METROPOLITAN SCHOOL DISTRICT OF - ltschools.org...curriculum/standards guides in special areas, elective areas & academic core areas of English/Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social

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METROPOLITAN SCHOOL DISTRICT OF

LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA

School Improvement Plan

In Accordance with Public Law 221

2011-2014

SUNNYSIDE SCHOOL OF INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

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School Address: 6345 Sunnyside Road, Indianapolis, IN 46236

School Phone Number: 317-964-4500

School Fax Number: 317-823-3418

School DOE Number: 5299

School Corporation Number: 5330

_____________________________________________________________

Principal Signature , Date

Erica Buchanan

_____________________________________________________________

Superintendant Signature, Date

Dr. Concetta Raimondi

____________________________________________________________

School Board President Signature, Date

Ms. Carol Helmus

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Table of Contents

Section Page

Community Profile

• Introduction

• Description of the School Community

• Description & Location of Curriculum

• Safe & Disciplined Learning Environment

• Trend Data on Student Population by Subgroup

4-6

Vision & Purpose

• District Mission Statement

• School Based Purpose/Major Initiatives

7

Governance & Leadership

• School Improvement Team/Committee

• Description of Decision Making Process for Teaching & Learning

• Graph of Leadership Structure (Admin., Teams, Chairs,

Committees, etc.)

8-9

Documenting & Using Results

• Assessment Descriptions by Grade

• Description of Ongoing Data Review Process

• 8 Year Trend Data on Student Achievement & Attendance by

Subgroups

• Summary of Data: Skill Strengths & Skill Weaknesses

10-13

Teaching & Learning

• Student Achievement Goals (Based on Data)

• Benchmarks for Progress Monitoring

• Instructional Strategies Cultural Competence & Technology as a

Tool for Learning

13-17

Resources & Support Systems

• Professional Development Plan

18-19

Stakeholder Communication & Relationships

• Parent Involvement & Participation

• Description of Stakeholder Input Opportunities with Timeline

• Description of Stakeholder Partnerships & Programs

20-21

Commitment to Continuous Improvement

• Description of the Continuous Improvement Review Process

• District Continuous Improvement Goals

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Appendix

• A: Schedule of Improvement

• B: Technology

• C: Environmental Rubric

23-25

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Community Profile

Introduction

The Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township (MSDLT) is located in the

northern section of Indianapolis, Indiana and Marion County. It is a dynamic community

with broad diversity in cultures, religions, ethnic groups, races and socioeconomic levels.

MSDLT has been an educational leader in Indiana for the past forty years.

MSDLT offers a comprehensive educational curriculum with special activities and

programs geared to provide enrichment, exploration, and instructional and differentiation

that allows the district to meet the needs and goals of each individual student support for

students. Parents have always played an active role in the operations of the district.

In addition, MSDLT provides quality education in award winning schools built on a

foundation of outstanding educators, administrators, school board members, and

supportive parents. Our vision is "Superior Schools in a Supportive Community."

The purpose of the School Improvement Plan is to evaluate the effectiveness of our

initiatives, develop goals based on data analysis, establish priority for improvement,

identify strategies and create an action plan for deployment.

Description of School Community

Sunnyside Elementary School is a fully accredited urban school in M S D Lawrence

Township located in Indianapolis, IN 46236-1306. The school opened on August 17,

1998, operates with a traditional schedule, and serves 678 students in Grades 1-6.

Description & Location of the School Curriculum

MSDLT evaluates curriculum every six years in conjunction with the state textbook

adoption process. The goal of the program evaluation, curriculum/standards revision and

textbook adoption cycle is to provide and educational program that enables all students to

learn and achieve to the highest possible level. Additionally, MSDLT has developed

curriculum/standards guides in special areas, elective areas & academic core areas of

English/Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies. The curriculum guides

incorporate the most recent Indiana Academic Standards; the district character values,

district technology proficiencies and district media proficiencies. Lastly, the

LAWRENCE Board of Education approves all curriculum guides. A curriculum guide

for each level is available in on the website, teacher workrooms, Principal offices and in

conference rooms. All standards are posted on the district website.

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School Website: http://sunnyside.ltschools.org/

District Website: http://www.MSDLT.k12.in.us/administration/inst/inst.html

Safe & Disciplined Learning Environment

The School Improvement Committee will review and revise the Safe Schools Plan to

ensure it is up to date and aligned with district policy annually.

Lawrence Township and Sunnyside School of International Studies have worked hard to

provide a safe environment for all students. In looking at our township-wide mission and

strategies, Lawrence Township included safe schools as one of their goals for all

students. This very detailed compilation of policies and procedures provides guidelines

for the prevention of and reaction to crisis incidents. It addresses issues that could impact

our school at any level. It outlines programs for prevention and recognition of possible

problems. Checklists are also provided which help assess the potential for problems as

well as how to react during a crisis.

Lawrence Township is also involved in programs that work toward preventing student

problems. We have programs such as peer facilitators, (a mentoring program with high

school students), behavior support mentors, safe school talks, student leadership

opportunities, and our Building-Wide Support Plan called “Wise Choices for the World.”

Sunnyside has school-wide expectations for success called:

Wise Choices for the World

Own your responsibilities

Respect yourself and others

Live safely

Directly involve yourself in learning

Administrators, faculty, and staff members at Sunnyside convey the relevance of each

“wise choice” to students on a consistent, daily basis. The students also have a character

pledge and families as well as guardians are aware of the common language used at

school for student expectations. Students are also aware of the consequences when

actions are not aligned with the expectations. Character Education for positive peer social

interactions, such as Second Steps, is integrated into classroom learning. It is an ongoing,

long-term process of helping students understand how to navigate through situations that

require coping skills, determination, and resiliency.

These initiatives will continue as a part of our safe schools policy. We will determine the

success of our Safe Schools/Character initiative through the reduced number of office

referrals and incidents within the school. The number of student referrals should decrease

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as our programs continue in character education. We should also see improvement with

our more severe students because of anger management programs, peer mediation, and

outside agencies involvement with students.

All Lawrence Township schools participate in several programs that provide information

to students and parents concerning safety issues. We have three security drills, severe

weather, fire, and code blue drills. Code Blue is our drill for a disturbance or security

concern in the building. Each staff member has a designated folder containing our safe

school information with complete instructions for all emergencies. We have also

installed security devices such as a front door bell for all that enter, security cameras in

the front office, and a system for sign-in and guest badges for all who come to our

building. All Lawrence Township schools are to provide a handbook outlining the safety

procedures for the township and their individual school.

Trend Data on Student Population by Subgroup

Over the past 13 years, our demographics have changed. In the 2010-2011 school year,

with district-wide redistricting, our student population was represented by the following

subgroup percentages: one percent of our students were Asian, twenty-four percent of our

students were black (compared to thirty-five percent for the previous school year), thirty-

two percent were Hispanic (compared to nineteen percent for the previous school year),

thirty-two percent were white (compared to thirty-give percent the previous year), and ten

percent were multi-racial (compared to nine percent for the previous school year).

In the 2011-2012 school year, our school is represented by the following subgroup

percentages: : one percent of our students were Asian, twenty-three percent of our

students are black, thirty-six percent are Hispanic, thirty percent are white, and ten

percent are multi-racial.

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Vision & Purpose

The system establishes and communicates a shared purpose and direction for improving the performance

of students and the effectiveness of the system.

MSDLT Mission Statement

The mission of the Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township is to empower all

students with the knowledge, skills, compassion, and integrity needed to contribute and

succeed as self-directed, life-long learners in a competitive global community.

District Improvement Initiatives to be address in this school improvement plan:

1. Reduce and eliminate racial academic achievement disparities and ensure equity in

everything we do.

2. Deploy Professional Learning Community teams to increase collaboration and

improve learning and teaching.

3. Increase deployment effectiveness of Core Curriculum:

⋅ Project Approach in all grades (Katz and Chard)

⋅ Readers Workshop (Fletcher and Collins)

⋅ Guided Reading/Small Group Instruction (Taberski, Fountas & Pinnell)

⋅ Writers Workshop (Wood-Ray and Anderson)

⋅ Vocabulary (Marzano)

⋅ Balanced Math - Five Easy Steps (Ainsworth and Christensen)

⋅ Science and Social Studies (Indiana State Standards)

⋅ Culturally Relevant Strategies (PEG)

Mission of Sunnyside:

As a School of International Studies, we want children to become “globally conscious

and internationally minded” through a rigorous curriculum aligned with State Standards.

Our children need to learn how to navigate in the world beyond Sunnyside and

understand the value of connecting with other cultures. We will no longer seek

understanding in isolation, but rather through collaboration…. embracing the beauty of

our strengths and diversity! Importantly, we want our students to become critical thinkers

and have an influential voice throughout the community as World Class Citizens. Our

children have the power to “empower” others and convey their thoughts surrounding

global issues. We want them to become agents of change and perpetuate a movement that

will “pay if forward” as well as uplift generations to come.

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Governance & Leadership

The system provides governance and leadership that promote student performance and system

effectiveness.

2011-2012 School Improvement Team/Committee

The plan and annual review has been made with input from a committee of persons interested in

the school, including administrators, teachers, parents, and community and business leaders

appointed by the principal. Teacher appointments to the committee have been made in accordance

with IC 20-29. Guideline Elementary = 10-15 members,

Role/Title Name

Principal, Chair Erica Buchanan

Asst. to the Principal Tierney Anderson

Grade 1 Amanda Kartchner

Grade 2 Rhonda Brandt/ Jennie Willard

Grade 3 Jodi Sarkovics

Grade 4 Judy Canfield

Grade 5 Carol Mills

Grade 6 Jamie Rahmany

Equity/PASS/CARE Michelle Abernathy

Core Curriculum Co. Jill McEldowney and Robin Bigham

Related Arts Kristen Thornsberry

Environment Team Leader Jamie Rahmany

LEA Carol Mills

IDMT Leslie Snoke

Annual School Improvement Plan Input Process

The School Improvement Team met once a month to review goals and determine

effectiveness of the plan.

Description of Decision Making Process for Teaching and Learning

The PLC Teams are grade level teams that meet weekly using a formal, Professional

Learning Communities process. Their goal is to improve teaching and learning through

collaboration using the data-driven decision-making process (DDDM). Grade level teams

discuss student growth, learning targets, action research, and plans for improvement. This

enhances a culture of intentionality within our building.

Additionally, there are weekly staff meetings that address the following components:

Equity (Cultural Competency), Core Curriculum, and Project/Environment. Process

owners of these components devise professional development opportunities for educators

to consistently strengthen their practices.

Grade

Level

Grade Level Teachers *Leadership Credentials of Team

Leaders

First *Amanda

Kartchner

Ashley

Connor

Scarlett Swim Melissa Capin Brittany Baker

Second *Jennie Willard Abigail

Young

Sarah

McDaniel

Jan Whitten

Rhonda Brandt

(1/2

STRETCH)

Tiffany Clark

Third *Jodi Sarkovics Cathy Imel Traci Odle Haley Owens 5 Easy Steps Trainer/District Wide

Literacy II Training

Fourth Ayana Wilson *Pam Gresk Katie Yarber Judy Canfield

(3/4

STRETCH)

5 Easy Steps/Literacy Trained

Fifth *Carol Mills Michelle

Abernathy

Kathy Hazlett Ann Stinson 5 Easy Steps Trained

Literacy, Reading Recovery

Sixth *Jamie Rahmany Valencia

Williams

Emily Elrod Jenny Goff

(5/6

STRETCH)

Literacy II Training/Math

The Intervention Decision Making Team (IDMT)

Process Owners: Grade level teachers, Resource, and ESL Staff

Purpose

• To provide a systematic, consistent method to monitor all learners to ensure they are

receiving the necessary support(s) academically and/or behaviorally.

• To clearly define all intervention options including tier level descriptors.

• To thoroughly examine the interventions that have been utilized per individual student, in

order to make an impactful/purposeful decision in regards to additional intensive

interventions that could be put into practice.

Process

• Teacher’s will implement strategies and interventions derived from the Invention Doc.

(complied by SS teachers and Resource Team resources); documenting the start date and end

date of implementation.

• Complete referral form and submit to Erica Buchanan and Natalie Stewart.

• Meeting will be arranged with participants from the Resource/ESL Team and Grade Level

Team teachers who impact student or are knowledgeable of grade level content area of

concern.

• An examination of the interventions used will take place and additional plans of support will

be devised. Thus, challenging interventions used and if it met the need of the child.

Documenting & Using Results

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The system enacts a comprehensive assessment system that monitors and documents performance and uses these

results to improve student performance and school effectiveness.

School Assessment Descriptions—Elementary

Instructional

Area

Assessment

Purpose

Assessment Title & Content Area

(please briefly note what the assessment

measures)

Grade(s) Timeline

Administered

English

Language

Proficiency

Screening LAS Links English Proficiency

Placement Test

K - 6 Within 30 days of

enrollment at the

beginning of the year or

within 2 weeks of

student’s enrollment

during the school year

Validation LAS Links English Language

Proficiency Test

K - 6

(Levels 1–4)

Winter

Progress

Monitoring

STAR Early Literacy or Reading (Early

Learning Centers)

K - 2 Beginning, middle, and

end of year for all

students

Reading Formative Developmental Reading Assessment

(DRA)

K - 6 Beginning and end of

year for all students;

also mid-year for some

students performing

below grade level

Formative Mini-Assessments (PLC) K-6 Bi-weekly

Screening &

Progress

Monitoring

STAR Reading 3 - 6 Beginning and end of



students performing

below grade level

Progress

Monitoring

Acuity Reading Common Assessments

and Benchmark Assessments

2 - 6 Quarterly

Writing Formative Writing Rubrics (based on 6+1) K - 6 Three times per year

Math Screening &

Progress

Monitoring

STAR Math 2 - 6 Beginning and end of



students performing

below grade level

Formative Mini-Assessments (PLC) K-6 Bi-weekly

Progress

Monitoring

Acuity Math Common Assessments

and Benchmark Assessments

2 - 6 Quarterly

LA and Math Summative ISTEP+ Writing (Open Ended) 3 - 6 Early spring

Summative ISTEP+ Progress (Multiple Choice) 3 - 6 Late spring

Summative ISTAR Special

Education

students

student who

do not take

ISTEP+

Spring

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Description of Ongoing Data Review Process

The school conducts regular reviews of student achievement data from the multiple assessments

administered during the school year. Data reviews begin with an analysis of the ISTEP+ performance by

grade level, classroom and student. The data from the screening assessment given at the beginning of the

school year provides information about the most common weaknesses that need to be addressed. Each

PLC team selects the areas of weakness upon which to focus and creates mini-assessments (pre and post

tests) that are used by each team to determine the students and subgroup of students who are struggling,

determine the errors each student is making, develop learning strategies to correct those errors and then

retest to determine how well those strategies worked. The process continues until the PLC team goal has

been achieved. The results from the mini post-assessments are validated by the STAR and ACUITY

tests.

Eight Year Trend Data on Attendance

ISTEP: 3rd

Grade Area of Weakness- ESL ELA and Mathematics (All Content Areas)

ESL

State 5325 66%

SS 36 61%

Hispanic Subgroup

State 7766 69%

SS 45 58%

In English and Language Arts, the following components were a weakness for 3rd Grade:

Vocabulary, Literary Text, Writing Process, Writing Applications, and Language Conventions

(as followed):

ISTEP: 4th Grade Area of Weakness- Mathematics

Hispanic Subgroup

State 7343 69%

SS 50 54%

White Subgroup

State 53467 82%

SS 29 62%

09-10 96.6%

08-09 96.7%

07-08 96.9%

06-07 97.0%

05-06 96.8%

04-05 96.7%

03-04 96.8%

02-03 96.4%

01-02 96.5%

00-01 96.6%

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Learning and Teaching

The system provides research-based curriculum and instructional methods that facilitate achievement for all

students.

The School Equity Transformation Plan supports the MSDLT School Board policy on Equity

and the District Equity Transformation Plan in Leadership, Learning and Achievement, and

Families and Community. The following graphic reflects the key relationships and work focus:

Goal #1: Excellence for All Students

The school goal for 2011-2012 is to increase the overall achievement levels by 7% compared to 2011

Spring ISTEP+ results in both Language Arts and Math.

% passing ISTEP Language Arts Math

3rd

Grade Goal 75% 75%

4th Grade Goal 75% 75%

5th Grade Goal 75% 75%

6th Grade Goal 80% 80%%

School Goal 78% 78%

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Goal #2: Reduce the Racial Achievement Disparities

The pursuit of equity in all aspects of the school is a foundational principle. Reducing racial achievement

disparities is the overarching objective of MSDLT. The school goal is to reduce the racial academic

achievement gap from 6% to 3% for Black students as compared to White students and from 29% to

19% for Hispanic students as compared to White students in Language Arts

Goal #3: Reduce the Racial Achievement Disparities

The school goal for 2011-2012 is to increase overall achievement levels by 7% compared to

2010 Spring ISTEP and reduce the racial academic achievement gap from 17% to 7% for Black

students as compared to White students and 27% to 17% for Hispanic students as compared to

White students in Mathematics.

Common Improvement Strategies and Practices

The following strategies will be deployed school-wide in support of the equity and academic

achievement goals:

1. The School Equity Transformation Plan focuses on three critical components:

Leadership:

⋅ Administrators and teacher leaders will create the conditions and climate in the school to

eliminate racial achievement disparities

⋅ Administrators and teacher leaders will demonstrate through their behavior a personal

belief system that supports eliminating racial disparities

⋅ Administrators will articulate an equity vision aligned to the district vision

⋅ Administrators and the school Equity Team will complete training as the foundational

framework for eliminating racial achievement disparities

Learning and Achievement:

⋅ A CARE team is formed and members have completed CARE team seminars and

Beyond Diversity Training

⋅ The CARE Team teachers will attend six seminars facilitated by Pacific Education Group

(PEG)

⋅ Existing organization structures (ICT, PLC teams, etc.) will learn strategies from the

CARE team teachers and deploy instructional strategies that accelerate learning of

underachieving students with fidelity.

Families and Community:

⋅ Administrators will ensure school and community affiliated organization will increase

family of color participation and engagement in decision making committees by 25%

⋅ Administrators will create an effective and more efficient data entry system

⋅ The school will create effective and more efficient ways to engage and communicate with

families of color by December 1, 2011

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⋅ Administrators and teachers will develop the capacity of the school to involve and engage

families of color

A detailed time-bound action plan is included in the appendix.

2. Professional Learning Communities:

⋅ The MSDLT PLC process will be broadly and effectively deployed in every PLC team.

⋅ All teachers are expected and required to collaborate and participation in PLC teams

⋅ Focus of PLC team meetings and work are to address the areas in reading and writing that

are root causes that prevents students in each grade level to not master mini-assessments

or progress monitoring assessments (STAR, ACUITY).

⋅ PLC Teams will focus on specific group of students from either the Black or Hispanic

subgroups.

⋅ Teachers will create and use mini assessments (either DIBELS, test items from ACUITY

or teacher made) to track progress and identify student errors

⋅ Teachers will collaborative examine and score student work to identify and correct

student errors. (teachers may exchange papers to score)

⋅ Teachers will engage in action research and mid-course corrections.

⋅ Teachers will implement with fidelity the most-effective instructional practices for the

targeted students identified by their respective PLC teams.

⋅ Student achievement data from pre and post mini assessments will be recorded, reported

and used to improve teachers’ learning of student errors so that those errors can be

eliminated.

⋅ All PLC teams will document the instructional practices for the units of study they are

improving for each access by all teachers and store them electronically in a server or file

easily accessed by all teachers in all grades.

3. Project Approach

⋅ Adequate time is set aside each week for project work in every general education classroom.

⋅ Administrators and teachers have the knowledge of the components of each phase of project

and have evidence of meeting the expectations of each phase.

⋅ Teachers work with the MSDLT instructional coaches to improve their skills in

implementing the project approach.

⋅ Every teacher will complete all three phases of a project for a minimum 1-2 projects per

semester.

⋅ Administrators will approve the topic and the teacher’s web for each project.

⋅

4. Guided Reading/Small Group Instruction

⋅ The school will deploy Guided Reading across all grades and classrooms. The groups will be

based on Fountas and Pinnell and Taberski published research.

⋅ Audits of fidelity will be conducted and documented throughout the school year.

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5. Readers Workshop

⋅ The school will deploy Reading Workshop across all grades and classrooms. The Workshop

will be based on Wood-Ray and Anderson published research.


6. Writers Workshop

⋅ The school will deploy Writers Workshop across all grades and classrooms. The Workshop

will be based on Matt Glovers training received in 2009-2010 and 2010-2011.

⋅ Writing samples will be scored each quarter using the state writing rubric. Data will be

collected and reported during weekly PLCs.


7. Vocabulary

⋅ The school will effectively deploy Building Vocabulary in all grades and classrooms. The

instructional strategies will be based on Robert Marzano’s research and book Building

Academic Vocabulary.

⋅ All teachers will teach 3-5 new words per week in each content area. Front-end, Back-end,

timely introduction of words, Word Walls and student vocabulary folders will be

implemented in all grade levels.

⋅ Common assessments will be used to determine students’ growth in vocabulary.

⋅ Quality audits to determine fidelity will occur throughout the year.

8. Math

⋅ The school will implement Five Easy Steps to a Balanced Math program as published by

Ainsworth and Christensen.

⋅ Common assessments will be developed and used to determine students’ growth in

vocabulary.

⋅ Quality audits to determine fidelity will occur throughout the year.

⋅

Technology as a Tool for Learning

See Appendix B

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Indicators of Success:

The growth in student achievement will be determined by the progress students make based upon

the mean score improvement from the 1st test to the 3

rd test as measured by the following

assessments:

School Name

Elementary Student

Achievement

Performance

Assessments

1st Assessment

(Baseline)

2nd

Assessments

% Improveme

nt

%

Improveme

nt

Improvement Range Mean

% Passin

g

Mean

% Passin

g

Mean Score % Passing

Acuity in LA (Predictive)

Acuity in math

(Predictive)

Early STAR Reading

(Grades 1-2)

Early STAR Math

(Grades 1-2)

STAR Reading (Grades

3-6)

STAR Math (Grades 3-6)

Writing (6+1 Rubric)

Reading Comprehension

(DRA)

Number Sense (Acuity)

Average % Improvement 0.0

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Resources & Support Systems

The system has the resources and services necessary to support its vision and purpose and to ensure

achievement for all students.

Strategy #1: School Equity Transformation

Professional Development Plan

Professional Development

Description

Participants Learning &

Implementation

Timeline

Annual Student Data Review to

Monitor PD Implementation

“How will you know what impact

the PD is having on

achievement?”

Instructional Equity Training CARE team Seminars are

scheduled in

2011-2013

Progress Monitoring assessment

results

Equity Team training Continued

training

ISTEP+ Results, Progress

Monitoring through DATA binders

assessed weekly

Partnership for Academically

Successful Students (PASS)

PASS Team seminars

scheduled in

2011-2012

Satisfaction Surveys

Book Studies (Race) SIP team Principal and

teachers

Progress Monitoring, Community

feedback

Strategy #2: PLC Teams and IDMT teams


Professional

Development Description


Implementation

Timeline

Annual Student Data Review

to Monitor PD

Implementation

“How will you know what

impact the PD is having on

achievement?”

PLC Team collaboration,

inquiry and embedded

learning

Grade Level Teams Weekly – one

hour per grade

level

Progress Monitoring

assessment results for the

specific student subgroups and

content areas of focus.

MSDLT Quality Audit of

PLCs

Intervention Decision

Making Team

Grd Level

Teams/ESL/Resource

Bi-Monthly Individualized Student Data

and Teacher Documentation of

Interventions

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Strategy #3: Project Approach



Description


Implementation

Timeline




the PD is having on

achievement?”

Project Approach Phases II and

III Coaching for teachers

MSDLT

Project

Coaches

2011-2013 Project Approach Quality Audit

findings and ratings

Project Approach Phases II and

III Coaching for administrators

MSDLT

Project

Coaches

2011-2013 Performance Measurement

Evaluation of Administrators

Strategy #4: Language Arts – Literacy Instruction



Description


Implementation

Timeline




the PD is having on

achievement?”

Reading Workshop Teachers Summer 2013 Parental Input, PLCs, Acuity,

Teacher DATA binders, ISTEP,

and Student Responsiveness

Writing Workshop Teachers Summer 2013 Parental Input, PLCs, Acuity,



Building Vocabulary Teachers On going Parental Input, PLCs, Acuity,



Strategy #5: Math



Description


Implementation

Timeline




the PD is having on achievement?”

Five Easy Steps to a Balanced

Math Program

Teachers

and Adm.

Summer –

School year

Parental Input, PLCs, Acuity,

Teacher DATA binders, ISTEP, and

Student Responsiveness

Teaching Number Sense K-1

Teachers

Summer –

School year




Teaching multi-step problem

solving

Teachers Summer –

school year




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Stakeholder Communications & Relationships

The system fosters effective communications and relationships with and among its stakeholders.

Description of Family Involvement & Engagement to Support Learning Goals

As a part of our school vision, the main priority is to build positive relationships with families

and students. Over the years, there has been a disconnection between schools and the

communities in which they serve. Therefore, our mission is to rebuild our “village” and work in

partnership with families. In order to close our achievement gaps, families must support the work

that takes place in the classroom. We can no longer work in isolation and Sunnyside teachers are

aware of their responsibility to inform parents of student curricular goals. Teachers have

communication logs that are also viewed by building leaders (Principal and ATP). We want all

families to be cognizant of learning opportunities and resources they can utilize to support

student achievement.

The Sunnyside Family Association (SFA) meets monthly to discuss student and school-related

issues. They generate positive school experiences for the school community and work to support

Sunnyside staff members in a multitude of ways. We have parent volunteers on a daily basis

helping as Room Parents. They assist teachers with their instructional framework; taking the time

to engage small groups of students in instructional activities pertaining to reading, writing, and

math.

Our PASS Team has intentional discussions about race, student achievement, and how the

environment/teaching styles impact students of color. Last year, our families completed a survey

which indicated that some families of color believed that our school or teachers were not

invitational. Therefore, our PET (Project and Environment Team) devised an Environmental

Rubric for teachers to utilize in their classrooms. Thus, the PASS team will access this year if the

indicators on the survey have changed.

Families also receive a bi-weekly newsletter and a weekly Connect-Ed call regarding school

information and instruction. In the Fall of 2011, Sunnyside is hosting ISTEP evenings for each

grade level in order to address student data and curricular goals with families.

Parent and community involvement is reviewed and revised annually by the Sunnyside School

Improvement Team, the Sunnyside Family Association, and the Sunnyside staff. Our school

community believes that no significant learning can occur without first developing a significant

relationship with home, school and community.

Last year, we also devised a School Community Council called Connecting with the

Community or CWC. Local businesses and diversity organizations (that support our

International Focus) committed to meet with our school monthly to discuss student needs and

how we can additionally strengthen our community.

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Stakeholder Input Opportunities to Support Goals

Stakeholder Input Name & Description Who Participates Timeline

PASS team Parents and Family

Members selected

from Black and

Hispanic Community

2011- 2013

SFA (Sunnyside Family Association)

Families/Staff Ongoing

Connecting With the Community CWC/Staff 2011-2013

NCEBC- National Council for Educating Black Children Students (Tutoring) 2011-2013

Description of Stakeholder Partnerships & Programs to Support Goals

• Gallahue Mental Health Services - an onsite mental health worker that works with

students/families needing mental health counseling/services.

• The International Center of Indianapolis- provide educational opportunities for students

that align with our magnet focus and academic standards. This partnership was established

through CWC.

• NCEBC- tutoring 4 days a week after school for Sunnyside students

Environment Rubric:

See Appendix C

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Commitment to Continuous Improvement

The system establishes, implements, and monitors a continuous process of improvement that focuses on

student performance.

Preparation and management to an Action Plan

Monthly progress reviews will be conducted by the principal and the SIP team to ensure

strategies and practices are being effectively deployed with fidelity.

Documentation of Core (Common) Practices

As grade level PLC teams identify practices that have had excellent success with Black and

Hispanic students (and thereby improving learning of all students), the practices will be

documented as Core or Common Practices on the school server or quality system website.

Fidelity of the PLC Process

The principal is responsible for the effectiveness and fidelity of the PLC process at the school.

Evidence of attendance and participation at the PLC team meetings as well as observations from

classroom instruction will be provided during the management reviews.

Description of the SIP Management Review Process in 2010-2013

School Improvement Plan progress reviews will be conducted by the Assistant Superintendent

on an ongoing basis. The principal will bring evidence of effective deployment of Equity

strategies, PLCs, Project Approach, Guided Reading, Readers and Writers Workshop, Building

Vocabulary and Balanced Math. Data from the formative assessments listed in this improvement

plan will be provided. The reviews will be conducted on an ongoing basis.

23

Appendix

APPENDIX A

The following is the annual schedule for School Improvement Planning:

Annual

Continuous

Improvement

Responsibility June -

July

Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May

SIP

Deployment

Planning

Principal X X X

SIP Review for

all staff

Principal X X

12-13SIP

Collaboration

& Report

Preparation

(Principal &

SIP Team)

X X X X

Progress

Monitoring

Report of 2011-

2012 SIP

(By Principal to

Management

Review Group)

X X X X

12-13 SIP

Collaboration

(Principal &

Supervisor)

X

Draft of 2012-

13 SIP Due to

Supervisor

Principal X

(3/1)

LEA Review of

12-13 SIP for

PD Section

LEA X X

12-13 SIP

Review &

Feedback by

QA Team to

Principal

Quality

Management

Review Group

X

Final 12-13 SIP

Due to

Supervisor

Principal Board

Approva

l

X

(5/1)

DOE-RR

Forms

Completed

Principal By June

Deadline

24

Appendix B

Technology as a Tool for Learning

The technology plan will be reviewed each year by our School Improvement Committee and our

Technology Committee to ensure that it is up to date and complies with our school and district

initiatives.

Teachers integrate technology in various ways to highlight all subjects. Technology is used as a

learning tool to enhance both teaching and learning. The goal is to integrate technology across

the curriculum to facilitate improved student learning. We not only use computers, but also

include overhead projectors, digital cameras, scanners, video and connections with

TV/computers and/or projectors/computers.

Activities that support technology integration:

• Multimedia presentations by students and teachers

• Internet access for inquiry, research and investigation

• Software activities for remediation, practice, and enrichment

• Word processing to develop the writing process

• Mind mapping to demonstrate conceptual understanding

• Electronically dispersing information between teacher and student

• Communication between parents and teachers through our website

• Technology Coach

• Office Suite Products - Inspiration/Publisher

• Accelerated Reader

• E-Class participation by teachers and students

• Promethean Boards in all elementary classrooms

A technology committee, with representation from each grade level, meets regularly to address

the concerns, needs, and growth opportunities for staff. The committee is responsible for “data

mining” at each grade level. Using data at all levels will help teachers revise and review our

plan through student achievement gains.

25

Appendix C: Environmental Rubric

Following parental surveys, Sunnyside teachers devised a rubric to determine areas of focus that

would honor families and students.

Environment Factors Guiding Questions Evidence

Diversity Does the environment or display(s) represent

our student population and the communities in

which we serve?

Invitational Does the environment create a sense of

belonging?... ownership? …for students and

families?

Student Centered Does the environment reflect the Image of the

Child?

Provocation Does the environment or visual representation

generate student interest?

Authentic Learning Does the environment or the display(s)

demonstrate meaningful, relevant

work?...Could the student(s) study the topic

beyond the classroom?

Does the work incorporate Indiana Academic

Standards?

Are multiple forms of technology utilized?

Documentation Is the story told?

Are artifacts displayed as evidence of the

learning?

Is the story presented in a way that all families

can understand (bilingual)?

Does the environment or display(s) show a

progression of student learning?

Is the story told in multiple ways? (PPT,

display, pictures, classroom books, etc)

Documents

METROPOLITAN SCHOOL DISTRICT OF - ltschools.org...curriculum/standards guides in special areas, elective areas & academic core areas of English/Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social