Liberty Tree Elementary School

Building Strengths

(August)

• Increased the number of IEP students proficient in both reading and math.
• Met Ohio Achievement Test benchmarks for all subjects and grades with passage rates all exceeding 83%.
• Increased the number of students who met their projected performance level in math for all grades.
• 90% of our K-2 at-risk students had measurable, positive growth with intense reading intervention provided by our staff outside the school day.

Building Areas for Improvement

(August)

• 42.9% of LEP subgroup was proficient in reading and math.
• 57.1% of Economic Disadvantaged subgroup was proficient in math.
• 17% decrease in the number of students meeting their projected performance level in 5th grade science.

Focus

(August)

• To clearly articulate quality learning targets that directly align curriculum to assessment and instruction.

Actions

(September)

Mid Year Check

(January)

All teachers will focus on the following curriculum processes:

1. Analyze curriculum maps to be clear and confident about map standards.
2. Research and explore curriculum map indicators to obtain deep content knowledge.
3. Unpack the curriculum to identify clear learning targets or the scaffolding to the learning targets.
4. Clearly define what mastery of the learning targets looks like when achieved.
5. Will know where students are in relation to the specified learning targets at any time.

As the instructional leaders, we will:

1. Make daily decisions aligned with the building and district focus.
2. Conduct building walk-throughs for the purpose of collecting evidence of progress on the curriculum focus.
3. Conduct evaluations of staff members with an emphasis on the curriculum processes.
4. Create professional development opportunities during late starts, curriculum days, etc. to support building CIP.
5. Collect feedback from staff on progress of the building CIP action steps.

August 25 – Curriculum Day

Staff was informed of the District’s focus of clear quality learning targets and was trained in curriculum unpacking. Quality learning targets were shared and the 5 elements of quality were presented. Teachers were trained in writing and identifying quality learning targets for student understanding.

September 21 – Curriculum Day

Professional Development provided by administration on Formative Assessment practices – unpacking curriculum. Teachers choose a subject area to create a unit of study. Curriculum benchmarks and indicators were grouped. Teachers determined the big ideas and information that needed mastery. Learning targets were created and put into student friendly language. Teams used the 5 elements of quality to evaluate and critique targets.

Weekly Collaboration meetings:

Teachers will be provided 75 minutes per week as a grade level team to create integrated units of study in all subject areas, to scaffold learning through unpacking of curriculum, to write clear and explicit learning targets in student friendly language, to create pre- and post assessments to measure students understanding and mastery, and to adjust instruction to meet the needs of students.

October 8 Late Start:

As a follow-up to the September 21 Curriculum Day. Teachers brought the completed unit and reflected on the unpacking process. In vertical teams of grades K – 5, teachers shared each unit, discussed student work samples, offered feedback and made plans to adjust instruction for future units if needed. Grade level teams shared information from vertical team discussion and prepared for the next unit of study.

November 10th Late Start:

Professional Development on Effective Feedback. This is a continuation of the understanding of Formative Assessment and Unpacking. Teachers participated in a two-hour professional development on how to give effective feedback to students. Effective feedback allows students to reflect on what they have learned and need to still learn, gives specific information about how to improve performance, and prepares students to assess their own learning.

January 28t Late Start

Teachers gave feedback on their individual learning on formative assessment. Formative Assessment professional development continued on adjusting instruction to meet the needs of learners. This was an introductive embedded professional development.

Monthly Staff meetings:

Staff meetings have focused on a two-year professional development commitment to the readings of Regie Routman. The purpose is to provide quality reading and writing instruction within the classroom setting and improve student achievement. Staff meetings have also focused on Adaptive Schools training to encourage productive collaboration within each team, committee and building meetings.

Weekly Cabinet Meetings:

The building principal meets weekly with the gifted teacher, literacy support teachers, guidance (as needed), intervention teachers (as needed), and the assistant principal to target intervention needs through team data collection, plan monthly professional development, and discuss student needs within the building through building data. The goal is to provide curriculum enrichment and support to grade level teams and targeted students as needed.

Results we expect

(September)

Mid Year Check

(January)

• An increase in the percentage of staff using classroom learning targets explicitly in their instruction based on the month to month principal walkthroughs.
• LTES will increase the number of 5th grade students meeting or exceeding their projection in Science.
• LTES will increase the proficiency passage rate for LEP subgroup in Reading and Math, and for Economic Disadvantage subgroup in Math.

• Over 365 walk-throughs have occurred this year by Administration. Collected data shows a steady, and significant increase of learning targets posted in each classroom since the beginning of the year.
• A majority of classroom newsletters and websites are sharing learning targets or “I can” statements with parents.
• The building culture reflects the understanding of learning targets as data reflects students sharing “I can” statements when approached by administration in the classroom.
• Administration has also attended grade level team meetings where learning targets, assessment, and instruction have been shared.
• Grade level professional development. K-4 Grade level teams have participated in half day or full day in-service to focus on unpacking, curriculum, and instruction.

Link to District CIP

(What district benchmark results will get better because we improve our results?)

• Focus Area: To clearly articulate quality learning targets that directly align curriculum to assessment and instruction.
• Benchmark 1: Percentage of students achieving at or above their projected performance level.
• Benchmark 3: Meet state and national standards.