Wittenberg-Birnamwood High School

1. Wittenberg-Birnamwood High School Growing a Culture of Excellence through Responsive Systems Jill Sharp, Principal Kara Muthig, School Psychologist

2. Today’s Purpose and Outcomes: Purpose: Explain how using systems to organize structural supports within a school building can help change culture and increase student achievement. Outcomes: Take away something new that can be used to grow student success in your school Understand how the use of data helps instruction Learn how accountability measures can be strategically placed into a school system in response to the students in the seat Learn how a culture of excellence grows intentional planning and staff collaboration

3. WBHS Demographics • Wittenberg & Birnamwood are rural communities in central Wisconsin. • WBHS enrollment has been declining over the past five years. Current enrollment = 367 • 91% White, 4.9% American Indian, 2.7% Hispanic • 37.3% Low SES • 15.0% Students with disabilities

4. WBHS…our journey • Before implementing EWS, we had a lot of data but didn’t use it effectively • Learned that we had to schedule collaboration and not assume that staff knew how to do this • Having a decision making model has helped us to focus rather than jumping from initiative to initiative • 6th year of PBIS. Has become part of the culture of our school.

5. Present Past • Do your own thing • Create your own curriculum • Hold your own ideas • Teach content • Collaboration • Sharing of information and ideas • Work as a unit for the whole child • Teach students using the content Teachers have always been here to do what’s right for kids PBIS Forum 2014

6. District Goals • All students will improve literacy skills in reading and writing across the K-12 curriculum in alignment with the common core standards • All students will improve math literacy skills through the study of and alignment with the common core standards • The District will improve student learning with aligned curriculum, assessment, and instruction. • The District will ensure that students have a safe, welcoming and productive learning environment.

7. District Decision Making Model

8. Keys to improving culture and use of systems to meet student needs Pillars of Excellence Morning Meetings Early Warning Systems PBIS Advisory Hour PBIS Forum 2014

9. WBHS Pillars of Excellence The WBHS Staff will model the WBHS Pillars of Excellence for ourselves, our colleagues and our students so that a culture of trust and support is consistently sustained within our school. These Pillars of Excellence represent our beliefs and commitments to each other and every student in our building: Welcome: Everyone is valued Believe: It’s never too late to learn Helpful: We support each other Succeed: Reaching out goals PBIS Forum 2014

10. Welcoming Practices • Student Advisory • Learning Council • Morning Meetings • Co-Teaching/Inclusive Instruction • Mentoring • Aesthetics PBIS Forum 2014

11. Turn and Talk What practices, policies and/or behaviors does your school currently use that may be in conflict with your own mission or vision?

12. Early Warning Systems: WBHS Goal The high school staff will use the EWS High School Tool and Data Wall to provide a resource framework that identifies students who are off track for graduation or underachieving, so that staff-designed, evidence-based programs and practices, based on data, can be put into place early and systematically in order to prepare all students for postsecondary and career readiness.

13. Data Data Data • What data do we have? • How do we organize that data? • How do we prioritize data? • Who will evaluate the data? • How will we use the data to make decisions? • How will we share results of the data? with whom?

14. What is EWS? • Early Warning Systems • Decision rules were based on risk factors • Staff decided prioritize by reading scores • Look for patterns in groups. Meeting protocol keeps us on track. • Different meetings for different purposes, but communicate between teams. PBIS Forum 2014

15. EWS Teams Teams were chosen with the intent to represent all departments. • 9th Grade Team: Principal, School Counselor, Math Teachers, ELA Teacher, Science Teacher, Health/PE Teacher, Social Studies Teacher, Special Education Teacher, School Psychologist • 10th Grade Team: Principal, School Counselor, PE Teacher, Math Teacher, Social Studies Teacher, Science Teacher, ELA Teacher, Specialist, Special Education Teacher, School Psychologist • 11th Grade Team: Principal, School Counselor, PE Teacher, Math Teacher, Social Studies Teacher, Science Teacher, ELA Teacher, Specialist, Special Education Teacher, School Psychologist • Core, special ed teacher, specialist, everyone else is invited. Counselor, Dean of Students and Principal, School Psychologist.

16. EWS Meeting Structure • Norms: Stay on task, Start and end on time, Everyone contributes, Non-judgmental conversations, Comments are solutions-based • Roles: Principal facilitates meetings, but all participate. • When: Teams meet monthly after school. • Where: Teams meet in the data room. • Outcomes: Increased level of knowledge about kids in the seat and a plan of action for groups and individual students.

17. Using the EWS Tool • Data is downloaded into the EWS tool prior to every team meeting by Dean of Students • Data sheets are handed out on confidential data sheets at each team meeting • Data is also visually represented on data wall in locked data room Student Flags

18. Reviewing the Data-- Protocol

19. Reviewing the Data—Data Wall Regularly Review & Update: • MAP scores • ACT Aspire • Smarter Balanced • WKCE scores • DEWS scores • Attendance • Behavioral referrals • Grades • Connection survey • Co-Curricular Participation *Will also be using ACT data at end of year

20. Reviewing the Data—Data Cards Information on student data cards: • Special Education • ELL • Booster/Intervention Classes • Attendance Risk • Behavioral Risk • Grade/Credit Risk • DEWS Risk • Co-curricular Participation

21. Reviewing the Data Who is at risk? • Team looks for patterns. • First we look at whole group and small group concerns • Next we look at individual student concerns • Team focuses on MAP scores after current benchmark dates • Team focuses on grades/attendance/behavior in-between benchmark assessments

22. Interpreting the Data • Team discusses individual and/or groups of students who are at risk. Staff share any additional information that may help with decision making. • Parents are often contacted when discussing risk of individual students. • School counselor or school psychologist may interview the student to problem solve. *Use caution in assigning tasks to pupil services staff

23. Interpreting the Data Examples: • Team dug deeper into MAP scores of students near the benchmark. The team found a pattern that almost all of those students struggled most with the strand “Informational Text”. • Team hypothesized that some students might not be trying their best on the MAP test and therefore scores may be inaccurate of true skills. • Team hypothesized that individual students are struggling with mental health issues, relationships, connections at school, AODA issues, skill deficits, etc.

24. Assign & Provide Interventions Tier 1: • Core curriculum • District RtI Team • WBHS PBIS Team • Daily Morning Meetings • 8th Period Advisory (IE System) Tiers 2 & 3: • CICO • Individual & Small Group Counseling • Mentoring • Academic Booster/Intervention Classes (core plus more) • Academic Call Backs • Lunch to Learn (New March 2015) • RtI/PBIS Tier 2&3 Meetings

25. Assign & Provide Interventions Entry/Exit Decision Rules: • Interventions during IE (Teacher created) • CICO (SWIS Data and Attendance) • Counseling (Parent, Teacher or Self Referral) • Mentoring (EWS and Tier 2/3 Teams assign based on data) Do we have enough available interventions to meet all student needs? • Would like to do more mentoring • Would like to do more small group counseling • Shortage of mental health resources in the community

26. Monitor Student Progress • Data is collected throughout the year. • We need to work on adding progress monitoring tools for interventions (still working on creating…both for progress of individuals as well as the intervention as a whole) • Academic Behavior Measures • Decision rules/rubric for intervention classes • Need decision rules for non-academic interventions

27. Turn and Talk Discuss with a partner how your school is using data to inform instruction. What are your next best steps?

28. All School Advisory Hour Purpose: • Create a culture of trust and support that is anchored in our four pillars • Welcome: Everyone is Valued Here • Believe: It’s Never Too Late to Learn • Help: We Support Each Other • Succeed: Reaching Our Goals • Increase student achievement for all learners • Provide immediate and direct supports for learners who are below benchmark or underachieving • Increase exposure through enrichment offerings

29. Creating an effective Advisory (I/E) Period Staff In-Service Call Backs

30. Screenshot of IE spreadsheet

31. Enrichment Classes • Use to create exposure • Decision Rules • Teacher proposals for enrichment classes • Enrichment Calendar • Clubs & Organizations • Parents have access…live on website

32. Enrichment Calendar Screenshot

33. Evaluate & Refine Process • Team evaluated EWS process end of year • Evaluated risk indicators & thresholds • Evaluated decision rules & interventions & made changes • Evaluated impact with student outcome data • D/F list • MAP Scores • Attendance • Growth on School Report Card • Reflected on strengths and challenges

34. PBIS The WBHS Faculty and Staff will teach 21st century skills and learning behaviors so that students are successful in school, home and community. • We use RtI/EWS and PBIS teams to meet our building goals. • We must teach the behaviors associated with responsibility for learning. • Direct link between behaviors and academic success. • More intensive needs are handled by Tier2/3 teams

36. Evaluate & Refine • Increase instructional time: move meetings to after school, investigate alternative scheduling options (block, modified block, etc.) • Continue to work toward core plus more for ALL students below grade level • Refine the art and science of teaching through deeper investigation of the GRRM • Learn - attend institutes, conferences, read, collaborate (EE) • Reflect - evaluate ourselves and identify weaknesses so that we can continue to improve professionally (EE) • Expand EWS so that all grade levels meet and review data (Request from staff to add 11th grade meetings for 2014-15) • Identify clear cut scores for interventions and communicate those will all stakeholders

37. Lessons Learned • Things take time • Build a culture of meeting kid’s needs • Know your staff • Give all staff a voice in making decisions and creating the system supports • There are things you have to give up in order to do something different • Communication is key • Use what didn’t work and learn from it to change for the better

38. Lessons Learned • Staff perceptions of impact of system changes with PBIS when connected to bigger picture • Connect to Life Skills • Not just about how to go through lunch line • We have to TEACH kids what academic behaviors look like and practice them

40. What are our teachers saying? • There is still never enough time • We need to include all staff somehow • Would like to focus more on groups of students rather than individuals • We will have more data as we move forward about effectiveness of EWS • Staff feel more ownership • Systems approach is more effective • Better awareness of student needs due to data and collaboration • Problem solving is positive

41. School Learning Objective All students in the Wittenberg-Birnamwood High School will improve academic (learning) behaviors and academic achievement by participating in the I/E system so that 91% or more of all course work results in A's, B's or C's and each grade level demonstrates 96% attendance rate or higher by the end of the 2014-15 school year. Connecting goals to purposeful, meaningful work.

42. WBHS School Report Cards 2012-2013 2013-2014

43. Questions?

44. Thank you! jsharp@wittbirn.k12.wi.us kmuthig@wittbirn.k12.wi.us

45. Early Warning System Resources • National High School Center • www.betterhighschools.org • Early Warning Systems in Education • www.earlywarningsystems.org • YouTube Channel webinars: NHSCenterMedia PBIS Forum 2014