Essential 1: Identify an Instructional Focus to Meet Student's Needs
 

Essential 1:

Identify an Instructional Focus to Meet Student's Needs

The first essential element for Whole School Improvement is to identify and use a schoolwide instructional focus to meet student's needs and end project-itis.

 

 

 

 

 Key Activities in accomplishing this task would be:

  1. Center Comprehenisve School Plans on the instructional focus.
  2. Work with coaches and professional developers.
  3. Make school visits (with preparation) to schools with an instructional focus.
  4. Create a school team to lead discussion on instruction.
  5. Reduce the number of programs and align all remaining programs with the instructional focus.
  6. Increase professional development for the staff.
  7. Set up professional networks for principals and headmasters.

 

 

What should be seen in the school and classroom:

  1. practices in all classrooms that support the instructional focus
  2. classroom set ups that reflect the instructional focus
  3. consistency of good materials (books, charts, technology, etc.)
  4. coherent schedule with few interruptions
  5. resources strategically supporting the instructional focus
  6. all school personnel engaged in instruction
  7. student work in instructional focus on display throughout the school
  8. cluster meetings centered on teaching and learning
  9. alignment of school vision with instructional focus

 

 
 

Agassiz Self Assessment Summary:

How are we succeeding in implementing Essential 1: Identifying an Instructional Focus?

 
 
 

We assess our progress in implementing the First Essential: Identifying an Instructional Focus as:

Phase 3 - On Going Improvement

on the Whole School Improvement continuum.

The following evidence was used to determine this marking:

Literacy

  • Scaled up the implementation of SFA. Teachers are now comfortable with the SFA approach to literacy. Classrooms are environmentally in step with program.
  • Students and staff have incorporated SFA lingo into their own.
  • SFA Implementation reports show Agassiz improving each year since '97-'98.
  • School uses feedback from Literacy Coordinator and SFA staff reports to improve the implementation of the program.
  • SFA reduced prototype of special needs students across the board.
  • Teachers act as peer coaches and facilitators of component level meetings.
  • A half-time Literacy Specialist will begin working with the 3rd grade students and teachers to address the Level 1 students.

 Math

  • The school acquired the services of a full-time Math Specialist to work with primarily 3rd grade Level 1 students and their teachers. This is part of the BPS's Transition Program.
  • The Agassiz began to work with Mahesh Sharma during the '99-'00 school year. The primary emphasis was to support teachers and students in Grade 4 to be better prepared for the math portion of the MCAS.
  • Dr. Sharma's work extended to the rest of the faculty via two workshops aimed at raising the teachers' awareness of the language of mathematics.

 ILT (Instructional Leadership Team)

  • The ILT continued to struggle in securing full grade level representation but it did manage to develop into a much more effective leadership body from the previous year.
  • Coaching for the ILT was minimal due to work commitments on the coach's side. Guidance was provided to prepare us for the upcoming IDR process.
  • The ILT dealt with instructional issues ranging from providing a pedagogical basis in the preparation of the school's schedule to monitoring the progress of the SFA program.

Our goals for moving to the next phase

Literacy

  • We have identified a set of goals based on the SFA Implementation Visit reports that deal with each component level not having any "1"'s and achieving "3"'s in areas that have remained at a status quo for two years.(The SFA rubric goes from 0-3).
  • School-wide goals will be posted publicly.
  • Each teacher will identify a set of individual goals linked to the over all SFA goals of the school.
  • The SFA Facilitator and the Principal will monitor the progress of meeting the established goals using the SFA eight-week schedule.
  • SFA teachers will use SFA data to assess students' progress on a continuous basis(4,6 & 8 week checkpoints.)
  • All SFA teachers will receive training in the use and management of SFA data during the August, SFA training.
  • Implementation of Cooperative Learning strategies during the teaching of math in all homerooms. This would be an extension of an SFA strategy. This implementation is scheduled for September, 2000.
  • The Literacy Specialist will oversee the Reading Excellence assessment program in grades K-3 and provide guidance to an writing initiative

 

Math
  • The Agassiz will be a Level II school as part of BPS' Math Plan.
  • The Math Leadership Team will consist of representatives of grades K-5, the school's Math Specialist and the Principal.
  • The Principal will join the MLT in the DMI training instead of the Lenses on Learning training.
  • Dr. Sharma has been contracted to work with the MLT to develop and provide math professional development to all staff members during the 2000-2001 school year.
  • Dr. Sharma will also be developing workshops for parents.
  • The Math Specialist will continue to work with the Level 1 3rd grade students and their teachers via modeling lessons, providing tutorial and before/after-school programs and parent workshops.

 

ILT (Instructional Leadership Team)
  • We will be hiring a Content Coach whose main responsibilities will be to: 1. Provide a focus to the ILT's agenda, 2. Develop the ILT's members leadership capacity and 3. Implement an LASW protocol for all Instructional Teams.
  • All grade levels will be represented in the ILT.
  • We will establish a standing co-chair position and institute rotating teacher facilitators for each meeting.
  • The ILT will monitor the LASW sessions of each grade level through monthly reports generated at those sessions.
  • Establish a meeting calendar for the whole school year.
  • Post agendas, minutes and meeting schedule in the intranet.
 

Essential 2