teachers were assigned 1-2

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   to Lancaster. Lancaster also has two high ability contact teachers, who coordinate the identification of students and who supply resources to general education teachers to use with such students. Although located in a rural area, only a few Lancaster parents earn their living from agriculture. Most parents work in the service sector, skilled labor, or manufacturing industries in the cities of Huntington, Marion, or Fort Wayne. Overall, parents are very supportive of the school’s programs and purpose. This year, the free/reduced lunch count for Lancaster Elementary was approximately 47% (40% free and 7% reduced). The percentage of students in the free/reduced lunch program has steadily increased from 14.6% in 1996, except for dropping to just above 11% in 1999 and 2000.

Free/Reduced  Lunch  Percentage   100   80   60   Free   Reduced  

40   20   0   2007   2008   2009   2010   2011   2012   2013   2014  

Description and Location of Curriculum The curriculum for Lancaster Elementary School is established by the Huntington County Community School Corporation. This curriculum is regularly reviewed and revised, most often in conjunction with the textbook adoption cycle set by the state. The curriculum is based on the standards set forth by the State of Indiana, which will be the College and Career Readiness Standards beginning for the 2014-2015 school year. The school’s curricula includes mathematics, language arts (reading, English, spelling, writing), social studies, science, health, art, music, and physical education. Teachers utilize master maps that are created to drive our classroom instruction and curriculum planning, as well as ensure compliance and connection to standards.

Our Commitment to a Safe and Secure Learning Environment The Lancaster staff works with the school corporation to ensure the safety of everyone in the building at any given time, including events beyond the school day. Maintenance personnel from the school corporation quickly respond to any hazardous conditions pertaining to the facility, equipment, and school grounds. Maintenance personnel work closely with the building’s custodians and principal to identify and correct potentially dangerous conditions. Emergency plans for the school are annually reviewed by the building’s Crisis Committee, all of whom are certified in Basic First Aid, CPR, and use of the AED. The school-specific plan is aligned with the comprehensive district emergency plan. All teachers have a copy of the school district’s plan and participate in annual training. Monthly fire drills and tornado drills, conducted at least twice per semester, are designed to prepare children to react at all times in a quick and orderly manner. Additionally, man-made disturbance (intruder/threat) drills are conducted once per semester. A radio 1-3

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   system links personnel within the school to each other, as well as to school buses, other schools, and local police, fire, and rescue agencies. Additionally, all certified personnel and several members of the classified staff received training in the ALICE protocol (Alert-Lockdown-Inform-Counter-Evacuate) in the fall of 2013. The principal also was trained with the Indiana School Safety Specialist Academy and will receive annual training relating to school safety and security as part of this certification. In order to address new legislation intended to target bullying prevention, Lancaster students and all staff are trained on this topic. Staff receive training through both an online software called SafeSchools as well as an in-person training by the principal, who is a certified Indiana School Safety Specialist. Additionally, students will be surveyed three times per school year and parents will be surveyed at the end of the school year to monitor bullying incident and the overall safety and security of Lancaster Elementary. Everyone’s safety and the presence of a productive learning environment depend on responsible and respectful behavior by everyone at Lancaster Elementary School. The Highly Effective Teaching model is used to maintain a calm and encouraging environment where solid rapport is established between all members of the learning community. Ultimately, we believe that self-discipline is the most effective principle governing student behavior. Certain character traits, called LIFESKILLS, aid children in developing self-discipline. Rooted in five broader categories, called Lifelong Guidelines, these traits are taught and consistently modeled and reinforced by the staff. Students are expected to follow procedures that have been developed for the entire school. These procedures are carefully explained by teachers at the beginning of the school year, periodically reviewed throughout the year, and are on display in key areas throughout the building. The staff works cooperatively with parents to build understanding of these procedures and to foster commitment to the maintenance of productive and responsible student behavior. Students that continue to experience behavior problems are removed from the classroom. During the 2013-2014 school year, Lancaster had 1 discipline incident resulting in in-school suspension placement and 4 discipline incidents resulting in outof-school suspension placement. This is a marked improvement compared to the 8 disciplinary issues leading to an in school suspension assignment and 10 disciplinary issues leading to an out of school suspension assignment the previous year. In accordance with Indiana law, limited history criminal history records are obtained on all volunteers who work directly with students and expanded criminal history checks are obtained on all new employees. With the passage of HEA 1419, the Huntington County Community School Corporation developed an evidence-based plan for improving behavior and discipline. Essential components of the plan involved principles and procedures inherent in Problem Based Intervention and Supports (PBIS) and Highly Effective Teaching (HET). During 2014-2015, Lancaster Elementary School will continue to incorporate the district’s plan, first through comprehensive staff professional development and parent education. At the beginning of the school year, the principal will meet with each class to discuss the concepts of personal responsibility, integrity, and character with students. Additionally, staff will clearly and consistently reinforce established procedures, expectations, and support with and for students. Also for the 2014-2015 school year, a uniform discipline plan will continue to be utilized. A parent informational meeting will also be held to inform parents of this plan.

Ensuring Cultural Competency The staff of Lancaster Elementary recognizes the importance of working effectively with students from diverse cultural backgrounds. We are dedicated to ensuring increased student educational performance by understanding the unique needs of all students and continuously working to deepen our knowledge and 1-4

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   ability to meet those needs. Racially, Lancaster Elementary School’s student population is classified as 93% white, 2% Hispanic, 1% African American, 1% American Indian, and 3% multiracial. The socioeconomic composition consists of 47% of the student population receiving free or reduced lunch prices. Most teachers have received two cycles of training in understanding poverty, as defined in Ruby Payne’s work. The most recent training was conducted in February of 2009. Approximately, 43% of all students are considered to have exceptional learning needs, including children with higher-level abilities and those requiring remedial assistance. Through Highly Effective Teaching strategies and the use of Lifelong Guidelines, LIFESKILLS, and daily Town Hall meetings, Lancaster students continue to demonstrate genuine acceptance of others, thus maintaining a caring and tolerant environment for all students.

Our Beliefs, Our Mission, and Our Vision Our vision is to be a community of learners where children and adults work hard for themselves and for one another in an atmosphere where everyone feels accepted and worthwhile. The roadmap we use to reach this vision is called our mission. This mission spells out, in more detail, the things we must commit ourselves to if we are to become the school we envision. Finally, everything we do is guided by what we believe. These beliefs are the foundation for the decisions we make about teaching and learning. Everyday, we must rededicate ourselves to these beliefs if we are to fulfill our mission and reach our vision. We believe that learning occurs best when… ...every child has the opportunity to achieve appropriate objectives at his or her rate of learning through the use of varied and differentiated instruction. ...assessment is a comprehensive and variable tool that measures present student achievement, aids in student self-assessment, and ultimately influences and improves successive stages of instruction. ...teachers, as professionals, model acceptance of all children, promote continuous learning, and commit themselves to preparing students to be lifelong learners. ...parents are actively involved in their children’s progress and provide support and encouragement for their children. …the curriculum consists of a variety of instructional tools and methods to provide for and enhance the fulfillment of the academic standards. ...a caring and non-threatening environment exists, enabling children to take academic risks and to be active learners. ...parents and teachers communicate with each other in order to ensure student success. Based on these beliefs, we commit ourselves to the following mission: Lancaster Elementary School provides each child with a superlative education that is rooted in steadfast values, built around the child’s unique learning needs, and focused on preparing each child to live successfully in tomorrow’s rapidly-changing world. As we improve at fulfilling this mission, we draw closer to becoming the school we envision where… Every child, parent, and staff member at Lancaster Elementary School is accepted and supported as they work together to experience appropriate educational opportunities.

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   Technology Integration Technology is used, and will continue to be used, as an integral part of the instructional program at Lancaster Elementary. Our students develop understanding of, and skills in, the use of technology through specific instruction in the use of technology itself (hardware and software), and by means of applications within subject-related tasks. The school corporation replaced and upgraded the building’s network during the summer of 2013. The school corporation will be transitioning to the use of today’s most up to date technology. In the spring of 2013, Lancaster received 30 student iPads and a cart for the building to share. In the fall of 2013, the school received an additional cart with 30 more student iPads to bring the total student access of iPads to 60. Each teacher has been given an iPad and a MacBook Air. Teachers and students will also utilize the Canvas Learning Management System to share work and organize projects. Additionally, each teacher has access to an Apple TV for classroom use, which was initiated during the 2013-2014 school year. The intent is that instruction will be created and executed through the integration of such technology. Students in primary grades (K-2) are introduced to the keyboard and basic components of the computer. They are expected to understand how to manipulate the mouse, access programs, navigate through and play age-appropriate online educational games from elementary websites like PBS Kids, care for hardware and software, and begin developing proficiency in the use of the keyboard. Primary students use subject-related software such as Math Blaster, Jumpstart, and Reader Rabbit to develop skills and deepen their understanding of concepts in reading, math, and language. Network-based programs, such as SuccessMaker and NWEA MAP are used to assess student progress in reading, mathematics, and language. Students access information from the internet and use internet-based skill-building programs, such as Math Magician, ST Math, and Starfall, to refine skills in particular disciplines. This access and time online occur under the teacher’s direction. As students progress to intermediate grades (3-5), they build on the technology skills they have developed in the primary grades. A sequential keyboarding instruction program enables students to develop correct keyboarding habits and typing proficiency. For this, a network-based version of Mavis Beacon is used by the technology lab assistant. In addition, students at this level learn basic computer terms (e.g. icon, navigate, desktop, popups, etc), and how to utilize Microsoft Word for presentations and productivity in all curricular areas. As with students in primary grades, teachers at the intermediate level use subjectrelated software to augment learning for students at all levels of achievement. Network-based assessments, such as NWEA Map are employed to determine student growth. Students at the intermediate level are taught how to use the internet to perform research, access information, and analyze data. As a result, they can synthesize that which is obtained for use in classroom presentations, reports, and other assignments. Teachers use online sites, such as Brain Pop, Discovery Kids, and Rainforest Maths to further develop specific academic skills. Students at all levels use a site-based card catalog to locate books in the library. The Destiny program enables children to then check-out materials using a bar-coded library card. Different types of technology, such as use of the video microscope, digital cameras, and SMART boards are embedded in tasks and used by teachers and students as part of the school’s educational program. The corporation’s Technology Integration/Data Specialist works with staff to achieve an optimal level of technology integration for instruction, student use, and program support. As part of the school’s PL-221 school improvement plan in reading and writing, these individuals will work with staff monthly to foster more a comprehensive understanding and integration of technology, including use of CPS, SMART boards, and software. The parent organization at Lancaster (PALS – Parents at Lancaster School) continues to demonstrate a commitment to technology integration. During the 2007-2008 school year 1-6

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   they donated video projectors and two digital cameras to the school for classroom use. They donated additional projectors and a SMART Board to the school in 2009. In 2013, PALS donated forty headphones to be utilized with IPADs and other devices for individual student learning. Beyond utilization in the classroom, technology is a vital part of communicating within and outside of the school corporation. The school’s website is a vehicle by which important information is conveyed to parents and other interested patrons. Parents are also able to view current student attendance records, grades, and assignments through PowerSchool. Beginning with the 2008 school year, a data warehouse was introduced to allow for more effective and efficient use of student achievement data to inform instructional decisions and advance instructional techniques (Pearson Inform). To ensure the effectiveness of our instructional program, teachers use technology as an integrated instructional component. Evaluation of the use of the Internet, telecommunications, and other technology will be assessed by multiple means. These will include, but are not limited to, a survey of parents that includes an evaluation on the effectiveness of technology-based communications, an assessment of staff use of technology (as part of the implementation component of the plan) by the principal, and via ongoing (and documented) discussion and suggestions by the School Improvement Team. Description of Assessments in Addition to ISTEP+ In addition to measuring students’ achievement in mathematics, language arts, science, and social studies with the Indiana Statewide Test for Educational Progress (ISTEP+) in third, fourth, and fifth grades, Lancaster Elementary School employs the following instruments to measure student achievement: · DIBELS/DIBELS Next/DAZE Reading K-5 Battery of benchmark assessments administered three times during the year to measure phonemic awareness, letter knowledge, vocabulary, reading fluency, and comprehension · Fountas & Pinnell Benchmarks Reading K-5 Instruments will be given to initially establish literacy levels and to monitor progress · Northwest Evaluation Association

Reading, Language Arts, Mathematics K-5 Nationally normed, computer-based assessment that determines a student’s RIT range for instruction, using the Learning Continuum. The test is given three times during the year and provides fall-to-spring achievement comparisons.

· Quarterly Writing Prompts Written Expression K-5 Developed locally and administered corporation-wide, these prompts reflect a variety of genre including persuasive, descriptive, and expository forms. Student work is evaluated using a revised form of the Blackburn-Cramp Writing Rubric. · I-READ Reading Grade 3 Required by legislation, this assessment will test students’ mastery of required standards and be used as a determining factor in student promotion/retention

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LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   · Acuity

Language Arts, Mathematics Grades 3-5 A computer-based diagnostic measure for grades 3-5 in areas of English/Language Arts and Mathematics, providing standards-aligned performance data.

· mCLASS

     

Reading, Mathematics Grades K-2 A computer-based diagnostic measure for grades K-2 in literacy and numeracy, helping to identify students' foundational skills

Other assessments, administered by classroom teachers on an ongoing basis throughout the year, are not listed here. Such assessments would include running records, chapter/unit/end-of-year tests associated with textbooks, etc.  

   

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Determining Our Strengths and Needs Introduction to This Section In this section, we describe our findings as we analyzed student achievement information. We synthesize these findings and determine them to show “Strengths” (S) and “Concerns” (C). Based on this information, we reviewed research to gather options for how we might best improve our instruction and student learning (see Section 3). As a result of this, we formulated the action plan, detailed in Section 4.

Progress Toward Goal Attainment The benchmark for the 2013-2014 school year for our plan’s primary goal: By Spring 2014, 88% of K-5 students will meet Indiana Academic Standards in Reading Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension as demonstrated by: K-5: 88% of students will demonstrate mastery on the Spring HCCSC district reading assessment. Analysis of student achievement data from the instruments above revealed the following: 1. Kindergarten students did meet the goal with 98% of students scoring “at or above standard” on the Spring HCCSC district assessment test. 2. Students in Grade 1 did meet the goal with 90% scoring “at or above standard” on the Spring HCCSC district assessment test. 3. Students in Grade 2 did meet the goal with 92% scoring “at or above standard” on the Spring HCCSC district assessment test. 4. Students in Grade 3 did meet the goal with 94.8% scoring “at or above standard” on the Spring HCCSC district assessment test. 5. Students in Grade 4 did not meet the goal with 86.2% scoring “at or above standard” on the Spring HCCSC district assessment test. 6. Students in Grade 5 did not meet the goal with 83.6% scoring “at or above standard” on the Spring HCCSC district assessment test. While most students demonstrated mastery in the identified standards, continued efforts will be made targeting comprehension strategies. This will especially be true in upper grades as those scores indicated a dip from primary grade level performance, especially in grades four and five. In addition, the increased percentage of students expected to demonstrate mastery for next year’s benchmark will require continued efforts by teachers and students at all grade levels to ensure academic progress and goal attainment. Based on these and other data, we have identified our most pressing needs and summarized them below. The data statements supporting these conclusions are presented in data charts and graphs in the document’s appendices. 2-1

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   Areas For Immediate Improvement   1. The College and Career Readiness Standards will require teachers to implement deeper and higher level thinking of their students. At this time, the Lancaster staff is actively sharpening classroom strategies to more fully foster these skills. 2. The percentage of students in upper grades achieving mastery levels with reading, specifically in the area of reading comprehension, remains below desired level. 3. The percentage of students demonstrating mastery in mathematics remains below the desired level. Our efforts will focus on meeting the goals established in the other domains, as enumerated in Section 4. Decision making for Section 4 and our overall improvement plan will be driven by data and input from School Improvement Team.

Status & Rules To Be Waived After careful analysis of our school’s strengths and needs, we do not see the need to request that any rules be waived at this time.

                       

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Data Statements for 2011-2014 ISTEP + · In 2011-2012, 89.8% of third graders passed the English/Language Arts portion of ISTEP. In 20122013, 96.6% of third graders passed the English/Language Arts portion of ISTEP. In 2013-2014, 93% of third graders passed the English/Language Arts portion of ISTEP. · In 2011-2012, 86.2% of fourth graders passed the English/Language Arts portion of ISTEP. In 2012-2013, 86% of fourth graders passed the English/Language Arts portion of ISTEP. In 20132014, 93% of fourth graders passed the English/Language Arts portion of ISTEP. · In 2011-2012, 87.7% of fifth graders passed the English/Language Arts portion of ISTEP. In 20122013, 75.8% of fifth graders passed the English/Language Arts portion of ISTEP. In 2013-2014, 82% of fifth graders passed the English/Language Arts portion of ISTEP. · In 2011-2012, 86.6% of third graders passed the Math portion of ISTEP. In 2012-2013, 80.7% of third graders passed the Math portion of ISTEP. In 2013-2014, 88% of third graders passed the Math portion of ISTEP. · In 2011-2012, 76.6% of fourth graders passed the Math portion of ISTEP. In 2012-2013, 89.7% of fourth graders passed the Math portion of ISTEP. In 2013-2014, 86% of fourth graders passed the Math portion of ISTEP. · In 2011-2012, 87.5% of fifth graders passed the Math portion of ISTEP. In 2012-2013, 87.9% of fifth graders passed the Math portion of ISTEP. In 2013-2014, 90% of fifth graders passed the Math portion of ISTEP. · In 2011-2012, 86.4% of third graders passed both the English/Language Arts and Math portions of ISTEP. In 2012-2013, 80.7% of third graders passed both the English/Language Arts and Math portions of ISTEP. In 2013-2014, 85.7% of third graders passed both the English/Language Arts and Math portions of ISTEP. · In 2011-2012, 75% of fourth graders passed both the English/Language Arts and Math portions of ISTEP. In 2012-2013, 85.3% of fourth graders passed both the English/Language Arts and Math portions of ISTEP. In 2013-2014, 80.7% of fourth graders passed both the English/Lanugage Arts and Math portions of ISTEP. · In 2011-2012, 83.9% of fifth graders passed both the English/Language Arts and Math portions of ISTEP. In 2012-2013, 75.8% of fifth graders passed both the English/Language Arts and Math portions of ISTEP. In 2013-2014, 80.6% of fifth graders passed both the English/Language Arts and Math portion of ISTEP.

Data Statements for 2011-2014 for IREAD · In third grade 90.4% of students passed the spring IREAD 2011-2012. In 2012-2013, 100% of third grade students passed the spring IREAD test. In 2013-2014, 97% of third grade students passed the spring IREAD test.

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LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   · 83% (5/6) of students in special education passed the spring 2011-2012 IREAD test. 100% (6/6) of students in special education passed the spring 2012-2013 IREAD test. 60% (3/5) of students in special education passed the spring 2013-2014 IREAD test. · Of all 2011-2012 third grade students, 62.5% are free and reduced lunch. Of all 2012-2013 third grade students, 46% are on free and reduced lunch. Of all 2013-2014 third grade students, 33% are on free and reduced lunch.

Data Statements for 2011-2014 for Fountas and Pinnell Benchmarking · In kindergarten, 90.9% of students met or exceeded the spring benchmark goal in 2011-2012. In 2012-2013, 88% of students met or exceeded the spring benchmark goal. In 2013-2014, 96% of students met or exceeded the spring benchmark goal. · In first grade, 88.5% of students met or exceeded the spring benchmark goal in 2011-2012. In 20122013, 92% of students met or exceeded the spring benchmark goal. In 2013-2014, 83% of students met or exceeded the spring benchmark goal. · In second grade, 81.2% of students met or exceeded the spring benchmark goal in 2011-2012. In 2012-2013, 78% of student met or exceeded the spring benchmark goal. In 2013-2014, 80% of students met or exceeded the spring benchmark goal. · In third grade, 85.9% of students met or exceeded the spring benchmark goal in 2011-2012. In 2012-2013, 90% of students met or exceeded the spring benchmark goal. In 2013-2014, 86% of students met or exceeded the spring benchmark goal. · In fourth grade, 70.7% of students met or exceeded the spring benchmark goal in 2011-2012. In 2012-2013, 82% of students met or exceeded the spring benchmark goal. In 2013-2014, 84% of students met or exceeded the spring benchmark goal. · In fifth grade, 66.6% of students met or exceeded the spring benchmark goal in 2011-2012. In 20122013, 67% of students met or exceeded the spring benchmark goal. In 2013-2014, 75% of students met or exceeded the spring benchmark goal.

Data Statements for 2011-2014 for Writing Prompts   · In first grade, the percentage of students that met or exceeded a passing score on the Spring read/write prompt was 88%. · In second grade, the percentage of students that met or exceeded a passing score on the Spring read/write prompt was 57%. · In third grade, the percentage of students that met or exceeded a passing score on the Spring read/write prompt was 64%. · In fourth grade, the percentage of students that met or exceeded a passing score on the Spring read/write prompt was 52%. 2-4

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   · In fifth grade, the percentage of students that met or exceeded a passing score on the Spring read/write prompt was 85%.

Data Statements for 2014 NWEA Reading · In kindergarten, 98% of students were at or above standard for the spring administration of the HCCSC district assessment. · In first grade, 90% of students were at or above standard for the spring administration of the HCCSC district assessment. · In second grade, 92% of students were at or above standard for the spring administration of the HCCSC district assessment. · In third grade, 94.8% of students were at or above standard for the spring admininstration of the HCCSC district assessment. · In fourth grade, 86.2% of students were at or above standard for the spring administration of the HCCSC district assessment. · In fifth grade, 83.6% of students were at or above standard for the spring administration of the HCCSC district assessment. · In kindergarten, 77.1% of students met or exceeded their personal projected RIT growth goal for the spring administration of the HCCSC district assessment. · In first grade, 62.1% of students met or exceeded their personal projected RIT growth goal for the spring administration of the HCCSC district assessment. · In second grade, 72.9% of students met or exceeded their personal projected RIT growth goal for the spring administration of the HCCSC district assessment. · In third grade, 73.7% of students met or exceeded their personal projected RIT growth goal for the spring administration of the HCCSC district assessment. · In fourth grade, 67.2% of students met or exceeded their personal projected RIT growth goal for the spring administration of the HCCSC district assessment. · In fifth grade, 59.7% of students met or exceeded their personal projected RIT growth goal for the spring administration of the HCCSC district assessment.

Data Statements for 2014 NWEA Math In kindergarten, 100% (53/53) of students met or exceeded the Spring HCCSC district assessment target. In first grade, 92% (55/60) of students met or exceeded the Spring HCCSC district assessment target. In second grade, 86% (43/50) of students met or exceeded the Spring HCCSC district assessment target. 2-5

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   In third grade, 86% (50/58) of students met or exceeded the Spring HCCSC district assessment target. In fourth grade, 81% (47/58) of students met or exceeded the Spring HCCSC district assessment target. In fifth grade, 73% (49/67) of students met or exceeded the Spring HCCSC district assessment target.

2-6

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL                                                                      

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL  

FINDING OUT WHAT WORKS ACCORDING TO RESEARCH Introduction to This Section In Section 2, it was shown that our staff, through a process of studying information about our school, found that student achievement in reading vocabulary and reading comprehension is improving although remains an area of focus. Students who are enrolled in the free/reduced lunch program and for students who have been identified as having special learning needs will continue to be a targeted group. In addition, we found that the number of students demonstrating proficiency in written expression continues to be less than desired, particularly in light of our efforts to improve in this area. Therefore, we have committed ourselves to helping students be more successful in reading vocabulary, reading comprehension, and written expression. In Section 4, the goals for these subjects, and the strategies to achieve them, are explained in the form of an action plan. Before developing our plan, however, it was important to find out about the research that has been done on the topics of reading and writing. In this section, you will find a summary of what we found through our study of this research. Throughout the year, teachers at Lancaster Elementary have continued to learn more about good reading and writing instruction. All teachers participated in this process. The School Leadership Team reviewed and updated the list of original findings, called Guiding Principles, for this report. In Appendix E you will find the names of those who served on the School Leadership Team. Organization of This Section Guiding principles are the important bits of information found as we reviewed research about reading, writing, and mathematics. These guide us as we modify our improvement plan to ensure we are planning to do that which has been shown to work. The guiding principles are found below. Included on these pages are the sources where these principles were found. After the guiding principles is a list of emerging strategies, which is simply a broad range of ways to incorporate these principles in the classroom. Some of these strategies are found, in part, in our action plan. The entire list is most important as a reference for us as we look for ways to successfully implement the plan.

   

Guiding Principles – Reading Dyslexia is a specific learning disability associated with cognitive deficits in basic reading skills.

  Phonemic awareness, the ability to hear and manipulate sounds, is a critical foundation for reading.

  Students learn vocabulary directly when they are explicitly taught both individual words and wordlearning strategies.

 

Children with reading deficits have difficulties in vocabulary, word categorization, and word retrieval. Children with dyslexia need multisensory teaching to help them make connections between the various components of sound and symbol. 3-1

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL  

Phonics instruction leads to the understanding of the alphabetic principle and is most effective when it is systematic and explicit. Phonics instruction must be integrated with other reading components to create a complete reading program. Reading fluency provides a bridge between word recognition and reading comprehension. To become skillful readers, children must learn how to decode words instantly and effortlessly. Beginning reader’s ability to segment a word into its phonemes is one of the best predictors of reading and reading comprehension success. Teachers support their student’s fluency development by modeling what words in print should sound like when they are read. Prior knowledge is critical for reading comprehension because it “frees” space in working memory to make associations and draw inferences. Explicit modeling by the teacher in key comprehension strategies should include prediction of outcomes, summarizing, clarification, questioning, and visualization. Phonemic awareness needs to happen before alphabet letters and letter sound correspondence is taught. Emerging Strategies - Reading  

 

 

DISSECT (Tankersley)

Semantic Clusters (Paynter)

Cause & Effect Maps (Sprenger)

Word Associations (Beck)

Vocabulary Assessment (Paynter)

Venn Diagram (Sprenger, Minskoff)

Sound Counting (Minskoff)

Student-Friendly Definition. (Beck)

Analogies (Marzano, Paynter)

Idea Completions (Beck)

Syllable Patterns (Henry, Birsh)

Scaffolding (Minskoff, Bender, Beck)

Blending (Adams, Rasinski)

Morpheme Patterns (Henry)

Sentencing (Rasinski)

Segmenting (Adams, Raskinski)

Picture Fading (Bender)

Visual Representations (Richards, Paynter)

Rhyming (Minskoff, Adams)

Rapid Letter Naming (Birsh)

Word Families (Tankersley, Minskoff, Bender)

Substituting (Adams, Rasinski)

VAKT Method (Minskoff, Rasinski)

Word Walls (Rasinski, Tankersley)

S.O.S. (Birsh, Shaywitz)

Multisensory Method (Birsh, Henry)

Metaphors (Paynter, Marzano)

CLOZE (Birsh, Bender)

Morpheme Web (Henry)

Semantic Feature Analysis (Bender, Paynter)

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   Alphabet Bingo (Birsh)

CSR Strategy (Bender, Birsh)

Frayer Model (Paynter, Sprenger)

Alphabet Dominoes (Birsh)

Finger-Tapping (Birsh)

Story Maps (Bender)

Alphabet Relay (Birsh)

Phrasing (Rasinski, Birsh)

Echo Reading (Rasinski, Tankersley)

Twenty Questions (Birsh)

Elkonin (Word) Boxes (Bender)

Comprehension Monitoring (Birsh)

Repeated Reading (Birsh, Rasinski)

Semantic Mapping (Bender, Birsh)

Sophisticated Synonyms (Paynter)

Pyramid Clusters (Paynter)

Scattergories (Rasinski, Bender)

Arm tapping

Recoding (Sprenger)

Word Cups (Rasinski)

Syllable division

Syllable Blending (Birsh, Bender)

Palindromes (Tankersley, Henry)

Advanced organizers  

Affix Matrix (Henry)

Double Word Sort (Bender)

Pass the Word (Paynter)

Vocabulary Scramble (Paynter)

Compound Words (Minskoff, Henry)

Graphic Organizers (Bender, Marzano)

Paired Reading (Rasinski)

Geometric Progression Spelling (Birsh)

Choral Reading (Rasinski)

Onset/Rimes (Minskoff, Birsh, Bender)

Guided Reading (Minskoff)

Rapid Word Recognition (Birsh)

Homophone Stories (Tankersley)

Word Structure Map (Birsh)

 

 

Guiding Principles – Writing Modeling of skills and strategies is important to the writing process. Effective writing strategies include explicit instruction using a variety of teaching strategies, including process writing. Timely, individualized feedback about specific writing errors enhances student achievement in writing. Writing achievement increases when parents and other significant adults in children’s lives value writing. Students must write for authentic purposes across the curriculum. Students should write daily for sustained periods of time. To develop fluent writers, students need to engage in all forms of writing. 3-3

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL  

Teachers should be involved in on-going, job-embedded professional development in writing in order to increase student achievement in writing. Effective writing programs involve students in the writing process and provide for student choice in selection of writing topics. Emerging Strategies – Writing Process writing

Relating writing to real-life

Flexible grouping

Mini-lessons

Group editing

Model test-taking

Student generated assignments

Modeling

Read-aloud

Think aloud

Graphic organizers

Decoding strategies

Conferencing

Silent reading

Listening skills Direct teaching of vocabulary

Dictionary, thesaurus, graphs, charts Personal dictionary

Written response to content reading Phonemic awareness

Internet research

Virtual websites

Aligned with standards

Whole language combined with phonics Interactive writing

Word wall

Journals

Proofreading and editing

Computer software

Writing a different ending

Cloze activities

All genres of writing

Guiding Principles – Mathematics Opportunities should be provided for authentic math connections through the use of strategies such as PBL and Being There Experiences. Automaticity of math facts is foundational to math success. Being able to explain (verbally or in written form) math reasoning demonstrates true depth of understanding. Teachers should be involved in on-going, job-embedded professional development in math in order to increase student achievement in math. Modeling of skills and strategies is important to the problem-solving process. 3-4

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   Math fluency and understanding increases when parents and other significant adults in children’s lives assist in math practice. Timely, individualized instruction and feedback targeting specific math skills increase student understanding. Emerging Strategies - Mathematics Guided math

Flexible grouping

Computer software

iPad apps

Mini lesson

Modeling

Mountain Math

Otter Creek

Successtime

Journals

Aligned with standards

Listening skills

Conferencing

Think aloud

Problem-solving prompts

Student generated assignments

Relating math to real life

Math embedded in PBL

Progress monitoring

Bibliography of Studied Resources Adams, Marilyn, et.al. (1998), Phonemic Awareness in Young Children. Baltimore, Maryland: Brookes Publishing. American Federation of Teachers. (1999), Teaching Reading is Rocket Science, What Expert Teachers of Reading Should Know and Be Able To Do. Beck, Isabel L., et.al. (2002), Bringing Words to Life. New York: Guilford Press. Bender, William N. and Martha J. Larkin. (2003), Reading Strategies for Elementary Students With Learning Difficulties. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press a Sage Publications Company.   Bergeron, Bette S. and Melody Bradbury-Wolff. (2002), Teaching Reading Strategies in the Primary Grades. New York: Scholastic Professional Books. Birsh, Ed.D., Judith R.. (2005), Multisensory Teaching of Basic Language Skills. Baltimore, Maryland: Paul H Brookes Publishing Company. Bruer, John T. (1993), Schools for Thought, A Science of Learning in the Classroom. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press. Coil, Carolyn and Dodie Merritt. (2001), Solving the Assessment Puzzle, Piece by Piece. Pieces of Learning. 3-5

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   Ericson, Lita and Moira Fraser Juliebo. (1998), The Phonological Awareness Handbook for Kindergarten and Primary Teachers. Newark, Delaware: International Reading Association. Fay, Jim and David Funk. (1995), Teaching the Love and Logic: Taking Control of my Classroom. Golden, CO: Love and Logic Press. Fountas, Irene C. and Gay Su Pinnell. (2001), Guided Readers and Writers, Grades 3-6. Portsmouth, New Hampshire: Heinemann. Fountas, Irene C. and Gay Su Pinnell. (1996), Guided Reading, Good First Teaching for All Children. Portsmouth, New Hampshire: Heinemann. Hallerman, Sara, John Lamer, and John Mergendoller. (2011), PBL in the Elementary Grades. Novato, CA: Buck Institute for Education. Henry, Ph.D., Marcia K. (2003), Unlocking Literacy, Effective Decoding and Spelling Instruction. Baltimore, Maryland: Paul H Brookes Publishing Company. Levine, M.D., Mel. (2002), A Mind at a Time, America’s Top Learning Expert Shows How Every Child Can Succeed. New York: Simon and Schuster. Marzano, Robert J., Jennifer S. Norford, Diane E. Paynter, Debra J. Pickering, and Barbara B. Gaddy. (2001), A Handbook for Classroom Instruction that Works. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Marzano, Robert J. (2004), Building Background Knowledge for Academic Achievement. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Marzano, Robert J. (2003), What Works in Schools, Translating Research Into Action. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Miller, Debbie. (2002), Reading with Meaning. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers. Minskoff, Esther. (2005), Teaching Reading to Struggling Learners. Baltimore, Maryland: Brookes Publishing. Outsen, Nicole and Stephanie Yulga. (2002), Teaching Comprehension Strategies All Readers Need. New York: Scholastic. Payne, Ph.D., Ruby K. (1996), A Framework for Understanding Poverty. aha! Process, Inc. Paynter, Diane E., et.al. (2005), For the Love of Words: Vocabulary Instruction that Works. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers/ McREL. Rasinski, Timothy V. (1974), The Fluent Reader, Oral Reading Strategies for Building Word Recognition, Fluency, and Comprehension. New York: Scholastic Professional Books. Richards, Regina. (1999), The Source for Dyslexia and Dysgraphia. East Moline, Illinois: LinquiSystems. 3-6

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   Richardson, Jan. (2009), The Next Step in Guided Reading: Focused Assessment and Targeted Lessons for Helping Every Student Become a Better Reader. Broadway, NY: Scholastic, Inc. Rosencrans, Galdys. (1998), The Spelling Book, Teaching Children How to Spell, Not What to Spell. Newark, Delaware: International Reading Association. Shaywitz, M.D., Sally. (2003), Overcoming Dyslexia, A New and Complete Science-Based Program for Reading Problems at Any Level. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. Sousa, David A. (2001), How the Brain Learns, A Classroom Teacher’s Guide, Second Edition. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press, Inc. A Sage Publications Company. Spandel, Vicki. (2001), Creating Writers, Through 6-Trait Writing Assessment and Instruction. New York: Addision Wesley Longman. Sprenger, Marilee. (2005), How to Teach so Students Remember. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Tankersley, Karen. (2005), Literacy Strategies for Grades 4-12. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Wolfe, Patricia and Pamela Nevills. (2004), Building the Reading Brain, PreK-3. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press a Sage Publications Company.

                                                 

3-7

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL                                                      

 

           

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   Our Plan for Improvement – An Introduction The following pages provide details about how we intend to improve student achievement in two specific areas: reading and writing. As a result of our analysis, described in Section 2, our school has opted to continue working toward two goals for 2014-2017: By Spring 2017, 96% of K-5 students will meet the College and Career Readiness Standards in Reading Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension. By Spring 2017, 92% of K-5 students will demonstrate mastery in Written Expression as demonstrated on school writing prompt and rubric. Our plan for improvement contains certain components that help us “stay on course” in order to reach these two goals. The components used are: Benchmarks Key Strategies

These tell us how we want students to perform between now and the date listed in our goal. They are “mini goals” to help us stay on target. These are research-based strategies, learned from our studies about learning, language development (including reading and writing), and effective instructional practices. For us to reach our goal, we must implement these methods with fidelity according to established protocols.

Under the Key Strategies are areas in which strategic actions are listed. These are important if we intend to reach all children, and do so in an efficient way. College and Career Readiness Standards Low Ability High Ability Performance Assessment Implementation Assessment Professional Development Collaboration Family Involvement Transition Technology Cultural Competency

The standards comprise the skills and concepts that students are to learn. Here, we consider children who need extra help. This is about students who may have already learned that which is being taught. This is how we know if students are performing as we intend. Here, we evaluate our actions to see if our goal is being met. This is where the staff participates in focused initiatives that increase their knowledge of cognition and refine instructional techniques in order to increase student learning. ...or planning. To make real improvements, the staff must coordinate their efforts and share professional ideas. Here, we work with families to reach our goals. Ensures continued progress across grade levels. This part of the plan describes technology’s role in meeting our goals. This goal ensures that we understand cultural differences and design instruction to account for such diversity.

The strategies for each component include references to the people responsible and the means of monitoring the effectiveness of implementation.

      4-1

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   Three Year Plan Overview: 2014-2017 Reading Benchmarks

  GOAL: By Spring 2015, 92% of K-5 students will meet the College and Career Readiness Standards in Reading Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension as demonstrated by: · ·

K-2: 92% of students will demonstrate mastery on the HCCSC district assessments. 3-5: 92% of students will demonstrate mastery on the HCCSC district assessments or Reading Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension portions of ISTEP. Students may also demonstrate improvement/continuous improvement for the same student population using ISTEP+ results, when comparing scores from one to two previous years.

GOAL: By Spring 2016, 95% of K-5 students will meet the College and Career Readiness Standards in Reading Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension as demonstrated by: · ·

K-2: 95% of students will demonstrate mastery on the HCCSC district assessments. 3-5: 95% of students will demonstrate mastery on the HCCSC district assessments or Reading Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension portions of ISTEP. Students may also demonstrate improvement/continuous improvement for the same student population using ISTEP+ results, when comparing scores from one to two previous years.

GOAL: By Spring 2017, 96% of K-5 students will meet the College and Career Readiness Standards in Reading Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension as demonstrated by: · ·

K-2: 96% of students will demonstrate mastery on the HCCSC district assessments. 3-5: 96% of students will demonstrate mastery on the HCCSC district assessments or Reading Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension portions of ISTEP. Students may also demonstrate improvement/continuous improvement for the same student population using ISTEP+ results, when comparing scores from one to two previous years.

KEY STRATEGIES Provide literacy instruction at all grade levels using effective, research-based practices for a minimum of ninety (90) minutes daily, incorporating: ° Multi-sensory instructional methods; ° The College and Career Readiness Standards as outlined by the Huntington County Community School Corporation Curriculum Map and grade level planning; ° The five components of reading using the format in the corporation’s literacy model and best practices. Implement the Response to Intervention Model to ensure that the literacy development needs of all students are met, incorporating: ° Differentiated instructional practices, designed to meet individual student’s learning needs; ° Research-based standard treatment protocols with quantitative documentation; ° Use of the RtI Team to assist teachers with intervention design as described in the corporation’s RtI Plan. The College and Career Readiness Standards ° Using the corporation’s master curriculum map and literacy model, teach specific content, skills, and processes to be learned at each grade level with lessons that incorporate sound instructional methods. 4-2

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   ° Explicitly and systematically teach identified literacy skills and processes vis-à-vis the corporation’s literacy model. Low Achievers ° Meet with teachers to whom students are assigned for the next year and develop plans for meeting the literacy needs of students who have not mastered grade level reading skills. ° Use the Response-to-Intervention process to determine the extent and duration of focused, research-based intervention protocols necessary to meet the literacy needs of students who do not demonstrate mastery. High Achievers ° Meet with teachers to whom students are assigned for the next year and develop plans for meeting the literacy needs of students who possess advanced literacy/language skills. ° Use the Response-to-Intervention process to identify the type and scope of advanced reading skills appropriate for students with advanced literacy/language skills. Performance Assessment ° Conduct on-going analysis of students’ reading development using assessments at the classroom and building levels via the data warehouse. ° Administer regularly-scheduled benchmark assessments to monitor students’ skill levels in decoding, fluency, and comprehension. Implementation Assessment °  Analyze the findings from monthly collaboration meetings and results of uniform reading assessments to evaluate the effectiveness of instructional practices and implement “in-flight” modifications. ° Assess the degree of implementation and effectiveness of research-based instruction practices for literacy, and provide professional assistance where needed. ° Conduct quarterly S2S meetings between the principal and grade-level teams. Professional Development ° Build teachers’ capacity in literacy instruction, through consultation, coaching, and independent professional reading, with the intent of transferring such capacity to practice. ° Meet monthly to study best practices in reading instruction and cognition.

  Collaboration ° Conduct quarterly S2S meetings and monthly collaboration meetings between gradelevel teachers and the principal to analyze student achievement, discuss instructional strategies, and curriculum alignment. ° Share ideas for successful literacy instruction throughout the year, in connection with professional development work sessions and peer coaching experiences Family Involvement ° Provide readiness packets to incoming kindergarten students and their parents to encourage the development of language/literacy concepts, critical thinking, and fine motor skills. ° Incorporate events focused on family involvement such as Back-to-School Night, 4-3

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   Harvest Festival, and other events that can include games designed to build vocabulary, comprehension, fluency, phonemic awareness, and knowledge of word/sentence structure. Transition ° Meet with teachers to whom students are assigned for the next year and develop plans for meeting the literacy needs of students who have not mastered grade level reading. ° Administer pre-assessments at the beginning of the year to determine students’ “starting points,” and plan systematic instruction. ° Provide readiness packets to incoming kindergarten students and their parents to encourage the development of language/literacy concepts, critical thinking, and fine motor skills. ° Provide collaboration opportunities for kindergarten teachers to network and share resources with preschool teachers ° Host Head Start and preschool program classes to observe kindergarten classrooms Technology

° Use local and online technology resources to support literacy instruction and assessment. ° Gather and evaluate data from online assessments and software programs to assess student progress and plan subsequent instruction. ° Expand teacher knowledge and adapt curriculum by practice and use of iPads, Macbook Air laptops, Apple TVs, and the Canvas Learning Management System.

  Cultural Competency ° Build capacity of staff members to understand the effects of poverty on academic achievement using resources such as work by Ruby Payne. ° Establish expectations and procedures to align school culture and environment with that espoused in our purpose, promise, and mission.

4-4

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN – KEY STRATEGY 1 2014-2015 GOAL By Spring 2015, 92% of K-5 students will meet the College and Career Readiness Standards in Reading Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension. STRATEGY Provide literacy instruction at all grade levels using effective, research-based practices for a minimum of ninety (90) minutes daily, incorporating: ° Multi-sensory instructional methods; ° College and Career Readiness Standards as outlined by the Huntington County Community School Corporation; ° Curriculum Map and grade level planning; ° The five components of reading, referencing the corporation’s literacy model and using best practices. Action Steps Using the established curriculum map and literacy model, define specific skills, content, and processes to be taught/learned at each grade level.

Dates

Monitoring

Lead Person(s)

August 2014May 2015

Planning must be aligned with curriculum maps.

Principal Classroom Teachers

Formal and informal observations DIBELS/Benchmarks/ HCCSC district assessments

Provide literacy instruction that is rooted in best practices and is designed with differentiation according to individual needs.

August 2014May 2015

Use data from formative assessments to organize flexible groups and deliver differentiated reading lessons.

August 2014May 2015

Lesson plans, curriculum maps, and walkthrough records

Classroom teachers Principal

Quarterly according to building calendar

S2S Meeting Records

Principal Classroom teachers

Bi-monthly according to building calendar

Grade level collaboration meetings

Classroom Teachers

August 2014 Ongoing as needed

Staff work sessions

Conduct quarterly S2S meetings between grade-level teachers and the principal to analyze student achievement, discuss instructional strategies, and maintain curriculum alignment. Conduct bi-monthly grade level team meetings to analyze student achievement, discuss instructional strategies, and maintain curriculum alignment. Professional Development: Provide training and support for understanding and effective implementation of the College and Career Readiness Standards

Classroom Teachers Principal; Coaches

Principal School Improvement Team

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   Professional Development: Conduct monthly staff collaboration meetings to develop a thorough understanding of standard treatment protocols for the five areas of reading. Implementation of all components of the Guided Reading process with fidelity in each classroom, kindergarten through fifth grade Documentation of each Guided Reading group as well as ongoing running records

Monthly according to building calendar

Staff collaboration meetings

Ongoing, Daily

Guided Reading Walkthrough Template

Principal Teachers

Ongoing, Daily

Guided Reading Walkthrough Template

Principal Teachers

Principal School Improvement Team

4-6

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN – KEY STRATEGY 2 2014-2015 GOAL By Spring 2015, 92% of K-5 students will meet the College and Career Readiness Standards in Reading Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension. STRATEGY Implement the Response to Intervention Model to ensure the literacy development needs of all students are met, incorporating: ° Differentiated instructional practices, designed to the meet individual student’s learning needs; ° Research-based standard treatment protocols with quantitative documentation; ° Use of the RtI Team to assist teachers with intervention design as described in the corporation’s RtI plan. Action Steps Develop thorough understanding of standard treatment protocols for the five areas of reading through continued study of resource texts during monthly collaboration meetings and professional development coaching Develop and implement best instructional practices based on learning derived from the studies above, incorporating Response to Intervention, with emphasis on multisensory and differentiated instruction

Dates

Monitoring

Lead Person(s)

Monthly

Discussions of RtI team Lesson plans Notes/assignments from monthly professional development sessions

Principal RtI team

August 2014 – May 2015

Professional development schedule Lesson plans Walkthroughs and observations

Principal

Provide literary instruction that is rooted in best practices and is designed with differentiation according to individual needs

August 2014 – May 2015

Formal and informal observations by the principal, HCCSC district assessments

Classroom teachers

Use progress monitoring data (running records/DAZE) to organize flexible groups and to deliver differentiated reading lessons, particularly for low responding students

August 2014 – May 2015

Lesson plans Walkthrough records Assessment data

Classroom teachers

August 2014

Agenda for initial meeting

Principal

Professional Development: Train staff in RtI process Professional Development: Study best practices through small group discussions of professional books

August 2014- May 2015

All staff will participate in book talks and demonstrate understanding by application in the classroom.

Principal SIT

4-7

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL     Professional Development: Train staff to create and effectively use data warehouse  

September 2013

 

Principal PD Coach

Principal, Teachers  

 

4-8

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   School Improvement Plan – Indiana Academic/Common Core Standards 2014-2015 GOAL By Spring 2015, 92% of K-5 students will meet the College and Career Readiness Standards in Reading Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension. STRATEGIES ° Using the College and Career Readiness standards and the corporation’s literacy model, teach specific content, skills, and processes to be learned at each grade level with lessons that incorporate sound instructional methods. ° Explicitly and systematically teach literacy skills and processes vis-à-vis the school’s reading plan. Action Steps Using corporation master maps, and the College and Career Readiness Standards, plan quarterly instruction Provide literacy instruction that is rooted in best practices and is designed with differentiation according to individual needs Use SuccessMaker to assist students in providing individualized instruction, particularly for students in Tier II and Tier III

Dates August 2014 – May 2015

Professional Development: Train staff so each understands and can effectively teach from the College and Career Readiness Standards Professional Development: Study elements of explicit and systematic literacy instruction Inclusion of College and Career Readiness activities at each grade level, kindergarten through fifth grade, with a culmination of focus during ‘College Go Week’

Ongoing

Ongoing

Ongoing

August 2014 – May 2015

Ongoing

Monitoring Specific skills will be recorded on the mapping program Formal/informal observations Assessment results

Lead Person(s) Principal School Improvement Team Classroom teachers Principal

Analysis of student progress using data warehouse Discussions during S2S and RtI meetings Quarterly S2S meetings Monthly collaboration meetings

Principal Classroom Teachers

S2S meetings Professional development sessions Surveys Collaboration with guidance counselor

Principal School Improvement Team Principal Guidance counselor

Principal

4-9  

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   School Improvement Plan – Low Achievers 2014-2015 GOAL By Spring 2015, 92% of K-5 students will meet the College and Career Readiness Standards in Reading Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension. STRATEGIES ° Meet with teachers to whom students are assigned for the next year and develop plans for meeting the literacy needs of students who have not mastered grade level reading skills. ° Use the Response-to-Intervention process to determine the extent and duration of focused, research-based intervention protocols necessary to meet the literacy needs of students who do not demonstrate mastery. Action Steps Assign students to classes for 2014-2015 Teachers to whom students are assigned meet with current teachers to study strengths and needs in reading. Employ instructional strategies to develop students’ reading skills, as presented in the corporation’s literacy model, using knowledge from professional study, supplemental materials, and multi-sensory learning experiences. Assign appropriate homework to ensure that children can work independently and successfully on focused skills/content. Assess students before and after instruction using identified evaluation instruments. Professional Development: Study elements of literacy and refine effective practices.

Professional Development: Train staff to create and effectively use data warehouse

Dates May 2014 May 2014

August 2014May 2015

August 2014May 2015

August 2014May 2015

August 2014ongoing

September 2014

Monitoring

Lead Person(s) Principal

Class Lists Collaboration

Formal/Informal Observation Monthly staff development sessions RtI Meeting Record Monthly staff development Parent Survey S2S Meetings

ISTEP+, DIBELS, HCCSC district assessments, ongoing classroom assessments Monthly staff development Formal/Informal Observation Principal, Teachers

Principal Classroom teachers

Principal Classroom teachers

Classroom teachers

Classroom teachers

Principal

Principal PD Coach

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   School Improvement Plan – High Achievers 2014-2015 GOAL By Spring 2015, 92% of K-5 students will meet the College and Career Readiness Standards in Reading Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension. STRATEGIES ° Meet with teachers to whom students are assigned for the next year and develop plans for meeting the literacy needs of students who possess advanced literacy/language skills. ° Use the Response-to-Intervention process to identify the type and scope of advanced reading skills appropriate for students with advanced literacy/language skills.

  Action Steps Assign students to classes for 2014-2015 Teachers to whom students are assigned meet with current teachers to study strengths and needs in reading. Employ instructional strategies to advance students’ reading skills, as presented in the corporation literacy model, using knowledge from professional study, supplemental materials, and guidance from the HA Resource Staff. Identify and implement ways to extend vocabulary and comprehension instruction for advanced students. Assess students before and after instruction using identified evaluation instruments. Professional Development: Study ways to advance vocabulary and comprehension skills Professional Development: Train staff to create and effectively use data warehouse

Dates

Monitoring

Lead Person(s)

August 2014

Class Lists

Principal

May 2014

Schedule Collaboration

Classroom Teachers

Formal/Informal Observations Staff development sessions

Principal Classroom Teachers HA Resource Staff

August 2014May 2015

Lesson plans Curriculum map S2S Meetings

Classroom teachers HA Resource Staff

August 2014May 2015

ISTEP+, DIBELS, HCCSC district assessments, ongoing classroom assessments

August 2014- May 2015

Staff development sessions

September 2014

Principal, Teachers

August 2013May 2014

Classroom Teachers

Principal School Leadership Team HA Resource Staff Principal PD Coach

4-11

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   School Improvement Plan – Performance Assessment 2014-2015 GOAL By Spring 2015, 92% of K-5 students will meet the College and Career Readiness Standards in Reading Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension. STRATEGIES ° Conduct on-going analysis of students’ reading development using assessments at the classroom and building levels via the data warehouse. ° Administer regularly-scheduled benchmark assessments to monitor students’ skill levels in decoding, fluency, and comprehension.

  Action Steps Review goals, benchmarks, and strategies of PL-221 plan with staff. Administer identified assessments according to state/local calendars. Analyze results from assessments and employ intervention protocols to maximize learning with necessary support from the RtI Team. Discuss assessment results with parents and plan for necessary intervention and remediation action. Professional Development: Train staff, students, and parents in the analysis of assessment data.

Dates

Monitoring

Lead Person(s)

August 2014

Agenda/Action Plan from first meeting

Principal

According to building calendar

Lesson plans Building calendar

Weekly

Lesson plans Assessments results S2S Notes RtI Notes

Principal Classroom teachers RtI Team

Teacher’s records of meetings

Principal Classroom teachers

Parent/teacher conferences

Principal SIT

Throughout year upon conclusion of tests Ongoing

Classroom teachers

4-12

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   School Improvement Plan – Implementation Assessment 2014-2015 GOAL By Spring 2015, 92% of K-5 students will meet the College and Career Readiness Standards in Reading Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension. STRATEGIES ° Analyze the findings from monthly collaboration meetings and results of uniform reading assessments to evaluate the effectiveness of instructional practices and implement needed modifications ° Assess the degree of implementation and effectiveness of research-based instruction practices for literacy and provide professional assistance where needed. ° Conduct quarterly S2S meetings between the principal and grade-level teams ° Complete daily administrative walkthroughs for teachers using HCCSC Guided Reading and Teacher Effectiveness Rubric Domain 2 templates, housing information in the data warehouse. Action steps Review PL-221 plan with staff, noting goals and expectations Meet with teachers monthly, by grade level, to evaluate effectiveness of instruction, interventions, assessment practices, and understanding of literacy development Assess successes and problems monthly by studying student performance data and walkthrough observations Perform final evaluation of plan implementation in preparation for revised PL-221 plan, using data gathered throughout the year Utilize collaboration meeting notes to determine whether grade level teachers are using assessment data to drive instruction Professional Development: Discuss and collaborate regarding guided reading best practices. Professional Development: Review with new teachers the expectations of the RISE rubric.

Dates August 2014 – March 2015 August 2014 – May 2015

Monitoring Agenda/action plan from first meeting S2S, RtI, and staff collaboration meeting records

August 2014 – May 2015

S2S, RtI, and staff collaboration meeting records

March 2015 – May 2015

SIT meeting notes Revised PL-221 plan

Monthly, August 2014 – May 2015

Collaboration meeting records S2S meeting records

Principal

August 2014 – May 2015

Collaboration meeting records S2S meeting records

Classroom teachers Principal Professional development coach Classroom teachers Principal

August 2014

S2S meeting records

Lead Person(s) Principal Principal Classroom teachers

Principal Classroom teachers School Improvement Team Principal School Improvement Team

4-13

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   School Improvement Plan – Professional Development 2014-2015 GOAL By Spring 2015, 92% of K-5 students will meet the College and Career Readiness Standards in Reading Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension. STRATEGIES ° Build teachers’ capacity in literacy instruction through consultation, coaching, and independent professional reading, with the intent of transferring such knowledge into practice. ° Meet according to a pre-determined schedule to study best practices in reading

  Action Steps Develop a full understanding of research relating to students’ cognitive processes and abilities, with the ability to apply findings in the classroom.

Continue to develop a conceptual understanding of language development and reading development and classroom application. Develop and implement best instructional practices, including lesson planning and development based on research-based methods. Implementation also includes specific elements of instruction (i.e. anticipatory set, wait time, reflection, recoding, rehearsal, review, and retrieval).

Dates August 2014– May 2015 According to training schedule

August 2014– May 2015 According to training schedule

August 2014– May 2015 According to training schedule

Monitoring Walkthroughs & Observations Student Achievement Data Parent Survey Professional Development Sessions Walkthroughs & Observations Reflections from professional development coach Student Achievement Data Early release professional development Professional Development Schedule Lesson plans Walkthroughs and observations RISE Rubric

Implement the corporation’s literacy model, using thematic curriculum integration, to the extent possible.

August 2014– May 2015 According to training schedule

Professional Development Schedule Walkthroughs & Observations Lesson plans

Build faculty’s capacity for implementation of the College and Career Readiness Standards

August 2014– May 2015

Professional Development Schedule

Lead Person(s) Principal Classroom Teachers

Principal Classroom Teachers

Principal Classroom Teachers

Principal Classroom Teachers

Principal

4-14

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL  

Professional Development: Train staff to create and effectively use data warehouse

September 2013

Professional Development: Provide opportunity for staff to participate in peer coaching professional development model.

August 2014ongoing

Professional Development: Review with new teachers the expectations of the RISE Rubric.

August 2013-May 2014

Professional Development: Train teachers in use of iPads, Macbook Air laptops, Apple TVs, and related software for effective integration into classroom curriculum and instruction Professional Development: Train and further develop teacher understanding of project-based learning and effective classroom/grade level implementation Professional Development: Train teachers in the implementation of HET, especially new teachers in need of HET stage 1 training

Principal, Teachers

Principal PD Coach

Principal

Principal Lead Teachers PD Coach

Collaboration

Teachers Principal

June 2014– May 2015 According to training schedule

Principal

Principal Technology Integration Specialist Teachers

August 2014 – May 2015

Principal

Teachers Principal

Ongoing

Collaboration Weekly walkthroughs

Principal Professional Development Coach

4-15

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   School Improvement Plan - Collaboration 2014-2015 GOAL By Spring 2015, 92% of K-5 students will meet the College and Career Readiness Standards in Reading Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension. STRATEGIES ° Conduct quarterly S2S meetings between grade-level teachers and the principal to analyze student achievement, discuss instructional strategies, and curriculum alignment. ° Share ideas for successful literacy instruction throughout the year, in connection with professional development work sessions and peer coaching experiences. Action Steps Work collaboratively within and between grade levels to construct lesson plans based on the corporation’s master map and standards. Meet with teachers quarterly, by grade level, analyze student achievement, evaluate effectiveness of instruction. Meet with teachers to whom students are assigned for the next year and develop plans for meeting the literacy needs of all students. Professional Development: Hold monthly grade level collaboration and curriculum development days.

Dates

Monitoring

Lead Person(s)

August 2014May 2015

Curriculum maps Lesson Plans Collaboration Form

Classroom Teachers

Quarterly according to building calendar

S2S Meeting Record

Principal Classroom Teachers

August 2014

S2S Meeting Record

Classroom Teachers

August 2014May 2015

Staff Development Sessions

Classroom Teachers Principal

4-16

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   School Improvement Plan – Family Involvement 2014-2015 GOAL By Spring 2015, 92% of K-5 students will meet the College and Career Readiness Standards in Reading Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension. STRATEGIES ° Provide readiness packets to incoming kindergarten students and their parents to encourage the development of language/literacy concepts, critical thinking, and fine motor skills ° Incorporate events focused on family involvement such as Back-to-School Night and others featuring games designed to build vocabulary, comprehension, fluency, phonemic awareness, and knowledge of word/sentence structure.  

  Action Steps Present incoming kindergarten students with packets to improve reading/math readiness. Send welcome letter to families who will be new to Lancaster Keep parents/guardians apprised of student progress through timely/understandable reporting. Host Back-to-School Night to welcome families and prepare students for first day Plan and hold family education events for the purpose of fostering parent involvement and promoting learning. Monitor family involvement and stakeholder satisfaction using brief surveys. Work with SIT to make adjustments that enhance service. Assign adult mentors from within the school or in the community for at-risk students

Dates

Monitoring

Lead Person(s)

April-May 2014

Kindergarten Round-up Agenda

Principal

Summer 2014

Letter

Principal

On-going

NWEA Reports Conference logs Midterm and Report Cards Power School

Teachers

August 12, 2014

Stakeholder Satisfaction Survey

Principal SIT

August 2014-May 2015

SIT Agenda Stakeholder Satisfaction Survey

SIT

August 2014-May 2015

Stakeholder Satisfaction Survey

Principal Classroom Teachers SIT

August 2014-May 2015

Collaboration Stakeholder Satisfaction Survey

Principal Guidance counselor

4-17

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   School Improvement Plan – Transition 2014-2015 GOAL By Spring 2015, 92% of K-5 students will meet the College and Career Readiness Standards in Reading Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension. STRATEGIES ° Meet with teachers to whom students are assigned for the next year and develop plans for meeting the literacy needs of students who have not mastered grade level reading. ° Administer pre-assessments at the beginning of the year to determine students’ “starting points,” and plan systematic instruction. ° Provide readiness packets to incoming kindergarten students and their parents to encourage the development of language/literacy concepts, critical thinking, and fine motor skills.

  Action Steps Teachers, to whom students are assigned meet to study strengths and needs in reading. Distribute readiness packets to incoming kindergarten students and their parents during kindergarten orientation. Provide middle school counselors and teachers with data regarding performance of incoming 6th grade students. Conduct a Benchmark Assessment, grade level appropriate assessments, and/or running record with students who move into the school during the year.

Dates

Monitoring Schedule

Lead Person(s) Principal Classroom teachers

April 2015

Literacy packets Agenda of orientation

Principal Kindergarten Teachers

May 2015

Principal meeting with middle school staff

Counselor 5th grade teachers

On-going as necessary

Record of Fountas and Pinnell Benchmarks & Running records

Classroom Teachers Counselor

May 2015

4-18

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   School Improvement Plan - Technology 2014-2015 GOAL By Spring 2015, 92% of K-5 students will meet the College and Career Readiness Standards in Reading Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension. STRATEGIES

 

° Use local and online technology resources to support literacy instruction and assessment. ° Gather and evaluate data from online assessments and software programs to assess student progress and plan subsequent instruction. Action Steps

Review available software/webbased programs that are effective tools for teaching reading. Integrate software into specific areas of reading program to support (not supplant) regular instruction, including RAZ Kids, MobyMax, Successmaker, and Accelerated Reader. Identify and use online language resources to support instruction and independent student work. Develop a schedule for use of 2 iPad carts (60 student iPads) for use in classrooms Use appropriate programs for administration of reading instruction. Professional Development: Train teachers in use of iPads, Macbook Air laptops, Apple TVs, and related software for effective integration into classroom curriculum and instruction

Dates August 2014

Monitoring Notes from staff meeting Installation of selected programs

Lead Person(s) Principal Classroom Teachers

August 2014May 2015

Lesson plans Curriculum maps

Classroom teachers

August 2014May 2015

Reference list

School Leadership Team Classroom teachers

August 2014 August 2014May 2015

June 2014-May 2015 According to training schedule

Lesson plans Record of training sessions for use of programs Curriculum maps Data warehouse

Principal

Principal Principal Classroom Teachers

Principal Technology Integration Specialist Teachers

 

4-19

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   School Improvement Plan – Cultural Competency 2014-2015 GOAL By Spring 2015, 92% of K-5 students will meet the College and Career Readiness Standards in Reading Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension. STRATEGIES ° Build capacity of staff members to understand the effects of poverty on academic achievement using resources such as the work by Ruby Payne. ° Establish expectations and procedures to align school culture and environment with that espoused in our purpose, promise and mission.

  Action Steps Update Standard Operating Procedures and establish expectations and procedures for interpersonal relationships and student behavior. Employ HET strategies throughout the school, and in particular to assist students who present cultural diversity. Present informational session to students by grade level to ensure understanding of behavioral and academic expectations Professional Development: Provide HET instruction for new staff, including classified staff, with follow-up throughout the year, as necessary. Professional Development: Review concepts related to educating students in poverty.

Dates

Monitoring

Lead Person(s)

May-August 2014

Faculty Handbook

Principal SIT

August 2014 On-going

Student Achievement Data Correspondence with parents

Guidance Counselor Principal

August 2014

School Calendar

Principal

August 2014 May 2015

Walkthroughs Parent Survey S2S Meetings

Principal PD Coach

August 2014 May 2015

Walkthroughs Student Achievement Data

Principal Ruby Paine Trainers

4-20

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   LANCASTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THREE-YEAR PLAN 2014-2017 WRITING GOAL By the spring of 2017, 92% of K-5 students will demonstrate proficiency in Written Expression as demonstrated on school writing prompt and rubric. BENCHMARKS · By the spring of 2015, 89% of K-5 students will demonstrate mastery in Written Expression as demonstrated by results using the assessments below. K-5: scores of 4 or higher on the Lancaster grade level writing prompt · By the spring of 2016, 91% of K-5 students will demonstrate mastery in Written Expression as demonstrated by results using the assessments below. K-5: scores of 4 or higher on the Lancaster grade level writing prompt · By the Spring of 2017, 92% of K-5 students will demonstrate mastery in Written Expression as demonstrated by results using the assessments below. K-5: scores of 4 or higher on the Lancaster grade level writing prompt

Key Strategies For Plan Implementation Provide daily process writing instruction for a minimum of 20-30 minutes in grades K-1, and 30-45 minutes in grades 2-5, including: ° K-1: interactive writing ° K-5: mini-lessons, modeling, conferencing, publishing, sharing Use flexible grouping and differentiated instruction to meet individual student’s needs as writer, including ° writing for different purposes and different audiences ° self-directed writing Link writing-related standards with instructional objectives and assess student mastery of objectives and standards. Collaborate within and across grade levels to coordinate teaching of writing-related academic standards. Provide additional instruction, within the school day, to increase students’ knowledge of and experience with the writing process. Implement differentiated instructional strategies in the classroom, focusing on student readiness and learning profiles. Expand opportunities for writing using differentiated instruction and enriched writing experiences. Conduct on-going analysis of students’ writing development to determine students’ needs, and plan subsequent instruction. 4-21

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   Administer quarterly writing prompts to monitor students’ progress, using age-appropriate prompts and evaluating the students’ work using the school-wide writing rubric. Regularly review instruction of writing-related standards and performance objectives. Evaluate writing assessments quarterly to guide teachers’ instruction and application of best practices in writing. Work with professional development coach to provide on-going coaching and support for writing instruction. Meet regularly to study best practices in writing instruction and differentiation. Meet regularly to discuss implementation of strategies learned through professional development and to formulate ideas for matching classroom writing instruction with the needs of students. Collaborate within and across grade levels to coordinate instructional efforts and to ensure continuity of writing-related standards and corresponding objectives. Instruct parents about key ideas regarding written expression throughout the year, using teachers’ newsletters, the school newsletter, and the school’s website. Incorporate literacy into PALS-sponsored events to engage parents in elements of the writing process. Work with directors and teachers of preschool children to deepen their understanding of writing development. Provide multiple opportunities for students to write and publish using available technology. Provide age-appropriate technology instruction, especially in keyboarding, to enhance students’ writing efforts. Build capacity of staff members to understand the effects of poverty on academic achievement, using resources such as the work by Ruby Payne. Incorporate the Highly Effective Teaching Model, using the Lifelong Guidelines and LIFESKILLS to build and sustain positive interpersonal relationships.

                      4-22

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   LANCASTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THREE-YEAR PLAN 2014-2017 MATH GOAL By the year 2017, 92% of K-5 students will demonstrate mastery of College and Career Readiness Math Standards. BENCHMARKS • By the Spring of 2015, 89% of K-5 students will demonstrate mastery of College and Career Readiness Math Standards. K-2: 89% of students will demonstrate mastery on the HCCSC district assessments. 3-5: 89% of students will demonstrate mastery on the HCCSC district assessments or math portions of ISTEP. Students may also demonstrate improvement/continuous improvement for the same student population using ISTEP+ results, when comparing scores from one to two previous years. • By the Spring of 2016, 91% of K-5 students will demonstrate mastery of College and Career Readiness Math Standards. K-2: 91% of students will demonstrate mastery on the HCCSC district assessments. 3-5: 91% of students will demonstrate mastery on the HCCSC district assessments or math portions of ISTEP. Students may also demonstrate improvement/continuous improvement for the same student population using ISTEP+ results, when comparing scores from one to two previous years. • By the Spring of 2017, 92% of K-5 students will demonstrate mastery of College and Career Readiness Math Standards. K-2: 92% of students will demonstrate mastery on the HCCSC district assessments. 3-5: 92% of students will demonstrate mastery on the HCCSC district assessments or math portions of ISTEP. Students may also demonstrate improvement/continuous improvement for the same student population using ISTEP+ results, when comparing scores from one to two previous years. Key Strategies For Plan Implementation Provide daily math instruction for a minimum of 60 minutes in grades K-5 ° differentiated math instruction including guided math strategies Use flexible grouping and differentiated instruction to meet individual student’s needs as a mathematician, including ° writing to explain critical thinking processes in math ° Successtime for grades 3-5, targeting specific math skills and standards for students placed in flexible groups Link math-related standards with instructional objectives and assess student mastery of objectives and standards. 4-23

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   Collaborate within and across grade levels to coordinate teaching of math-related academic standards. Provide additional instruction, within the school day, to increase students’ knowledge of and experience with the problem solving process. Implement differentiated instructional strategies in the classroom, focusing on student readiness and learning profiles. Implement M2 math curriculum and activities. Provide opportunities for authentic math connections through the use of strategies such as PBL and Being There Experiences. Conduct on-going analysis of students’ math skill development to determine students’ needs, and plan subsequent instruction. Administer quarterly problem solving probes to evaluate the students’ progress. Regularly review instruction of math-related standards and performance objectives. Work with professional development coach to provide on-going coaching and support for math instruction. Meet regularly to study best practices in math instruction and differentiation. Meet regularly to discuss implementation of strategies learned through professional development and to formulate ideas for matching classroom math instruction with the needs of students. Collaborate within and across grade levels to coordinate instructional efforts and to ensure continuity of math-related standards and corresponding objectives. Instruct parents about key ideas regarding math application throughout the year, using teachers’ newsletters, the school newsletter, and the school’s website. Incorporate math activities into PALS-sponsored events to engage parents. Work with directors and teachers of preschool children to deepen their understanding of math skill development. Provide multiple opportunities for students to practice math skills using available technology, including MobyMax, Khan Academy, Splash Math, and Rainforest Maths. Build capacity of staff members to understand the effects of poverty on academic achievement, using resources such as the work by Ruby Payne. Incorporate the Highly Effective Teaching Model, using the Lifelong Guidelines and LIFESKILLS to build and sustain positive interpersonal relationships.   Incorporate HCCSC problem-solving strategies and probes, likely to be implemented as part of the 8 step process and SuccessTime

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL                              

                                                       

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL              

                                                                       

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL  

 

 

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL  

 

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL  

 

 

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL  

 

 

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL  

             

 

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL                

                                                         

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL  

                 

Spring 2014 NWEA Language Usage – Student Performance Summary Grade   Level   2   3   4   5   Total  

Spring   Goal   185   196   202   209   -­‐  

Student   Count   47   57   57   66   227  

Number  Meeting  Goal   40   49   52   58   199  

Percent  Meeting   Goal   85.1%   85.96%   91.23%   87.88%   87.67%  

Read/Write Prompt

  ISTEP+ Writing Applications (1A) Percent Scoring at Each Rubric Level                                  

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL  

 

Percent of Students Passing ISTEP+ English/Language Arts by Year

 

      2014 ISTEP English Language Arts Academic Standard Scores                                          

All Grades

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL  

                                       

Grade 3

Grade 4

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL  

                                         

 

Grade 5

 

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL                                                                                                

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL     Percent of Students Passing ISTEP+ Mathematics by Year

2014 ISTEP Mathematics Academic Standard Scores All Grades

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL  

Grade 3

Grade 4

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL  

Grade 5

Spring 2014 NWEA - Mathematics Grade   Level K 1 2 3 4 5 Total

Spring   Goal 151 175 187 199 208 216 -

Student   Count 51 58 47 57 57 66 336

Number   Meeting  Goal 51 52 40 49 49 48 289

Percent  Meeting   Goal 100% 89.66% 85.11% 85.96% 85.96% 72.73% 86.01%

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL  

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL  

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL  

 

Student Attendance Trend 100   98   96   94   92   90   88   86   84   82   80   2009  

2010  

2011  

2012  

2013  

2014  

2013-2014 Attendance Rates Grade  Level   Kindergarten     1st  Grade     2nd  Grade     rd 3  Grade     th 4  Grade     th 5  Grade     Overall    

Attendance  Rate   96.59%   97.43%   96.44%   97.88%   98.05%   97.69%   97.39%  

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL                

                                                                     

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL     2013-2014 Lancaster School Improvement Team   The individuals listed below guided the accountability of Lancaster Elementary School in executing the PL 221 plan for the 2013-2014 school year. Additionally, this group created the PL 221 plan outlined in the preceding pages, which will guide the 2014-2015 school year for Lancaster and its staff.

    Team  Member  Name   Beth  Husband     Jeanne  Paff     Darla  Kingrey     Cathy  Hull     Shelley  Paschal     Angela  Grube     Cathalene  Smith     Kathy  McIlrath     Abbey  Thiele     Cindy  Kardatzke-­‐Hohe     Jennifer  Sobecki     Aaron  Campbell   Russ  Degitz                        

Position/Role   Resource  Teacher   1st  Grade  Teacher   Kindergarten  Teacher   2nd  Grade  Teacher   4th  Grade  Teacher   4th  Grade  Teacher   5th  Grade  Teacher   Guidance  Counselor   Title  I  Teacher   Parent   Parent   Parent     Principal  

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL      

2012-2013 Report Card

B Letter Grade

Lancaster Elementary School Lancaster Elementary School received a B as its final letter grade for school accountability. There was no letter grade change from last year. The final grade reflects student performance and growth on Indiana's English/Language Arts and Math basic skills tests. Student growth is analyzed for three groups: (1) Bottom 25%, (2) Top 75% and (3) Overall.

Student Performance A school's letter grade is established by the percent of students passing state assessments.

Mathematics

English/Language Arts

85.4% of students passed the assessment. This rate is above the state average. This rate is below the state goal.

85.5% of students passed the assessment. This rate is above the state average. This rate is below the state goal.

Student Growth A school's letter grade may increase, decrease, or remain the same based on student growth.

Mathematics

English/Language Arts

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL  

HCCSC  Elementary     Classroom  Quality  Rubric  Checklist   Accomplish  each  task  in  a  level.    Seek  “certification”  by  your  building  principal.                               Move  on  to  the  next  level  and  repeat.  

P      

Quality  Level  1   Completed  teacher  customer/stakeholder  matrix  at  the  teacher  level   Facilitated  student-­‐generated  classroom  and  personal  mission  statement  (Gr.  K-­‐2  teacher  and   classroom  only;  gr.  3-­‐5  teacher,  classroom,  and  student)   Established  and  displayed  an  aligned  dashboard  of  performance  indicators  as  a  team  and/or  individual   Created  student  data  folders  aligned  with  your  dashboard   Conducted  and/or  participated  in  Goal-­‐Setting  &  Student-­‐Led  Conferences  

     

P        

Quality  Level  2   Completed  all  components  of  Level  1   Completed  teacher  customer/stakeholder  matrix  at  the  teacher  and  classroom  level   Maintained  and  continually  updated  your  dashboard  of  performance  indicators  as  a  team  and/or   individual   Maintained,  continually  updated,  and  aligned  your  student  data  folders  with  dashboard   Developed  teacher  data  folder  with  classroom  dashboard  data  within  Pearson  Inform   Conducted  quarterly  System-­‐to-­‐System  (S2S)  meetings  with  the  principal  (team,  grade-­‐level,   department,  or  individual)     Demonstrated  use  of  one  quality  tools  for  classroom  improvement   Conducted  quarterly  celebrations  of  performance  achievement/progress  as  a  team  and/or  individual   Demonstrated  use  of  one  ongoing  PDSA  aligned  to  the  dashboard  

           

P              

Quality  Level  3   Completed  all  components  of  Level  1  &  2   Completed  teacher  customer/stakeholder  matrix  at  the  teacher,  classroom,  and  student  level   Conducted  two  S2S  meetings  with  students  (one  per  semester)  using  their  data  folders   Demonstrated  use  of  two  quality  tools  for  classroom  improvement   Participated  in  at  least  one  benchmarking  visit  or  best  practice  identification  team   Completed  publication  documenting  continuous  improvement  project  that  delivered  improved  student   learning  or  process  improvement  with  supporting  data  that  will  be  shared  with  stakeholders   Demonstrated  use  of  two  ongoing  PDSAs  aligned  to  the  dashboard  

 

P  

Quality  Level  4  

         

Completed  all  components  of  Level  1,  2,  &  3   Conducted  quarterly  S2S  meetings  with  students  using  their  data  folders   Demonstrated  use  of  three  quality  tools  for  classroom  improvement   Participated  in  at  least  two  benchmarking  visits  or  best  practice  identification  teams   Completed  two  publications  documenting  continuous  improvement  projects  that  delivered  improved   student  learning  or  process  improvements  with  supporting  data  that  will  be  shared  with  stakeholders   Demonstrated  use  of  three  ongoing  PDSAs  aligned  to  the  dashboard     Training  for  all  components  is  available  on  each  building’s  shared  drive  in  a  folder  called  “Classroom   Quality  Rubric  –  How  to”  

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL  

2013-2014 Lancaster Elementary School Dashboard Data Area

Measurement Item

Data

Attendance

2013-2014 school rate

97.39%

Attendance

10 or more non-exempt absences

6

Safe and Secure Environment

ISS incidents

1

Safe and Secure Environment

OSS incidents

4

Safe and Secure Environment

# of students with 3 or more office referrals

3

2012-2013 school year

B

Academic (Reading)

IREAD-3

97%

Academic (Reading)

Percent at/above grade level

90%

Academic (Language Arts)

Percent at/above grade level

88%

Academic (Mathematics)

Percent at/above grade level

86%

Staff Development

# of teachers at Level 3 or 4 on Classroom Quality Rubric

26/28

Parent Involvement

Conference attendance

School letter grade

Fall – 98% Spring – 87%

Blue text = goal met Green text = improvement desired Red text – immediate improvement necessary

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL  

Percent of Students Passing ISTEP+ by Subject and Grade Level (2014)   100   90   80   70   60  

ELA  

50  

Math  

40  

Both  

30   20   10   0   3rd  Grade  

                 

4th  Grade  

5th  Grade  

 

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL  

 

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL  

   

 

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL                                                                                                

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   Glossary of Terms Assessment measuring the change in something using some kind of procedure and instrument. In schools, assessment can be done with tests, homework, or by observing children. Build capacity increasing knowledge of, and skills in, a specific area of study. A teacher who builds capacity in mathematics, learns more about math and how to teach the subject to others. Data information gathered through some process, including assessment. ISTEP test scores provide data for teachers about how well children understand concepts in certain subjects. Fluency to read with expression, using appropriate phasing and at a suitable rate. A child who reads with fluency, reads smoothly and understands what is being read. Goal & Objective the target at which a school is aiming to accomplish something. Usually, this is broader than objectives, which give more detail as to how the goal will be achieved. A school’s goal may be for all students to read well. A supporting objective would be to teach students how to understand the plot of a story. Guiding Principles broad ideas based on a findings in research. These principles help the school make decisions about the goals they should set and how the goals should be accomplished. Highly Effective Teaching Model a brain-compatible model of instruction that incorporates conceptual, integrated curriculum. Literacy possessing the ability to read and write. Multisensory using more than one of the senses to learn about something. Some teachers have children write letters in sand tables to learn the letters of the alphabet. Phonemic Awareness being aware of and able to hear the smallest units of sound, and being able to isolate and manipulate individual sounds in words. A child who has phonemic awareness can hear the difference between the sounds at the beginning of the words cat and bat. Professional Development a program designed to improve a person’s job performance. If a school’s goal is to improve students’ reading abilities, teachers may attend a range of seminars or conferences as part of a professional development program. Response to Intervention a model of providing instruction where scientifically-based instructional strategies are used to help students. Progress is monitored to determine if the strategies have helped.

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL  

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL  

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   Huntington County Community School Corporation Parent/ Family Participation in Title I Programs Families and schools must work together to help students achieve high academic standards. In order to promote family involvement, the Huntington Schools’ Title I Family Advisory Members offer the following guidelines to help parents and families come together as respected partners to develop an effective framework to support the success of their child in accomplishing high academic achievement. Our corporation expects parents/families to be actively involved in their child’s education through joint decision-making and participation at the district and school level. In addition, the corporation will provide technical assistance and other supports to foster this partnership. District Level: § Parents are invited to serve on HCCSC Title I Family Advisory Members to provide input and participate in decision-making for Title I schools. If you are interested in serving on one of these committees, please let your school office and principal know. § In the fall, all Title I schools support Student Goal Setting Conferences to foster two-way communication between home and school to share information/data on each student’s achievement and make decisions to establish expectations on goals for the end of the school year. § Open houses in all Title I schools provide families with the opportunity to see the school facilities, meet the faculty, and be informed on the educational opportunities on a first hand basis. § Parents in Title I schools receive information to inform them on their rights and on the possible pathways to utilize when assisting their child in achieving higher levels of achievement. These documents include the Parent’s Right to Know Letter, HCCSC Parent Participation Policy in Title I Programs, School-Parent Compact and School Choice/SES options when applicable. § Multiple communication lines are open and available to parents/families to explain and discuss matters of general interest with regard to child-school, child-home, or child-school-home relationships. § Special events of cultural, ethnic, and/ or theme are developed to involve the cooperative effort of students, teachers, parents, and/or community to build connections with educational goals. § In the spring, all Title I schools support Student Led Conferences to foster two-way communication between home and school to share information/data on each student’s achievement and check progress on goals. § School events will be published in the local newspapers, The Huntington Herald Press and TAB on an ongoing basis. § Professional development and training is provided to parents, teachers, and/or community members to engage and build shared understanding on the effective researched strategies and/or practices known to increase student achievement. School Level: § Parents are encouraged to attend the Annual Title I parent meeting, which is held in the fall (September) at Lancaster Elementary. § Parents are invited to serve on PL221 committees to provide input and participate in decisionmaking to set goals for Lancaster. If you are interested in serving on one of these committees, please let your child’s teacher or the school office know. § Lancaster is supported by its parent-teacher organization, or PALS (Parents at Lancaster School), which meets throughout the school year. Lancaster’s meetings are the first Tuesday of each month at 6:30 in the school library. Parents are encouraged to attend these events and volunteer to help at school functions. Announcements are sent home with the monthly school newsletters. § Goal setting conferences are held each fall for parents, teachers, and students to sit down and look at achievement data and set goals for the student.

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   § § § § § § § § § § §

Parent teacher conferences are held throughout the year to review progress on selected students when needed. Yearly, Lancaster reviews and updates its school family involvement policies and communication. Annual case conferences are held for students who have Individual Education Plans for special education. Classroom teachers will send home newsletters with suggestions for parents to try at home with their child. Copies of the grade level appropriate Indiana College and Career Ready Standards will be available to all families. Kindergarten Orientation will be held in the spring for families with a child entering kindergarten the next year. Parents will be provided with suggestions for activities to do at home to help prepare their child for school. Parents, students, and teachers are asked to sign the School-Parent Compact at the beginning of each year. This compact will be kept on file at school. Each year, parents will be informed of their right to know their teacher’s qualifications under the highly qualified requirements of No Child Left Behind. School attendance will be monitored closely and parents will be notified if excessive absence is becoming a hindrance to a child’s academic achievement. Parents are encouraged to attend study trips and volunteer in their child’s classroom. Parents need to fill out the form for a limited criminal history check prior to volunteering. Professional development and training is provided to parents, teachers, and/or community members to engage and build shared understanding on the effective researched strategies and/or practices known to increase student achievement.

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   School-Wide Title I Compliance Index Plan Introduction • Narrative description of the school, community, and the educational programs • Description and location of curriculum • Titles and descriptions of assessment instruments to be used in addition to ISTEP+

Page References 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 1-7

Comprehensive Needs Assessment (SW #1) • Vision Statement • Statements from data o Technology o Cultural Competency • Analysis • Summary

1-4, 1-5, 1-6, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3, 2-4, 2-5, 2-6

Goals • Include goals for: o At least one content area related to ISTEP+ performance (i.e., reading, writing, or math) o Attendance o Graduation rate (for high schools)

1-2, 2-1, 4-1 through 4-24

Strategies for Implementation (SW #2) 4-1 through 4-24 • Implementation of school-wide reform strategies that: o Provide opportunities for all children to meet proficient and advanced levels of student academic achievement o Use effective methods and instructional strategies that are based on scientifically based research o Strengthens the core academic program o Increases (maximizes) the amount of learning time o Includes strategies for serving underserved populations o Includes strategies to address the needs of all children in the school, but particularly low achieving children and those at risk of not meeting state standards o Address how the school will determine if those needs of the children have been met o Are consistent with and are designed to implement state and local improvement plans, if any (High schools only) • Offer courses that allow students to be eligible to receive an Academic Honors Diploma • Encourage all students to earn academic honors or complete the Core 40 curriculum

 

LANCASTER  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL   Differentiated Learning • Activities and programs at the school level to ensure that students having difficulty mastering proficient and advanced levels of the academic achievement are provided with effective, timely additional assistance (SW) • Opportunities for students who are passing and advanced to have extra projects, assignments, and experiences that push them forward.

1-4, 4-2, 4-5, 4-7, 4-9, 4-10, 4-11, 4-12, 4-20

Professional development (SW #4) • Meaningful, ongoing opportunities based on needs of students and teachers • Collaborative • Includes opportunities and expectations for teachers to be included in the decision-making related to the use of academic assessment results leading to the improvement of student achievement (SW #8) • Highly Qualified Teachers (SW #3) • Strategies to attract high quality teachers to this school (SW #5)

1-1, 1-3, 4-3, 4-6, 4-14, 4-

Parental Involvement (SW #6) • Opportunities offered for parents • Strategies to increase parental involvement, such as literacy services (SW #6a) • Description of how the school provides individual academic assessment results to parent (SW #6b) • Strategies to involve parents in the planning, review, and improvement of the school-wide plan (SW #6c)

1-7, 2-3, 2-4, 2-5, 2-6, 4-3, 4-17, 4-22, Appendix E

Transitions • Plans for assisting preschool children in the transition from early childhood programs such as Head Start, Even Start, Early Reading First, or a state-run preschool program (SW #7) • Plans for moving from elementary to middle; middle to high school; high school to post-secondary education or employment.

4-4, 4-18

Safe and Disciplined Learning Environment

1-3, 1-4, Appendix E

Statutes and Rules • Statues and rules to be waived • Consolidation of Funds in a School-wide program (SW#10)

2-2

15, 4-17, 4-22, Appendix E