Superintendent’s Welcome & Briefing

1. Superintendent’s Welcome & Briefing • Administrator’s Retreat • August 5, 2010 • Las Cruces Public Schools • Stan Rounds

2. A Responsive Learning Community Begins with a Mission Focused on Students

3. LCPS: A Responsive Learning Community • Budget reductions cannot limit our mission to provide “a student-centered learning environment that cultivates character, fosters academic excellence, and embraces diversity” • Educational plans must emerge from student achievement data and be purposeful and targeted • We must expand our definition of “intervention” to include those in the upper quartile without compromising our commitment to those in the lower quartile • Parental and community involvement is essential

4. A Responsive Learning Community Celebrates Success • Schools achieving AYP Status for 2010-2011

5. A Responsive Learning Community Celebrates Success • Schools with Three or Fewer Missed AYP Indicators

6. A Responsive Learning Community Celebrates Success • Schools with Reductions in Missed AYP Indicators

7. A Responsive Learning Community Celebrates Success • Mathematics • 66% of elementary schools (23 out of 35) celebrate growth • 57% of middle schools (4 of 7) celebrate growth • 100% of high schools (4 of 4) celebrate growth

8. A Responsive Learning Community Celebrates Success • In mathematics, 11 schools (31%) exceeded the 2010 state goal (AMO) • Alameda • Desert Hills • Fairacres • Hillrise • Highland • MacArthur • Mesilla Park • White Sands Elementary and Middle • Mayfield • Onate

9. A Responsive Learning Community Celebrates Success • Six schools realized a greater than 10% growth in mathematics • Alameda (11.4%) • Mesilla (12.5%) • Sunrise (11.2%) • Las Cruces High (11%) • Onate High (15.7%) • Mayfield High (21%)

10. A Responsive Learning Community Celebrates Success • Reading • Four of 35 schools (11%) exceeded the 2010 state goal (AMO) • Desert Hills • Hillrise • Mesilla • Las Cruces High

11. A Responsive Learning Community Celebrates Success • Reading Growth • B.T.Washington (2%) • Loma Heights (4.6%) • MacArthur (4.7%) • Sunrise (1.3%) • Tombaugh (2.1%) • Zia (0.42%) • Mayfield (9.6%) • Las Cruces High (9.7%) • Onate High (14.6%) • San Andres High (25.4%)

12. A Responsive Learning Community Celebrates Success • 10% reduction in drop-out rate - LCPS cohort graduation rate now 66% • 95% attendance rate district wide • Realizing a more responsive and supportive network • 45% of English Language Learners increased English proficiency (AMAO 1 state target = 25%) • 19% of English Language Learners attained English proficiency (AMAO 2 state target = 16%)

13. A Responsive Learning Community Celebrates Success • Facilities master plan accounts for future growth & maintenance of existing buildings • Energy savings plan that will return funding to the operational budget • Capital outlay and facilities projects are efficiently managed and contribute to the overall integrity of the instructional program • Fiscal management is of the highest integrity and focused on the students we serve • Community outreach and response to parent concerns and complaints are rated high on survey data

14. A responsive community Is Attentive to its plan of Action • Transformational Model - a rigorous intervention model that all schools commit to implement • Reading, language arts, and mathematics proficiency for all students • Instructional leadership • Comprehensive and purposeful data analysis to ensure that ALL students are learning • Focus on the “whole child” through a robust interdisciplinary curriculum that includes the arts, music, physical education, science, & social studies • Implementation of the core curriculum with fidelity • Coordinated review of all interventions, including enrichment and acceleration, for effectiveness • Student Academic Support (RtI model) - WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, and WHY with clearly defined progress monitoring

15. A responsive community Is Attentive to a plan of Action • Highly qualified teachers and para-professionals • Hiring process to attract & retain the “best” • Beginning teacher induction program & mentoring • Proficiency levels for English Language Learners in all academic subjects • Alignment and use of NM ELD standards • Curriculum maps guide and align instruction • Differentiated professional development that is job-embedded and data driven • Classroom walk through protocol

16. A responsive community Is Attentive to a plan of Action • Coordinated review of all interventions above the core • Safe, Drug-free schools conducive to learning • Careful analysis of discipline referrals and consequences • Attendance interventions to increase attendance rates (coupled with more engaging classroom practice) • Valuing and encouraging parental involvement • Exploring alternative education opportunities • Support for student transitions from one level to the next

17. A responsive community accepts & Meets challenges • Increase attendance rates by 1.5% • Increase graduation rate by 20% at all high schools • Career and college counseling is provided to students, not some but ALL • Examination of the critical role that counselors play in the educational, social, & behavioral context • Teachers and other professionals are visited at least twice monthly and receive critical feedback on their practice • Central office personnel provide support that is timely and productive • All subpopulations show growth in measured achievement areas by at least 10% (regression is not an option)

18. A responsive community accepts & Meets challenges • Teachers, principals, and assistant principals call a parent every day with a positive message • Teachers take accurate attendance daily within the first ten minutes of class • School staff welcome all parents and visitors professionally (“the 8-second rule”) • Communication loop is closed within 24-hours (schools and central office) with minimal transfers • Criticality is the measure for all travel • We must take a proactive attitude to address budget challenges

19. Our Mission: The Las Cruces Public Schools, in partnership with students, families, and the community, provides a student-centered learning environment that cultivates character, fosters academic excellence, and embraces diversity.