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Strategic Plan for Teaching and Learning

Fiscal Years 2015 – 2019

Board of Education

Doug Floski – President Kathy Gehrke – Vice-President

John Hess – Secretary Matt Meyers

Carol Nauman Bill Craig Ed Clift

Superintendent

Dr. James Hammack (Updated for 2-9-15)

High School

Technology Center

Middle School Mary Morgan

Byron Community Unit School District No. 226

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Members of the Strategic Plan Committee:

Dr. James Hammack – Supt Doug Floski – Board President

Kathi Gehrke – Board Vice-President Dr. Peter Verona – HS Principal

Steve Herkert – MS Principal Buster Barton – ES Principal

Jay Mullens – HS Asst. Principal Zack Ettelbrick – MS Asst. Principal

Terie Engelbrecht – Dir. Teaching/Learning Janelle Smith – Director of SPED

Christian Kerr – Director of Fiscal Services Jeff Flater – Director of Activities

Terry Wilken – Director of Technology Ken Lukawski – Tech. & Curriculum

Mary Adams – Teacher Brenda Crabel – Teacher

Amanda Early – Teacher Susan Hedlund – Teacher

Kelly Hilliker – Teacher Patti Ludwig – Teacher

Michael McHale – Teacher Duane Prax – Teacher

Martha Reilly – Teacher Traci Schilling – Teacher

Joan Sebby – Teacher Bridy Springer – Teacher

Diana Williams – Teacher Kathleen Almy – Community

Brad Auker – Community Brent Baker – Community

Elaine Breck – Community Carmon Conderman – Community

Mary Jo Cassens – Community Eric Fuller – Community

Kris DeVries – Community Deb Hoover – Community

Suzanne Falconer – Community Gretchen Nelson – Community

Daniel Libman – Community Stacy Shewey – Community

Rachel Oracki – Community

On behalf of the Board of Education of the Byron Community Unit School District No. 226, I want to thank you for your willingness to serve as a member of the Byron Community Unit School District No. 226 Strategic Plan Committee for Teaching and Learning. You have demonstrated your

commitment and service to the students, staff, and community members of the District. Through your efforts, the District has been able to develop a plan by which student learning and achievement will be significantly improved for many years. Thank you so very much!

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Strategic Plan Process and Calendar for Teaching and

Learning

Month Activity Outcome:

Sept 9, 2013 - FULL COMMITTEE

6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Review of District Achievement Data by Committee Establish Baseline information Sept, 2013 Update Information to Quality Review Board & Community Update Sept, 2013 Update Information to Regular Board of Educ. Meeting Board & Community Update October 21, 2013 – FULL COMMITTEE

6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Review of ES Achievement Data & Best Practice Information Establish strengths and areas for improvement Oct, 2013 Update Information to Quality Review Board & Community Update Oct, 2013 Update Information to Regular Board of Educ. Meeting Board & Community Update November 18, 2013 – FULL COMMITTEE

6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. High-Quality Instructional Practice Determine current practice and establish target

Nov, 2013 Update Information to Quality Review Board & Community Update

Nov, 2013 Update Information to Regular Board of Educ. Meeting Board & Community Update

December 16, 2013

NA No Meeting was held NA

Dec, 2013 Update Information to Quality Review Board & Community Update

Dec, 2013 Update Information to Regular Board of Educ. Meeting Board & Community Update

January 13, 2014 – FULL COMMITTEE

6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. High-Quality Instructional Practice - 2 Determine process for Implementation

Jan, 2014 Update Information to Quality Review Board & Community Update

Jan, 2014 Update Information to Regular Board of Educ. Meeting Board & Community Update

February 10, 2014 – FULL COMMITTEE

6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m High-Quality Support Practice - RtI Determine targets and process for implementation

Feb, 2014 Update Information to Quality Review Board & Community Update

Feb, 2014 Update Information to Regular Board of Educ. Meeting Board & Community Update

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Month Activity Outcome:

April 14, 2014 – Admin

1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m

Refine Plan based on Committee Work (Sept – Feb) Establish Strategic Goals

Apr, 2014 Update Information to Quality Review Board & Community Update Apr, 2014 Update Information to Regular Board of Educ. Meeting Board & Community Update

May 13 and 21, 2014 - Admin

1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m

Refine Plan based on Committee Work (Sept – Feb) Establish Strategic Goals

May, 2014 Update Information to Quality Review Board & Community Update

May, 2014

Update Information to Regular BOE Mtg. Board & Community Update

June 23 and 30, 2014 – Admin

Refine Plan based on Committee Work (Sept – Feb)

Establish Strategic Goals

June, 2014

Update Information to Quality Review Board & Community Update

June, 2014 July 17, 2014

Update Information to Regular Board of Educ. Meeting Formal Presentation to the Board of Education

Board & Community Update Board and Community Update

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Ensure Curricular Pathways to Success – High Quality

Curriculum Practice:

Plan Element No. 1 – The District will implement District-Wide curriculum work with the Common Core Standards in the Areas of English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Cross-Curricular Literacy. The District will be committed to Common Core Standards work in the academic areas of English/Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science as follows:

The District-wide teams of teachers and administrators will meet on a one - time per month basis.

The teachers and administrators will develop aligned curriculums, aligned assessments, and determine plans for implementing high-quality instructional practice and academic supports.

The teachers and administrators will develop a curriculum mapping process by which curriculum may be reviewed and analyzed for its quality on a regular basis.

Plan Element No. 2 – The District will Implement District-Wide Curriculum Practice Based on State and National Standards for all other Academic Areas.

Those academic areas include the following: Social Studies, Career and Technology Education, Fine Arts, Physical Education and Health Education, Foreign Language, and Special Education.

A meeting schedule will be determined, but we be implemented on no less than a one -time per month basis.

The teachers and administrators will develop aligned curriculums, aligned assessments, and determine plans for implementing high-quality instructional practice and academic supports.

The teachers and administrators will develop a curriculum mapping process by which curriculum may be reviewed and analyzed for its quality on a regular basis.

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Guarantee of Challenging, Engaging, and Intentional

Instruction – High-Quality Instructional Practice:

Plan Element No. 3 – The District will implement high-quality instructional practice in the area of Differentiated Instruction and Student Engagement.

Confirm teachers know what it is and how to practice it

Assist teachers in the development of differentiated lesson plans and units of instruction that engage students in meaningful ways via respectful tasks.

Provide Education to Students and Parents about Differentiated Instruction and Engaged Learning, its value, how it looks in practice, and the student’s role in this type of instruction and learning.

Provide practice opportunities for teachers through walkthrough/observation activities, small teams of teachers working on lesson development, and appropriate professional development.

Implement Differentiated Instruction with an emphasis on Student Engagement to advance student learning. Use integration of technology to advance practice.

Monitor and Assess student learning as a product of Differentiated Instruction and Engaged Learning.

Review assessment information and make changes to provide for continuous improvement.

Resources for this work will include, but not be limited to the following: professional development time, collaborative work, attendance at conferences, appropriate supplies and learning materials, expert support, and support for integration of technology.

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Provide Whole-Child Student Supports – High-Quality Academic Support Services Practice: Plan Element No. 4 – The District will implement high-quality academic support services practice in the area of Response-to-Intervention (RtI).

Ensure that all teachers are informed and involved in every part of the RtI

process at all buildings.

Revisit and update the District’s current RtI plan and review evidence of long-

term impact of current RtI plan for improvement actions.

Effectively communicate student learning information between grades and

schools in order to lead effective student learning decisions. Provide for

collaboration between general education staff & intervention staff.

Ensure that quality Tier 1 interventions are occurring in all classrooms through

the use of formative assessments.

Define high quality Tier 1practice and provide professional development in this

practice with a focus on use of use of formative data to differentiate and

improve instruction for advancing student learning.

Focus improvement of student learning on use of formative assessment,

interpretation of that data to lead further instruction and assessment, and

benchmarking of data for progress monitoring of student learning goals.

Provide supports for all students in the area of writing.

Bergin the process of establishing an identification system for students with

writing deficits and establish

planning for intervention supports.

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Assessment Literacy for Learning – High-Quality Assessment Practice: Plan Element No. 5 – The District will implement high-quality assessment practice in the area of Student Learning Objectives/Formative Assessments.

Confirm teachers know what it is and how to practice it

Plan and Build through teacher and administration representatives for effective SLO implementation.

Develop effective SLOs through a process including Identification of Key Learning concepts, Gathering and Analysis of Student Learning data, Identification of Intervals of Instruction, Selection and Development of Type III assessments, and Development of a Growth Target and Rationale.

Create a Review and Documentation process including evaluator review, building-level review, District-level review, and sample timelines.

Create a scoring structure that includes scoring option models for holistic, analytical, Tiered-Rating, or matrixes-based.

Review the use of multiple SLOs including combining SLOs using ratings and analytical scoring of SLOs using a weighted score.

Determine process for combining SLO scores with other Student Growth Measures including a Profile Approach and a Numerical Measure Approach.

Joint committees should develop a plan for adjusting and improving the implementation process over time to ensure that the process is as efficient as possible while also reflecting best practice.

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Develop Data- Driven, High-Reliability District Systems – High-Quality Data-Based and Aligned Practice: Plan Element No. 5 – The District will implement high-quality data-based decision making and systems alignment practices.

Establish and implement a Coherence Framework to align all District policies, meetings, expenditures, and professional development to support the goals of the strategic plan.

Establish and implement a system of regular progress monitoring by which to determine the District’s ability to continuously advance the strategic plan.

Provide accountability to the Board and the community through monthly progress updates of the Strategic Plan at Quality Review meetings and Regular Board of Education meetings.

Lead through teachers and administration, the improvement of the District in all areas including evaluation, programs, methodology, and practice through a data-based/evidence-based process including, but not limited to, MAP, AIMSWEB, GRADE/GMADE. STAR, ECRA, SLOs, PARCC, and ACT.

Implement and regularly update data-based information to community through District Dashboard.

Lead data use to advance learning via a formal process of analysis, decision-making, and advancement of practice.

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Progress Monitoring and Recommendations for Improvement of the Strategic Plan for Teaching and Learning: 2014 – 2015 School Year (3 Committee meetings) Meeting No. 1 for October 27, 2014 – Participants:

Dr. James Hammack Terry Wilken Gretchen Nelson Mary Jo Cassens Brent Baker Dr. Laura Mutchler Amanda Early Martha Reilly Daniel Libman Rachel Oracki Autumn Czizek Janelle Smith Jeff Milburn Eric Fuller Scott Spahr Doug Floski Suzanne Falconer Dr. Peter Verona Jay Mullens Buster Barton Sue Hedlund CURRICULUM: On October 27, 2014, the members of the Strategic Planning Committee for Teaching and Learning recommended that the plan be progressed monitored and improved as follows:

1. The Plan needs to incorporate a long-term vision for advancing teaching and learning in the District beyond the 2018-2019 school year. That vision must be evidenced through the Plan’s determinations in the area of Curriculum.

2. The Plan must advance the concept of “Change.” In the area of

Curriculum, the Plan must evidence that “Change” and “Reform” are foundational to District students being prepared at the very highest levels. The District must be a leader and a “Cutting-Edge” District with its Curriculum offerings.

3. The Plan must provide for a Standards-Based/Aligned practice in all areas and that focus begins with the highest-quality curriculum practices. A Standards-Aligned approach to all areas of the plan places a focus on best practice to provide the highest academic outcomes and the greatest level of academic rigor for District students.

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INSTRUCTION: On October 27, 2014, the members of the Strategic Planning Committee for Teaching and Learning recommended that the plan be progressed monitored and improved as follows:

1. The Plan must emphasize “Engagement of Students with their courses and assignments”. The Committee members noted that such “Engagement” may be achieved through a variety of delivery of instruction approaches including the Flipped Classroom Model.

2. The District must strive, through its delivery of instruction approaches,

to be at the very forefront of a 21st Century School District. With that in mind, the Plan must emphasize the variety of ways that instruction can be advanced through the incorporation of technology. The District’s 1:1 Laptop Initiative must be implemented at the highest levels.

SUPPORT SERVICES: On October 27, 2014, the members of the Strategic Planning Committee for Teaching and Learning recommended that the plan be progressed monitored and improved as follows:

1. The Plan must recognize and act on the requirement for high-quality support services for all students so that all students may meet or exceed learning standards. To this end, the Committee advanced the need for the Plan to address the use of the daily schedule by which to gain more time for support services and to better align and account for those services.

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Meeting No. 2 for January 26, 2015 – Participants:

Dr. James Hammack Eric Fuller Dr. Laura Mutchler Rachel Lathrop Brent Baker Buster Barton Jay Mullens Gretchen Nelson Daniel Libman Carol Nauman Martha Reilly Amanda Early Zack Ettelbrick Suzanne Falconer Sue Hedlund Rachel Oraki Bill Craig Kathleen Almy Janelle Smith CURRICULUM: On January 26, 2015, the members of the Strategic Planning Committee for Teaching and Learning APPROVED THE STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL AREAS, CURRENT PRACTICES, AND AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT FOR THE 2015-2016 SCHOOL YEAR. Regarding improvements to the current plan, the members of the Strategic Plan Committee for Teaching and Learning recommended that the plan be progressed monitored and improved as follows:

1. Incorporate the development of “Rich” instructional tasks for advancing academic rigor within the curriculum.

2. Development of instructional materials which are refined in order to

advance Common Core State Standards practice by teachers.

INSTRUCTION: On January 26, 2015, the members of the Strategic Planning Committee for Teaching and Learning APPROVED THE STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL AREAS, CURRENT PRACTICES, AND AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT FOR THE 2015-2016 SCHOOL YEAR. Regarding improvements to the current plan, the members of the Strategic Plan Committee for Teaching and Learning recommended that the plan be progressed monitored and improved as follows:

1. Emphasis on “Engagement of Students with their courses and assignments”. The Committee members noted that such “Engagement” may be achieved through a variety of delivery of instruction approaches including the Flipped Classroom Model.

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2. Professional Development of Teachers regarding a Flipped Classroom

model.

3. The Use of Google Classroom as a means for enhancing student engagement via instructional practice.

4. Technology Integrationist services to consistently address advances to the 1:1 Laptop Model.

ASSESSMENT: On January 26, 2015, the members of the Strategic Planning Committee for Teaching and Learning APPROVED THE STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL AREAS, CURRENT PRACTICES, AND AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT FOR THE 2015-2016 SCHOOL YEAR. Regarding improvements to the current plan, the members of the Strategic Plan Committee for Teaching and Learning recommended that the plan be progressed monitored and improved as follows:

1. Professional Development of Teachers regarding the use of Standards-Based Grading and Report Cards.

2. Communications to parents about standards-based grading and standards-based reports cards.

SUPPORT SYSTEMS: On January 26, 2015, the members of the Strategic Planning Committee for Teaching and Learning APPROVED THE STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL AREAS, CURRENT PRACTICES, AND AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT FOR THE 2015-2016 SCHOOL YEAR. Regarding improvements to the current plan, the members of the Strategic Plan Committee for Teaching and Learning recommended that the plan be progressed monitored and improved as follows:

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1. Development of a consistent District-Wide Model for Response-to-

Intervention services for advancing student learning.

2. Use of goal-setting practices by teachers in working with students for leading academic and behavioral improvements.

DATA ANALYSIS: On January 26, 2015, the members of the Strategic Planning Committee for Teaching and Learning APPROVED THE STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL AREAS, CURRENT PRACTICES, AND AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT FOR THE 2015-2016 SCHOOL YEAR. Regarding improvements to the current plan, the members of the Strategic Plan Committee for Teaching and Learning recommended that the plan be progressed monitored and improved as follows:

1. Sharing of data results with students in order to improve student engagement with the learning through the establishment of goals.

2. Determination and implementation of an effective data analysis process per building and per district in order to lead improvements for student learning.