North Carolina - Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Improvement Plans 2012/Central Se… · North...

North Carolina

Albemarle Road Middle School

Registration

School Information

Registered: 08/06/2012

6900 Democracy Drive

Charlotte, NC 28212

Phone: 980-343-6420

Fax: 980-343-6501

Principal

Ms. Toni Perry

Phone: 980-343-6420

Fax: 980-343-6501

[email protected]

Process Manager

Phone:

Fax:

North Carolina


School Information

Percentage of Students by Ethnicity

35 % Hispanic/ Latino of any race

0 % American Indian or Alaskan Native

6 % Asian

0 % Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander

8 % White

1 % Two or more races

Other Student Demographics

86 % Percent of Students Qualifying for Free or Reduced Lunch

10 % Percent of Students Receiving Special Education (IEP students)

0 % School Attendance Percentage

95 % School Mobility Percentage

18 % Percent of Students that are Limited English Proficient (LEP)

School Personnel

43

6

15

%

%

%

Classroom Teachers

Special Education Teachers

Specials (Art, Music, PE, etc.)

1

0

5

%

%

%

Family \ Parent Liaison

Reading Specialists

Teacher Aides

2

1

1

%

%

%

Assistant Principal

Social Worker

Technology Specialists

3

9

1

%

%

%

Counselor

Support Staff

Other

1 % Dean

Grade Levels and Enrollment

6-8 What grade levels are in your school (e.g. K-8)?

1135 What is your total enrollment?

50 % Black or African American

Algebra 1

2011-2012

The percent of all students (in each grade level that was tested) who scored proficient or better on the most recently available state assessment for each subject area that applies in your state. Round each percent to the nearest percentile, i.e. 26.8 = 27.

Subject preK K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Mathematics 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 97 0 0 0 0

Math

2011-2012


Subject preK K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Mathematics 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 81 75 77 0 0 0 0

Reading

2011-2012


Subject preK K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Language Arts 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 66 55 60 0 0 0 0

Science

2011-2012


Subject preK K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Science 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 67 0 0 0 0

School Assessment Scores

North Carolina


North Carolina


Team

Rosemary Berkley

Teacher

Phone: 980-343-6420

Email: [email protected]

Added date: 11/05/2012

Darrell Bonaparte

Parent

Phone: 704-890-2771



Karenski Brown

Teacher

Phone: 980-343-6420



Kiara Cox

Parent

Phone: 980-343-6420



Tresa Cummins

Grade Level Administrator / Indistar Manager

Phone: 980-343-6420



Andrea Fort

Testing Coordinator- Literacy Facilitator

Phone: 980-343-6420



Gina Gardner

Teacher

Phone: 980-343-6420



Shannon Hardy

Teacher

Phone: 980-343-6420



Sherry Hill-Norman

Parent

Phone: 980-343-6420



Amber Hinton

Teacher

Phone: 980-343-6420



Melanie Hook

Literacy Facilitator

Phone: 980-343-6420



Danny May

Teacher

Phone: 980-343-6420



Kristen Milroth

Teacher

Phone: 980-343-6420



Angela Oueslati

Teacher

Phone: 980-343-6420



Lashaunda Pankey

Grade Level Administrator

Phone: 980-343-6420



Toni Perry

Principal

Phone: 980-343-6420



Anthony Ratliff

Grade Level Administrator

Phone: 980-343-6420



Ian Ray

Teacher

Phone: 980-343-6420



Jenna Reed

Teacher

Phone: 980-343-6420



Anna Rogers

Teacher

Phone: 980-343-6420



Margaret Scariot

Technology Facilitator

Phone: 980-343-6420



Melissa Stormont

Academic Facilitator

Phone: 980-343-6420



Diane Story

Teacher

Phone: 980-343-6420



Mechelle Thompson

Parent

Phone: 980-213-9781



Thomas Townsend

Teacher

Phone: 980-343-6420



Joy Wilfong

Teacher

Phone: 980-343-6420



Providing operational flexibility and sustained support

Federal Requirement: Give the school sufficient operational flexibility (such as staffing, calendars/time, and budgeting) to implement fully a comprehensive approach to substantially improve student achievement outcomes and increase high school graduation rates.

Indicator A01 - The LEA has examined current state and LEA policies and structures related to central control and made modifications to fully support transformation. (1633)

Status Full Implementation

Assessment Level of Development: Initial: Full Implementation 10/09/2012

Evidence: CMS ensures its Board policies are aligned with State policies. There is a process to regularly review Board policies and regulations to ensure they are current and are aligned with State and Federal laws and district goals. CMS ensures that the school improvement process is aligned with State law and all necessary components are included. These are reviewed by district-level staff and approved by the Board of Education and NC State Board of Education. Each spring, the district implements a process for stakeholder involvement in the review and revision of the CMS Parent Involvement Policy. All Title 1 schools must work collaboratively with the School Leadership Team to develop a Family Involvement Plan and Student-Parent-Teacher-School Learning Compact.

Indicator A02 - The LEA has reoriented its culture toward shared responsibility and accountability. (1634)



November 13, 2012

Albemarle Road Middle SchoolComprehensive Plan Report

Key Indicators are shown in RED. School Improvement Indicators

Page: 1 of 37

Evidence: CMS has provided extensive professional development on the Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) model to promote collaboration among staff within the school, between schools and central office, and within the central office. Principals and assistant principals received monthly training and share their learning with school staff. Within the PLC model, there has been a shift towards making data driven decisions. CMS has provided central office and school personnel with several data management and intervention tools that provides them information for decision-making and monitoring progress. The Managing for Performance Portal provides teachers, administrators, and central office staff with information about achievement, WIDA scores, EC, attendance, at-risk factors, behavior, etc. Thinkgate is the platform used to house data from district created benchmarks. Easy access to this data enables teachers to develop remediation plans, Electronic Personalized Education Plans are maintained in Easy PEP on all students scoring below grade level on standardized tests. Additionally, the district has provided extensive monthly training to principals and assistant on the North Carolina Educator Evaluation System to ensure evaluators are able to accurately assess teachers’ level of performance and provide feedback, coaching, and professional development to promote growth.

Indicator A04 - The LEA has aligned resource allocation (money, time, human resources) within the school’s instructional priorities. (1636)



Evidence: The Superintendent works collaboratively with the Board of Education to develop a budget that is aligned with the goals of Strategic Plan 2014. The district budgeting process requires various stakeholders and central office employees to evaluate the effectiveness of instructional programs and initiatives in achieving the district’s goals to determine future funding priorities. Decisions about textbooks, technology standards, and data management systems are made and funded at the district level. State and local funding is provided to schools based on the 20th day ADM. Principals involve their School Leadership Teams to prioritize school budgets that are in alignment with the School Improvement Plan. Staffing allocations provided by the state are reviewed and the district uses a weighted student-staffing ratio to account for the needs of schools with high levels of student poverty. Extended Day funding, that is used to provide remediation and additional instructional time for students, is allocated based on the number of students scoring below grade level in reading at a school. The district has provided additional zone staff, including literacy and math specialists, to support the instructional program in Title 1 schools.

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Providing operational flexibility and sustained support

Federal Requirement: Ensure that the school receives ongoing, intensive technical assistance and related support from the LEA, the SEA, or a designated external lead partner organization (such as a school turnaround organization or EMO).

Indicator B10 - The LEA has planned for and initiated an ongoing cycle of continuous progress monitoring and adjustment. (1659)



Evidence: The School Improvement Team is comprised of school leaders who are engaged in the implementation of the School Improvement Plan. School Improvement Team’s will meet on a consistent basis (monthly or quarterly) to monitor progress in areas of parent outreach, student achievement, and discipline. During these meetings, the team’s can assess the implementation that has already taken place as well as plan ahead to determine full implementation. In addition, zone teams participate in school walkthroughs where instructional feedback is provided to the school leadership. Principals can choose to implement changes based on this feedback or share feedback with the School Improvement Team and determine adjustments from that point.

Indicator B15 - The LEA provides the school transformation team members with information on what the school can do to promote rapid improvement. (1663)



Evidence: Through the zone office support is offered to schools in the areas of math, literacy, exceptional children, and behavior intervention. Specialists in each of these areas collaborate with the school and provide support, training and feedback as needed to the school to promote rapid improvement. The collaboration between the specialists and the school occur in various forums such as individual meetings with school-based leadership, small group support to teachers, and/or planning sessions with facilitators. The zone office provides research based content that has been proven to increase student achievement and teacher effectiveness.

Developing and increasing teacher and school leader effectiveness

Federal Requirement: Replace the principal who led the school prior to commencement of the transformation model.

Indicator C01 - The LEA has determined whether an existing principal in position for two years or less has the necessary competencies to be a transformation leader. (1639)



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Evidence: All new CMS principals are given a two year contract during that time they participate in a district wide induction program. In the first year, principals are assigned a mentoring coach who meets with them monthly to provide professional development and support. In the second year, principals participate in the SAM’s Project, which includes a coach and extensive professional development. Additionally, all CMS principals are evaluated using the North Carolina School Executive Performance Evaluation tool. Throughout the year they are monitored consistently using a professional development plan that targets their areas for growth.

Indicator C06 - The LEA selects and hires qualified principals with the necessary competencies to be change leaders. (1644)



Evidence: CMS uses the Principal Talent Pool selection process to cultivate a pipeline of change leaders. In this process, potential principals must go through a paper screening process to assess the quality of their previous experiences and their ability to lead for instructional growth as indicated by qualitative data. During the second phase of the process, potential principals must demonstrate leadership through an extensive interview, participation in a case study discussion, and respond to an experience- based writing prompt. After being accepted into the Principal Talent Pool, candidates can apply for principal leadership positions within the district. The Zone Superintendents works with all school-based stakeholders to create a principal profile, which is used to identify needed competencies and skills. Potential principal candidates are selected for interviews based on a match of the school-based profile and their strengths. Following all potential principals must interview with a representative group of school stakeholders and Central Office staff. The best candidate is then approved by the Superintendent.

Indicator C08 - The principal effectively and clearly communicates the message of change. (1665)

Status Tasks completed: 0 of 11 (0%)

Assessment Level of Development: Initial: Limited Development 09/26/2012

Index: 4 (Priority Score x Opportunity Score)

Priority Score: 2 (3 - highest, 2 - medium, 1 - lowest)

Opportunity Score: 2 (3 - relatively easy to address, 2 - accomplished within current policy and budget conditions, 1 - requires changes in current policy and budget conditions)

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Describe current level of development:

There is a current focus within the school on utilizing data to drive instruction, implementing Common Core Standards with fidelity, and increasing parent involvement. These items are a focus in cadres, grade levels and for teachers in teams. There is Professional Development in place for teachers on a monthly basis that supports teachers in implementing change. The regular, weekly planning days for all content areas are essential in accomplishing this goal. There is an across-the-board emphasis on Literacy. At our Annual Title 1 meeting, the message was clearly communicated to parents on the changes developing within our school as we move to the Common Core. We will add Common Core links to our school website, which will add accountability. This is also accomplished through our Curriculum Nights (one has already been held this semester). An increased emphasis on Authentic Assessments is also showing that we are in the process of changing the previous educational paradigm.

Page: 5 of 37

Plan Assigned to: Toni Perry

Added: 11/06/2012

How it will look when fully met: When Albemarle Road Middle has fully implemented change, we will have embraced the new curriculum (Common Core/Essential Standards) in all classes. Students will investigate the curriculum and be encouraged to take ownership of their learning using multiple resources, including technology. Teachers will perform in excess of proficient on all six standards of the NC Teacher Evaluation Instrument. Twenty-first century learning will be evident in the way our students, teachers, support staff, and administrators interact with one another and the content. Teachers and students will participate in differentiated instruction based on needs. In addition to curricular changes, we will also see a shift in culture where teacher input is valued and recognition is placed on high-quality instructional performance. Leaders will naturally emerge and serve to influence the daily instructional practices of their teams. Parents will demonstrate awareness of the goals and will actively support school efforts. All of this will significantly impact a change in perception regarding the quality of education and environment at Albemarle Road Middle School.

Evidence:1. Daily lesson plans indicate alignment with CCSS, unit planning guides, and assessment samples. 2. Teachers demonstrate proficiency or better in all six standards of the evaluation instrument. 3. Agenda from Title 1 Annual meeting, website info, phone messages. 4. Professional development agendas and rosters. 5. Professional development feedback forms. 6. Teacher leadership/ professional development activity log. 7. Influx of sixth grade student enrollment, as compared to projection. 8. Improved results on the Teacher Survey. 9. Significant growth in student proficiency for all content and subgroups (exceeds AMO). 10. Increased retention of high performing teachers.

Target Date: 06/10/2015

Tasks:

1. Provide curriculum development experiences for teachers by collaboratively unpacking the CCSS, developing common assessments, identifying various appropriately leveled texts, developing rigorous lesson plans, and developing interdisciplinary experiences for students.

Assigned to: Melanie Hook


Target Completion Date: 06/07/2015

Comments:

2. Provide site-based, differentiated professional development based on professional growth plans. Teachers will select two of four options in the areas of technology, succeeding with LEP students, (EC) Instructional Best Practices, and Differentiated Instruction.

Assigned to: Toni Perry


Page: 6 of 37


Comments:

3. Encourage and prescribe professional development based on individual skill set as evidenced in formal and informal classroom visits.




Comments:

4. Provide IB professional development, with strong focus on assessment literacy, use of rubrics, and calibration between grades to ensure increased complexity as the content progresses.




Comments:

5. Ensure teachers deliberately and explicitly infuse literacy-based strategies into every daily lesson to support literacy skill development across all subject areas.




Comments:

6. Define instructional expectations through our Big Rocks memo, classroom walk-thru feedback, recommendations from formal evaluations, and modeling through professional development.




Comments:

7. Provide instructional support and model instructional strategies through weekly grade level meetings, content planning, and individual coaching.




Comments:

8. Reward teachers authentically for exceptional instructional practices. This will happen on a quarterly basis (whole group) and intermittently (from individual administrators/facilitators) as teachers demonstrate consistency within the standards of practice emphasized in our Big Rocks memo.




Comments:

9. Survey the staff during semester one to determine continued needs involving school culture, based on the Teacher Survey results from 2011-2012. Results will be discussed with the SLT in order to develop strategies to address needs. A follow-up survey will then be administered during second semester to monitor progress.

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Assigned to: Lashaunda Pankey



Comments:

10. Develop our repertoire of instructional strategies and participate in monthly learning walks to identify experts in specific skills to be used as resources, learn strategies to support personal classroom practices, and increase our collective ability to recognize, articulate, and implement high impact teaching strategies.

Assigned to: Melissa Stormont



Comments:

11. Communicate short and long term school plans through our Weekly Workout. This includes weekly outlines of events, expectations, special programs, instructional strategies, and managerial reminders.




Comments:

Implement Percent Task Complete: Tasks completed: 0 of 11 (0%)

Indicator C13 - The principal focuses on building leadership capacity, achieving learning goals, and improving instruction. (1712)



Evidence: The Principal regularly and routinely taps staff members to take on new or more challenging leadership roles. Staff members are chosen for leadership positions after careful thought and consideration. In addition, opportunities to volunteer for leadership roles are made available to staff. Achieving our learning goals through the improvement of instructional practices is a priority. PD is a regular part of the school culture. It is offered every month on a variety of topics, planned as indicated by staff surveys. Best Practices and specific instructional strategies are also presented at weekly grade level meetings and weekly content team meetings.


Federal Requirement: Use rigorous, transparent, and equitable evaluation systems for teachers and principals that a) take into account data on student growth as a significant factor as well as other factors, such as multiple observation-based assessments of performance and ongoing collections of professional practice reflective of student achievement and increased high school graduation rates; and b) are designed and developed with teacher and principal involvement.

Indicator D01 - The principal regularly evaluates a range of teacher skills and knowledge, using a variety of valid and reliable tools. (1671)


Page: 8 of 37


Evidence: The Principal leads the school in evaluating teachers. A variety of tools are used, including informal walkthroughs, formal observations, attending PLC meetings, visiting classrooms and supervising CADRE meetings. (Cadres are faculty teams dedicated to a specific purpose, which assess the needs of the school in a targeted area, create plans to address those needs and then follow through on implementation.) These practices are embraced by the entire administrative team, with all members of the team engaged in this process. This also includes teachers visiting each other's classrooms and discussing practices that are observed.

Indicator D02 - The principal includes evaluation of student outcomes in teacher evaluation. (1672)



Evidence: As required under the McRel Teacher Evaluation process, student outcomes are included in the teacher evaluations. These conversations routinely occur during teacher meetings, at observation post-conferences and when writing the teachers' PDPs. We will use Value-Added EVASS data, participation in PLCs, leadership experiences and other school involvement. The Curriculum and Instruction Cadres is working on developing a pilot to include student feedback. In addition, the McRel teacher evaluation process will automatically upload data into standard six of the instrument, which is usually linked to standardized testing scores. This year, seventy percent of that rating will be based on individual teacher performance and thirty percent is based on school progress.


Federal Requirement: Identify and reward school leaders, teachers, and other staff who, in implementing this model, have increased student achievement and high school graduation rates and identify and remove those who, after ample opportunities have been provided for them to improve their professional practice, have not done so.

Indicator E12 - The LEA has a team available to help principals as they deal with underperforming employees to minimize principal’s time spent dismissing low performers. (1690)



Page: 9 of 37

Evidence: Each school zone retains a Human Resource Manager on their team to support principals in the dismissal process of low performing staff. The HR Manager meets with principals to ensure that the dismissal process is being followed correctly and assists principals with the data collection needed for dismissal. In addition, Zone Superintendents coach principals through the dismissal process giving them constructive feedback on the paper documentation or providing an awareness of the timeline for dismissal procedures. In some cases, Executive Directors or Zone Superintendents will participate in the observations of low-performing staff to provide general feedback and provide documentation support.


Federal Requirement: Provide staff ongoing, high-quality, job-embedded professional development that is aligned with the school's comprehensive instructional program and designed with school staff to ensure they are equipped to facilitate effective teaching and learning and have the capacity to successfully implement school reform strategies.

Indicator F03 - The LEA/School aligns professional development with identified needs based on staff evaluation and student performance. (1694)



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Evidence: Monthly staff PD are based on feedback received from staff, performance on the NC Teacher Evaluation Instrument, and school-wide performance data. This year, staff was provided choice in their selections, which includes on-going training in a specific area for one semester and a second area for second semester. In addition, staff observations, PDPs and summatives from last year are all also used to plan appropriate and necessary staff development opportunities. Feedback on PD can be received from the staff in the form of surveys from Survey Monkey. In order to gather feedback more frequently and improve the impact of the trainings, we will incorporate informal surveys after each segment of the PD series. Feedback will be collected from grade level meetings to gauge teacher need and address those needs through a concrete instructional strategy. LEA RESPONSE:CMS aligns professional development with the goals in Strategic Plan 2014 and needs identified from student achievement and teacher evaluation data. The district has taken the lead on providing an introduction to and implementation of the Common Core Standards. Curriculum and Instruction (C&I) Directors have worked collaboratively with department members and teacher leaders to develop system-wide training that was conducted during the five professional development waiver days. Additionally, the C&I department implemented a summer Teacher's Institute,STEM Institute, and other workshops for teachers. To further help with building teachers' content understanding, the C&I department implements monthly alliance meetings for a variety of content areas. During these meetings, they share instructional strategies and resources. The district has also created an electronic walkthrough form that is used through the Teachscape platform. C&I and Zone Staff have access to the data collected on teachers at the school and are able to tailor professional development sessions for the schools and teachers. This year, the district is focusing on instructional coaching with central office staff, principals and assistant principals to help build their capacity for improving teachers' performance. The district provides additional professional development opportunities and teachers are able to register through the MyPD system. Title 1 PD Coaches provide professional development opportunities, including the Differentiation Academy, Support Interaction, Literacy Across the Content Areas, Writing in the Math Classroom, etc., that are specially designed to the meet the needs of Title 1 teachers. The zone office staff further support teachers by providing coaching support on the implementation of the common core and Balanced Literacy Model.

Indicator F04 - The LEA/School provides all staff high quality, ongoing, job-embedded, and differentiated professional development. (1695)



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Evidence: Professional Development is offered formally on a monthly basis for all staff members. Staff choose from a variety of offerings planned based on feedback from staff and formal/informal observations. On a weekly basis, staff receive professional development at their House meetings from Academic Facilitators, Grade Level Administrators and other support staff. Staff Development needs are assessed based on informal conversations, Walkthroughs, end-of-year surveys, and Student Data. Teachers will have a better understanding of the IB principles, Best Practices, technology, differentiated instruction, and the needs of LEP/ESL students. Teachers were empowered to use data to make choices of PD that would be beneficial to their own practice. In addition to formal data, informal classroom visits provide evidence towards professional development needs. LEA RESPONSE:CMS aligns professional development with the goals in Strategic Plan 2014 and needs identified from student achievement and teacher evaluation data. The district has taken the lead on providing an introduction to and implementation of the Common Core Standards. Curriculum and Instruction (C&I) Directors have worked collaboratively with department members and teacher leaders to develop system-wide training that was conducted during the five professional development waiver days. Additionally, the C&I department implemented a summer Teacher's Institute,STEM Institute, and other workshops for teachers. To further help with building teachers' content understanding, the C&I department implements monthly alliance meetings for a variety of content areas. During these meetings, they share instructional strategies and resources. The district has also created an electronic walkthrough form that is used through the Teachscape platform. C&I and Zone Staff have access to the data collected on teachers at the school and are able to tailor professional development sessions for the schools and teachers. This year, the district is focusing on instructional coaching with central office staff, principals and assistant principals to help build their capacity for improving teachers' performance. The district provides additional professional development opportunities and teachers are able to register through the MyPD system. Title 1 PD Coaches provide professional development opportunities, including the Differentiation Academy, Support Interaction, Literacy Across the Content Areas, Writing in the Math Classroom, etc., that are specially designed to the meet the needs of Title 1 teachers. The zone office staff further support teachers by providing coaching support on the implementation of the common core and Balanced Literacy Model.

Indicator F07 - The LEA/School sets goals for professional development and monitors the extent to which it has changed practice. (1698)



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Evidence: The Administrative Team regularly visits classrooms, Team planning and content planning to gauge the extent to which monthly PD is being implemented in the instructional setting. By the end of this semester, teachers will have a better understanding of the IB principles, Best Practices, technology, differentiated instruction, and the needs of LEP/ESL students. Our goal is teacher empowerment through the selection of professional development experiences that enhance instructional practices and better impact student learning. In addition, teachers should have a better understanding of the Common Core State Standards/Essential Standards, including R1-R10, W1, and W2 and be able to effectively implement the IB philosophy into daily practice. LEA RESPONSE:Within Strategic Plan 2014, CMS has established Effective Teaching and Leadership as a district priority. Within in this priority, one of the Key Indicators is provide access to training that is tailored to student and teacher learning needs. Some of the strategies listed are to provide training on a variety of instructional strategies, implement the Differentiation Academy, provide support of the understanding and use of data through the Data Wise process, provide training on rigor, expand the instructional coaching model, fully implement PLCs as a means of providing job-embedded professional training, and provide training on the RTI model. CMS has provided training in each of these areas and monitors the effectiveness of each through survey and student achievement data, participation rosters, and walkthrough and teacher evaluation data. After each professional development session, teachers complete an online feedback survey. Zone staff are aware of teachers and schools that have completed the Differentiation Academy and are able to monitor teachers' ability to implement strategies in their classrooms. The RTI model is being rolled out in phases. Schools who are identified as RTI schools have been assigned a coach who support and monitor implementation. CMS carefully analyzes the achievement performance at each of the schools and assesses the growth and achievement gaps of each subgroup to more formally monitor the effectiveness of the system-level professional development.


Federal Requirement: Implement such strategies as financial incentives, increased opportunities for promotion and career growth, and more flexible work conditions that are designed to recruit, place, and retain staff with the skills necessary to meet the needs of the students in a transformation model.

Indicator G01 - The LEA has a plan and process in place to establish a pipeline of potential turnaround leaders. (1645)



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Evidence: CMS has identified two programs to identify new principals who are trained to be turnaround leaders. These programs, New Leaders for New Schools and Leaders for Tomorrow (Winthrop University), provide intensive professional development and on the job training to ensure that future leaders are knowledgeable of instructional practices and are prepared to lead for change. In addition, CMS has implemented the Strategic Staffing Initiative that allows for placing highly effective leaders into challenging and hard to staff schools. Zone Superintendents collaborate with the Deputy Superintendent to identify the district’s most effective leaders based on student achievement data and cultural competencies. There is a three year commitment of a Strategic Staffing principal, which is meant to create stability for the school with a highly effective leader in place.

Indicator G03 - The LEA/School has established a system of procedures and protocols for recruiting, evaluating, rewarding, and replacing staff. (1670)






Page: 14 of 37


The Principal works with the Admin team to select candidates, conduct interviews and then recommend candidates for positions. The Admin team evaluates teacher abilities and actively plans to retain valuable staff members. To retain high performing novice teachers, we have implemented a structured mentor/mentee program which includes monthly professional development and recognition of goals and successes. The administrative team calibrates amongst itself to ensure internal alignment of the feedback and potential recommendations provided to staff. Our district supplies a list of indicators which support each element of the NC Teacher Evaluation Instrument. The administrative team uses those indicators to determine the rating from each evaluation. Administrative goals and professional development activities for teachers are set based on performance within the instrument. On a quarterly basis, teachers are rewarded with Golden Tickets based on consistency of high impact instructional strategies. Typically, Golden Tickets include a gift card, jean pass, lunch off campus, treat buckets, etc. In the interim, Thank You cards and personal accolades are given within evaluation conferences, on the weekly memo, at grade level meetings, and privately. LEA RESPONSE:CMS has a system of procedures for recruiting, evaluating, rewarding, and replacing staff. The district advertises all vacancies on the website and candidates complete an online application through the MyAPP 2.0 platform. Additionally,HR advertises on Facebook and attends various colleges to participate in job fairs. CMS has a system in place to identify teachers with leadership potential and provide them opportunities to participate in administrator licensure programs. CMS follows the North Carolina evaluation procedures and instruments for teachers and administrators.Principals and assistant principals are provided monthly training on the implementation of the evaluation process and matrix to ensure consistency and calibration in identifying highly effective educators and how to coach for improvement. Additionally a group of consultant coaches and principals worked collaboratively to develop indicators that reflect leveled performance for each of the standards in the evaluation matrix. The CMS Human Resources Department (HR) and Executive Staff, with the input of principals, have developed a matrix that outlines the acceptable level of summative performance for non -career teachers to be eligible for a continuing contract. Teachers who do not meet these standards, may be recommended for non-renewal. Career teachers must follow a directed professional development plan for two years and not make acceptable growth to be recommended for termination. Highly effective teachers are identified through their student growth composites and summative ratings and are provided leadership opportunities, including serving as a Professional Development Master Teacher and being Strategically Staffed, as a reward for their performance.

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Added: 11/07/2012

How it will look when fully met: Once we have established an effective system of procedures and protocols for recruiting, evaluating, and rewarding high performing teachers and replacing staff, ARMS will benefit from the consistency of experienced teachers who have acclimated to the school and are dedicated to the students of our school. Evidence:1. Teacher retention data2. Agendas from mentee meetings3. Professional development/coaching plans for all staff members 4. Teacher evaluation reports5. Weekly Workouts6. School accolades on website7. Records of rewards8. Teacher leadership documentation


Tasks:

1. Differentiate professional development experiences that address instructional needs, including LEP, EC, technology, and Common Core as well as activities that support continued leadership development.




Comments:

2. Incorporate rewards for teachers based on consistent alignment to best instructional practices.




Comments:

3. Provide specific recommendations for continued growth within the standards and elements to teachers to encourage growth on the NC Teacher Evaluation Instrument.




Comments:

4. Ensure monthly professional development/calibration sessions for administrators to ensure alignment within the team as it relates to recognizing high quality teaching and learning practices and providing effective strategies for improvement.




Comments:

5. Provide monthly professional development for mentee teachers focused on trends observed in formal and informal classroom visits.

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Assigned to: Andrea Fort



Comments:

6. Develop a schedule of non-academic activities to improve the working conditions for teachers and encourage stress relief.

Assigned to: Diane Story



Comments:

7. Include school selling points on the website in order to appropriately market ARMS to parents, students, and perspective teaching candidates.

Assigned to: Margaret Scariot



Comments:

8. Create teacher retention matrix to monitor professional development and coaching, and promote professional growth and teacher leadership within the school and district.




Comments:

9. Provide extended employment opportunities over the summer and during the school year to emphasize professional growth through curriculum development/planning and to improve student achievement by creating after school and Saturday programs for students.




Comments:


Comprehensive instructional reform strategies

Federal Requirement: Use data to identify and implement an instructional program that is research-based and vertically aligned from one grade to the next as well as aligned with state academic standards.

Indicator H01 - The principal ensures that teachers align instruction with standards and benchmarks. (1714)



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Evidence: 1. Focused unit planning 2. Objectives posted and aligned3. Guided content planning sessions4. Facilitator/administrator support in every content meeting5. Lesson plan checks6. Frequent classroom visits

To continue development in this area, we must consistently and appropriately internally align instruction to the prescribed level of rigor/critical thinking. This will be accomplished through content planning meetings, professional development, and specific feedback for improvement to individual teachers.

Indicator H03 - All teachers, working in teams, prepare standards-aligned lessons. (1718)



Evidence: Weekly content planning meetings are held as scheduled. At these meetings, teachers discuss lesson planning, best practices, content standards and Common Core. All content teachers work together to prepare lessons and deliver instruction. Walkthroughs, checks of lesson plans, attendance of Admin at meetings and observations confirm that this is occurring. Modes being used to ensure standards aligned lessons and sound instruction are the CSZ planning days, district PD, tutoring, Moodles, the Mastery Learning process, collaboration during content planning and placing it on the I-drive so that all staff have access to each other's work. Teacher-made common assessments are used to determined student mastery of standard-aligned lessons; however, district-made formative assessments are used as a benchmark to inform upcoming instructional units.

Comprehensive instructional reform strategies

Federal Requirement: Promote the continuous use of student data (such as from formative, interim, and summative assessments) in order to inform and differentiate instruction to meet the academic needs of individual students.

Indicator I01 - The school has established a team structure among teachers with specific duties and time for instructional planning. (1711)



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Evidence: All teachers are grouped into teams on their grade levels, sharing common students and planning time. Each Team and Content has a Lead Teacher, and each grade level has a chair/co-chairs. Planning for content areas on grade level, grade level teams, and cross-grade level content areas are part of the school Master Schedule. The meetings occur regularly and have an assigned Admin who also attends the PLC meetings. As a full grade level, teachers meet for 45-60 minutes per week; in grade level teams, teachers meet approximately 45 minutes per week; and in content teams, teachers meet about an hour a week. Additionally, department meetings are scheduled once a month after school for an hour and IB training (focused on assessment development and rubric usage) is also scheduled for once a month after school.

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Indicator I02 - All teachers monitor and assess student mastery of standards-based objectives in order to make appropriate curriculum adjustments. (1715)







The emphasis is on mastery of standards-based objectives and monitoring of student skills through the use of data tracking. Teachers work in teams to develop and test common assessments using the backwards design process. They then work together to analyze the data and determine a plan of action to improve student mastery. Lesson plans reflect the use of data to guide instruction and differentiate for individual student needs. Recently, we have developed a system for using Senteo responders to upload common assessment data into Thinkgate in order to streamline the data disaggregation process. This way, teachers and facilitators spend less time manipulating the data and can focus more on creating plans of action to address any deficiencies or anomalies. We are working towards developing an intervention bank which houses and identifies students who require interventions and outlines the interventions in which they currently participate.

Plan Assigned to: Tresa Cummins

Added: 11/07/2012

How it will look when fully met: When all teachers monitor and assess student mastery of standards-based objectives and make appropriate curriculum adjustments, student achievement will significantly increase through differentiated instruction, interdependence of content PLC members, effective interventions, and high impact extensions for students who have demonstrated mastery of content.

Evidence: 1. Differentiation indicated in daily lesson plans. 2. Narrowed achievement gap between highest performing and lowest performing subgroups. 3. Collaboratively developed plans of action to address student need. 4. Full awareness and responsiveness to individual student needs and progress. 5. Systematic plans to address student data, including strengths, weaknesses, and progress. 6. Total instructional alignment- written, taught, assessed.


Tasks:

1. Provide monthly assessment literacy training, focused on merging Common Core standards with IB principles to maximize our understanding and implementation of authentic assessments, align our use of common language and progressive expectations in creating rubrics, calibrate our grading practices, and begin discussing and refining our beliefs about grading and reporting.


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Comments:

2. Build fluency with Thinkgate and its various reports and deliberately select specific reports to group, individualize, and consistently monitor the work of all students. They will be trained at the start of the year and refreshed quarterly, as needed.




Comments:

3. Develop a protocol to ensure data discussions and response systems across grade levels and content areas.

Assigned to: Tresa Cummins



Comments:

4. Implement extended learning opportunities for EC, LEP, and at risk students based on mastery of objectives and historical performance on state-wide testing.




Comments:

5. Provide professional development experiences to identify strategies to succeed when working with LEP students, best instructional practices when teaching EC students and students with special needs, differentiate instruction according to best fit, and use technology to improve student engagement.




Comments:

6. Monitor the progress of EC and LEP students, as compared to non-EC and non-LEP students, on common assessments using Thinkgate filters.

Assigned to: Tresa Cummins



Comments:

7. Implement academic support groups to address organization, study habits, routines, bedtimes, tutoring requests, note-taking, etc. and monitor at-risk student progress on the CMS progress report schedule.

Assigned to: Adrienne Sowell



Comments:

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8. Compile and monitor the assignment and effectiveness of intervention practices being employed to support at-risk students. Make adjustments accordingly.

Assigned to: Remi Flaherty



Comments:

9. Invest in technologically based data storage and dissemination tools that expedite the data upload and disaggregation process and allows time for teachers to thoroughly address plans of action for groups and individuals (Mastery Connect, IPEVO).

Assigned to: Margaret Scariot



Comments:

10. Provide responsive feedback and strategies for improvement to teachers based on informal classroom visits.




Comments:


Indicator I03 - All teachers, working in teams, differentiate and align learning activities with state standards. (1716)




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Teachers regularly meet in content PLCs to plan instruction. One emphasis of instruction is the creation of differentiated lessons, assessments and activities for students of a variety of abilities. While not all teachers are currently proficient in this area, it is a focus of instructional planning, conferences, and professional development. Administration look for evidence of differentiation when visiting classrooms and engage teachers in conversations that stress this aspect of instruction. This is evidenced by the agendas of content planning meeting when the team unpacks the standards, establishes protocols and disaggregates data. In addition, EC teachers and co-teachers work closely together to plan lessons that meet the needs of all students. We will work to ensure that our resources are aligned with our goals. We will implement feedback from classroom visits, information from Facilitator meetings and collaboration with our Coaches. To address teachers who are not proficient in differentiated lessons and assessments, specific feedback for improvement will be provided along with explicit PD assigned by the principal. Mentee teachers will be involved in on-going PD on best teaching practices, including differentiation. Assessment, especially assessment aligned with CCSS and IB principles, is a work in progress and is being addressed through department meetings, monthly staff meetings, and schedule CCSS professional development. We will model lessons for teachers who are not proficient with differentiation, provide feedback from Learning Walks, targeted coaching, and ongoing Professional Development. We also implement a mentor-mentee program in which novice teachers observe veteran teachers in order to improve their own practice.


Added: 11/07/2012

How it will look when fully met: When we achieve total alignment between activities and state standards, the implication is that students will be consistently challenged using increasingly complex questions and assignments. Students will perform in excess of proficient on multi-layered tasks when working collaboratively or independently. PLCs will demonstrate full mastery of the content, can identify foundational skills that are necessary for success within the objective, and will provide relevant learning experiences that encourage students to investigate the content further.

Evidence:1. Classroom visit reports (walk-throughs and observations)2. Lesson plans.3. Planning agendas.4. Unpacked standards. 5. Varied student work products/outcomes.


Tasks:

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1. Protect common planning, collaborative work time for grade level content teams and similar elective course in which teachers ensure internal alignment and support one another's professional growth.




Comments:

2. Provide instructional leadership support to content teams and individuals to enhance lesson development, provide additional resources, and model effective instructional strategies.




Comments:

3. Provide semester-long professional development sessions based on the National Train-the-Trainer model from Staff Development for Educators. This PD will emphasize differentiation at an intermediate level for teachers with interests in improving their capacity for differentiating instruction.

Assigned to: Kiara Cox



Comments:

4. Model lessons using the Common Core framework to exemplify the expectations of the standards (currently W1, W2, R1, and R10).




Comments:

5. Collaborate with the LEP team to determine necessary modifications for ESL students.




Comments:

6. Utilize Title 1 instructional coaches to visit classes, provide feedback, demonstrate best practices, and conduct professional development focused on best practices for success with EC and LEP students.




Comments:

7. Create elective reading courses that allow for the extension of core instruction with our highest achieving students (Journalism) and our students who are slightly at or below proficient in reading (R.E.A.C.H.)

Assigned to: Melissa Stormont


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Comments:

8. Employ two additional EC instructional assistants who will support all students in the assigned social studies and science classes, with the teacher's guidance.




Comments:


Indicator I04 - All teachers provide sound instruction in a variety of modes: teacher-directed whole-class; teacher-directed small-group; student-directed small group; independent work; computer-based; homework. (1719)



Evidence: All teachers include a variety of instructional practices in their lesson planning. This is encouraged, administration checks for variety and a portion of content planning meetings focuses on this. Monthly PD includes opportunities for teachers to receive additional training and support in this area. Varied instructional strategies and assignments are encouraged through formal and informal classroom visits. Through the implementation of CCSS, teachers are charged with creating assignments that require students to demonstrate mastery of content through authentic learning experiences, 21st century learning activities, technology-based research and projects, collaborative work, and specific intervention as needed. Additionally, we have procured the TeenBiz resource to assist teachers with obtaining appropriately leveled informational texts that challenge students' thinking based on their reading ability. This allows teachers to pursue a grade level appropriate topic while still allowing access to students who struggle with reading comprehension. Administration has clearly defined expected practices for daily lesson plans, which includes collaboration, critical thinking opportunities, internal alignment, evidence of data usage, and literacy-based instruction. After school tutoring is required for 45 minutes per week after school and is available to students as needed.

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Indicator I05 - All teachers employ effective classroom management. (1721)







A well-managed classroom leads to higher levels of student achievement. Teachers are expected to be leaders in their classrooms. Teachers who have struggles in this area receive support, advice and help from their team and administration in order to facilitate improvement. This can be in the form of PD, one-on-one assistance and/or mentoring. To ensure teacher beliefs are aligned with the belief that all students can and will learn, regardless of circumstance, the administrative team and teacher leaders begin vetting potential candidates in the initial interview. As a school, teachers commit to unpacking and repacking the standards for best fit during the summer. Appropriate texts, authentic assessment, key indicators, and scaffolding skills are outlined to increase the amount of time spent planning for daily instruction. As a staff, we remain concerned with improving the culture of the school starting with principals interactions with staff, to the teachers interactions with students, and the students interactions with one another. We are working with the Curriculum and Instruction Cadre to implement a condensed student survey model (similar to the Tripod) which will increase teachers' perspective of the impact on student learning and allow them to be more responsive to student needs.


Added: 11/08/2012

How it will look when fully met: Mastery of this objective would be indicated when all teachers effectively facilitate learning for their students. They are well in tune with each child's needs and are responsive to those needs in their daily lesson plans and delivery. Students will report their teachers as being savvy at clarifying instructions, supporting their academic and social development, organizing the classroom for success, and making learning challenging. Genuine concern for student success will be communicated verbally and non-verbally by all staff. High expectations for self and others is the standard for staff and students.


Tasks:

1. Implement the use of a comprehensive informal classroom walk-thru form which identifies six key areas for classroom success (learning tools, lesson design, engagement, best practices, assessment, and environment).




Comments:

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2. Provide on-going professional development (individual and group) to support trends in classroom walk-through visits.




Comments:

3. Provide specific feedback and recommendations for improvement to teachers regarding classroom management efficacy.




Comments:

4. Model effective classroom strategies that assist with facilitating learning, assessing needs, differentiating instruction, and challenging students.




Comments:

5. Create individualized professional development plans based on experience, practice, and professional aspirations.




Comments:

6. Create plans for collecting, analyzing, and making adjustments according to classroom level student feedback.

Assigned to: Karenski Brown



Comments:


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Indicator I06 - The school Leadership Team regularly looks at multiple measures (e.g., behavior data, aggregated classroom observation data, and school climate surveys of staff, students, and parents) and uses this data to make decisions about student social and emotional learning. (2590)







The SLT is in the beginning stages of facilitating school change. Part of the focus of the SLT is examining school data from a variety of course and assessing its impact on the entire school culture.

Plan Assigned to: Ian Ray

Added: 11/08/2012

How it will look when fully met: At full implementation, the SLT will consist of leaders within the school and parents who are invested in the overall well-being of our students and the continued academic growth of our school. The level of engagement outlined in this goal will perpetuate school effectiveness in that teachers are continuously developing their leadership through relevant input, recommendations, and follow-through that supports the advancement of our total school environment.

Evidence: 1. Ownership of school beliefs, processes, and outcomes by parents, students, and staff. 2. Documentation of research-based strategies to address trends in data. 3. Agendas and rosters of professional development participation which addresses areas of instructional focus. 4. Increased teacher retention. 5. Improved school climate. 6. Narrowed achievement gap.


Tasks:

1. Facilitate monthly discussions focused on current school data including Teacher Surveys, District Formatives, department/common assessment data, and parent feedback to appropriately celebrate successes, develop solutions to concerns, and proactively address obstacles that may impede our effectiveness.

Assigned to: Ian Ray



Comments:

2. Provide professional development to address instructional deficiencies.



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Comments:

3. Create a system to retain high performing teachers.




Comments:

4. Invite decision-making input and feedback from students, parents, and staff.




Comments:

5. Collaborate with PTA to ensure synergy in meeting school needs.




Comments:


Increasing learning time and creating community-oriented schools

Federal Requirement: Establish schedules and strategies that provide increased learning time.

Indicator J08 - The LEA/School monitors progress of the extended learning time programs and strategies being implemented, and uses data to inform modifications. (1710)






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The school is in the beginning stages of involvement in this aspect of instructional planning for this school year. Generally, the team works together to determine student participation based on proficiency. Students who scored slightly below or above proficiency according to standardized testing and teacher recommendation are encouraged to participate. Several opportunities are offered, depending on parent availability. We will decide on whether or not to include transportation to increase convenience for parents. Students can opt to attend after school tutoring on Tuesdays, Thursday, and/or Saturdays. To begin with, we will do every Tuesday and Thursday and every other Saturday. As we progress further in the school year, we will increase the frequency of Saturday offerings. The after school tutoring program is facilitated by instructional facilitators (Tuesday/Thursday) and APs and Deans of Students (Saturday). At the start of the program, we will administer a sample standardized assessment which closely aligns to the essential standards for 2013 and again at the end of the extended employment activity. LEA RESPONSE:Through the use of Title I funds schools are able to offer before or after school learning opportunities for students. Students who struggle in their core academic areas are afforded these opportunities for additional instruction. Schools use formative assessments to inform student progress and determine whether adjustments need to be made in the instruction. In addition, technology is often used to provide extended learning opportunities for students. Academic enrichment that is technology based generates reports that provide specific feedback on student strengths and weaknesses. Teacher are able to use these reports to modify and adjust instruction. The district provides teacher training through the Differentiation Academy that gives strategies on how to adjust instruction in all settings to meet the needs of all students. The Differentiation Academy is available to all teachers and central office staff who support schools. This unified understanding of differentiation serves as a necessary component for instruction.

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Added: 11/07/2012

How it will look when fully met: In order to maximize the extended learning time programs for students, we must employ highly effective teachers who exceed expectations in pedagogy, content knowledge, data analysis and response, and the implementation of high impact instructional strategies. We must clearly articulate the program vision, including systems for progress monitoring, assessment of the program, and expected lesson elements.

Evidence:1. Increased student performance in regular school courses. 2. Increased participation in extended learning opportunities. 3. Narrowed achievement gap.4. Increased proficiency by each subgroup on state-wide assessments.


Tasks:

1. Identify student candidates to participate in the extended learning experience, with emphasis on EC and LEP student placement. Gather appropriate instructional resources, including monthly pre- and post-assessments in math and language arts. Develop an extended day handbook which includes a calendar and outlines expectations for daily lessons, progress monitoring, and communication between extended day and core teachers.

Assigned to: Anthony Ratliff



Comments:

2. Embed professional development (data analysis/strategy sharing/instructional tools) and planning time into the extended hours for teachers.




Comments:

3. Incorporate monthly program feedback reports from students and staff to determine necessary adjustments.




Comments:

4. Create homogeneous tutoring groups for EC and LEP students.




Comments:

5. Recruit high performing teachers to tutor EC and LEP subgroups.



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Comments:

6. Embed professional development and planning times into the tutoring schedule.




Comments:


Increasing learning time and creating community-oriented schools

Federal Requirement: Provide ongoing mechanisms for family and community engagement.

Indicator K04 - The LEA/School has engaged parents and community in the transformation process. (1649)






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The school is working toward more active parent involvement. The Admin team, grade levels and CADRES are actively seeking ways to increase parental involvement, parent attendance at school-wide events and greater family buy-in to the school culture. The school has engaged parents in the transformation process through ConnectED surveys, actively recruiting parents for PTA, and encouraging them to become involved in other ways. Our most recent parent survey indicates Friday as they day of preference for after school activities. Also, the parent involvement cadre is developing a bank of tasks to be completed by parent volunteers so that we can cater our calls to parent preferences, when applicable. We keep parents informed through ConnectED messages, quarterly newsletters, the school website, teacher emails, and Facebook. The Parent Involvement Cadre is developing specific activities and targeted audiences for increasing Parent Involvement. Surveys were administered at the most recent curriculum night and posted online for completion. We will develop better collaboration with Parent University in order to make it more relevant and accessible for our parents. Our current SchoolMate is Community House Middle School, and they assist us in specific areas, such as uniforms for students who cannot afford them and holiday snacks for students and teachers. We are working to build a strong relationship with the YMCA, which is adjacent to our campus, and LAWA, which is already working with several of our newest sixth graders.

LEA RESPONSE: The parents and community of schools are informed and guided by work sessions that are offered by Parent University, which is a division within CMS. These work sessions provide valuable information to parents and community members regarding academics, intervention opportunities, social/emotional/mental health services, and school access. Students who are not able to access the curriculum are provided additional support through a Personalized Education Plan (PEP). The development of this plan includes parents, teachers, and other staff. Parents are invited to be a part of this process anytime a PEP is developed. Another support for students is the Response to Intervention (RtI), which parents participate in as well. Students are given specific interventions based on their academic challenges and parents share their concerns in this process. Students who are identified as being exceptional children are given an Individualized Education Plan, which must be developed with the parents as active participants. At the zone office, there are expert in all of the processes, which support the goals and provide additional support to parents as needed. The protocol for all student intervention is to have parents participate in the process and be involved in the development of educational plans and the implementation of them.

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Added: 11/06/2012

How it will look when fully met: Full implementation of this objective will include frequent collaboration with district leads and PTA leadership to develop strategies to build a high performing PTA. We will engage the community as a safe place for families which encompasses learning activities for adults and children. Parent involvement in the school will be welcomed and frequent, as we establish a reciprocal relationship. PTA and SLT involvement will be facilitated by active parents and staff members who share the same vision for our students and school. We will holistically engage families in activities which enrich them emotionally, socially, and academically.

Evidence: 1. PTA agendas, sign-in sheets, activity logs, attendance rosters. 2. Agenda of parent workshops, PTA/ parent participation rosters, student growth data comparisons. 3. Volunteer logs, daily sign-in sheets from Identi-Kid. 4. Teacher communication logs. 5. Authentic engagement tasks developed in partnership with staff and parents. 6. Increased parent attendance at school-based events. 7. Parent leadership easily recognizable through website, fliers, attendance, Booster, etc. 8. Collaboration between PTA and Parent & Community Involvement Cadre. 9. Documented support from district and CSZ resources (Paul Holden, Harold Dixon). 10. Evidence of feedback collected from parents to best meet their needs. 11. ARMS will become a community organization where students, teachers, and families can flourish academically, socially, and emotionally.


Tasks:

1. Collaborate with district leads and PTA leadership to develop strategies to build a high performing PTA.




Comments:

2. Provide a minimum of two opportunities to holistically engage families in activities which enrich them emotionally and socially.

Assigned to: Shannon Hardy



Comments:

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3. Provide a minimum of two opportunities to engage families in rich, academically based training in which students work to teach parents skills from various courses.

Assigned to: Karenski Brown



Comments:

4. Collaborate with PTA in identifying professionals to participate in 8th grade career day.




Comments:

5. Communicate frequently with parents via connectEd messages, Facebook, our school website, and quarterly newsletters to ensure awareness of upcoming events and important information.




Comments:

6. Gather feedback from parents via surveys posted on the website and distributed during family events to identify current needs.

Assigned to: Shannon Hardy



Comments:

7. Provide Spanish translated documents and messages to maintain communication with Spanish-speaking families.

Assigned to: David Caraballo



Comments:

8. Provide structured opportunities for PTA leadership and our Parent & Community Involvement to collaborate.




Comments:

9. Provide a minimum of two structured opportunities for PTA to engage with parents of transitioning students in preparation for capacity building.

Assigned to: Mechelle Thompson



Comments:

10. Employ a full-time family advocate to make suggestions for community and school support services and to ensure access and communication with our Spanish-speaking families.

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Comments:

11. Market our school IB program, community resources, diversity, accolades, and accomplishments via the school website, fliers, visits to other schools, transition fairs, Facebook, brochures, magnet fairs, and community outreach.




Comments:


Indicator K07 - The LEA/School has established a positive organizational culture. (1651)



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Evidence: The Admin team, CADRES and teacher teams regularly look for ways in which teachers can be supported. Positive solutions, attitudes and outlooks are expected and are the norm. We have well defined instructional standards and have added descriptors to our Big Rocks (data driven instruction, student-centered/student-to-student interaction, literacy based instruction, internal alignment, and critical thinking opportunities). We focus our students on high school graduation and college as well as set quarterly goals for achievement within their classes. Our school mantra is, "Many voices, one goal...whatever it takes". This vision for our school epitomizes the standards we set for our staff and students. Staff input is critical to school policies and practices as we seek to make everyone aware of the jewel of Albemarle Road Middle School. Open Mic staff meetings, survey monkey, grade level meeting feedback, and other informal feedback are several ways we include staff in the decision making process, especially as it relates to school culture. This year, we are working with several parent volunteers to rebuild our PTA. This summer, relationships with the YMCA and LAWA were initiated and are well under way as testament to our interest in the community. Outside of the building, several of our staff members are enrolled in North Carolina association trainings, content-specific workshops, the Differentiation Academy, and the New Teacher Academy. We will continue seeking professional development opportunities for teachers, as needed. LEA RESPONSE:CMS is working diligently to create a positive organizational structure. In creating this environment several forums for communication have been established. The Superintendent of CMS is hosting several employee and community forums to hear concerns and provide feedback in an effort to open up lines of communication. In addition, there are several school surveys that are underway to determine how the central office can better work to support schools. On a yearly basis, the school environmental survey is completed by staff that shares their feelings and impressions regarding morale and culture. These surveys are reviewed by the principal to inform school change. CMS is working to recognize the “irreplaceable” teachers by giving principal the tools for how to encourage them and support them in their work. Throughout the district initiatives to recognize leaders, hard work and talent have been implemented to bring about a more positive organizational culture. At the zone office level, staff support teachers and principals by giving individual feedback and working along- side teams to give them an expert lens in various areas. This collaborative nature translates to a more positive environment for everyone.

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