School Improvement Plan 2013-14

1. School Improvement Plan 2013-14 Hanmer School – Margaret Zacchei Highcrest School – Maresa Harvey Webb School – Michael Verderame Emerson-Williams School – Neela Thakur Charles Wright School – Glenn Horter October 22, 2013 Wethersfield Board of Education

2. Student Learning Outcomes Goals • 2 Goals - Performance and progress on the academic learning measures in the state’s accountability system for schools • School wide SPI Progress • School wide SPI subgroup Progress • 3 Goals - Performance and growth on locally determined measures • Non-tested subject or grades (high school must include graduation goal) • Two more Student Learning Goals – indicators may focus on student results from a subset of teachers, grade levels, or subjects

3. 2 SPI Goals • At this time the CSDE has not released School Performance Index data. • This data will be shared once available.

4. 3 Locally Determined Goals • Goal 1: First grade students meeting or exceeding goal on the number of words written and number of words spelled correctly on the Test of Written Expression in the spring of 2014 will be 5% higher compared to the scores in the spring of 2013.

5. Rationale & Strategies • To understand the impact of increased instructional time as a result of full day kindergarten • Increase the volume and quality of student writing across all genres • Implement calendar days where teachers participate in grade level professional development

6. Rationale & Strategies • Implement district bottom lines in writing • Increase opportunities to write for authentic purposes

7. 3 Locally Determined Goals • Goal 2: The percentage of students in K-3 in the levels of meeting standards and exceeding standards will increase from the fall 2013 to the spring 2014 as measured by the DRA.

8. Rationale & Strategies • Building strong reading skills in the primary grades is foundational to success across all content areas in the intermediate grades • Implement Common Core State Standards in reading through the implementation of the workshop model • Implement Teacher’s College units of study

9. Rationale & Strategies • Strengthen the effectiveness of grade level collaborative teams • Implement Teacher’s College units of study • Facilitate professional book clubs for staff to expand knowledge of best practice

10. 3 Locally Determined Goals • Goal 3: 80% of the students will increase by at least one band from the pre to post on demand writing assessment in each genre as measured by the Columbia rubric.

11. Rationale & Strategies • With the implementation of the Common Core State Standards, students must meet higher expectations in writing • Utilize the Columbia Teacher’s College writing rubric • Develop collaborative process to analyze student work, monitor progress and adjust instruction

12. Rationale & Strategies • Increase students’ opportunities to write for authentic purposes • Utilize curriculum specialists, reading consultants and instructional supervisor to support implementation of writing initiatives • Generate enthusiasm for writing through school-wide writing initiatives

13. Organizational Capacity-building Goals • 1 Goal - Teacher Practice • What will be the building level focus to improve classroom instruction? Consider the bottom lines, Framework for Teaching Evaluation Instrument (Danielson, 2013) and district focus areas. • 1 Goal - Team Improvement Goal • Based on The Seven Stages of Professional Learning. What is the goal related to data teams? • 1 Goal - School Climate and Culture • Consider stakeholder feedback survey data (parent and staff)

14. Teacher Practice Goal By the end of the 2013-2014 school year, 90% of teachers will effectively implement conferring /student feedback strategies linked to the Teachers’ College as measured by a self-rating of four in all categories on the conferring rubric.

15. Rationale & Strategies • Domain 3 in the Danielson rubric utilized in the teacher evaluation plan focuses on questioning techniques, feedback and conferring • Facilitate professional book clubs • Utilize faculty meetings and grade level collaborative meetings to share best practices on conferring • Improve the effective use of conferring notebooks

16. Team Improvement Goal • Goal: By the end of the 2013-2014 school year 90% of our grade level data teams will be working at or above Stage Four (4) as described in The Seven Stages of Professional Learning Teams Rubric

17. Rationale & Strategies • This goal is directly related to the Wethersfield School Improvement Plan for improving instruction across all content areas • The emphasis will be on utilizing data to drive instruction and improve teaching and learning • The process will require continuous reflection and collaboration throughout each cycle • Data teams will assist with improving our universal assessment scores as well as state standardized test scores

18. Rationale & Strategies • Data team work will allow for quality lesson planning to challenge students to meet high expectations • Instructional strategies derived from meaningful data will enhance student learning • Data teams will be initially facilitated by district curriculum specialists and teacher leaders • Teachers will write SMART goals based on assessment data

19. School Climate and Culture Rationale: At all schools we strive to set high academic, social and behavioral expectations for students in order to create an optimal environment for learning. The school climate and culture goals at each school are based on the spring 2013 parent survey data.

20. Hanmer School • Goal: Comparing the Spring 2013 parent survey results with the Spring 2014 parent survey results, 85% of parents will respond favorably to question #4 (My child is challenged to meet high expectations at the school.)

21. Strategies • Improve communication to parents; increase information on content learning • Implement school-wide behavioral program • Facilitate and utilize parent forums to share curriculum information

22. Webb Elementary School • Goal: Comparing the Spring 2013 Parent Survey results with the Spring 2014 Parent Survey Results • 85% of parents will respond favorably to question #4 (My child is challenged to meet high expectations at the school) • 93% will respond favorably to question #3 (The school offers me many ways to be involved in my child’s education)

23. Strategies • Improve quality and frequency of communication with parents • Increase available information related to curriculum and instruction • Infuse differentiated instruction daily • Implement new parent involvement opportunities • Incorporate six Town Meetings

24. Emerson-Williams School Goal: • On the Spring 2014 Parent Survey, 85% of all parents will respond favorably to the following question:  Bullying is a problem at my child's school. (Question # 8)

25. Strategies • Improve both parent and student education about the definition of bullying • Improve utilization of School Psychologist and School Social Worker • Work with staff to ensure that mean acts, student conflicts, and bullying are dealt with in a swift and consistent manner

26. Charles Wright School Goal: • On the Spring 2014 Parent Survey, 85% of all parents will respond favorably to the following question:  Bullying is a problem at my child's school. (Question # 8)

27. Strategies • Implement Covey’s Seven Habits for Healthy Kids followed by the Leader In Me program in following years • Improve both parent and student education about the definition of bullying • Implement and communicate a referral process

28. Highcrest School Goal: • Comparing the Spring 2013 Parent Survey with the Spring 2014 Parent Survey results, 85% of all parents will respond favorably to question #4 (My child is challenged to meet high expectations, both academic and behavioral, at school).

29. Strategies • Effective lesson planning and classroom instruction as well as implementation of core principles that guide school-wide discipline. • Increase communication with families regarding high academic and behavior expectations. • Provide extension activities tailored to meet the needs of students who are achieving at high levels.

30. Strategies • Emphasis on rigor and how to embrace academic challenge and behavioral expectations to parents at Open House, PTO meetings, parent conferences and special programs: 2nd cup of coffee and literacy night. • Utilize the school website to share information regarding academics and behavioral expectations. (Bulldog Blast-Highcrest Intervention Team Blog) • Staff book study, Jim Fay’s “Schoolwide Discipline Plan without the Loopholes.”