Strategic)Plan)201202017))
Administrative)Work)Plan)))
Littleton)Public)Schools)Board)of)Education)
)Fall$2011$
Updated$June$2012$Updated$November$2013$Updated$August$2014$Updated$March$2015$
!
!
The$Littleton$Public$Schools$Administrative$Work$Plan$Summary$is$designed$to$provide$the$Board$of$Education$with$specific$and$timely$information$that$shows$how$the$Board’s$Focus$Areas$are$being$addressed$districtwide.$This$“atDaDglance”$summary$is$not$intended$to$be$a$comprehensive$report$of$all$initiatives$in$Littleton$Public$Schools,$but$rather$a$working$document$for$the$superintendent$and$his$staff.$
1
Focus Area 1 Enhance instructional systems and career pathways that maximize achievement for all students and integrate knowledge and skills relevant to 21st century career choices. Intended Outcome All students will achieve at high levels and, upon graduation, be postsecondary and workforce ready. Therefore, 90 percent of all students, K-‐11, will be on or above grade level in reading, writing and mathematics as measured by the current body of evidence reported through the district Grade Level Index calculation. Students not at grade level will exhibit catch-‐up growth. Since 2006, the implementation of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) and the shared vision of the 90 percent goal have resulted in significant change districtwide. These were bold, sweeping statements in our shared belief of what we could do for students, together. To this day, LPS remains the only Denver Metro Area school district to set such high goals and to see remarkable progress toward achieving them:
● LPS is one of two school districts in the Denver Metro Area to be “Accredited with Distinction” and the only district that has received this rating for five consecutive years.
● LPS continues to have the highest graduation rate and the lowest dropout rate in the Denver Metro Area.
● LPS students rank #1 in the Denver Metro Area in 18 of 27 grade levels and subject areas tested on state assessment tests (2013-‐2014 school year).
In addition to PLC work, the district has implemented several interventions such as Fast ForWord, Do the Math and Reading Assistant. Teachers have been trained to help students with these interventions and how to progress monitor frequently to see if they are working. Modifications to the School Intervention Team (SIT) process have been ongoing to better meet the needs of students. In mathematics, new materials have been thoroughly analyzed through the district material selection process. Currently, secondary mathematics are being implemented and evaluated. Elementary mathematics and world languages have taskforces working to determine their new materials. All material adoptions are accompanied with professional development opportunities throughout the implementation process. In addition, parent sessions will also be scheduled, where needed, at the request of the building principals. Maintaining a clear focus on Tier II opportunities for all students is another strategy that has served our students well. We continue, through opportunities such as co-‐teaching, adding intervention time to the day, seeking 1:1 computer implementation and providing additional social, emotional and behavior support, to find ways to give our students access to grade level work. A. A calendar will be developed that sustains ongoing, embedded time to increase student achievement. The calendar committee presented a two-‐year recommendation to the Board of Education in the fall of 2013. The calendars have been approved for the 2014-‐2015 and 2015-‐2016 school years. The next calendar committee will convene in the fall of 2015 under the facilitation of the Directors of Elementary and Secondary Education. Following the completion of negotiations in June 2014, the furlough day was removed from the calendar for the 2014-‐2015 school year and subsequent years. Learning Services presented the committee’s calendar recommendation for the furlough day removal. The Board of Education approved the revised calendars, which caused the start of school to be moved from August 18, 2014 to August 15, 2014. A communication plan was developed and implemented to inform the community of this change.
2
B. A plan for professional development for teacher and principal effectiveness will be designed and implemented. The professional development calendar is available through Google Docs. The professional development plan is evolving as Educator Effectiveness is implemented. A thorough plan for the implementation of Standard VI, the growth standard, is underway from now through the summer of 2016. There are multiple opportunities for teachers to work with the Assessment Specialist to learn the fine points of setting SMART goals and the Student Learning Objective (SLO) process. Currently, an Administrative Leadership Academy in partnership with Cherry Creek and Englewood Schools is being developed with implementation tentatively scheduled for the 2015-‐2016 school year. Credit for relicensure will be available through academy attendance and participation. Professional development continues throughout the summer to support the standards in various content areas. C. Pyramids of Intervention will expand across all school sites. All schools continue to have access to a menu of options for mathematics and reading support. Training has continued as schools add to their intervention plans. Solid Tier I instruction remains a district focus. The implementation of the new Colorado Academic Standards has helped to increase awareness of the importance of appropriate access to Tier I instruction for all students. Scholastic’s Math 180 was added to the mathematics interventions for the middle schools in 2013-‐2014. Significant work on the behavior side of the pyramid has been done and will be shared with sites and parents during the 2014-‐2015 school year. In addition, a Director of Social, Emotional and Behavior Services position has been created to combine duties from the former Director of Alternative Education position and to support growing mental health needs. The behavior face of the pyramid continues to develop with a focus on high schools. D. Student Intervention Teams will be supported systemwide. The implementation and expansion of Aimsweb, as a progress-‐monitoring tool for reading, continues to be a priority in supporting site intervention teams. During the school improvement site visits, school leadership teams expressed a continued need for appropriate progress-‐monitoring tools. This will remain a focus of the Pyramid of Intervention Leadership (POI) Team during the 2015-‐2016 and 2016-‐2017 school years. In addition, plans to streamline the paperwork process are underway. The purchase of a software package continues to be explored in order to document the individual intervention process. The Universal Literacy Plan is currently being updated through the work of a district committee. Progress monitoring is a need expressed by this group as well. The committee is investigating current products and strategies, which will be included in their final report. In the winter of 2015, Infinite Campus developed a tab for RTI plans. The Learning Support Team (LST) saw a demonstration and recommended that the POI Team look at it and discuss the possibility of using it during the 2015-‐2016 school year to capture student intervention plans. E. Strategies will be implemented to continue to close the student achievement gaps in various subgroups. Thinking around closing achievement gaps has changed to considering how best to help all students who are not at grade level to catch up. Specific strategies underway include a comprehensive plan of change and improvement for Field Elementary School. The goal is to learn from the Field experience and to expand the successful efforts. Co-‐teaching for English Language Learners (ELL) and special education students is being implemented along with a technical coaching model. The school day was extended at Field to provide additional teacher contact time. East Elementary School is undertaking a co-‐teaching initiative beginning in 2014-‐2015. Goddard Middle School and Littleton High School are continuing co-‐teaching. District English Language Acquisition and Learning Support Services staffs are now both trainers for co-‐teaching. A large co-‐teaching training was held in August 2014 with staff from across the district. Ninety teachers participated in the training and every level was represented. Excellent Tier I instruction for all students is emphasized and supported with appropriate professional development.
3
Summer school enrichment for our middle school English learners was provided by some of our English Language Acquisition staff. This included language instruction and cultural enrichment opportunities. For our high school English Learners we partnered with Arapahoe Community College to provide credit acquisition and credit recovery in order to provide students an opportunity to get on track, or to stay on track, for an on-‐time graduation. F. Alternative Education opportunities will be analyzed and expanded. Significant changes to Options and Pathways took place during the 2013-‐2014 school year and continue to be revised as the team searches for the best programming solutions for our most needy students. After analyzing the effects of merging the middle and high school levels into one program, the decision has been made to separate them once again. This time, each program will have a dedicated administrator, which has not been the model in the past. A full time dean’s position supports both programs. The staff is undertaking significant professional development through the Discovery Institute. An alternative high school teacher in Poudre School District created this institute and the program in 1990. The program is designed to teach social-‐emotional skills to students struggling with academics, attendance and/or attitude problems. The curriculum includes sophisticated social skills, behavior management strategies, culture development and experiential activities. In order for the staff to fully engage in this professional opportunity, Options Secondary will have weekly Wednesday late starts for all students. This will also provide sufficient time to fully develop their case management model. Initial data was presented during the January 2015 school improvement site visit. Attendance and tardies have significantly decreased from previous years. The initial anecdotal information is very positive. All students will take a Discovery induction course, which helps students learn those “lagging” social or school skills. Plans are underway to add Grade 9 to Options Secondary high school level and to remove it from the Options Secondary middle level and to add Grade 6 to the middle level. This will fill a need during those transition years to provide support to some of our struggling students before they have the opportunity to fail in a larger, more comprehensive setting. There are still questions about space, which may slow down the implementation of this initiative for a semester. G. Support teachers and principals as they implement the Colorado Academic Standards. After a controversial selection process, the secondary level did approve Agile Mind as the new materials for high school and CMP3 for middle school mathematics. The Board of Education approved the materials after lengthy discussion with several teachers. An agreement was made that Agile Mind would be evaluated by an outside group at the end of the first full year of implementation. Implementation is also being phased in; beginning with Algebra I. Summer training was held for all teachers who are teaching Agile Minds this school year. Additionally, technology was provided for teachers and students. CMP3 training was also held during the summer. Additional support has been provided throughout the school year for all secondary teachers of mathematics. January 5, 2015 was the most recent professional development opportunity. A thorough review of elementary mathematics instructional resources was conducted. A recommendation will be made to the Board in the spring of 2015 for implementation in 2015-‐2016. All resource adoptions are accompanied with professional development opportunities throughout the implementation process. Where needed, parent sessions will also be scheduled at the request of the building principals. In Literacy, over 260 teachers came for two days to hear teachers from Columbia Teachers’ College share their work with the Lucy Calkins writing materials, which are used in all of our elementary schools. This training was very well received and all elementary principals also attended. Following the institute, two days were spent working on student learning outcomes tied to the previous two days’ training. The middle level is working on the implementation of the Middle School Literacy Framework. During the summer of 2014, the taskforce gathered to refine some aspects of the framework. Training has continued during the 2014-‐15 school year. Science continues to focus, K-‐12, on implementing Discovery Education. All teachers had an opportunity to meet with Discovery Education during the summer to discuss what works and what they would like to see changed or developed. A variety of other professional development opportunities continue to take place during the school year. These vary by the individual needs of each school. For example, some schools have requested model
4
lessons while others have opted for more traditional training. K-‐5 teacher leaders also met as a cadre to build out units and lessons by grade level to support cross-‐district collaboration and classroom instruction in science. The Elementary Social Studies Teacher Leader Cadre (TLC) worked together to build out units and lessons for the new standards. Through that process the TLC identified the necessary instructional resources. Those resources were approved by the Board of Education and purchased for all classrooms. STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) Inc. is being continually developed to support the new standards and to engage students in relevant, real world problem solving. Much work has been done collaboratively with Learning Services, Instructional Technology and Career and Technical Education to refine the vision of STEM in LPS—not only for the immediate future but also for the next five to ten years. The plan that was developed during the 2013-‐2014 school year—to upgrade current middle school technology labs into STEM Centers with the goal of every child experiencing learning through a STEM Center during their middle school years—is in Phase I of implementation. Over $267,000 dollars has been raised in collaboration with the Littleton Public Schools Foundation. The implementation of the Middle School STEM Centers has been met with enthusiasm from teachers, students and parents. We look forward to completing the project and continuing to partner with the Foundation to make this a reality. In addition, Littleton High School has implemented a robust STEM endorsement program featuring several new courses and articulation agreements. In informal conversations with students during winter school improvement site visits, STEM is indeed drawing students to Littleton High. This program will continue to develop and grow. H. Develop, implement and support new assessment plan to include PARCC and new Colorado Academic Standards assessments (CMAS). Learning Services and Instructional Technology have worked for the past two years to develop a viable plan to enable each of our schools to have enough assessment compatible machines to deliver the new tests within reasonable time frames. The continuing bond work will provide additional infrastructure to support the testing needs in the future. While we have provided devices and access-‐points to support testing, continuing issues of scheduling and student/parent buy-‐in have become increasingly problematic. Littleton High School, because of their alternating block schedule, will try a different schedule this spring from the one they used in the fall. They will give the tests, English Language Arts and Mathematics, in the student’s corresponding class thus eliminating the need to have other students remain at home during the testing period. Heritage High School and Arapahoe High School continue to work on finding a schedule solution that works the best with their variable schedules. The Learning Support Team (LST) continues to grapple with the 95 percent participation rate and now has a plan in place for spring 2015 testing. Presentations have been made to both the Board of Education and the district Accountability Committee. Input and suggestions from both groups informed the plans for spring. I. Study, create and implement new grading and reporting practices aligned with the standards. Teacher leaders are beginning to come together to work on new grading and reporting practices based on the Colorado Academic Standards implementation. This work will span several years as districts begin to receive more direction on the new graduation guidelines and the impact they might have on grading practices. Beginning in the 2013-‐2014 school year, students with a significant reading deficiency received a Reading to Ensure Academic Development (READ) plan. The student's READ plan includes targeted, scientifically based or evidence based intervention instruction to address and remediate the student's specific, diagnosed reading skill deficiencies. This plan has been implemented but the READ implementation committee continues to search for appropriate software to better meet the requirements and to provide easier access for those who need to see READ plans. J. Monitor and evaluate legislative mandates to determine appropriate fit and action for LPS. It remains critical for Learning Services to take an active role in responding to proposed legislation. It is the expectation that leaders will continue to read and respond with opinion papers that help inform our lobbyist to influence the course of legislation. Currently, we have several members serving on a variety of taskforces that will help keep us informed as well as help us influence legislation. The Deputy Superintendent is working with two groups, the Metro Area Learning Leaders (MALL) and the Front Range Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) to also coordinate and share legislative influence and priorities. The Director of Learning Services and the Director of Special Education/Student Support Services each serve on a subcommittee of the
5
CDE Graduation Guidelines Taskforce. The Career and Technical Education Coordinator also serves on two subcommittees. K. Revise the elementary Universal Literacy Framework including ongoing professional development, progress monitoring. The taskforce charged with updating the Universal Literacy Framework has been hard at work. In January, a report was given to the elementary principals explaining the work of the group. “Close reading” strategies have been studied in an effort to better understand the nature of the structure as it pertains to the new standards. In addition, particular attention has been given to word work, targeted instruction, independent reading and the writing framework supported by Lucy Calkins materials and training. Future professional development will be planned based on the work and recommendations of this taskforce. The former Director of Elementary
Education and the current Elementary Learning Specialist are leading this work. Literacy training and work will have a significant place for all levels, K-‐12, in the summer academy development. L. Monitor strategies to reduce remediation rates and increase on-‐time graduation rates for all students. Since the initial work on root cause began nearly three years ago, on-‐time graduation rates have steadily increased. This work will continue throughout the 2015-‐2016 school year. Each individual school is also working
through their Unified Improvement Planning process to address the topic of remediation reduction. Adding PLATO licenses for all high schools is an important part of the plan and has proved successful at Littleton High School. Now all three high schools have access through the collaborative efforts of the three high school principals. In addition, software used for the Voyager program is being reevaluated to determine how it might also be used in the effort. Much of the work of the graduation task force speaks to possible changes in philosophy as we begin to think about competency rather than seat time. There will be rich discussion in the coming months and years as this concept is more clearly defined. M. Implement the Middle Level Literacy Framework. The framework has been introduced to all middle level teachers of English Language Arts. More in-‐depth training will be planned after teachers have had time to do initial implementation. The framework will serve as a basis for material/resource selection as well. The teacher leaders who worked on the framework continue to work together to refine and to develop appropriate professional development opportunities. N. Investigate the possibility of expansion of concurrent enrollment programs and develop a plan for the implementation of the new graduation guidelines. Under the facilitation of the Director of Secondary Education, a graduation guidelines taskforce has been developed. Their charge is to thoroughly understand the law and the rules promulgated around the law and to determine how best to implement in Littleton Public Schools. This group has worked on various issues throughout the first semester of the 2014-‐2015 school year. Timelines have been established and communication plans will be developed. The taskforce will also seek community input through our current advisory committee process. A presentation to the Board of Education and to the District Accountability Committee is planned for the spring of 2015. Materials will be produced so that the presentation can be replicated at each school SAC meeting. A Board of Education workshop will also be arranged when initial plans are completed. O. Investigate additional career exploration opportunities including but not limited to Career Technical Education. During the 2014-‐2015 school year, a fashion design class was added to the CTE offerings. Internships and work-‐study partnerships continue to be developed at our individual school sites. A programming course was added to Littleton High School’s schedule and Heritage High School continues to explore the “green” house project.
6
P. Provide clear expectations and a focus on 21st century skills for all teachers. Significant work has been done by the Learning Support Team with the help of curriculum/IT specialists in preparing documents that clearly outline Littleton Public Schools’ expectations for 21st century skills development of our students. These documents are posted on the district intranet. A communication plan will be developed in light of our potential new website. Strategies for teaching these skills are included in all of our professional development offerings. The plan that was developed last year—to upgrade current middle school technology labs into STEM Centers with the goal of every child experiencing learning through the STEM Center during their middle school years—is in Phase I of implementation. Over $267,000 dollars has been raised in collaboration with the Littleton Public Schools Foundation. The results of this implementation have been very impressive and bode well for the future funding of the STEM Centers.
7
Focus Area 2 Expand utilization of instructional technology with appropriate use for student achievement while providing the infrastructure for organizational efficiency and effectiveness. Intended Outcome Appropriate, engaging use of technology is the norm for doing the work of school.
A. District networks will be enhanced to support converging services. The communications systems, including voice over IP (VoIP) are in place. Edge switches in the schools have been replaced as part of the Summer 2014 activities. LPS Internet access has been boosted to 1 gigabit per second broadband speeds through two connections (500mbps each with Comcast and Affiniti) and will double the speed on each of those links during summer of 2015. Going forward, the district will enhance the wireless network to support three devices (phone, tablet, laptop) per person (3:1 ratio) to meet the
growing needs created by personally owned devices. Bond projects will include upgrades to central switches and the further convergence of intercom, bells, video cameras and other network services. This convergence to the computer network will increase efficiency, reliability and performance of the systems connected. Convergence and its benefits are both a result of the fiber-‐optic network backbone the district utilizes under the franchise agreement established by the City of Littleton with Comcast. B. Online learning opportunities will be expanded. LPS has operated a number of online and computer-‐based services for students ranging from software interventions (Fast ForWord, FasttMath, Alex.com, Earobics, Study Island, etc.) to blended learning (Voyager program -‐ using Aventa, In-‐School Credit Recovery using PLATO) to a small online learning pilot (LPS@Home using PLATO). Online student achievement and assessment services have also been a part of LPS online services (AIMSWeb and MAP tests). Further, the district has adopted policies and procedures regarding acceptance of credits for online courses from non-‐LPS institutions in an effort to both expand opportunities and to maintain the integrity of LPS diplomas. C. STEM Inc. courses and programs will be enhanced. STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) is best represented by the Technology Education programming in LPS, which once again dominated state competitions and sent representatives to national events. In 2014, the Littleton High School Technology Student Association earned its 12th state championship. Building on STEM Inc.’s strategy guide, the district is pursuing several key projects including upgrades of Middle School Technology Education Labs to become STEM Centers. Littleton High School has launched a STEM initiative that includes new programming courses and collaborative efforts with local universities to provide a pathway into engineering programs for students who complete a specified sequence of STEM programming. In addition, Littleton High School sponsored a Saturday course that featured various local engineers. The course was very well attended. The LPS Foundation is leading the fundraising effort to gather the funds to support both the middle school upgrades and to support Littleton High School. D. A comprehensive and coherent data management strategy will be maintained and enhanced. The district is in compliance with state data pipeline demands using a coordinated effort among departments and schools using existing methods. However, a central reporting database will be necessary for the long-‐term due to the frequency of data exchanges that the state’s new system will require. Preliminary plans have been sketched for a data reporting system that will gather data from various systems and present a validation interface for school and ESC staff to approve information prior to submission to the state.
8
E. Internet filtering services upgrades. -‐Project complete The district has upgraded Internet filtering services, which will keep us in compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) requirements for student safety. Additional capabilities for remote filtering services (home-‐based) on district-‐owned student devices are now part of the upgrade. This capability will allow us to provide filtering for 1:1 student devices when they are taken off campus. F. Inspired Writing grades 5-‐12 will be maintained and monitored. The district continues to be a national model for the use of sub-‐laptops (netbooks and Chromebooks) in support of writing. Achievement impact has been documented by several studies and highlighted in the book Learning in the Cloud by Mark Warschauer. The district will continue to train teachers in the methods of Inspired Writing through training cohorts and peer mentoring. G. Develop a plan for technology needs serving curriculum, instruction and assessment. During the October 24, 2013 Board of Education meeting, Learning Services, Information and Technology Services and Operations co-‐presented a discussion about the implications of online curriculum, instructional practices and assessment that are on the horizon for LPS. The Board made value recommendations and charged the administration with developing a plan to address these new challenges. The plan presented on February 13, 2014 included needs assessments, educational outcomes, action steps and funding requirements. A total cost per pupil investment is projected to be $305. In coordination with the math adoption, the district is projecting a two-‐ to three-‐year, 1:1 implementation with Chromebooks as the chosen device. This plan will continue to be assessed and revised as we move forward. H. Continue support and evaluation of the technology platform for Educator Effectiveness. A technology platform was deployed for the pilot of SB 191 requirements during the 2012-‐2013 school year. The Bloomboard system (not to be confused with inBloom) hosts the Model Colorado Educator Effectiveness rubrics and provides services for recording the evaluation process for teachers and administrators. The platform is being re-‐evaluated by the Human Resources Department, Learning Services, IT and the Littleton Council for Educator Effectiveness (LCEE) in the 2014-‐2015 school year. The re-‐evaluation includes cost, effectiveness, ease of use and other factors in comparison with other product offerings available in the marketplace. I. Continue to partner with the LPS Foundation to supplement technology funding. As the Foundation has made sizeable contributions to technology initiatives in the past, the district will continue to look for on-‐going fundraising and community awareness support for these initiatives. In particular, the Spirit Celebration will be a focal point for showcasing best practices of technology supporting teaching and learning in LPS. J. Instructional applications that support new standards and interventions will be implemented. The Discovery Education Tech Book represents the first textbook adoption in LPS history that is not actually a textbook. Instead, the online service is a collection of standards-‐aligned videos, lesson plans, learning activities, simulations and interactive virtual labs that can be accessed from any online computer. The 2014 adoption of Agile Minds for math curriculum represents the second such adoption. Agile Minds brings forward the need for 1:1 (student to computer) strategies because the application of Agile Minds is intended outside the classroom. This curriculum adoption represents the next major step in our collective progress in realizing the potential of technology to support instruction. K. Cybersafety programming will be extended. After hosting a Cyber Safety Summit for secondary schools in 2012, the district has held several Cyber Safety events while supporting similar activities at individual schools. The Cyber Savvy Parent Forums held in May 2013 and in April 2014 served more than 150 attendees each. The district refined the program and is offering it again during the 2014-‐2015 school year (April 2015). Plans are to offer it periodically in the future to assist parents with the evolving challenges of cyberspace.
9
L. Continue to pursue 1:1 student computing. Adoption of online curriculum over the past three years, along with the deployment of classroom-‐based carts of student devices, has shown the 1:1
model of student device deployment to be a more efficient model. The most cost-‐effective approach may be to use Chromebooks, which perform very well in Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) tests as well as for both the Agile Minds and Discovery Education curriculum sources. To accomplish this goal, the district will need to re-‐purpose existing netbooks and Chromebooks deployed in schools. While some devices were purchased by PTOs, any cart of devices purchased before 2012 is part of the Board’s refresh plan and many PTO investments have already been upgraded. The district continues to consider how to leverage BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) strategies to maximize computer choice options for students and to assure equity for all. LPS currently has more than 6,000 Chromebooks, with funding allocated in 2014-‐2015 for another 1,500 devices. There are also 4,300 Netbooks deployed to students for their work with online curriculum and research activities. Funding for computers for the 2014-‐2015 school year includes $667,000 of restored state funding (negative factor) and $830,000, which was earmarked from one-‐time 2010 mill levy funds. LPS students create over 40,000 new Google Docs every month, which speaks to the high rate of computer utilizations across the entire district.
The district continues to be a national model for the use of sub-‐laptops (netbooks and Chromebooks) in support of writing. Achievement impact has been documented by several studies and highlighted in the book Learning in the Cloud by Mark Warschauer.
10
Focus Area 3 Provide an educational and work environment that supports professional learning and collaborative work for all staff. Intended Outcome Time and resources for all collaborative work are provided that result in students reaching the goal of on or above grade level in reading, math, writing and science. Research is clear that professionals must have a work environment that not only encourages collaboration but also provides the necessary training and common focus to bring about true collaboration. Our work to that end continues. A. Increase access to and utilization of modern technologies to support professional practice. The laptop initiative for principals was a huge step forward for LPS. This occurred during the fall of 2012. The next step is to secure laptops, or other devices such as tablets, for all of our teachers. Staff utilization of technology is directly related to their access and training. The science and mathematics materials adoptions have created a critical need in this area. Learning Services and IT are exploring ways to make sure each teacher has a laptop and has appropriate training in the use of the tool. B. Continue training and support for the Professional Learning Communities (PLC) model. While Learning Services offers support for the existing PLC work, no specific training has been conducted for several years. This is a strategy that will need some assessment on current state and evaluation for future training ideas. As we begin to incorporate work on Standard VI of Educator Effectiveness, some PLC time will be used to train on Student Learning Objectives or Outcomes and research-‐based assessment strategies. C. Maintain and enhance a comprehensive and coherent data management strategy. Hiring an Assessment Specialist was the first step in the student assessment piece of this strategy. She will lead the work after planning with the larger group. Helping teachers write solid Student Learning Objectives (SLO) is a top priority in the 2014-‐2015 school year with implementation scheduled for 2016. Learning Services is also working collaboratively with IT and Human Resources to support the new CDE Data Pipeline initiative that was first implemented in 2013-‐2014. D. Identify a sustainable funding stream for staff computer refresh. Capital needs for the district, including dedicated funding streams for Information Technology and Operations, will be reviewed as the Bond work completes the urgent infrastructure repairs in the buildings. The transfer of funds from the General Fund to the capital reserve fund will be analyzed to support these needs as well as one-‐time dollars received from the one-‐time buy down of the negative factor. A more stable stream of funding will need to be explored in the future. This could include a dedicated mill levy override and the issuing of Certificates of Participation. E. Develop a sustainable funding stream for materials and resources to support the Colorado Academic Standards. We are currently using a plan developed after the 2010 mill levy passed – called the White Paper – to allocate one-‐time dollars to fund curriculum work. These dollars will run out after one curriculum cycle. One source of funding that helps alleviate pressure on the general fund is that of the LPS Foundation. Our partnership has helped LPS to become one of the first wireless districts in Colorado, supports the EEE Inspired Writing initiative and many other teacher directed, grant funded classroom projects in addition to the middle school STEM
11
Centers. Thinking about a sustainable source of funds is a topic that is often discussed with an eye to the not-‐too-‐distant future. F. Investigate and offer solutions for equity in elementary school time for art, music, PE, Gifted, technology, library, etc. in a comprehensive school program. No timeline has been established for this strategy. Fiscal implications have diverted time from this important challenge. G. Track the correlation between National Board Certification and increased teacher effectiveness and student achievement. In the fall of 2014, LPS National Board Certified Teachers presented to the Board of Education regarding the process they undertook to gain the certification and the benefits of their experience. Human Resources and LST will continue to track National Board Certified Teachers’ effectiveness and increased student achievement. H. Design professional development opportunities to maximize the implementation of Colorado Academic Standards. Every summer, LPS plans and implements a summer academy approach to professional development. However, in the summer of 2015, because of the bond work throughout the district, there is very limited access to training sites. Professional development will be limited to mathematics on all levels, required safety and mental health training, limited leadership training and a few other opportunities that we believe are critical to teachers’ continuing work.
Research is clear that professionals must have a work environment that not only encourages collaboration but also provides the necessary training and common focus to bring about true collaboration. Our work to that end continues.
12
Focus Area 4 Promote, sustain and create quality programs that make Littleton Public Schools the uniquely preferred choice for families inside and outside the district. Intended Outcome Strengthen premier district status as measured by: student achievement index, choice index and community survey ratings. LPS has a history of enjoying tremendous support from its parents, students, employees and the community at large. This has been proven time and time again through the passage of local mill levy and bond elections and positive elections for the selection of Board of Education members. We firmly believe that this kind of support does not happen by accident but rather is a result of purposeful and ongoing involvement with all of the various community groups that Littleton Public Schools serves. These efforts, which have served LPS well in the past, will continue into the future and additional ways of engaging the community will be explored as well. LPS will embrace – as it always has – the very essence of excellence this community expects and deserves. We continue to listen to our constituents and to provide them with the very best we have to offer. A. Expand online learning opportunities. During the 2013-‐2014 school year, the Center for Online Learning (COLS) and the LPS@HOME programs merged under a new name, Voyager. All three high schools and the Options Secondary Program have implemented credit recovery programs utilizing PLATO as the curriculum provider. The Redirection Center day and evening programs and homebound instruction continue their programming utilizing PLATO as well. Merging programs and online providers gives consistency across the district and allows future expansion to meet the ever-‐changing needs of LPS students, parents and schools. B. Monitor and evaluate existing promotion and recruitment strategies and explore new ones. Choice will be a focus for all families served. LPS has been very successful in its promotion and recruitment strategies as more than 20 percent of LPS students live outside district boundaries. This remains the largest percentage of out-‐of-‐district enrollment for any school district of our size in the Denver Metro Area. Out-‐of-‐district enrollment increased by 980 students from 2003 to 2012. From 2011 to 2012 alone, out-‐of-‐district enrollment increased by 211 students. This is the largest single-‐year increase since 2006. From 2012 to 2014, open enrollment remained stable at 3,064. Without the increasing number of students choosing LPS from outside the district, LPS would have experienced a greater drop in enrollment and funding. LPS families also take advantage of choices within district boundaries. During the 2014-‐2015 school year, 2,849 in-‐district students attended an LPS school other than their neighborhood school. In 2011, a targeted advertising and promotion campaign for key enrollment events was developed, which centered on freshman showcase nights, middle school parent information nights and kindergarten registration events. Communications personnel will continue to build upon these efforts. In addition, these efforts will be expanded and complemented by increased social media and more targeted marketing. The goal is to retain current audiences while reaching out to new audiences through new approaches within our defined budget.
13
C. Monitor and evaluate the reasons families “choice out” of LPS. About 700 students “choice out” of Littleton Public Schools. While LPS brings in a great deal more students than it loses, we will focus on learning more about why students within our attendance boundaries choose to attend schools other than those in LPS. D. Continue to communicate directly with our target audiences.
LPS has the ability to communicate directly with all parents, students, employees, key communicators and taxpayers—some more quickly and cost-‐effectively than others. LPS will increase communication to LPS families and taxpayers to tell “the LPS story”
through in-‐house communication tools such as, but not limited to, print, digital, social, video, web, etc. We will explore new methods and funding sources to directly communicate more frequently with taxpayers. E. Improve and expand the LPS digital footprint. The LPS web presence is being updated and improved. At the same time, new tools such as a mobile app are being added to meet the growing needs of LPS constituents. F. Schools continue to monitor and evaluate offerings to meet the needs of students and families. This is done at the site level through school accountability committee discussions and survey documents. Students are also frequently surveyed. All of our schools are very responsive to student interest groups and provide opportunities for students to form clubs, intramural activities or special events. G. Study, create and implement new grading and reporting practices aligned with the standards. Teacher leaders are beginning to come together to work on new grading and reporting practices based on the Colorado Academic Standards implementation. This work will span several years as districts begin to receive more direction on the new graduation guidelines and the impact they might have in grading practices. Beginning in the 2013-‐2014 school year, students with a significant reading deficiency received a Reading to Ensure Academic Development (READ) plan. The student's READ plan includes targeted, scientifically-‐ or evidence-‐based intervention instruction to address and remediate the student's specific, diagnosed reading skill deficiencies. This plan has been implemented but the READ implementation committee continues to search for appropriate software to better meet the requirements and to provide easier access for those who need to see READ plans.
LPS will embrace – as it always has – the very essence of excellence this community expects and deserves. We continue to listen to our constituents and to provide them with the very best we have to offer.
14
Focus Area 5 Engage the community and parents as active partners in the objectives, activities and performance of the school district and its students. Intended Outcome Time and resources for community and parent engagement are provided, which result in a continuous collaborative process that fosters understanding of and support for the district. This is an area – perhaps more than any other – where it can be said that this is “The Littleton Way.” LPS has a long-‐standing tradition and history of community involvement in decision-‐making. It has served us well in the past and continues to do so. A. Survey the community to understand its priorities and concerns. A community survey was last conducted in the spring of 2013. This sampling was similar to those in previous surveys and indicated high levels of satisfaction in many areas. This current data, along with data from previous community surveys, helped the district determine the focus for the future in many areas of the organization. Another community survey is scheduled for the spring of 2016. B. Continue to draw upon the important relationships between LPS and its district-‐level committees, parents and their individual schools. These committees give us invaluable feedback in all areas of responsibility. C. Engage the LPS community in the Board of Education’s selection of a new Superintendent. The Board contracted with the Colorado Association of School Boards (CASB) in the fall of 2014 to guide it through the process. CASB conducted eight focus groups in November 2014, which involved about 300 community members, parents, teachers and administrators. The Board formed two advisory committees to interview final candidates and to serve in an advisory capacity to the Board. These committees included community members, parents, teachers, classified staff, principals, students and other district leaders. D. Engage the community in the 2015 Board of Education election. Strategies may include, but would not necessarily be limited to, a Board of Education interest workshop in the spring of 2015, informational sessions for potential candidates and Board candidate forums in October 2015 for candidates appearing on the ballot. E. Continue to partner with local legislators and actively influence state legislation as it relates to the values and priorities of the LPS community and directly impacts K-‐12 education. The Superintendent and/or his staff met with community groups in the winter of 2013-‐2014 to discuss the need “to buy-‐down a portion of the negative factor” and to provide more funding for all school districts in Colorado. The communication department produced several “call to action” letters that asked the public to contact their legislators to ask them to provide more funding. We heard from our legislators that our local call to action was successful, as many community members contacted their legislators and visited the Capital. The Board of Education and staff spent numerous hours working with the district lobbyist to provide information to legislators on areas of the budget, assessment, transparency of data, needs of at-‐risk students and numerous other topics that surfaced during the legislative session. We will continue to keep principals, employees, community members and PTO leaders updated on the district’s budget issues as the
15
year progresses. We continue to utilize the same approach for the buy-‐down of the negative factor for the 2015-‐2016 budget year. As the “math problem” of the state budget becomes more apparent, we need to make sure that our public understands that the total funding available for any increase from the general fund will become limited and a long-‐term solution will need to be implemented. This solution may ultimately require a statewide tax question on the general ballot in November of 2015 or 2016. F. Informational presentations on essential topics such as funding, graduation requirements and assessments will continue to be made to advisory, staff, parents and community groups. This will be done from both the district level and the site level. It is critical that these important groups be kept informed of how these issues impact LPS. The Citizen’s Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC) has been established and will be making presentations to the Board of Education quarterly. G. Provide information to and seek input from our various publics in the awareness and celebration of LPS’ changing demographics and cultures. A demographic study was completed and presented to the Board of Education in August of 2012. The study reported a change in student characteristics over the last seven years as our students living in poverty has increased 7.4 percent from 13.9 percent in 2005 to 21.3 percent in 2011. The study also suggests that enrollment is starting to stabilize and the elementary building utilization is at 92 percent, which does not suggest that the district needs to add building capacity at this time. As new development continues within the Littleton school boundaries, such as the Littleton Village project, the number of open enrolled students will have to be closely monitored so that schools have space for the new in-‐district students that these housing developments generate. H. Engage the community in school safety and mental health issues. The Board of Education formed the Safety and Mental Health Advisory Committee in the fall of 2014 to operate as a short-‐term advisory group to the Superintendent and to the Board of Education. The committee represents a cross-‐section of the community—parents, mental health experts, community members, agency leaders, elected leaders, law enforcement, teachers, students and administrators. Committee members are reviewing all of the programs and services in place within LPS that are designed to keep families safe and to serve children who are at-‐risk or in crisis. The committee began meeting in December 2014 and will conclude its work in June 2015 with a report to the Superintendent and the Board that will include recommendations. I. Further promote community involvement through the Senior Citizens Tax Rebate Program and Volunteers in Public Schools (VIPS). Workshops in literacy, math and 21st century learning tools continue to be offered for our senior volunteers. These workshops are well-‐attended and they help parents and community volunteers to align their support with what is actually taking place in the classroom. Parent volunteers and senior volunteers continue to improve their understanding about Google Docs and its use across the district. Seniors continue to be placed in all areas within our schools with an ongoing emphasis being placed on their work with students in literacy and math. Volunteers participate in mentorships, in order to build relationships with our students. The district’s Coordinator of Volunteers has joined in the School Service Project (along with other metro area Volunteer Coordinators) in order to share what we do in LPS and to gain knowledge from other districts to improve all volunteer programs. Through this project, other districts are forming programs such as our VIPS coordinators group and LPS has integrated new training procedures based on what has been shared. Human Resources will participate in civic organizations that focus on community partnerships. LPS continuously updates its wikis for our volunteers—one for Senior Volunteers and one for VIPS Coordinators—to share information that they can use with students and PTOs: lpsvips.wikispaces.com and sctrp.wikispaces.com. Keeping these groups of constituents well informed is critical to continued widespread support for LPS.
The Board of Education formed the Safety and Mental Health Advisory Committee in the fall of 2014 to operate as a short-‐term advisory group to the Superintendent and to the Board of Education. The committee represents a cross-‐section of the community—parents, mental health experts, community members, agency leaders, elected leaders, law enforcement, teachers, students and administrators.
16
J. Provide support to sites to enhance parent involvement in student achievement. This ongoing strategy is often facilitated through the instructional coaches at each site and through the literacy coaches at sites who have them. Depending on the school’s improvement goals, activities range from helping parents with reading and vocabulary building strategies to do at home to explaining constructivist mathematics programming. The district provides significant training to instructional coaches and literacy specialists and coaches. Title I schools develop a yearlong parent involvement plan as part of their Title I obligations. The district learning specialists and coordinators often support both planning and delivery of these programs. In addition to individual sites hosting parent activities, the district offers multiple opportunities for parent training in a variety of areas including mental health support, cybersafety, mathematics programming and special populations events. K. Implement comprehensive communications strategies that address issues affecting students, parents, employees and taxpayers. Communications are vital to building understanding throughout the district, regarding not only all of the Key Strategic Initiatives in the Administrative Work Plan but also all of the issues that relate to the community’s values and priorities for its schools.
17
Focus Area 6 Optimize the use of district resources and facilities to meet student learning needs while operating the district efficiently. Intended Outcome Plan of action is developed for optimal use of district facilities for effective use of district resources. Littleton Public Schools has a well-‐earned reputation of running its operations efficiently while continuing to achieve academically at very high levels. It is critical to know and understand the priorities of the communities served and to continuously seek new and improved ways of doing business. Quality can never be sacrificed in the process. A. The district will commission a demographic study. A demographic study was commissioned in 2012 and the results were presented to the Board in August 2012. The study concluded that the district has the building capacity for the projected enrollment for the foreseeable future. The Human Resources Department will develop strategies to recruit and retain staff that is more reflective of student and community demographics. B. Optimal building use and capacity will continue to be studied. The capacity report has been updated and indicates some population imbalances in some attendance areas that affect building utilization. Open enrollment is closely monitored in these areas. A class size presentation was given to the Board of Education during a workshop in January 2015. In addition, class size capacity was reviewed for all elementary schools. C. LPS will influence school finance legislation that impacts the district’s ability to adequately fund programs and achievement. District personnel continue to be active in the Colorado Association of School Executives (CASE) Department of Business Officials Board, Colorado School Finance Project, and Great Education Colorado. An LPS Board member currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Colorado Association of School Boards, which has a powerful voice at the Capitol. During the 2013-‐2014 school year, LPS played a significant role in crafting, and providing testimony for, changes and improvements to HB 1292 and HB 1298. D. Develop and implement plans to make all school-‐based enterprise programs self-‐supporting including school aged childcare, club sports, etc. The school age childcare fund overall is self-‐supporting although some individual programs are not self-‐supporting. We continue to assess those programs to find ways to improve their revenue and reduce their expenditures. E. An improved method for parent and student use of credit cards will be implemented. Completed. During the 2012-‐2013 school year, nine schools and two departments opted to offer payment through credit cards. F. A new school staffing model was developed and will be implemented. The Finance and Human Resources departments are surveying principals to explore the needs of and the desire for a new staffing model for the district. It has been determined that a new, less complicated model that allows principals flexibility while meeting the needs of the demographics of the school population is needed. A pilot program with a few principals using a new model is being developed for the 2015-‐2016 budget year. G. Other BusinessPLUS and change management items for core financial reports will be developed and implemented. Human Resources has converted over 400 HR/PY reports from JDE and Excel to BusinessPLUS. In addition, several BusinessPLUS(formerly IFAS) applications are now implemented in Human Resources. Automated payroll
Littleton Public Schools has a well-‐earned reputation of running its operations efficiently while continuing to achieve academically at very high levels. It is critical to know and understand the priorities of the communities served and to continuously seek new and improved ways of doing business. Quality can never be sacrificed in the process.
18
reports, including the Subtracker module, files for PERA, TIAA-‐CREF, state unemployment, 941 reporting, EEO-‐5 Reporting, and tax reporting are now in place. Benefits reporting, including COBRAtracking and files from BusinessPLUS to insurance carriers are all active in BusinessPlus. The improved Tuition Reimbursement process has significantly reduced the timeframe in which teachers receive their reimbursement. Employee Online is running smoothly and feedback from employees about its content, availability and accessibility has been positive. Electronic e-‐mail notification of licensure expiration has been well received by licensed personnel. Tracking teacher induction and all induction reports was transferred from Excel spreadsheets to BusinessPLUS. During the 2013-‐2014 school year, LPS played a significant role in crafting and providing testimony for changes and improvements to HS 1292 and HB 1298. Tracking the completion of Staff Development classes was also transferred from Excel to BusinessPLUS. HR’s annual data reporting to the CDE has improved because of the capabilities of BusinessPlus. Tracking all leaves of absence reports moved from Excel to BusinessPLUS. The Applicant Online and Applicant Tracking modules are active. HR developed Applicant Online dashboard reports for schools and departments to utilize as needed. Alternative electronic application systems were investigated during the 2014-‐2015 school year and a new system is planned for implementation in the 2015-‐2016 hiring season. The antiquated Employee Change Notice was updated and renamed the Automated Employee Action (AEA) form. H. An Electronic Timecard System will be investigated. During the 2014-‐2015 school year, options for an electronic timecard system are being investigated in collaboration with Human Resources and Finance. I. Continue to enhance payroll and human resources to increase staff and employee productivity and satisfaction. A new online application system was implemented in February 2015. This system increases the efficiency of the posting/hiring process for district administrators and is much more user friendly for applicants. Additionally, this system allows the hiring process to become paperless and begins the process of creating electronic personnel files. J. Online Benefits Open Enrollment During the 2014-‐2015 school year, options to move from paper-‐based open enrollment to electronic open enrollment are being investigated. K. Board policies in the Human Resources G-‐Series (all GA and GB policies) were revised. A Board workshop was held in the fall of 2012 to review these Human Resources-‐related policies. Policy updates and revisions continue. All G policies will be taken to the Board of Education for approval during the 2014-‐2015 school year. L. An advisory committee was established to recommend a new evaluation system in alignment with SB-‐191 for both teachers and principals. The Littleton Council for Educator Effectiveness (LCEE) continues to meet three times annually to monitor the implementation of SB11-‐191. In June 2014, LCEE members approved the recommended approach to Standard VI for teachers. LPS will continue to develop, over a two-‐year period, Student Learning Outcomes/Objectives by which teachers can be individually measured. Significant training and practice time is required for this project. In the meantime, collective attribution is how Standard VI is being measured to meet the requirements of the law. M. Develop capital bond implementation strategy including timeline for capital improvement planning committee, building site assessments and Board of Education consideration. This work was completed.
19
N. Investigate and evaluate a transportation fee for ride proposal for Board of Education consideration. This strategy was completed in 2012 and will be dropped from the plan. O. Develop and evaluate alternative student routing and delivery system. The transportation routing system was upgraded and as student needs change, the routing system is adjusted to meet their needs. P. Expand school district’s central refrigerator and freezer to accommodate more food choices and increased volume of fresh produce. The expansion of the central refrigerator and freezer is included in the bond program. Q. Analyze and revise teacher and administrator recruitment and hiring processes. The Human Resources Department will develop strategies to recruit and retain staff that is more reflective of student and community demographics. Human Resources will continue to actively recruit teachers and administrators through participation in Denver Metro Area teacher and administrative recruitment fairs. Specific attention will be directed towards the alignment of the application questions and the hiring process with the expectations focused on 21st century skills and SB 191. Human Resources and Learning Services have partnered for the 2015-‐2016 hiring season for the hiring processes for building leaders. R. Study and develop alternative teacher compensation models. The Strategic Compensation Committee (SCC) was created during the 2013-‐2014 school year and established guiding values and a direction for the future studies. Human Resources will continue to study through the SCC various compensation models in collaboration with the Finance department and the Littleton Education Association (LEA). S. Develop processes and procedures to enhance effective transportation for all students with special transportation needs.
Transportation staff and special education staff will work collaboratively to develop processes and procedures during the 2015-‐2016 school year. The district continues to have increased needs for transporting more students to out-‐of-‐district placements. These students have a variety of needs that require collaboration between various sites and transportation so that routes can be developed in an efficient manner and student needs are met. T. Study and develop budgeting tools that allow for differentiated funding for students. The district needs to make sure that we are
providing the resources to meet the needs of our students. As the district looks at a new weighted staffing model, it will also explore a weighted student-‐funding model. Both models will help reallocate scarce resources to our schools to make the most impact in student achievement. The models will be developed during the 2015-‐2016 school year and the first pilot for selected schools will occur in the 2016-‐2017 school year. The model will then be reviewed and changes will be made for districtwide rollout during the 2017-‐2018 school year. U. Review building life and education viability. After the current bond program is completed, the district will convene a facility use/capital improvement planning committee to review the items that were deferred and new deficiencies that may have been identified during the bond work. This committee will also review current enrollment trends and determine the viability of all educational facilities from an operational, programmatic, functional and financial basis. V. Continue to review and implement best practice security strategies in all buildings. This is ongoing work. The security department will continue to meet with the district’s security committee to review best practices and needs of the building. The security committee is made up of School Resource Officers
20
from each school and members from certified, classified and administrator employee groups. We also will review the recommendations of the Safety and Mental Health Advisory Committee as it pertains to physical security. W. Identify a sustainable funding stream for technology, transportation, and operational facility needs. While this is an ongoing need, administration does not currently have the capacity to conduct a thorough study and to seek solutions but will continue to take our more pressing needs and to bring those needs to the forefront every year for budget consideration. The district will continue to seek legislative/voter-‐approved remedies for a sustainable funding stream.
21
Focus Area 7 Promote and provide an environment that fosters caring, respect and compassion for others. Intended Outcome Resources and supports are in place to provide systemwide environments that are safe, respectful and responsive to student needs. Community surveys tell us over and over again that one of the highest priorities for our community is a safe and caring learning environment for students. A. Continue to expand Positive Behavior Support and Intervention Supports. Currently, 18 LPS schools/programs are utilizing the school-‐wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) model. The LPS Positive Behavior Team continues to support and coach schools on the implementation of PBIS as well as to support individual schools and students struggling with challenging behaviors. This team provides facilitation, training, professional development and parent workshops that focus on positive behavioral interventions. In addition, the Positive Behavior Support Team provided PBIS training for School Age Child Care programs at all sites in the fall of 2014. All three traditional LPS high schools currently use their own variety of school culture and climate programs and activities, but are not currently implementing PBIS. One current goal is to work with schools to better align behavior frameworks across LPS at the high school level. B. Increase staff, student and parent awareness of responsible practices related to cybersafety and digital citizenship. Several successful events were planned and implemented during this school year. The LPS Cyber-‐Savvy Parent website has been operating since 2012 to provide resources and links to parents in the area of online safety, digital citizenship, cyberbullying and a variety of other cyber resources. In the spring of 2014, our second Cyber-‐ Savvy Parent Workshop was held in partnership with the Arapahoe Library District, the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s office and the LPS Foundation. Over 175 parents attended the event, learning about a variety of cybersafety topics. The event was also streamed live via the LPS website. Additional parent workshops were planned for the 2014-‐2015 and 2015-‐2016 school years in order to reach even more parents. Some of our School Resource Officers have also participated in trainings about cybersafety and are now providing parent information nights in the schools. C. Continue strong and proactive partnerships with community law enforcement, fire and city governments to promote and maintain safe and secure learning environments. LPS continues to have strong relationships with its School Resource Officers (SROs), the Littleton Police Department and Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office. As a result of those partnerships, Littleton City Council approved the addition of two full time School Resource Officers to serve our schools in the City of Littleton. Arapahoe County has also added an additional deputy for Arapahoe High School. We also have an ongoing relationship with the Littleton Fire Department, which provides safety support for all of our schools. The Director of Secondary Education meets regularly with the Littleton Police Department Commander to review the SRO program and problem solve other potential safety issues in the district and community. Finally, LPS worked closely with the Littleton Police Department, the Department of Human Services and other community groups to create a model for “Safety Assemblies” that help elementary students know whom they can go to for help when they feel unsafe. These have been piloted in two schools and are conducted by SROs and school mental health staff members.
22
D. Provide ongoing training and capacity development for all schools and programs to effectively implement danger assessment protocols for threats, suicide intervention and bullying. Through the implementation of the Student Support Services annual training calendar, ongoing training was provided
to administrators and school staff to improve capacity for effective crisis intervention. This includes the course Danger Assessment (Threats, Suicide, Bullying), in addition to the tabletop drills conducted by LPS Security as part of the Incident Command System. In June 2014, an administrative review of LPS Threat Assessment protocols was conducted, including supervisors from the Littleton Police Department, the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, the Arapahoe Douglas Mental Health Network and national expert Dr. John Nicoletti. Following this review, additional feedback was taken from school administrators and staff prior to development of some new guidance documents to help provide more specific detail regarding the threat assessment process. E. Conduct a review of discipline data and explore innovative alternatives to suspension and expulsion. In an effort to avoid duplication of efforts, we have been working with the current Safety and Mental Health Advisory Committee and presented them with some key information, including discipline data and a review of our discipline policies and procedures. At the same time, we have been collecting information from other districts about their alternative to suspension and expulsion programs. It is clear that drug and alcohol incidents are the major reason for expulsion and we are actively working on ideas for how to develop a model that is focused on graduated intervention and consequences that can support students in a variety of situations (chronic addiction to first-‐time). A new process in place this year is a weekly meeting that includes the Director of Security, the Director of Social, Emotional & Behavioral Services, and the Coordinator of Student Support Services. The team reviews all discipline events, critical incidents and other related reports in an effort to cross-‐reference and review with an eye on safety.
LPS continues to have strong relationships with its School Resource Officers (SROs), the Littleton Police Department and Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office. As a result of those partnerships, Littleton City Council approved the addition of two full time School Resource Officers to serve our schools in the City of Littleton. Arapahoe County has also added an additional deputy for Arapahoe High School.
23
Focus Area 8 Enhance and support quality early childhood and childcare programs. Intended Outcome To provide access to quality, self-‐sustaining early childhood programs and school age childcare. Research tells us that children who enter elementary school ready to learn, achieve at higher levels throughout their K-‐12 education experience.
A. Analyze available data related to current early-‐childhood programs LPS currently has seven Early Childhood Education sites. The Village for Early Childhood Education has program sites at North and at Ames and shares an administrator. The other five programs operate independently. These programs implement their own curriculum, conduct their own assessments and operate on their own schedules. The elementary school principal supervises programs that are hosted at their site. New legislation on School Readiness and the
implementation of new Colorado Academic Standards provide us with an opportunity to align all early childhood education programs under a common vision. This vision will strengthen our continued focus on the importance of early childhood education and outcomes for all young children in LPS. Currently, discussions are underway with Cherry Creek Schools in terms of a collaborative effort in the creation and implementation of required school readiness plans. B. Encourage and strengthen collaboration between site preschools and the Village. Work in this area began during the spring of 2013. In August 2014, the Village at Ames opened its doors as our second district preschool. Under the leadership of the Director of Elementary Education, the Director of Special Education/Student Support Services and the Coordinator for Special Programs, much support and professional development has been provided to make this project a success for the students and their families of LPS. Plans will continue to use our collective expertise to support each other and our youngest learners. Preschool managers meet with the Director of Elementary Education four times a year. This quarterly meeting schedule was implemented during the 2014-‐2015 school year and will continue. Preschool programs meet on the elementary early release days to share best practices and to participate in shared professional development. Shared professional development will continue in the 2015-‐2016 school year. C. Coordinate and align School Age Child Care (SACC) programs for equity and consistency. A SACC Coordinator’s position was created in the fall of 2013 and filled in January of 2014. The SACC Coordinator provides support and feedback related to program implementation and quality, budget development and financial transactions/procedures and assistance for students and parents. The SACC Coordinator provides training to SACC managers and SACC personnel to ensure quality and engaging programs. The SACC Coordinator ensures that programs are maintained in accordance with Colorado Department of Human Services. The SACC Coordinator position is specific to before-‐and-‐after school programs and to summer programs. This first year of operation has been highly successful. D. Monitor and adjust appropriately all Preschool and SACC programs to make sure they are self-‐supporting. Preschool and SACC have an annual budget meeting in February to receive training on budget development and to review guidelines for enterprise programs. Programs are provided with current financial information. Programs are audited a minimum of every other year. Programs with financial concerns are audited yearly. The Director of Elementary Education receives an annual update in September that includes end-‐of-‐year financials
24
and budget allocations for the new school year. The Director of Elementary Education and personnel from Financial Services, meet with programs as needed to develop and monitor a plan to ensure each program is self-‐supporting. Creative problem solving has helped to limit financial risk and to continue supporting our enterprise programs. E. Investigate employee childcare options within the district. The infant daycare program at Options is licensed to provide services to families other than Options students. An open house for employees will be held in the spring of 2015. The program began to provide day care for the infants of Options students and LPS employees beginning in August 2014. F. Strengthen the relationship between the Village and LPS kindergarten programs. The Village transition meeting takes place on the April non-‐student day. All LPS schools receiving students from the Village programs are given achievement data—Teaching Strategies Gold and family data from the Village Family Partnership Office. The goal is to create a similar transition process for all LPS preschools. The Director of Elementary Education updates principals annually to ensure transition date information and expectations are communicated. G. Further investigate and evaluate the use of Ames facility as a site for a second district preschool program. Completed in the fall of 2014.
New legislation on School Readiness and the implementation of new Colorado Academic Standards provide us with an opportunity to align all early childhood education programs under a common vision. This vision will strengthen our continued focus on the importance of early childhood education and outcomes for all young children in LPS.
25
Focus Area 9 Educate and support staff, parents and community to address diverse student learning by providing access and opportunities for all students. Intended Outcome Littleton Public Schools and the community are culturally proficient and competent in addressing diversity and equity issues according to the needs of the various groups represented in the community. The communities that LPS serves are changing. They are becoming more culturally diverse and richer in ideas and experiences. This provides a wonderful opportunity for LPS to find new ways to embrace this broad diversity. It also presents the challenge to LPS to ensure that families with ever changing needs receive the help that they, and their children, need so that they will thrive in the community and in our schools. A. Develop and implement multiple communication delivery strategies for a multicultural and more diverse district as a result of changing demographics of the community. Spanish is the second language most highly represented in the district. Key district and building level communications are translated. Schools that host second language programs are staffed with an English Language Acquisition Parent Liaison to support communication and help meet the needs of students and families. Translation services for all languages are available for parent-‐teacher conferences and special education meetings. B. Develop increased awareness and sensitivity to cultural differences, cultural implications and challenges that result from the various demographic changes in the Littleton community. Cultural sensitivity is critical in supporting the increasing diversity in LPS. Parent liaisons in our schools with second language programming are an asset to developing this awareness. At the elementary level, shared reading provides students with an opportunity to develop awareness and appreciation of cultural differences. C. Access to supports and resources for immigrant families will increase in coordination with the City of Littleton. LPS will commit resources from the federal Title grants to provide parent liaisons at all north corridor schools including the Village. The job descriptions of parent liaisons are being rewritten for increased effectiveness and scope of work. Training for parent liaisons, specifically to address coordination and planning of effective parent involvement activities, is also being developed. D. Develop and implement processes to identify issues of equity and opportunity for all students. Equity and opportunity for all students remains a high priority for LPS. Administration is developing a process for how to identify and address issues in the area. E. Effective instructional and extracurricular practices for English Language Learners will be analyzed and implemented. The co-‐teaching model is in place at all schools that host a second language program. Co-‐teaching supports access to Tier I instruction for language learners. Language learners have access to and are encouraged to participate in extracurriculars. The middle level continues to host a summer school program that includes academic and experiential learning. East Elementary School was awarded the Foundation for Great Schools Grant. Grant monies will be used to support a 2015 summer reading program for students.
26
F. Develop partnerships with higher education resources to create opportunities and incentives for staff to obtain ELD licensure and/or other related endorsements. This work will begin in 2017. Until that time, administration will study options in this area. G. Work will continue on the analysis of the standards and certification requirements for district translators and interpreters. The district English Language Acquisition Specialist has developed requirements for district translators and interpreters and is implementing those standards. Learning Services developed a district translation process in 2013-‐2014 and found it effective in providing translation of written documents. We are currently in the process of developing a process for accessing interpretation services for families needing to access school functions whom are deaf and hard of hearing.
H. Local partnerships will be enhanced to increase engagement of parents and community members from diverse backgrounds. LPS submitted the Adult Literacy Grant application to continue to partner with Bemis Library to offer adult English classes, however this grant application was declined. The program was
eliminated. Learning Services believes that the needs of the clients are being met through the numerous other programs available in Littleton. I. Continue to develop opportunities for senior citizen engagement and support for the district, including adult learning opportunities. LPS has a strong tradition of senior citizen volunteers. Many seniors are involved through the Senior Citizen Tax Rebate Program. Elementary schools have a long and cherished tradition of hosting Grandparent Days. Workshops in literacy, math and 21st century learning tools continue to be offered for our senior volunteers. J. Explore opportunities and options to recruit a more diverse workforce. Human Resources continues to promote LPS to minority candidates. During the 2014-‐2015 school year, they attended a Hispanic administrative recruiting fair sponsored by the Colorado Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents. HR also conducted an internal demographic study to review the demographic makeup of our current staff. Currently, our staff demographics are very similar to our student demographics. Anticipating increasing diversity in coming years, this strategy will continue to be explored.
Cultural sensitivity is critical in supporting the increasing diversity in LPS. Parent liaisons in our schools with second language programming are an asset to developing this awareness. At the elementary level, shared reading provides students with an opportunity to develop awareness and appreciation of cultural differences.
27
Focus Area 10 Partner with parents and community to expand and enhance programs that address the physical, social and emotional well being of students, families and staff. Intended Outcome Students in Littleton Public Schools will have access to physical, social and emotional programming in order to enhance their success as learners. A. Support schools in implementing a continuum of social emotional programs and interventions. The additional mental health staffing provided this year has helped support capacity to implement social emotional interventions in schools. In addition, the administrative staff presented a summary of the LPS pyramid of intervention model to the current Safety and Mental Health Advisory Committee to support their work in developing recommendations moving forward. After an initial pilot at two schools, many of our LPS elementary schools are now using Second Step, a research-‐based bullying prevention and social skills curriculum, with assistance from the LPS Positive Behavior Team. We also purchased the curriculum for middle schools and they are exploring how to most effectively use the program within their existing systems. Additionally, through the PBIS framework, schools have implemented lessons for students that focus on bullying prevention. High schools utilize a variety of methods to increase positive culture, including LINK, Rachel’s Challenge, Make a Difference Week and other events. All district administrators and mental health staff were trained on new requirements for intervention and documentation of bullying allegations. The expansion of the district’s Behavior Support Team has made a significant difference in our ability to support such programming. Playworks—a playground and after school childcare program to reduce bullying, increase physical activity and support social-‐emotional well being—was implemented for elementary schools during the 2013-‐2014 school year and will continue through 2015-‐2016. Preliminary results are very promising. While continuing to provide resources and support to schools to address bullying prevention strategies, we focused particularly on cyberbullying prevention for the last two years. As a result of ongoing collaboration between Littleton Public Schools, the Littleton Police Department, Kidpower of Colorado, Sungate Kids and the Arapahoe County Department of Human Services, two new programs related to safety are being piloted in LPS.
An elementary presentation delivered by our School Resources Officers and mental health staff started in several elementary schools in the fall of 2014. The school assembly focuses on adults in the school setting who students can talk to as well as basic messages about safety. In addition, Sungate Kids, a nationally accredited Children’s Advocacy Center, created a program specific to the prevention of physical and sexual abuse. Sungate Kids SafeKids (SK2) was created to teach children how to keep their bodies safe. Children learn
about the dynamics of child abuse and sexual abuse through the use of puppets in a performance-‐based assembly. This assembly will be offered to third, fourth and fifth grade students this year. As of March 2015, four LPS elementary schools have hosted the Sungate Kids SafeKids assembly.
28
B. Expand the continuum of programming available for all students with significant behavioral and emotional challenges. We have begun the process of exploring multiple options and ideas for expanding our service continuum in both general education and special education. The space constraints created by bond construction work is a barrier to expanding programming. However, we are continuing to talk internally and externally about how to best expand our range of services for students with the highest needs. C. Improve student and family access to quality, licensed school-‐based mental health staff. The Board approval of the 2014-‐2015 budget request for additional mental health staff has been very impactful across LPS. The three primary goals of this expansion include: increasing direct counseling and case management, improving Tier Two social/emotional interventions and creating multi-‐disciplinary teams. Secondary schools have been creative in different ways, such as using the new staff to work intensively with students with high needs or to conduct group interventions or special support classes. Elementary schools have benefited from the additional capacity on the district Behavior and Mental Health Team who provides consultation on individual cases and behavior interventions. D. Develop sustainable and effective partnerships with community agencies and resources to support students experiencing significant mental health needs (Arapahoe Douglas Mental Health Network, Littleton Adventist Hospital and other community agencies. LPS continues to value community partnerships to support suicide prevention. We formalized our relationship with the Arapahoe/Douglas Mental Health Network (ADMHN) through monthly networking meetings. We began discussions about creating a cooperative mental health program or clinic in partnership with ADMHN and possibly additional partners. We continue to provide ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) for our staff and community members. We support suicide prevention efforts through the entire school year, but also focus on them during Colorado School Safety Month. This year, ADMHN decided not to continue their Functional Family Therapy Program, a significant resource for LPS families. We are currently utilizing other therapy programs through ADMHN. Family referrals are made through the Student Attendance Review Board (SARB), LPS deferred expulsion contracts, alternative education staff and LPS mental health staff. In addition, in December of 2014, Colorado Crisis Services was launched—a new network of urgent care services across the state. A local Urgent Mental Health Walk-‐in Clinic on South Santa Fe is part of this network and is managed by ADMHN. Their services also include a hotline and a mobile crisis team. We have already seen this new service help many families. LPS has benefitted from ongoing partnership in the past year with Littleton Adventist Hospital to provide Resiliency Training opportunities for the Arapahoe High School community. E. Increase partnerships with community agencies and improve student and family access to needed resources such as medical, dental, basic needs homeless assistance. LPS Health Services continues to collaborate with the TriCounty Department of Health and other community agencies to develop resources for LPS families. We continue to have a homeless liaison that works with families and facilitates school and community resources. F. Support the physical health needs of students through promoting healthy nutrition, physical movement and access to health services. Through the work to support student and family access to resources that address the health and mental health needs of the district, increasing district health needs became apparent. The number of students with significant health needs, that require a health care action plan, increased by 240 percent over the last 10 years. Therefore, thanks to the approval of the LPS Board of Education, a part-‐time health assistant position was approved for every school. This position was implemented in the 2013-‐2014 school year. In addition, the expansion of LPS mental health staffing will help increase case management and connections for families to community resources.
The additional mental health staffing provided this year has helped support capacity to implement social emotional interventions in schools. In addition, the administrative staff presented a summary of the LPS pyramid of intervention model to the current Safety and Mental Health Advisory Committee to support their work in developing recommendations moving forward.
29
G. Participate in activities of the Greater Littleton Youth Initiative (GLYI) and promote and support integration of activities into existing school structures to the greatest extent possible. Unfortunately, the Greater Littleton Youth Initiative has had trouble finding a renewed purpose and mission as a result of several simultaneous events. There were leadership changes within the Board of Education a year ago, the Littleton City Council withdrew their funding and the Arapahoe/Douglas Mental Health Network opted to not continue Functional Family Therapy. GLYI has not conducted regular meetings this year and some of its leaders have been participating in the Safety and Mental Health Committee. Despite the current struggles, LPS continues to actively pursue community partnerships and will support GLYI in whatever form it takes in the future. H. Explore feasibility of continuing Restorative Justice activities after the funding from the EARSS grant ends. We continue to implement our four-‐year Expelled and At-‐Risk Student Services (EARSS) grant that is focusing on restorative practices. Currently, the program funds a full-‐time Restorative Justice Facilitator, subcontractors and other costs for implementing a few key strategies in our alternative programs. These strategies include: Restorative Circles and Mediations, Collaborative Problem Solving and Positive Behavior Supports and Interventions. This year we have put a large focus on implementing Restorative Family Conferences targeting three areas: Drugs/Alcohol, Truancy and Behavior. Family conferences include both the student and parent(s), who create solutions together with the help of a facilitator. We are also conducting trainings for staff to learn how to facilitate restorative practices as well. As a result, Littleton High School began running their own Family Attendance Conferences to intervene with truancy. We are currently finishing year three of this grant and will need to make decisions soon about how to sustain the program after the 2015-‐2016 school year. I. Increase staff awareness and access to employee assistance programs. Human Resources provides information to our school buildings regarding employee assistance programs. Building leadership promotes these resources with their staff as needed. J. Facilitate and support the ongoing recovery and resiliency activities related to crisis response in our schools. The LPS Mental Health Crisis Team takes a lead role in supporting schools when a traumatic event occurs. The team is made up of administrators and mental health staff from across the district and utilizes the PREPARE model—a standardized framework and training for crisis response in the schools. This team received many commendations for its work with the Arapahoe High School community in the past year. As a result of the Arapahoe High School incident, much discussion has taken place about various aspects of crisis intervention. The additional mental health staff at the secondary level has supported mental health issues and crisis intervention. LPS constantly strives to continuously improve and is continuing to meet with partners in law enforcement, human services and community mental health to update and improve our threat assessment procedures. Through collaboration with the Littleton Adventist Hospital Foundation we provided two community events in the winter of 2014 focusing on resiliency for the AHS community. These well-‐attended events featured a well-‐known psychologist from Duke University, Dr. Bryan Sexton. Participants gained helpful tips and tools for developing positive coping skills and resiliency. We are continuing to explore how to further integrate resiliency concepts into our schools. K. Provide funding for sustainability of social emotional interventions and programming. Social emotional interventions and programming continue to be a focus and a priority need area. Administration is developing a plan for how to address sustainable funding in this area and awaiting recommendations from the Safety and Mental Health Advisory Committee. Absence additional funding from the taxpayer, the district will review areas that can be reduced to fund our highest needs.
Key$Strategic$Initiatives
A Develop'a'calendar'that'sustains'ongoing,'embedded'time'to'increase'student'achievement.
B Implement'a'plan'for'ongoing'professional'development'for'teacher'and'principal'effectiveness.
C Expand'Pyramids'of'Intervention'across'all'school'sites.
D Support'Student'Intervention'Teams'systemwide.
E Implement'strategies'to'continue'to'close'the'student'achievement'gaps'in'various'subgroups.
FSupport'and'monitor'alternative'education'programming'to'ensure'it'is'meeting'the'needs'of'students'and'families.
G Support'teachers'and'principals'as'they'implement'Colorado'Academic'Standards.
HDevelop'and'support'new'assessment'plan'to'include'PARCC'and'Colorado'Measures'of'Academic'Success'(CMAS).
I Study,'create'and'implement'new'grading'and'reporting'practices'aligned'with'the'standards.
J Monitor'and'evaluate'legislative'mandates'to'determine'appropriate'fit'and'action'for'LPS.
KRevise'the'elementary'Universal'Literacy'Framework'including'ongoing'professional'development'and'progress'monitoring.
L Monitor'strategies'to'reduce'remediation'rates'and'increase'onJtime'graduation'rates'for'all'students.
M Implement'the'Middle'Level'Literacy'Framework.
NInvestigate'the'possibility'of'expanding'concurrent'enrollent'programs'and'develop'a'plan'for'the'implementation'of'new'graduation'guidelines.
OInvestigate'additional'career'exploration'opportunities'including,'but'not'limited'to,'Career'Technical'Education.'
P Provide'clear'expectations'and'a'focus'on'21st'century'skills'for'all'teachers.
20172011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Focus$Area$1:$ $Enhance$instrucJonal$systems$and$career$pathways$that$maximize$achievement$for$all$students$and$integrate$ $$ $knowledge$and$skills$relevant$to$21st$century$career$choices.$
!Intended!Outcome:!$All#students#will#achieve#at#high#levels#and,#upon#gradua5on,#be#postsecondary#and#workforce#ready.#Therefore,#90#percent#of#all#students,#K?11,#will#be#on#or#above#grade#level#in#Reading,#Wri5ng#and#Mathema5cs#as#measured#by#the#current#body#of#evidence#reported#through#the#district#Grade#Level#Index#calcula5on.#Students#not#at#grade#level#will#exhibit#catch?up#growth.#
Key$Strategic$InitiativesA Enhance'district'networks'to'support'converging'services.
B Expand'online'learning'opportunities.
C Enhance'STEM'Inc.'courses'and'programs.
D Maintain'and'enhance'a'comprehensive'and'coherent'data'management'strategy.
E Upgrade'district'filtering'services.
F Maintain'and'monitor'Inspired'Writing'project'for'grades'5B12.
G Develop'a'plan'for'technology'needs'serving'curriculum,'instruction'and'assessment.
H Support'and'evaluate'the'technology'platform'for'Educator'Effectiveness.
I Continue'partnershop'with'the'LPS'Foundation'to'supplement'technology'funding.
J Implement'instructional'applications'that'support'new'standards'and'interventions.
K Extend'cybersafety'programming.
L Pursue'1:1'student'computing
20172011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Focus$Area$2:$ $Expand$uHlizaHon$of$instrucHonal$technology$with$appropriate$use$for$student$achievement$while$providing$the$$ $infrastructure$for$organizaHonal$efficiency$and$effecHveness.$
$Intended&Outcome:&Appropriate,*engaging*use*of*technology*is*the*norm*for*doing*the*work*of*school.*
Key$Strategic$Initiatives
A Increase(access(to(and(utilization(of(modern(technologies(to(support(professional(practice.
B Continue(training(and(support(for(the(Professional(Learning(Communities((PLC)(model.
C Maintain(and(enhance(a(comprehensive(and(coherent(data(management(strategy.
D Identify(a(sustainable(funding(stream(for(staff(computer(refresh.
EDevelop(a(sustainable(funding(stream(for(materials(and(resources(to(support(the(Colorado(Academic(Standards.
FInvestigate(and(offer(solutions(for(equity(in(elementary(school(time(for(art,(music,(PE,(G/T,(technology,(library,(etc.,(in(a(comprehensive(school(program.
GTrack(the(correlation(between(National(Board(Certification(and(increased(teacher(effectiveness(and(student(achievement.
HDesign(professional(development(opportunities(to(maximize(implementation(of(the(Colorado(Academic(Standards.
20172011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Focus$Area$3:$ $Provide$an$educaEonal$and$work$environment$that$supports$professional$learning$and$collaboraEve$work$for$all$
$ $staff.$
$
Intended&Outcome:&Time%and%resources%for%all%collabora1ve%work%are%provided%that%result%in%students%reaching%the%goal%of%on%or%above%grade%level%in%reading,%math,%wri1ng%and%science.%
Key$Strategic$InitiativesA Develop'an'evaluation'model'for'Specialized'Service'Professionals—Human'Resources'(HR)/Student'
Support'Services'(SSS).
B Refine'evaluation'model'for'licensed'teachers'to'include'conferencing'and'feedback'protocols'with'clear'
observation'expectations'for'both'probationary'and'nonD'probationary'staff'(HR).
C Develop'an'evaluation'model'for'other'licensed'central'office'personnel—Human'Resources'(HR)'with'
support'from'Learning'Services'(LS).
D Establish'interDrater'agreement'around'the'professional'practices'in'the'teacher,'SSP,'and'administrator'
evaluation'models'(LS'with'support'from'Technology'and'HR).
E Develop'instructional'walkDthrough'protocols'for'teacher'evaluation'model'(LS).
F Develop'instructional'walkDthrough'protocols'for'SSP'evaluation'model'(SSS'and'LS).
G Clearly'define'and'refine'formal,'informal,'and'walkDthrough'protocols'(LS).
H Develop'the'growth'standard'for'teachers'and'school'leaders'including'collective'and'individual'
attribution'(LS).'
I Develop'Littleton'definition'of'Student'Learning'Objectives'(SLOs)'for'teachers'and'Individual'Objectives'
(IIOs)'for'school'leaders'(LS).
J Assess'the'validity'and'reliability'of'the'growth'component'for'all'licensed'personnel'(LS).
K Develop'a'plan'for'gathering'of'stakeholder'input'as'outlined'in'the'law'(HR'with'support'from'LS).'This'
includes:
•'''Student'perception:'licensed'teachers,'SSPs,'school'leaders
•'''Staff'perception:'school'principal,'assistant'principals
•'''Colleague'feedback:'licensed'teachers
•'''Expert'feedback:'SSPs
20172011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Focus$Areas:$ $$1,$2,$3,$5,$and$6$as$they$relate$to$SB$SB191$Educator$EffecJveness$ImplementaJon$$Intended&Outcome:&&All#students#will#achieve#a#high#levels#through#the#focused#work#and#ongoing#training#of#highly#effec7ve#teachers#and#leaders.#Time#and#resources#are#provided#which#support#professional#learning#and#collabora7ve#work.#
Key$Strategic$Initiatives
•'''Parent'perception:'licensed'teachers,'SSPs,'school'leaders
•'''District'Accountability'Committee'engagement:'student'growth
•'''School'Accountability'Committee'engagement:'Principal'Improvement'Plan
L Reach'agreement'and'communicate'the'following'practices,'procedures'and'policies:'(HR).
'•''Improvement'for'one'or'more'of'the'Standards'1–5'for'Partially'Proficient'rating
'•''Improvement'for'overall'professional'practice'rating'of'Partially'Proficient
•''Remediation:'Ineffective'or'Partially'Effective'summary'rating
'•''Appeals'Process:'2nd'consecutive'Ineffective'of'Partially'Effective'summary'rating
'•''Earning'and'losing'status,'fullDtime'and'partDtime'teachers
'•''Recruitment'and'hiring'of'licensed'employees
'•''Compensation'and'career'opportunities
'•''Evaluation'Handbook
'•''Reporting'and'monitoring'for'compliance'to'CDE'and'to'LPS'(Outcomes'that'matter'to'all)
'•''Induction'and'orientation'of'new'licensed'personnel
M Develop'a'comprehensive'training'plan'for'sustainability'on'(LST'with'HR):
'•''The'evaluation'model'itself'(HR)
'•''Alignment'of'professional'development'framework'and'employee'blueprints'(LS)
'•''Leadership'development'and/or'career'pathways'for'licensed'employees'(HR)
'•''Transition'planning'for'ESC'and'Building'Leadership'(HR)
2016 20172011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Key$Strategic$Initiatives
N Create'plan'for'technology'system'maintenance'and'management'(IT'with'HR'support).
O Develop'plan'for'sustainability'of'district'and'LEA'key'processes'related'to'Educator'Effectiveness'(HR).
P Establish'process'for'budget'alignment'and'prioritization'(HR'with'LS'and'IT'support).
Q Monitor'and'update'the'District'Strategic'Plan'(HR'with'LS'and'IT'support).
R Develop'plan'for'managing'all'of'the'data'and'data'reporting'(HR'with'LS'and'IT'support).
S Monitor'and'update'the'work'of'the'1338'Council,'i.e.,'the'Littleton'Educator'Effectiveness'Council'
(LCEE)'in'its'advisory'role'regarding'the'evaluation'models'for'LPS'(HR,'LS,'IT).
T Update'and'revise'BOE'policies'pertinent'to'changes'effected'by'SBD191'as'appropriate'to'LPS'(HR).
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Key$Strategic$Initiatives
A Expand'online'learning'opportunities.
BMonitor'and'evaluate'existing'promotion'and'recruitment'strategies'and'explore'new'ones.'Choice'will'be'a'focus'for'all'families'served.
C Monitor'and'evaluate'the'reason'families'"choice'out"'of'LPS.
D Continue'direct'communication'with'our'target'audiences.'
E Improve'and'expand'the'LPS'digital'footprint.'
F$ Continue'to'monitor'and'evaluate'offerings'to'meet'the'needs'of'students'and'families.
G Study,'create'and'implement'new'grading'and'reporting'practices'aligned'with'the'standards.
20172011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Focus$Area$4:$ $Promote,$sustain$and$create$quality$programs$that$make$LiLleton$Public$Schools$the$uniquely$preferred$choice$for$
$ $families$inside$and$outside$the$district.$$
$
Intended&Outcome:&Strengthen(premier(district(status(as(measured(by:(student(achievement(index,(choice(index(and(community(survey(ra8ngs.(
Key$Strategic$InitiativesA Survey'the'community'to'understand'its'priorities'and'concerns.
B Continue'to'draw'upon'the'important'relationships'between'LPS'and'its'district:level'committees,'parents'and'their'individual'schools.
C Engage'the'LPS'community'in'the'Board'of'Education's'selection'of'a'new'superintendent.
D Engage'the'community'in'the'2015'Board'of'Education'election.'
E Continue'partnership'with'local'legislators'and'actively'influence'state'legislation'as'it'relates'to'the'values'and'priorities'of'the'LPS'community'and'directly'impacts'K:12'education.'
F Continue'informing'and'involving'advisory,'staff'and'parent'groups'in'essential'topics'such'as'funding,'graduation'requirements'and'assessments.
G Provide'information'to'and'seek'input'from'our'various'publics'in'the'awareness'and'celebration'of'LPS''changing'demographics'and'cultures.
H Engage'the'community'in'school'safety'and'mental'health'issues.'
I Further'promote'community'involvement'through'Senior'Citizens'Tax'Rebate'Program'and'Volunteers'in'Public'Schools'(VIPS).
J Provide'support'to'sites'to'enhance'parent'involvement'in'student'achievement.
K Implement'comprehensive'communications'strategies'that'address'issues'affecting'students,'parents,'employees'and'taxpayers.
20172011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Focus$Area$5:$ $Engage$the$community$and$parents$as$acHve$partners$in$the$objecHves,$acHviHes$and$performance$of$the$school$$ $district$and$its$students.$
$Intended$Outcome:$Time%and%resources%for%community%and%parent%engagement%are%provided,%which%result%in%a%con8nuous%collabora8ve%process%that%fosters%understanding%of%and%support%for%the%district.%
Key$Strategic$Initiatives
A Commission'a'demographic'study'to'update'district'data.
B Continue'evaluaion'of'optimal'building'use'and'capacity.
CInfluence'school'finance'legislation'that'impacts'the'district's'ability'to'adequately'fund'programs'and'achievement.
DDevelop'and'implement'plans'to'make'all'school=based'enterprise'programs'self=supporting'including'school'aged'childcare,'club'sports,'etc.
E Implement'an'improved'method'for'parent'and'student'use'of'credit'cards.
F Continue'implementation'of'new'school'staffing'model.
G Develop'and'implement'other'BusinessPlus'and'change'management'items'for'core'financial'reports.
H Investigate'an'Electronic'Timecard'System.
IContinue'enhancement'of'payroll'and'human'resources'to'increase'staff'and'employee'productivity'and'satisfaction.
J Implement'Online'Benefits'Open'Enrollment.
K Revise'policies'in'Human'Resources'G=Series.
L Establish'an'advisory'committee'to'recommend'a'new'evaluation'system'in'alignment'with'SB191.
MDevelop'capital'bond'implementation'strategy'including'timeline'for'capital'improvement'planning'committee,'building'site'assessments'and'Board'of'Education'consideration.
N 'Investigate'and'evaluate'a'transportation'fee'for'ride'proposal'for'Board'of'Education'consideration.
O Develop'and'evaluate'alternative'student'routing'and'delivery'system.
PExpand'the'district's'central'refrigerator'and'freezer'to'accommodate'more'food'choices'and'increased'volume'of'fresh'produce.
20172011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Focus$Area$6:$ $OpJmize$the$use$of$district$resources$and$faciliJes$to$meet$student$learning$needs$while$operaJng$the$district$ $$ $efficiently.$
$Intended$Outcome:$$Plan%of%ac)on%is%developed%for%op)mal%use%of%district%facili)es%for%effec)ve%use%of%district%resources.%
Key$Strategic$Initiatives
Q Analyze'and'revise'teacher'and'administrator'recruitment'and'hiring'process.
R Study'and'develop'alternative'teacher'compensation'models.
SDevelop'processes'and'procedures'to'enhance'effective'transportation'for'all'students'with'special'transportation'needs.
T Study'and'develop'budgeting'tools'that'allow'for'differentiated'funding'for'students.
U Review'building'life'and'education'viability.
V Continue'review'and'implementation'of'best'practice'security'strategies'in'all'buildings.'
W Identify'a'sustainable'funding'system'for'technology,'transportation'and'operational'facility'needs.'
2016 20172011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Key$Strategic$Initiatives
A Continue(expansion(of(Positive(Behavior(Support(and(Intervention(Supports((PBIS).
BIncrease(staff,(student,(and(parent(awareness(of(responsible(practices(related(to(cybersafety(and(digital(citizenship.
CContinue(strong(and(proactive(partnerships(with(community(law(enforcement,(fire(and(city(governments(to(promote(and(maintain(safe(and(secure(learning(environments.
DProvide(ongoing(training(and(capacity(development(for(all(schools(and(programs(to(effectively(implement(danger(assessment(protocols(for(threats,(suicide(intervention(and(bullying.
E Conduct(a(review(of(discipline(data(and(explore(innovative(alternatives(to(suspension(and(expulsion.((
20172011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Focus$Area$7:$ $Promote$and$provide$an$environment$that$fosters$caring,$respect$and$compassion$for$others.$$Intended&Outcome:&Resources(and(supports(are(in(place(to(provide(system3wide(environments(that(are(safe,(respec8ul(and(responsive(to(student(needs.(
Key$Strategic$InitiativesA Analyze(available(data(related(to(current(early2childhood(programs.
B Encourage(and(strengthen(collaboration(between(site(preschools(and(the(Village.
C Coordinate(and(align(School(Age(Child(Care((SACC)(programs(for(equity(and(consistency.
D Monitor(and(adjust(appropriately(all(preschool(and(SACC(programs(to(make(sure(they(are(self2supporting.(
E Investigate(employee(childcare(options(within(the(district.
F Strengthen(the(relationship(between(the(Village(and(LPS(kindergarten(programs.
G Further(investigate(and(evaluate(the(use(of(the(Ames(Facility(as(a(site(for(a(second(district(preschool(program.
20172011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Focus$Area$8:$ $Enhance$and$support$quality$early$childhood$and$childcare$programs.$$Intended&Outcome:&&To#provide#access#to#quality,#self4sustaining#early#childhood#programs#and#school#age#childcare.#
Key$Strategic$Initiatives
ADevelop'and'implement'multiple'communication'delivery'strategies'for'a'multicultural'and'more'diverse'district'as'a'result'of'changing'demographics'of'the'community.
BDevelop'increased'awareness'and'sensitivity'to'cultural'differences,'cultural'implications'and'challenges'that'result'from'the'various'demographic'changes'in'the'Littleton'community.
CIncrease'access'to'support'and'resources'for'immigrant'families'in'coordination'with'the'City'of'Littleton.
D Develop'and'implement'processes'to'identify'issues'of'equity'and'opportunity'for'all'students.
EAnalyze'and'implement'effective'instructional'and'extracurricular'practices'for'English'Language'Learners.
FDevelop'partnerships'with'higher'education'resources'to'create'opportunities'and'incentives'for'staff'to'obtain'ELD'licensure'and/or'other'related'endorsements.
G Analyze'standards'and'certification'requirements'for'district'translators'and'interpreters.
HEnhance'local'partnerships'to'increase'engagement'of'parents'and'community'members'from'diverse'backgrounds.
IContinue'development'of'opportunities'for'senior'citizen'engagement'and'support'for'the'district,'including'adult'learning'opportunities.
J Explore'opportunities'and'options'to'recruit'a'more'diverse'workforce.
20172011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Focus$Area$9:$ $Educate$and$support$staff,$parents$and$community$to$address$diverse$student$learning$by$providing$access$and$$$ $opportuniLes$for$all$students.$
$Intended&Outcome:&&Li#leton)Public)Schools)and)the)community)are)culturally)proficient)and)competent)in)addressing)diversity)and)equity)issues)according)to)the)needs)of)the)various)groups)represented)in)the)community.)
Key$Strategic$InitiativesA Support'schools'in'implementing'a'continuum'of'social'emotional'programs'and'interventions.
BExpand'the'continuum'of'programming'available'for'all'students'with'significant'behavioral'and'emotional'challenges.
C Improve'student'and'family'access'to'quality,'licensed'school>based'mental'health'staff.
DDevelop'sustainable'and'effective'partnerships'with'community'agencies'and'resources'to'support'students'experiencing'significant'mental'health'needs'(ADMHN,'Littleton'Adventist'Hospital,'and'other'community'agencies.)
EIncrease'partnerships'with'community'agencies'and'improve'student'and'family'access'to'needed'resources'such'as'medial,'dental,'basic'needs'and'homeless'assistance.
FSupport'the'physical'health'needs'of'students'through'promoting'healthy'nutrition,'physical'movement'and'access'to'health'services.
GParticipate'in'activities'of'the'Greater'Littleton'Youth'Initiative'(GLYI)'and'promote'and'support'integration'of'activities'into'existing'school'strucures'to'the'greatest'extent'possible.
HExplore'feasibility'of'continuing'Restorative'Justice'activities'after'the'funding'from'the'EARSS'grant'ends.''
I Increase'staff'awareness'and'access'to'employee'assistance'programs.
JFaciliate'and'support'the'ongoing'recovery'and'resiliency'activities'related'to'crisis'response'in'our'schools.''
K Provide'funding'for'sustainability'of'social'emotional'interventions'and'programming.
20172011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Focus$Area$10:$ $Partner$with$parents$and$community$to$expand$and$enhance$programs$that$address$the$physical,$social$and$ $$ $emoMonal$well$being$of$students,$families$and$staff.$$$
$Intended&Outcome:$Students(in(Li+leton(Public(Schools(will(have(access(to(physical,(social,(and(emo9onal(programming(in(order(to(enhance(their(success(as(learners.(