Jefferson School Improvement Plan (2019-20)

School Student Climate Survey - question 8 

By May 2020, students will demonstrate an increase in compassion and kindness as measured by an increase of 5% positive responses on question 8 of the School Student Climate Survey.

• Positive Behavior will be taught through building wide:
• Manners Matter
• Segments on KJAG (JMS news)
• Cultural awareness lessons in Social Studies classrooms
• Throughout all content areas, students have opportunities to collaborate and develop or select solutions to real world problems. 
• Where Everybody Belongs (induction program)

• SBA
• MAP
• WCAS 

Communication Goal: Staff members will communicate in a more strategic and timely fashion.
ELA Achievement Goals
Reading:
During the 2019-20 school year, the number of students in English classes at Jefferson Middle School will improve extended reading response scores as measured by the JMS common rubric. (JMS rubric is based on the SBA reading standards rubric, but also includes writing skills such as complete sentences, spelling, punctuation and grammar.) Reading extended response questions are graded on a 0, 1, 2 scale, per ELA SBA. Grade level improvements, which will result in 2% growth on the 2020 SBA are as follows:  

• 6th grade – 10% of students will improve a minimum of one level (ex. 1 to 2) on 2 point reading responses 
• 7th grade – 7% of students will improve a minimum of one level (ex. 1 to 2) on 2 point reading responses 
• 8th grade – 5% of students will improve a minimum of one level (ex. 1 to 2) on 2 point reading responses

Writing:
During the 2019-2020 school year, the number of students in English classes at Jefferson Middle School will improve COS (content, organization and style) score as measured by the SBA-based/JMS common rubric. Grade level improvements, which will result in 2% growth on the 2020 SBA are as follows:

• 6th grade – 10% of students will improve a minimum of one level (ex. 3 to 4)
• 7th grade – 7% of students will improve a minimum of one level (ex. 3 to 4)
• 8th grade – 5% of students will improve a minimum of one level (ex. 3 to 4) 

ELA SPED:
During the 2019-2020 school year, 80% of students receiving specially designed instruction in Reading and/or Writing will show growth toward meeting state standards as demonstrated by individual student progress monitoring.
Math Achievement Goals

• Grade Level Improvements: Each cohort's passing rate will improve by 2% over the previous year using 2020 SBA test.
  
• By March,  90 % of all students will show at least the nationally normed RIT growth for each grade level as measured from spring 2019- spring 2020. The measurement tool will be the MAP test.
• 6th grade – 10% of students will improve a minimum of one level (ex. 1 to 2)
• 7th grade – 7% of students will improve a minimum of one level (ex. 1 to 2)
• 8th grade – 5% of students will improve a minimum of one level (ex. 1 to 2)

Math SPED:

• 70% of students receiving specially designed instruction in Math will show growth toward meeting state standards as demonstrated by individual student progress monitoring.

Science Achievement Goals:

• By the end of the 2019-2020 school year, the percent of students meeting standard will increase by 1% as measured by the NGSS test.

Science SPED:

• During the 2019-2020 SY, 90% of students receiving specially designed instruction in science will show growth toward meeting state standards as demonstrated by teachers collecting pre and post assessments.

Science Poverty:

• Students in poverty will achieve in parity with the rest of the school population.

 
PROFESSIONAL GROWTH GOALS:
For the 2019-2020 SY, Jefferson has decided to spend our early release time and collaboration day working on PLC groups that support learning across the curriculum.  During the staff retreat, all participants chose to work on criteria five of the state standards. These collaborative groups will focus on the building’s school improvement plan and student assessment / achievement / growth through consistent classroom management.  Each teacher, regardless of being on a focus or comprehensive evaluation, will be responsible for collecting their own data to show student growth. A “showcase” of their work will be presented at their final post conference.
 
SAFETY GOALS:

• Buy materials needed to update and replace safety equipment in school safety bags in the building and the safety shed.
• Monthly safety meeting during first staff meeting of the month. All meetings/early release days have an opening for safety discussion.
• Emergency level 2 practice prior to beginning of school year
• Practice drills and organization chart before school starts
• Make sure all rooms have emergency bags
• Review evacuation routes and discuss Jesus’ “Hide, Run, and Counter” Message from 2016
• Review ALICE training originally presented 2019
• Hold Mini Assemblies at each grade level on Bullying and School Safety in September
• Host School-wide Safety Assembly with OPD in October
• ID badges for all staff
• Complete and document all drills by May 2020

 
PBIS GOALS:

• Staff meetings
• Establish a schedule of celebrations, acknowledgements and reinforcement activities
• PBIS team address student safety and harassment in each social studies class 
• Classroom teachers discuss the classroom matrix with students 
• Plan and conduct student assemblies arranged by grade level to allow for flexibility and differentiation. 
• Collaborate and establish a joint partnership with OPD to address cyberbullying, sexting and internet safety 
• Staff retreat, data, and share new information
• Establish our PBIS building team and agree on a PBIS school activities 
• Hold team meeting within the first 30 days
• Manners Matter will continue to be a focus area
• New student induction and 6th grade follow-up program through WEB
• Classroom discussions 1st period, based on expectations and school concerns discussed in announcements
• Communicate who to talk to and where to locate conflict resolution forms in the office

Communication:

• Student scores will be updated and posted at least bi-monthly through Skyward Gradebook.
• We will strategically invite parents of students with failing grades to our October parent/teacher conferences via email. Skyward. 
• Progress reports will be handed out mid-quarter. 
• Skyward Family Access training will be provided for parents to access student information.  
• Case Managers will connect with all parents of students with an Individual Education Plan (IEP) in a personal and positive way within the first two weeks of school, documenting communication.  
• Information about the school will be presented to parents through various events including 6th Grade Orientation, Back to School Night, 5th Grade Parent Night, 5th Grade Orientation, Dad’s Breakfast, Mom’s Breakfast, Quarterly Award Assemblies, JAMS Instructional Nights, Sports Parent Nights, Robo calls, email, paper and digital newsletters, Skyward emails, the JMS website, front entry video display board, Conger Avenue sign board and Curriculum Night.

Reading:

• Continue collaboration to improve reading skills across the curriculum in areas such as: vocabulary, context clues, inferences/deductions and comprehension.
• Use common formative assessments to determine student proficiency in reading. 
• Utilize results of formative assessment to drive instruction and grouping (within classroom and across 6th, 7th, 8th, and Special Education).  
• Instruction in text structure (problem/solution, chronological order, and cause/effect) and text features will occur through the social studies curriculum. 
• Other strategies include utilizing an intervention specialist, small group instruction,  decoding instruction to increase fluency, and comprehension practice to increase understanding of reading (concrete and inference) using Spring Board materials.

Writing:

• Continue to utilize common rubric for scoring
• Every grade level will have multiple practices with explanatory, argumentative, and narrative writing prompts  
• Narrative writing will be taught as part of the social studies curriculum 
• Both English and Social Studies will utilize results of formative assessment to drive instruction and grouping (within classroom and across 6th, 7th, 8th)  
• Use small group instruction as needed
• Provide strategies and instruction on mechanics, word usage, and sentence structure. 
• Keyboarding for all grades ISTE standard will be implemented through the library. 

ELA Special Education:

• Writing Content, Organization, and Structure
• Reading Comprehension
• Providing Text Evidence
• Grammar and Mechanic

ELA Poverty:
    In addition to strategies listed above additional support for students can occur through: 

• Homework Club
• Remediation/  Reteaching / Differentiation
• Additional opportunities
• Equal access to technology instruction and instructional materials

Math:

• Facilitating daily formative assessments, assigning and reviewing nightly homework to guide & differentiate instruction
•  Administering / evaluate weekly formative assessments by grade levels
•  Integrating the Standards for Mathematical Practice into lessons, homework and assessments
•  Utilize Open Up Resources
•  Teachers will participate in district-wide grade level PLC groups
•  Teachers will implement Common Core aligned instruction

Math Special Education:

•     Focus on computation and problem solving

    
 Science Strategies:

• Using Claim Evidence Reasoning instructional and assessment strategy to promote scientific reasoning skills as measured by the NGSS test
• Using NGSS -aligned questions at least monthly to evaluate student progress 
• Utilizing a stamp with NGSS conclusion and procedure scoring criteria to provide valuable feedback
• Using Step Up to Writing strategies for notes, summaries, and reports once per month in collaboration with all JMS staff.

Science Special Education strategies:

•  Small group instruction
•  Focus on scientific inquiry
•  Focus on scientific reasoning 
•  Focus on interpreting graphs and data

Science Poverty:

• Science homework support
• Lunch hour opportunity
• School supplies
• Shared high quality classroom supplies
• Special supports for reading, including: precise vocabulary; items formatted to reflect test materials; opportunities to explain, clarify and revise their own thinking verbally 
• Manipulatives in place of pencil paper problem solving.

Data regarding students' understanding of how and when to seek supportive social/emotional resources, will be evaluated from the 2019 and 2020 Student Climate Survey Question #19. 

During the 2019-2020 school year, a higher percentage of students will indicate better understanding of how and when to seek supportive social and emotional health resources for self and others as measured on the Student Climate Survey Question # 19. (baseline percentage still to be calculated) 

• Staff training on resources available
• Student access to peer student Leaders through W.E.B.
• Social Worker available for assistance on Thursdays
• Intervention specialist available for consultation 
• Counselor talk to students at the start of year
• Harassment forms available in all classes
• Social Studies classes go over handbook (includes resources available)

Levels of participation, contributions and collaboration will be measured through data collected from JMS clubs and student extra curricular activities 

Over the course of the 2019-2020 SY, more students will participate in activities, projects, teams or clubs which focus on the power of collaboration and teamwork. 

Opportunities for student participation will include but not be limited to:

• Battle of the Book
• Team Sports 
• Robotics
• REACH
• Music (band, choir, orchestra)
• Classroom TA’s and Office Aids
• WEB Leaders
• ASB