Scotts Elementary School School Improvement Plan – Science August 1st, 2015 (For Cycle 1 of the 2015­16 Year)

School: Scotts Elementary

Year: 2015­16 Updated 09­16­15

Current NCLB Status Current NCLB Status (for 2014-15 Year: Not

Met – Achieved 14/19 or

73.7% of our AMO Targets)

Current ABC Status Current ABC Status (for 2014-15 Year: State & EVAAS Targets

Met Expected Growth. School Performance

Grade = C)

Mission: Success for every child, every day Vision: To become a school of distinction

School Improvement Plan Summary

Our focus area is: Science

Overall goal: By the end of the 2016­17 school year, we will sustain high yield Science Common Core Curriculum in all grade levels and show an 80% or higher achievement level on the 5th grade EOG assessment, and we will show 20% growth in our 5 Title 1 subgroups as verified by EVAAS data and growth.

Target goal: By the end of the 2015­16 school year we need to be at 70% proficient on the 5th grade EOG assessment.

Approaches/Strategies: Use of Common Core; RtI; Instruction Guide; and Integrated Learning processes will provide high yield instruction in the curriculum through and overall high proficiency/growth in Science EOG results and Benchmark Assessment results.

Measures: Posttest data results turned in to team, BA results for 5th grade; EOG & EVAAS Growth data

During the 90 day cycle time for cycle 1 we will revisit/monitor our plan every 6 weeks

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Scotts Elementary School School Improvement Plan – Science August 1st, 2015 (For Cycle 1 of the 2015­16 Year)

P PLAN: Identify the gap and the approach

Performance Data; Formative and/or Summative that is aligned to goal.

2011­ 2 2011­2012 = 59.5% Proficient 2012 2012 ­2013 = 26.1% Proficient 2013­2014 = 33.9% Proficient (GLP)

2014­2015 = 53.45% Proficient (GLP) Double Digit Growth over 2014­15 School Year!! (57% inc. over 2013­14)

We improved our Growth Composite to “Meets Expected Growth”. We improved our School Letter Grade to “C” (from a “D”)

Data Analysis. Answer the following question using any data and/or information you have about performance in this area

1. In order to meet your Overall Goal, what is the most important area that needs improving and why? Improving the Core Instruction for Science in all grade levels, specifically 4th & 5th Grade.

2. What approaches/strategies are contributing to your success in this area and what data suggests this? We have departmentalized 4th & 5th grade Science Instruction for the 2015­16 school year, based on the good growth data from the

2014­15 school year (Double Digit Growth!!!)

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Scotts Elementary School School Improvement Plan – Science August 1st, 2015 (For Cycle 1 of the 2015­16 Year)

More hands­on Science activities were facilitated in 5th grade Science in the 2014­15 school year (based on our 2014­15 Double Digit Growth!!)

All 5th graders were required to complete a Science Project and enter that project in the school Science Fair in the 2014­15 school year (based on our 2014­15 Double Digit Growth!!)

4th & 5th Accelerated Students were given more enrichment and acceleration time for projects and research during the 2014­15 school year 5th Grade students were provided with online computer science applications activities during the 2014­15 school year (based on our

2014­15 Double Digit Growth!!) Buddy system of pairing lower and upper grades for EOGs was motivational/effective based on the feedback from the students and the

teachers at the end of the 2014­15 school year. Teacher visits to schools with high performing Science models were effective and informative (based on our 2014­15 Double Digit

Growth!!)

3. What are opportunities for improvement, gap or barriers are in this area?

We were still significantly lower than the district average of 64.75% on 2014­15 EOG’s CA’s did not always align with quarterly assessments, and could be made to be more predictive of gap areas 4th & 5th grade Science teachers need more collaboration and vertical alignment of instruction based on the the 5th grade gaps as

demonstrated by the Goal Analysis from 5th grade EOG’s.. We need more district level collaboration and support for Science instruction Lower grade Science instruction should be facilitated and integrated in reading groups as nonfiction studies with hands on activities We will begin an exploration of implementation of becoming an Arts Integrated/A+ School

4. What seems to be the root cause of the problem and what data suggests this? Lower grade levels are not sufficiently addressing the concepts of Science. Students are coming into the upper elementary grades without prior knowledge of science concepts. Core Science instruction in 4th & 5th grade needs to be analyzed and improved for effectiveness and additional years of action research on departmentalization.

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Scotts Elementary School School Improvement Plan – Science August 1st, 2015 (For Cycle 1 of the 2015­16 Year)

Reflection:

5. What approaches/strategies could you deploy to address the root cause and support meeting your overall goal? Departmentalizing 4th grade to help address the gaps; high yield small group instruction for Science in all grade levels. A+ and Arts Integration with Science and Reading

6. What research did you review to support the use of these strategies/approaches? Review of the school and district data; collaboration with high performing schools (Troutman; J. N Harris; etc.)

7. What performance measures will you use to monitor impact of your approach/strategy? BA data and post test data; PDSA quiz data; Study & Act of strategies used for Science instruction in 4th & 5th grade; measures to ensure that small group instruction in Science is occurring in the lower grades

8. What measure will you use to monitor fidelity of deployment of your strategy/approach? BA data analyzed by science goal team; CWT data; coaching and support of Science teachers and data/goal analysis; EOG data

9. What professional development, if any, will be offered in cycle 1 to support the staff in implementing the approach? School level PD on high yield small group instruction for Science curriculum; increased focus on training students to use technology for online quizzes; etc. to prepare them for the online 5th grade Science EOG; staff training and implementation of Arts Integration.

10. If funding is required, what funding source will be used? Title I funds; School funds; District funds if available .

Messaging:

11. How will you convey intent of this focus area of SIP to stakeholders? In parent newsletters and conferences. Plan will be reviewed, edited and voted upon by our faculty/staff/stakeholders

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Scotts Elementary School School Improvement Plan – Science August 1st, 2015 (For Cycle 1 of the 2015­16 Year)

Plan will be posted on our School Web Page Plan will be shared at TPA meetings in October and May Plan will be shared with parents and community during our Family/Community Night in January or February 2016

12. How will you communicate progress towards goals or course corrections to stakeholders? Conferences and report cards Updates to our Plan will be posted on our School Web Page Updates to our Plan will be shared at TPA meetings in October and May Updates to our Plan will be shared with parents and community during our Family/Community Night in January or February 2016

D DO: Develop and Implement Deployment Plan

Include the results from Reflection and Messaging section into deployment plan. Approach/Strategies, Impact performance measure, Fidelity measure, Professional development and Messaging.

Step # List the specific steps your team will complete during this cycle.

Person(s) responsible for completion of the step.

Measure/Indicator (Used to monitor performance, process improvement or completion)

Start Date

End Date

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Scotts Elementary School School Improvement Plan – Science August 1st, 2015 (For Cycle 1 of the 2015­16 Year)

1. Teachers will begin an action research implementation of integrated Science/Reading/Math/Art curriculum

Pilot Classroom Teachers

Reports of Progress to SIT; leadership & faculty

Sept., 2015

Dec. 1st, 2015

2 5th Grade Science Teacher will administer the Science BA. Hiatt; IF All data submitted August 26th, 2015

Sept. 5th, 2015

3 5th Grade Science Teacher will analyze the Science BA data and determine gap areas of focus instruction to communicate in alignment of instruction with the 4th Grade Science teacher

Hiatt; Fuller; IF Spreadsheet presented to SIT and reviewed.

Sept. 10th, 2015

Sept. 30th, 2015

4. Classroom and Science Teachers will incorporate writing and informational text through journal writing; drawing conclusions; etc.

All Teachers Evidence of writing in Science time, Science journals, etc.

August 26th, 2015

Dec. 1st, 2015

5.

Teachers will administer goal specific post­tests related to their integrated instruction and submit data to the Science Goal Team (CA’s may serve as data for this step) for review and recommendations

Classroom Teachers; Science Goal Team

Data and progress and recommendations shared out with SIT and faculty.

Sept. 15th, 2015

Oct., Nov., and Dec. Faculty & Goal Team Meetings

6. 5th grade and 4th grade Science teachers will collaborate and plan to align Science instruction based on gap areas from the data and based on the need for spiral review on specific goals or targets.

Lenell Hiatt; Cheryl Fuller

4th & 5th Grade Science Classroom PDSA’s should be aligned.

Sept. 1st, 2015

Dec. 1st, 2015

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Scotts Elementary School School Improvement Plan – Science August 1st, 2015 (For Cycle 1 of the 2015­16 Year)

7. Classroom teachers will display daily lesson plans on their desks and write the Common Core learning targets of the day/time period on the whiteboards and/or in their lesson plan books daily. Teachers will check off posted Common Core learning essentials or standards when they are mastered or completed.

All Classroom Teachers

Data gathered from CWT, Coaching conversations held.

Sept. 1st, 2015

Dec. 1st, 2015

8. Teachers and staff will receive systematic and high yield training, coaching and support in ISS adopted models of science and implementation of Science Instruction Guides for Common Core during PLCs, after school PD, and on Early Release Days.

Hall & IF, District RtI Team

Training agendas, minutes, and training rosters of all PD

August 20th, 2015

Dec. 1st, 2015

9. Review Cycle 1 data and deployment steps. Develop next steps for Cycle 2.

Hall, IF, SIT Goal Team

Cycle 1 SIP completed and submitted, Cycle 2 deployment steps created.

Dec. 1st, 2015

Dec. 20th, 2015

S Study – Analysis of data after implementing an approach

Insert formative data here from performance and fidelity measures identified in the Reflection section; questions 7 & 8 for this cycle or provide link to appropriate data.

1. What worked and how do you know?

2. What didn’t work and how do you know?

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Scotts Elementary School School Improvement Plan – Science August 1st, 2015 (For Cycle 1 of the 2015­16 Year)

3. Do you need any additional assistance as you look at your results and start planning for the next Cycle? If Yes in what areas or topics do you need coaching or P.D. in?

4. What improvements could be made to the following areas: approach/strategy/process/support/professional development/monitoring…?

Reflect on the answers in 1 ­ 4 above for the previous cycle and place an X in front of which option best describes what you will do in your plan for the next cycle.

Target goal has been met and is changed to a new target goal. Target goal not met but current plan is effective so we will continue current plan and repeat it for the next cycle. Target goal not met so we will continue current plan. We will make improvements to the plan based on what didn’t work as identified in #2 and #4 above. Target goal not met and information indicates that we need to abandon the current plan and identify a new approach.

A Act – Revise or continue with implementation plan based on data analysis.

1. For the next cycle are you continuing with the approach from previous cycle ? If yes continue to deployment plan. If no, address questions #2­5.

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Scotts Elementary School School Improvement Plan – Science August 1st, 2015 (For Cycle 1 of the 2015­16 Year)

2. What improvements could be made to the following areas: approach/strategy/process/support/professional development/monitoring…?)

3. What performance measures will you use to monitor impact of your approach/strategy?

4. What measure will you use to monitor fidelity of deployment of your strategy/approach?

5. What professional development, if any, will be offered in this cycle to support the staff in implementing the approach?

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