Comprehensive Plan Report - schools.cms.k12.nc.usschools.cms.k12.nc.us/ashleyparkES/Documents/Ashley Park Indistar Pl… · Priority School Indicators Ashley Park Elementary School

November 01, 2013

Priority School Indicators

Ashley Park Elementary School NCES - na

Comprehensive Plan Report

Key Indicators are shown in RED.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

A detailed report showing activity of the district or school team’s work on the improvement plan including assessments, plans, tasks, monitoring, and implementation for selected time periods.

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Providing operational flexibility and sustained support

Federal Requirement: Give the school sufficient operational flexibility (such as staffing, calendars/time, and budgeting) to implement fully a comprehensive approach to substantially improve student achievement outcomes and increase high school graduation rates.

Indicator A01 - The LEA has examined current state and LEA policies and structures related to central control and made modifications to fully support transformation. (1633)

Status Tasks completed: 0 of 4 (0%)

Assess Level of Development: Initial: Limited Development 11/01/2013

Index: 4 (Priority Score x Opportunity Score)

Priority Score: 2 (3 - highest, 2 - medium, 1 - lowest)

Opportunity Score: 2 (3 - relatively easy to address, 2 - accomplished within current policy and budget conditions, 1 - requires changes in current policy and budget conditions)

Describe current level of development:

Ashley Park is currently a part of the Project L.I.F.T. Zone, thus allowing the school to have autonomous government and focus on school transformation from a district and school level.

Plan Assigned to: Denise Watts

How it will look when fully met: As a Project L.I.F.T. school, Ashley Park will meet the ambitious goals of 90/90/90 by 2017 (90% of students will achieve more than a year's worth of growth, 90% will be proficient, and 90% will be promoted prepared for the transition to the next grade level and on track toward college and/or career success. In order to accomplish this, teachers and principals will be hired and have a sustained inclination for school turnaround. The school will have the flexibility to leverage resources (time, people, and money) strategically and in a way that will advance the continued improvement of the school. A strong data driven instructional culture will be in place to make decisions and meet the needs of students. Central office staff to include the L.I.F.T. team and CMS as a whole will remain service oriented, balancing support and press to move the school to continuous levels of improvement. This year there will be specific focus on re-calibration around the common core standards. With the delayed release of End of Grade test scores and the anticipated dip that is predicted, the school will need to assess the new reality and adopt new practices or modify existing practices for rapid improvement as needed before end of grades tests in the spring of this year. The district office will support the school, providing resources and flexibility as needed.

Target Date: 06/11/2013

Tasks:

1. Review Project L.I.F.T. Collaboration Agreement with CMS to ensure that flexibility for time, people, and money allocation is being maximized to the fullest extent needed. If needed, engage CMS executive leadership and Project L.I.F.T. governance board in making changes.

Assigned to: Denise Watts

Added date: 11/01/2013

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Target Completion Date: 01/23/2014

Comments: Meet with superintendent, chair of L.I.F.T. Governance Board chair (Anna Nelson, and school board legislative committee to review collaboration agreement and to plan for the state legislative short session. Moore and Van Allen, L.I.F.T. policy advocate, was present at the meeting as well. Began discussions for additional flexibilities that may be needed by CMS school board versus ones that will need legislative approval.

2. Develop legislative agenda for the year with L.I.F.T. Governance Board, CMS School Board, and Superintendent. Moore and Van Allen will begin lobbying efforts in Raleigh for needed changes to current laws that govern the school.


Added date: 11/01/2013Target Completion Date: 11/22/2013

Comments:

3. Assess implementation of the continuous learning calendar adding 19 days to current school year using flexibility granted last school year. Ensure school SIG resources, L.I.F.T. resources, and CMS resources were aligned appropriately to ensure optimal facilitation of the July start date and the first intersession in October



Comments: Project Plan developed and facilitated by Susan Norwood. Susan will assess plan based on the first quarter implementation and determine changes to resource allocation needed for planning for second intersession in April and opening of schools in July 2014.

4. Develop a recruitment and retention strategy to ensure the highest caliber teachers are retained the school and there is an proactive and strategic approach taken for recruiting teachers for the next school year. This means all newly hired teachers will be screened using Public Impact's Turnaround competencies and must meet L.I.F.T. standard for hire BEFORE principal interviews. Leverage L.I.F.T. dollars to offer recruitment bonuses to further enhance this strategy.

Assigned to: Daniel Swartz


Comments:

Implement Percent Task Complete: 0%

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Indicator A02 - The LEA has reoriented its culture toward shared responsibility and accountability. (1634)







The Project L.I.F.T Way has been developed and introduced as the expectations regarding shared accountability and responsibility. The L.I.F.T way primarily addresses the teaching and learning components but we are limited in development of the standard operational procedures.

Plan Assigned to: Chris Triolo

How it will look when fully met: There will be a pervasive understanding of high academic and behavioral expectations and a collective effort to ensure all students attain those standards. The L.I.F.T. Way document will guide schools to the standard of excellence. Data driven instruction will be authentically in place to meet students learning needs but also to make other decisions around resource allocation, dismissal/retention of staff, how time is used/extended/modified within the school, professional development needs, etc. The L.I.F.T. Community office will continue to convey the L.I.F.T. brand and vision around urgency, belief, and will to lift student achievement and align that messaging with the expectations for accountability moving the schools from process orientation to results orientation. This will be done while providing the necessary support, structure and flexibility to maximize efforts.


Tasks:

1. Create and distribute the L.I.F.T. Way. Operationalize the document with fidelity.

Assigned to: Chris Triolo


Comments: L.I.F. T. Way Document was created with significant input from teachers, assistant principals, and principals, and learning community staff to ensure that the document reflects agreed upon standards for excellence in the areas of culture, data driven instruction, personalized learning, and alignment. Workshop sessions were facilitated this summer for distribution and overview of purpose. L.I.F.T. Community Office needs to determine next steps to include how to operationalize with fidelity.

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2. Define and implement a professional development plan, aligned to the L.I.F.T. Way to ensure school leaders, principals, and other instructional leaders have the capacity to facilitate balanced literacy and DDI within their schools. Professional development plan should also include capacity building for the common core standards to ensure the written curriculum is aligned to the taught curriculum with a strong focus on rigor, engagement and interventions for students. Principals will also receive explicit training on creating the culture/conditions for quality implementation and accountability.



Comments: Monthly PD Structure for aligned PD for principals, assistant principals, and ILT members. Last Tuesday of each month: Principals Last Wednesday of each month: ILT Last Thursday of each month: Assistant Principals and Deans. Leverage Leadership book and resources will be used, especially as it relates to DDI. Barbara Blackburn and New Leaders a part of the PD eco system as experts in the field and accountability partners to learning community office and schools. CMS Literacy Team (Jami Rodgers and Tangi Marshall) provide monthly balanced literacy sessions for principals.

3. Facilitate leadership shepherding visits with principals to occur minimally two times per month providing one on one time for school walkthroughs, data dives, coaching and focused conversations for school improvement. Use Paul Bambrick's observation feedback model as a framework. Recording notes from visits on google doc for principal and community office to assess progress on bite-sized recommendations for improvement per school visit.



Comments:

4. Quarterly evaluation of student absences, teacher absences, and student behavioral data to monitor and action plan for other leading indicators for school turnaround

Assigned to: Doug Jones


Comments:


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Providing operational flexibility and sustained support

Federal Requirement: Ensure that the school receives ongoing, intensive technical assistance and related support from the LEA, the SEA, or a designated external lead partner organization (such as a school turnaround organization or EMO).

Indicator B15 - The LEA provides the school transformation team members with information on what the school can do to promote rapid improvement. (1663)







The zone has established a monthly PLC with the Instructional Learning Team from each school. The focus of the meetings is on improving Literacy. The administrative team is a part of the University of Virginia Turnaround cohort that focuses primarily Data Driven leadership.

Plan Assigned to: Chris Triolo

How it will look when fully met: The Project L.I.F.T. zone would have developed a culture within the district that supports schools in turning around model. The zone would have cultivated a strong leadership presence in the school with a support for enhanced teaching and learning. The community will be involved in the school improvement process and there will be an effective use of data.


Tasks:

1. Schools will send Instructional Leadership Teams (ILT) to a monthly zone PD

Assigned to: Jeanette Reber


Comments:

2. The zone will implement Discovery Education and provided PD on utilizing the data to drive instruction.



Comments:


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Developing and increasing teacher and school leader effectiveness

Federal Requirement: Replace the principal who led the school prior to commencement of the transformation model.

Indicator C01 - The LEA has determined whether an existing principal in position for two years or less has the necessary competencies to be a transformation leader. (1639)

Status Full Implementation

Assess Level of Development: Initial: Full Implementation

Evidence: Jeanette Reber is currently serving in her first year as the Principal at Ashley Park. She was the Assistant Principal at Ashley Park prior to her moving into the principal position. She has experienced academic growth as well as began to experience a change in the culture and academic expectations of the students and staff at Ashley Park.

Added date:

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Indicator C06 - The LEA selects and hires qualified principals with the necessary competencies to be change leaders. (1644)







The principal has demonstrated the necessary skills of a change agent. Each year as we move into different phases of transformation it is important that we ensure that the skills needed to sustain the change of culture and practice in a school remain evident in the principal.

Plan Assigned to: Denise Watts

How it will look when fully met: School turnaround efforts require highly effective leaders able to create the conditions for rapid and sustained change. To successfully impact student outcomes, leaders in turnaround contexts must drive a fundamental shift in school culture and instructional practice that results in early gains and ongoing high performance. Project L.I.F.T. Principals will have the knowledge, skills and dispositions to develop and implement strategies for successfully turning around underperforming school and be able to do so within an accelerated timeline. Project L.I.F. T. will simultaneously create learning environments that support the sustainability of high levels of achievement for all students beyond their tenure by building capacity in others and distributing leadership opportunities to teacher leaders within the school. Ongoing proactive recruitment efforts will be facilitated to ensure there is a readily available pool of leaders with the inclination to lead comprehensive school reform. Learning community office will also compliment school succession plans by identifying and targeting individuals within the learning community that demonstrate leadership promise and provide development opportunities to build capacity.


Tasks:

1. Identify and select 40 teacher leaders for the New Leaders Emerging Leaders Program and 5 New Leader Resident Principals.



Comments: ~Select individuals will begin training in August with New Leaders. They will develop leadership plans with measurable goals that will be shared with community office. ~Ongoing collaboration with New Leaders and interaction with these potential leaders ~MOU developed with New Leaders to outline outcomes and training for these individuals.

2. Continue to use the Public Impact School Turnaround competencies and BEI interview protocol to assess potential candidates for assistant principal and principal positions.

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Assigned to: Daniel Swartz


Comments:

3. Continue UVA School Turnaround Program training and expand to other teacher leaders within the school.



Comments: Develop MOU and training focus for the year with UVA. Principals and teacher leaders creation of 90 day plans. UVA monitoring and support of plans will begin in October.

4. Engage Assistant Principals in book study on Leverage Leadership by Paul Bambrick Santoya which is a resource foundational to the leadership practices within the L.I.F.T. Learning Community.



Comments: Books have been purchased and distributed. Training will be built into monthly professional development meetings with assistant principals.

5. Denise Watts and Chris Triolo will facilitate leadership shepherding visits two times per month with principals (and at times administrative team) to engage in data dive discussions, coach, problem solve and remedy issues together, and monitor progress of school turnaround efforts.



Comments: see goggle doc for format Using the CMS Navigator to guide data discussions Using the Paul Bambrick Santoyo's Leverage Leadership principles on Observation/Feedback as the guide.


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Indicator C08 - The principal effectively and clearly communicates the message of change. (1665)







Communication is a key lever for us this school year. It was revealed as an area of growth by a team of teachers last school year. Thus, we are currently starting the process of communicating weekly messages home to staff and families, and developing a monthly newsletter.

Plan Assigned to: Jeanette Reber

How it will look when fully met: When this objective is met, teachers will have a thorough understanding of the schools events and deadlines each week. They will be able to articulate the happenings of the school outside their own families. Parents and families of the school will also benefit from weekly phone calls and monthly newsletters; they will also be able to articulate the events at school and the curriculum their students are covering. This objective will require weekly communication from admin and monthly communication from each teacher family.


Tasks:

1. Ms. Reber will create a ConnectEd message for families each Friday.



Frequency: weekly

Comments:

2. Ms. Reber will create ConnectEd messages for teachers each Friday.



Frequency: weekly

Comments:

3. Ms. Reber will collect curriculum updates from each teacher family and put into monthly newsletter template to disperse to each student.



Frequency: monthly

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Comments:



Federal Requirement: Use rigorous, transparent, and equitable evaluation systems for teachers and principals that a) take into account data on student growth as a significant factor as well as other factors, such as multiple observation-based assessments of performance and ongoing collections of professional practice reflective of student achievement and increased high school graduation rates; and b) are designed and developed with teacher and principal involvement.

Indicator D01 - The principal regularly evaluates a range of teacher skills and knowledge, using a variety of valid and reliable tools. (1671)







In the past, we have trusted our effective teachers to their work; we have no micro-managed. This year, we are hoping to provide my systematic, differentiated support for all teachers. This means using planning documents and assessments to guide our conferencing work with students. We plan to meet with every teach to review data every 6 weeks.


How it will look when fully met: When this objective is fully met, teachers will have benefited from conferencing and progress to goal check-ins during every formative cycle. As a result, they will receive strategic feedback and support from aligned grade level admin in the "what" and the "how" of their teaching. This objective will require strategic usage of our instructional admin team to support all teachers.


Tasks:

1. The instructional admin team with DDI conference with assigned families. They will serve as the sole instructional support for that group of teachers, and differentiate accordingly.

Assigned to: Shaquenna McLaughlin


Frequency: twice monthly

Comments:

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2. Each teacher will benefit from a thorough DDI conference session using assessments, data, and action plans. This will occur every 6 weeks to ensure a pulse-check on each teacher.

Assigned to: Meaghan Loftus


Frequency: four times a year

Comments:

3. Each teacher will benefit from a progress-to-goal check-in from their assigned admin. This will allow admin to keep a pulse-check on the teacher's work between their conference and their next formative assessment.




Comments:


Indicator D02 - The principal includes evaluation of student outcomes in teacher evaluation. (1672)







Currently, DE data is a part of what we discuss in our teacher evaluation conferences. We can make growth in their area by including our DDI work in conferences to make them more student-focused.


How it will look when fully met: When this objective is fully met, teachers will have a clear understanding of how their proficiency and growth data plays into observation. They will clearly understand the importance of the DDI cycle in their NC evaluation. This will require clear communication around the value of DDI and EOG scores in each evaluation.


Tasks:

1. Admin will include achievement data in rationale and ratings during each teacher's observation cycles.



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Frequency: monthly

Comments:

2. DDI PD will explicitly include communication around the use of data in evaluation cycles.



Comments:



Federal Requirement: Identify and reward school leaders, teachers, and other staff who, in implementing this model, have increased student achievement and high school graduation rates and identify and remove those who, after ample opportunities have been provided for them to improve their professional practice, have not done so.

Indicator E12 - The LEA has a team available to help principals as they deal with underperforming employees to minimize principal’s time spent dismissing low performers. (1690)







The state has begun the process of phasing out tenure and therefore teacher effectiveness is the key component for teacher dismissal. We have assigned one HR Performance Manger from the district level to focus on hiring high quality teachers and dismissing low performers. The district is currently moving toward providing a growth model for teachers to move teachers with potential to top level teachers in order to minimize transitions and turn-over in our schools.

Plan Assigned to: Daniel Swartz

How it will look when fully met: Highly Qualified Educators will be in every classroom. Professional Learning Communities and a continuation of growth of teachers and their development will be evident in the culture of the school.


Tasks:

1. PLC formed to support teacher growth and development



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Comments:

2. Force Ranking of Teachers and Performance Plans created for those who are not effective



Comments:



Federal Requirement: Provide staff ongoing, high-quality, job-embedded professional development that is aligned with the school's comprehensive instructional program and designed with school staff to ensure they are equipped to facilitate effective teaching and learning and have the capacity to successfully implement school reform strategies.

Indicator F07 - The LEA/School sets goals for professional development and monitors the extent to which it has changed practice. (1698)


Assess Level of Development: Initial: No development or Implementation 10/23/2013

Will include in plan





While we provide PD, we are not currently monitoring its effectiveness in any definitive way. We plan to use surveys to assess the effectiveness, but need to be more intentional about how we also monitor a change in practice. We have an opportunity to do this with Balanced Literacy and learning walks.

Plan Assigned to: Kristen Gray

How it will look when fully met: When this objective is fully met, teachers will be able to articulate their PD goals and the measures they or the school have taken to meet them. This will require a differentiated learning walks and school visits aligned to our school-wide PD goals, such as Balanced Literacy.


Tasks:

1. PD Coordinator will create and survey and system for assessing teacher strengths and preferred areas of growth. This will result in a "menu board" style learning walk that is differentiated for all teachers. Learning walks will occur monthly.

Assigned to: Kristen Gray


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Frequency: monthly

Comments:

2. Instructional admin will work with LIFT zone staff to coordinate and execute school visits to exemplary Balanced Literacy classrooms.



Frequency: monthly

Comments:

3. Staff will be surveyed on Learning Walk and other PD effectiveness to help instructional admin team make necessary modifications to the process.

Assigned to: Kristen Gray



Comments:


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Comprehensive instructional reform strategies

Federal Requirement: Use data to identify and implement an instructional program that is research-based and vertically aligned from one grade to the next as well as aligned with state academic standards.

Indicator H01 - The principal ensures that teachers align instruction with standards and benchmarks. (1714)







The common core required extensive readjustment to our teacher's regular long term plans and lesson plans. The majority of our teachers have since done indepth research on what the new standards mean for instruction and assessment. However, we still have teachers new to their content and grade who are learning what their standards truly mean for student learning.

Plan Assigned to: Meaghan Loftus

How it will look when fully met: When this objective is fully met, teachers will be working daily to lead students to deeper understanding of aligned content. All formative assessments will be thoroughly aligned in content, structure and college-readiness standards. This objective will require a careful analysis of the rigor and alignment of formative assessments, strategic feedback to teachers, and monitoring along the way.


Tasks:

1. Teachers will receive a PD session at the start of the year on rigor in assessments.



Comments:

2. Teachers will conference with admin instructional leaders one-on-one and do an analysis of assessment rigor.




Comments:

3. Instructional admin will use DE scores in a comparison and analysis of formative scores after the second DE test.

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Frequency: twice a year

Comments:


Indicator H03 - All teachers, working in teams, prepare standards-aligned lessons. (1718)







While our teachers are planning standards-aligned lessons as monitored by their 6-week plans, we do not monitor the collection of lesson plans nor do we ask teachers to do their plans in teams. Instead, we expect teachers to come prepared every day with aligned-material. Our teachers are specialized, so we give them independent time to create plans.


How it will look when fully met: When this objective is fully met, teachers will consistently produce standards-aligned, rigorous 6-week plans and assessments as part of the DDI formative cycle. This will be pervasive across all grade levels and contents. This will require a thorough analysis of how teachers are currently doing in writing these plans, and specific feedback thereafter.


Tasks:

1. Teachers will receive training on how to write an action plan, including a breakdown of the process and an exemplar.



Comments:

2. Teachers will have conferences after writing each action plan; the admin who conferences with them will challenge them to grow with the writing of each plan, and monitor in classrooms accordingly.



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Comments:

3. Admin will conduct walk-throughs and investigate the alignment between the DDI plan and the lesson observed.



Frequency: daily

Comments:


Comprehensive instructional reform strategies

Federal Requirement: Promote the continuous use of student data (such as from formative, interim, and summative assessments) in order to inform and differentiate instruction to meet the academic needs of individual students.

Indicator I01 - The school has established a team structure among teachers with specific duties and time for instructional planning. (1711)

Status Full Implementation

Assess Level of Development: Initial: Full Implementation

Evidence: Our family model allows for a well-defined structure for each family or team. Each week, teachers in each family are supported in behavior, logistical and academic concerns. There are set times and agendas for their of these meetings, with clear expectation for who is required to attend and particpate.

Added date:

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Indicator I06 - The school Leadership Team regularly looks at multiple measures (e.g., behavior data, aggregated classroom observation data, and school climate surveys of staff, students, and parents) and uses this data to make decisions about student social and emotional learning. (2590)







We do not currently use much emotional or perception data to gauge our culture and climate. We do, however, use academic and behavioral data to reflect and direct our work. Thus, we can improve by aligning support staff to our PLCs and gathering more perception data to inform our work.


How it will look when fully met: When this objective is fully met, teachers will feel comfortable in the process of reflecting on multiple data sources and making solution-oriented decisions for their kids and classrooms. They will work productively in PLCs to do so, with the support of counselors, social worker and adminstration. This will require more data sources to begin with, and the help of our counseling team to collect it.


Tasks:

1. Admin will consistently include different data sources on ILT agendas for conversation, consideration, and solutions for change.



Frequency: monthly

Comments:

2. Admin will work with counseling team to develop emotional and behavioral metrics to present to PLCs. With admin's help, they will determine a process for sharing this data and determine how solutions should be crafted.



Comments:


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Increasing learning time and creating community-oriented schools

Federal Requirement: Establish schedules and strategies that provide increased learning time.

Indicator J08 - The LEA/School monitors progress of the extended learning time programs and strategies being implemented, and uses data to inform modifications. (1710)

Status Not a priority or interest

Assess Level of Development: Initial: No development or Implementation

Not a priority or interest

Explain why not a Priority or Interest: Our extended learning programs include Bell in the summer and GEP after school. A fraction of our students participate in these, and we are not greatly aligned to their work. While this will always be important, we will focus on instructional work within our school day first.

Added date:

Increasing learning time and creating community-oriented schools

Federal Requirement: Provide ongoing mechanisms for family and community engagement.

Indicator K07 - The LEA/School has established a positive organizational culture. (1651)







While surveys indicate we maintain a strong culture for teachers at our school, we are working on the sustainability of that culture, and the improvement of our student culture. Many of our returning students know and show the "Ashley Park way." New students are not easily acclimated.


How it will look when fully met: When this objective is fully met, staff will be able to articulate that they come to work every day feeling supported and valued. Staff will also be able to articulate that they their efforts are fully grounded in student achievement. Students will also be able to articulate their expectations, and will be able to talk about how their teachers support them in achieving their greatest. To achieve this objective, culture surveys will need to be created and given to staff. Admin will add culture to their agendas and PLCs will consider student culture as part of their weekly agendas.


Tasks:

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1. Culture surveys will be taken quarterly to gauge progress of cultural shift and state of school.




Comments:

2. During weekly adminstrative meetings, admin will consider how to thank and spotlight different families, ensuring each are acknowledged over time. This may consist of thank you cards, shout-outs, food, etc. Culture pulse-checks among admin will ensure collective ownership over staff culture.



Comments:

3. Admin will use weekly behavior/logistics PLC meetings to ensure teachers are thinking critically about student incentives and positive reinforcement. This will include reflections over behavior matrices and office referrals.

Assigned to: Jason Jackson


Frequency: twice monthly

Comments:


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