ASSESSMENT PHILOSOPHY

Melissa Ferris

“Data dynamics are the use of information in a continuous way as the energy and force to stimulate and guide change.” ~Edie Holcomb

Beliefs

Data provides us with a detailed picture of where our building is and highlights areas for growth

Our data is a roadmap. How we use it will determine where we go, and how hard we will work to get there.

We can’t make a difference for our students if we don’t know where they are.

All kids can learn at high levels.

Assessment is an integral part of instruction

Data doesn’t lie. It will show us what we need to do to improve growth for all students.

Non-Negotiables

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• We will use all forms of data to get the picture of our students.

• We will meet on a regular schedule all year.

• We will let the data speak for itself.

• We will work together as a team.

• We will align our practice with the school mission.

• ALL students will show growth.

When people have a true sense of urgency, they think that action on critical is needed now, not eventually, not when it fits easily into a schedule. Now means making progress every single day.

A Sense of Urgency John Kotter

I will…

Honor your work

Be supportive of your team efforts

trust that you are making decisions for the betterment of your students.

provide you with opportunities of professional development aligned with your goals

Trust you

Creating the conditions to help others succeed is one of the highest duties of a leader.

Leaders of LearningRichard DufourRobert Marzano

My promise to you

Your professional judgment

Your decisions to change instruction

Trust

Provide ample time for teaming

Provide vertical Teaming

Time

Your time and energy

Your professional judgment

Respect

Multiple years

Multiple sources

Data

“Professional expertise is not just about having the evidence or being aware of it. It’s also about knowing how to judge the evidence and knowing what to do with it.”

Michael Fullan

TPEP, CCSS, Student Growth

Assessment is…all those activities undertaken by teachers and their students in assessing themselves that provide information to be used as feedback to modify teachers and learning activities.

Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards through classroom assessment, William & Black.

In Closing…

“School culture and climate create the environment that determines whether school improvement and reform are successful or unsuccessful. The interaction of the professionals in a school environment is critical to the effectiveness of the academic program. No strategy works without a group of focused and cooperative professionals working together on critical student issues.”

Anthony Muhammad,

School improvement expert