Alice V. Hedden Elementary

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN

IMPLEMENTATION SCHOOL YEAR 2003-2004

Mission Statement

The Alice V. Hedden Elementary community:

D esires excellence

R espects others

E ngages in meaningful work

A ccepts everyone

M otivates everyone, everyday

S upports all in a safe environment

CELEBRATION OF SUCCESSES

For the Alice V. Hedden Elementary

School Improvement Plan 2002-2003

Goal Area # 1    FIFE SCHOOL DISTRICT STANDARD 3:       

DEVELOPING A FOCUS ON STUDENTS AND ON THE QUALITY OF WORK PROVIDED TO STUDENTS

Throughout the school district there is a clear focus on students and on the quality of the work provided to students-work that students find interesting, challenging, and satisfying and that results in their learning what is expected by schools, parents, and the community.

Specific School Objective # 1:   We will continue to develop more meaningful work for children.

•  Articulate writing across elementary classroom including defining appropriate grade level prompts, forms of writing and traits to be taught.

•  Use of enrichment afternoons and staff development days to disaggregate data from state assessments to improve student work in Math, Writing and Reading

•  Consistent use of Standards of Learning Notebook for instructional planning and delivery.

•  Use of grade level and staff meetings to focus on students' instruction.

•  Staff participation in descriptive review process.

•  Continue moving toward more profound and meaningful learning for students.

•  Provided appropriate staff development for teachers and staff

•  Adopted Science curriculum for grades 2-5.

•  Adopted National Technology Standards

Impact:

•  4 th Grade Writing WASL moved from 50.9 % passing standard in 2003 to 58.4% passing the standard in 2003.

•  4 th Grade Reading WASL moved from 77.6% passing standard in 2002 to 66.2% passing standard in 2003.

•  4 th Grade Math WASL moved from 70.7% passing standard in 2002 to 62.8% passing standard in 2003.

Specific School Objective # 2:   Integrate Technology more fully into the curriculum

•  Survey staff regarding needed training and in-service.

•  Reallocate personnel to better meet the needs of staff and students and to provide support for technology needs.

•  Examine creative ways to increase student access to technology.

•  Pilot the use of electronic report cards for elementary students.

•  Use edperformance assessment for third through fifth grades three times during the year to assess growth in math and reading.

•  Develop and expand building technology cadre.

Impact:

•  Completed 6 of 7 activities of Strategy/Action Plan.

•  All students had regular wekly access to computer lab for instructional technology integration.

•  Reallocated classified staff to maximize student access to technology lab

Goal Area # 2   FIFE SCHOOL DISTRICT NETWORK 2000 STANDARD 4:

DEVELOPING STRUCTURES FOR PARTICIPATORY LEADERSHIP:

The school district develops patterns of leadership and a structure of relationships such that teachers are leaders, principals are leaders of leaders, and all school-district activity is focused on providing direction and support for schools.

Specific School Objective # 1:   Increase leadership opportunities for school staff.

•  Invited volunteers to join the building team.

•  Provided opportunities for individuals to participate in training and leadership processes.

•  Usde staff meetings, grade level meetings and standard-bearer training time to train and increase the building cadre.

•  Provided opportunities for leadership on committees including: science, math, electronic report cards, early release planning, developmental team, etc.

•  Provided mentorship and experience for administrative intern.

•  Hosted 4 student teachers and 4 autumn experience interns

•  Hired two of our student teachers for teaching positions in the 2003-2004 school year.

Impact:   Completed all activities on action plan plus additional ones.

Goal Area # 3 - Introduce Standards   7, 8, 9 and 10  

STANDARD 7:   PROVIDING ONGOING SUPPORT:

The school district provides systems of training and development, incentives, and social and political support for those who are committed to the district's belief and vision and widens support for the pursuit of the beliefs and vision among all members of the community.

STANDARD 8: FOSTERING INNOVATION AND FLEXIBILITY

The district develops a policy environment and management system that foster flexibility and rapid response; that encourage innovative use of time, technology, and space; that encourage novel and improved staffing patterns; and that create forms of curriculum organization that are responsive to the needs of students.

STANDARD 9: EMPLOYING TECHNOLOGY

The school district and community display a common understanding of the transformational nature of changes in information-processing technologies, and the district provides all students and adults who work in the schools the tools required for quality work.

STANDARD 10: FOSTERING COLLABORATION

The school district encourages and supports the creation of relationships within the school district, between schools and parents, and among those agencies and groups that provide service to children and youth, in order to ensure that each child has the support needed to succeed in school and in the community.

•  We introduced standards 7, 8, 9 and 10 to staff during staff meetings and WOW early release days/ enrichment afternoons.

•  We communicated work being done on these standards to parents and community via school and district newsletters and web site information.

Impact:  

•  Focused in-service work on the introduction of standards 7 through 10.

•  Used building leaders to lead and facilitate these in-service activities.

•  Completed all of above stated strategies.

DATA COLLECTION

For the 2003-2004 School Improvement Plan

A comprehensive needs assessment was conducted by our staff, Parent Advisory Council and Site-based School Improvement Team. The following are the components of our comprehensive needs assessment:

•  2002-2003 Standard Bearer Assessment Report

•  2003 Test results

•  2000 through 2003 Harris Interactive Survey results   

•  Teacher Needs Assessment Survey

•  Site-Based School Improvement Team input and feedback

•  2002-2003 Annual Performance Report

•  Federal Mandates

Needs identified through achievement data:

•  Work with students of diverse ethnic backgrounds to improve their success on WASL

•  Work with all students to raise achievement levels in Math, Reading and Writing

Needs identified through the Parent Advisory Council:

•  Continue to provide our students with a safe and healthy learning environment

•  Provide additional support for struggling learners

Needs identified through faculty and administration:

•  Increase the level of student responsibility for their learning

•  Include students in goal setting and conference

•  Provide in-service in meeting the needs of diverse learners - ESL, Special education, etc.

•  Implement new Science curriculum

•  Continue to integrate technology into the curriculum

Needs identified through past Harris Interactive Surveys:

•  Increase the level of parental involvement in their student's education.

•  Provide opportunities for parents to participate in child's education.

Federal Mandates/ESEA

•  Provides parents an opportunity to participate in their child's education

Washington State EALRs

•  Provide students the opportunity to analyze their work, assess their strengths, and set goals for improvement.

                            Evaluation of Impact on Student Achievement

  FOR THE 2003-2004 SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN

•  Adequate Progress for the 2003-2004 School Improvement Plan will be achieved when the three stated goals have been met.

ALICE V. HEDDEN

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT

FIFE SCHOOL DISTRICT

VISION STATEMENT 2003-04

Throughout the school district there is a clear focus on students and on the quality of the work provided to students - work that students find interesting, challenging, and satisfying and that results in their learning what is expected by schools, parents, and the community.

GOALS AND ACTION PLAN

Specific School Goal #1 :           Increase 4 th Grade WASL scores in Reading, Writing and Mathematics.  

Action Plan (Based on Research-Identify):

•  Provide staff subject area in-service to allow them to better prepare students to meet state standards

•  Train a cadre of teachers to better meet the needs of our diverse learners.

•  Send a team to state wide Working with Struggling Learners on October 8-10

•  Work with Marie Gibson and Washington State Math Helping Corps Cadre to provide Math in-service to staff.

•  Use professional development time/staff meeting/grade level meetings to focus on student success and   achievement.

•  Continue to use teacher leaders to provide training for colleagues.

•  Provide collaboration time within and across grade levels to establish best practices. (substitutes to cover grade levels for a half-day each month to review, do descriptive reviews and implement change.)

•  Bring in trainers for areas in which we lack expertise.

•  Visit and study other schools of similar demographics that have provided outstanding programs for their students.

•  Pilot programs that may enhance instruction for our students.

•  Investigate technology that can enrich and broaden student achievement.

•  Continue to use Edperformance testing in grades 3-5 to assess and monitor student progress.

•  Implement new science curriculum in grades 2-5.

Goal Assessment (Impact on Student Achievement):

•  Fourth grade students will achieve success on the WASL at the following levels:

•  Math - 70%,   Reading - 75%, Writing - 64% (State goals are Math 56.3% and Reading 74.1%)

•  Diverse learners will realize an increase of a least 5% more passing the WASL standards in Reading, Writing and Mathematics.

Specific School Goal #2 :           Maintain and improve the team culture of our school to increase student learning by:

•  Increasing communication with families

•  Providing more opportunities for parents to participate in the child's education

•  Providing increase student participation in and responsibility for their education.

•  Investigating and piloting support programs for our students outside the school day.

•  Train teachers to implement goal setting and student-lead conferences.

Action Plan (Based on Research-Identify):

•  Institute Orientation night for all parents and students prior to the first day of school

•  Pilot Student lead conferencing with more late afternoon/early evening appointments to accommodate working parents.

•  Train students in age-appropriate goal setting.

•  Encourage and promote the use of planners in grades 3-5.

•  Work with Jeanne Niedermyer/North Pierce County Coalition to set up programs with World Vision and Big Brothers/Big Sisters for our students.

•  Provide a Parent Induction Program including:

•  Orientation prior to the beginning of the school year

•  Training workshops for parents to help them help their children.

•  Information regarding the new student lead conferencing format prior to conference time.

Goal Assessment (Impact on Student Achievement):

•  Through increased responsibility for their learning, students will increase their level of response on standardized tests. We will show no students with incomplete tests on the 2004 WASL.

•  Teachers will report an increase in student responsibility for their work on report cards and weekly progress reports home.

Specific School Goal #3 :           Continue to provide our students with a safe and nurturing learning environment.

Action Plan (Based on Research-Identify):

•  Continue to hold monthly assemblies celebrating student success - academic, social and behavioral.

•  Provide staff mentors for at-risk students.

•  Focus on positive students behavior:

•  Implement Kelso's choice to assist students in problem solving strategies.

•  Continue the Trait of the Month.

•  Implement Anti-bullying school rules to align with district policy and be consistent with other district elementary buildings.

•  Encourage teachers to make positive calls home.

•  Have duty personnel acknowledge positive playground/lunchroom behavior.

Goal Assessment: We will realize a 20 % decrease in office referrals for the 2003-2004 school year.