School Improvement Plan

1. School Improvement Plan February 2, 2010 Amy Digman, Lisa Greenstein, Lisa Merideth, Megan Stryjewski, Kim Tooley

2. Kirkwood At A Glance • 1 Early childhood Center • 5 Elementary Schools • 2 Middle Schools • 1 High School • Total Enrollment- 5,026 • Missouri School Improvement- Accredited • Distinction in Performance

3. Kirkwood Demographics

4. District Details • Attendance Rate- 94.7/ MO 95.1 • Graduation Rate- 97.1%/ MO 85% • Dropout Rate- 1.4%/ MO 4.3 • Staff to Student Ratio- 17/ MO 17 • Administrator to Student Ratio- 232/ MO 187 • Average Staff Experience- 12.2 yrs/ MO 13.8 • Average Teacher Salary-$62,140/ MO $46,089 • Average Admin Salary-$127,462/ MO $82,274

5. 2009 District MAP Results District Improvement Level 2 • Comm Arts- Not Met (4 of 7 groups Met) • Mathematics- Not Met (4 of 6 groups Met) • Attendance Rate- Met • Graduation Rate- Met • Met- 4 Elementary Schools • Not Met- 1 High School, 2 Middle Schools, 1 Elementary School

6. Kirkwood District Framework • Kirkwood Strategic Plan • Planning Form • School Improvement Plans: November 2008

7. Procedures for Developing CSIP: Written Document • Kirkwood School District's Strategic Planning Process • A Coordinating Committee, including 15 members of the School District staff and 15 members of the community, met June 12-14, 2007 to frame the new strategic plan. Their work included (see Framework): Beliefs Mission Objectives Parameters • A strategic planning process has been used by Kirkwood Schools since 1991 to invite wide-spread participation in district directions and initiatives. Three different strategic plans have been written and implemented, each lasting a 5 year period resulting in notable district improvements and programs (see History). The last plan was concluded in May 2007. • Eleven committees are now being convened to develop action plans for each of the eleven strategies. An action plan is a step-by-step outline of what needs to be done to implement the stated strategy. Committees will work through December to draft their ideas. Any Kirkwood School District staff member, parent or community member is welcome to join a strategy committee. • For each strategy, there will be action plans written that detail how we might implement the strategy. The committee writing action plans determines how many action plans are needed. In our last strategic plan, one strategy had only 5 action plans and one strategy had 30 action plans. Each action plan includes one objective and a series of step-by-step actions that are recommended in order to reach the objective and contribute to reaching the strategy (see Action Plan Samples).

8. Procedures for Developing CSIP: District Perspective • Plan revised every 5 years • Parties involved in the development and revision- • Coordinating and Strategy committees • 15 staff/ 15 community members • Co-chaired by one staff and one parent • Over 200 people including staff, parents and community members • Open participation

9. Procedures for Developing CSIP: District Perspective • Data used includes: Surveys, student achievement scores, budget, facilities (everything available is reviewed) • Annual update meetings with original 30 coordinating committee members to evaluate and monitor plan

10. Procedures for Developing CSIP: Building Perspective • Retreat committee hears ideas from the strategy groups (recommendations regarding goals with action plans) • Site level creates SIP teams (administrators, staff, parents) • School vision- set goals • School has to show what strategy it would connect to (strategic plan) • School submits school improvement plan

11. Components of CSIP: District Perspective • Learning • Achievement • Program • Community Support • Data • Planning

12. Components of CSIP • Beliefs, Mission, Objectives, & Parameters • 11 strategies • Each strategy contains: • Summary of Specific Action Plan Objectives • Objectives • Action Steps

13. CSIP Goals, Objectives, Strategies, and Action Steps • 11 strategies • Each strategy had a committee of parents, teachers, administrators, & community members • Each strategy contains multiple objectives • Each objective includes multiple action steps

14. CSIP Goals, Objectives, Strategies, and Action Steps • Strategy 1: We will continuously collect and analyze student data to maximize instruction that meets the unique needs of the student. • Strategy 2: We will provide a safe and welcoming school community in which all students, staff and community members feel they belong. • Strategy 3: We will address the unique needs of each student through the development and implementation of individual education plans. • Strategy 4: Our educators will have the skills to effectively use innovative instructional strategies, instructional design, and resources that enable students to achieve academic excellence. • Strategy 5: We will develop in each student the character and social skills needed to be effective learners and make meaningful contributions to the world around. (CONTINUED)

15. CSIP Goals, Objectives, Strategies, and Action Steps • Strategy 6: Our students will understand and appreciate world cultures, including their own. • Strategy 7: Each child will develop a wide range of interests through the provision of multiple opportunities. • Strategy 8: Students will become excellent problem solvers and decision makers in their personal lives and in a global context. • Strategy 9: We will provide support for families to enable them to more effectively be involved in the education process. • Strategy 10: We will develop mutually beneficial partnerships with alumni and community so they can be actively involved in supporting our mission. • Strategy 11: We will develop a process to continually analyze and upgrade our facilities in order to support our mission and objectives.

16. CSIP Goals, Objectives, Strategies, and Action Steps Example of Action Plan Strategy: We will continuously collect and analyze student data to maximize instruction that meets the unique needs of each student. Objective: Collect, organize, and store data Action Steps: • Collect qualitative and quantitative data on a continuous basis. • Evaluate district assessments to: avoid redundant collection, assess reliability • Provide appropriate data collection tools for: screening, diagnosing, progress monitoring, mastery assessment • Store data in a centralized location • Review data collected to ensure accuracy • Continuously assess the process and tools of data collection • Build regular time into schedules for data collection

17. Data Used in Developing the Plan • MAP scores • Qualitative data (surveys) • Tungston • District common assessments • Teacher observations • DRA • SRI • Aims Web

18. Explanation of Federal Grants, Technology Plans, & ePeGS • Technology Plan

19. Methods of Evaluating & Monitoring: Building Perspective • Prioritize goals • Shrink gap between current reality and vision • Retreat committee revisits and revises

20. Methods of Evaluating & Monitoring: District Perspective • Annual update meeting • Original 30 committee members • Then individual administrators from each building involved • Monitored by committee updates and administrator check-ins/meetings (monthly)

21. Strengths of CSIP: District Perspective • Built on collaboration • Ever changing to fit the needs of the district • Leads all stakeholders towards common goals

22. Strengths of CSIP: Building Perspective • Builds consistency and continuity across the district • Living and breathing document • Many stakeholders involved

23. Strengths of CSIP: Our Perspective • Connection between district and individual building plans • Multi-year plan • Process included many people...community members, administrators, teachers • Building level plans are extremely detailed and focused • Represents their values and beliefs

24. Weaknesses of CSIP: District Perspective • Plan could always be stronger but at this time we are very pleased with the plan we have. • Always will be the challenges of funding, student achievement expectations and changing personnel • Was unaware that the 2009 plan was not on the website, did not know the reason for this

25. Weaknesses of CSIP: Building Perspective • Many obstacles during the five years • Shifting personnel • Economics • Change in Board of Education members

26. Weaknesses of CSIP: Our Perspective • District Improvement Plan is not included in the eBook • Lack of explicit alignment to budget • Lack of explicit alignment from strategic plan and school improvement plans • 2009-2010 plans are not posted on webpage

27. Recommendations for Kirkwood • Continue to share through eBooks • Create clear connections between strategic plan and school improvement • Clear and measurable timelines for reaching goals • Clear explanations of funding and money expenditures