GOALS
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CURRENT INITIATIVES-District-Wide/Central Office
Name/Title - District-wide Professional Development Plan
Description - A comprehensive Professional Development Plan has been put into place which will, with adequate funding, provide our staff with a range of opportunities for professional growth, and support the district’s goals for teaching, learning and assessment. Currently there is no funding in place pending the outcome of Feoffees litigation.
Assessment - Evaluation by Professional Development Committee.
Name/Title - Capital Improvement Plan
Description - The Capital Improvement goal is to maintain and upgrade facilities to provide a clean, healthy and safe environment for students and staff and to improve the energy efficiency in all buildings.
Assessment - Completion of project and analysis of energy savings.
Name/Title - Communication
Description - The Ipswich Public Schools is committed to communicating with students, staff, parents and its community by using a variety of tools.
Assessment - Survey instrument to gather feedback from all groups.
Name/Title - Highly Qualified
Description - The Ipswich Public Schools will remain in full compliance with No Child Left Behind mandates and will continue to ensure our up-to-date compliance.
Assessment - Ongoing evaluation by Superintendent’s Office regarding compliance
CURRENT INITIATIVES-District-Wide/Central Office
Name/Title - SAC Study Committee
Description - The SAC Study Committee will undertake a comprehensive analysis and assessment of the two-year SAC cycle, the roles and responsibilities of SAC members, professional conference rotations and a review of the summer institutes in conjunction with the Professional Development Committee.
Assessment - Report and recommendations of the Study Committee.
Name/Title - Technology Study Committee
Description - The Technology Study Committee will conduct a comprehensive analysis of our existing technology as it relates to hardware, software and educational programming.
Assessment - Report and recommendations of the Study Committee.
Name/Title - Mid-Cycle Review by the Department of Education 2007-2008
Description - Our present initiatives center around the Corrective Action Plan, resulting from the Coordinated Program Review. During this Mid-Cycle, all procedures put in place by the CAP will be reviewed by the team from the Dept. of Education.
Assessment - Acceptance and approval by the Department of Education Liaison of actions taken and written material approved.
Name/Title - Response to Intervention
Description - Our pilot Response to Intervention Program has started at Doyon School and will give us solid data on this new language of IDEA 2004.
Assessment - Decrease in level of services outside the classroom. Increase in student ability to maintain academic progress, reduction in behaviors that are disruptive due to lack of academic success. This will continue and slowly expand during the next school year.
CURRENT INITIATIVES-District-Wide/Central Office
Name/Title - Understanding by Design (UBD)
Description - We are undertaking a professional development program to increase the skills of all teachers in assessing students’ understanding and using data to improve instruction using “Understanding by Design” (UBD). This program was initiated during the school year 06-07, with the High School staff. The “Understanding by Design” (UBD), is a framework for improving student achievement. It emphasizes the teachers’ role as a designer student learning. UBD works within the standards, driven by curriculum to help teachers clarify learning goals, devise revealing assessments of student understanding (mastery), and craft effective and on-going learning activities.
Assessment - Decrease in level of services outside the classroom. Increase in student ability to maintain academic progress, reduction in behaviors that are disruptive due to lack of academic success.
Name/Title - Technology Plan
Description - The goals of the Technology Plan are: implement system-side integration of current technology into the curriculum, provide aggressive ongoing staff development, update our comprehensive technology scope and sequence, and establish an up-to-date infrastructure.
Assessment - Evaluated by the administrative team.
Name/Title - MassONE (Web-Based Tool for Teachers and Learners)
Description - We will investigate resources that represent information in multiple formats and media, and integrate these resources effectively into their curricula to support a variety of learners.
Assessment - Student achievement
CURRENT INITIATIVES-District-Wide/Central Office
Name/Title - District Website
Description - The website is a source of information between the Ipswich Schools and the Ipswich Community, keeping communication open between staff, students, school committee and parents.
Assessment - Community feedback.
Name/Title - Redesign of Website
Description - The collaboration of school and community will be used to redesign the Ipswich Public Schools’ website.
Assessment - Community feedback.
FUTURE INITITATIVES-District-Wide/Central Office
Name/Title - Multi-Year Inclusionary Initiatives
Description - Our future goal is to develop better teaching skills to all students by:
(1) focusing on meaning and understanding from the beginning;
(2) balancing routine skill learning with novel and complex tasks;
(3) providing a context for skill learning that establishes clear resources for learning the skills and helps the students to relate one skill with another; (4) influencing attitudes and beliefs regarding academic content areas, as well as skills and knowledge; and (5) eliminating unnecessary redundancy in the curriculum. Our latest initiative in this area is UBD.
Assessment - Students show increased literacy skills which reflect ability to participate in subjects which require reading skills.
Name/Title - Next Generation Capital Improvement Plan
Description - Broaden the definition of Capital to include maintenance, upgrade and management of technology, transportation, energy generation (e.g. wind turbine power), buildings, grounds and major program facilities. Develop a new five year plan, written with the assistance of the Director of Finance & Operations and the Custodial Supervisor, that identifies and allocates resources to address needs in priority order.
Name/Title - Update School Committee Financial Policies and Procedures
Description - Review and recommend revisions as needed to the School Committee Policy Manual, Financial Management section. Revise budgeting policy to reflect various means of financing educational programs. Include updated procedures for computer generation of payroll and invoice payment, cash and other receipt documentation, purchasing, use of credit cards and online payment system, and management of student activity accounts, gift, revolving and other special accounts.
CURRENT INITIATIVES - Ipswich High School
Name/Title - Advanced Placement Courses Review
Description - The nine Advanced Placement courses we offer have been approved by the College Board. A.P. Teachers will meet this year to review entrance requirements, academic vigor and test results.
Assessment - We will monitor student test scores over the next three to five years and compare them to the prior three years.
Name/Title - Advisor-Advisee Program
Description - The School Council will continue to monitor our Advisor-Advisee program. We have changed the structure and focus for this year. We will evaluate its effectiveness to ensure that it meets the needs of our students.
Assessment - To be part of the High School’s School Council Improvement Plan
Name/Title - School-Wide Rubrics
Description - Our professional development focus as a high school faculty is on differentiated instruction and the establishment of consistent, school-wide rubrics. We will attempt to reach consensus on terminology and description for each standard.
Assessment - We will receive feedback from teachers, department chairpersons and from students on the School Council. We will look for uniformity and common understanding.
Name/Title - Teacher – Parent Communication regarding grades
Description - The faculty will examine products that permit electronic mailing of academic progress as well as the posting of grades. The process will attempt to find a worthwhile format for allowing parents to access student grade information online on a regular basis.
Assessment - Purchase or utilize a software package to accomplish the task. In the long range, parent surveys will be conducted once a process is in place. This will be a multi-year process for the faculty.
Name/Title - Student Communication
Description - Utilize our e-mail system, newsletters, website and our message board to keep all students informed of daily and upcoming activities. We will look to maximize student involvement in meetings, applications and attendance at events.
Assessment - Survey students in the spring to determine any benefits from this focused attempt at improved communications.
Name/Title - Student Leadership Team
Description - Create a student leaders group comprised of class and club officers as well as team captains. Provide leadership training as well as opportunities to be involved in decision-making. Continue to create a culture that supports student growth, positive relationships and overall success.
Assessment - Follow-up with students to gauge the impact of this initiative.
CURRENT INITIATIVE -Ipswich Ipswich Middle School
Name/Title - New Schedule Data Collection and Assessment
Description - We will study the new middle school schedule which now incorporates a full year each of science, social studies, Physical Education and Spanish. We will collect data in an effort to study longitudinal progress in all academic areas.
Assessment - Data collection, feedback and anecdotal surveys.
Name/Title - AYP Improvement –Year II
Description - We will again analyze, plan and deliver a comprehensive tutorial program for all students in the Needs Improvement and Warning categories on the Math MCAS.
Assessment - MCAS scores from spring 2008.
Name/Title - Communication and Connection/ Website Design
Description - We have implemented a new daily information flat screen board to keep parents and students info recommendations and improvements.
Assessment - Feedback from parents and students and the community at large.
Name/Title - Technology Study Committee
Description - We will participate broadly within the Technology Study Committee in an effort to create and realize rich and robust educational technologies vital to our students’ success now and in the future.
Assessment - Final recommendations to the Ipswich School Committee.
CURRENT INITIATIVES -Elementary Schools
Name/Title - Balanced Literacy – Reading Comprehension Strategies
Description - Year One of implementation of each grade level’s “Year Long Plan” of Readers’ Workshop reading comprehension strategies as developed in consultation with the Tufts University Center for Applied Child Development over the past three years. Teachers will be provided multiple opportunities over the course of the year to meet as grade level teams to maximize communication and consistency as we move forward. To enhance coordination, time will also be provided for between-grade vertical sharing and for conferring with grade level colleagues at the other elementary school during an Administrative Planned Workshop
Assessment - Completion of the focus area, refinement of the Year Long Plans, and feedback from staff and teachers to assess the instructional effectiveness of the model.
Name/Title - Other Professional Development Initiatives
Description - Student Safety : We will host a presentation from the Massachusetts’ District Attorney’s Office on Child Abuse and Neglect in the fall for the combined faculty and staff of both Doyon and Winthrop schools which will clarify those issues most important for us to keep in mind in our role as mandated reporters.
Assessment - Staff feedback and more clarity in our role regarding filing 51A’s .
Description - Responsive Classroom: An ongoing initiative to provide faculty with training in building inclusive classroom communities.
Assessment - Teacher feedback.
Description - Response to Intervention: We will look for professional development opportunities to move forward with this regular education initiative in response to the new 94-142 regulations
Assessment - Consultations and discussions with special education and regular education faculty, staff, and administration.
CURRENT INITIATIVES-Elementary Schools
Description - Understanding by Design: We will look for professional development opportunities and resources including workshops and shared readings to move our knowledge and awareness forward in this important curriculum-related area.
Assessment - Teacher and Subject Area Committee feedback.
Name/Title - Piloting of Rebecca Sitton – New Spelling/Vocabulary Program
Description - Teachers at several grade levels will be piloting this research-based spelling/vocabulary program which integrates all literacy components, reinforces our phonics program, and is an integrated communications approach.
Assessment - Teacher feedback and recommendations will determine the next step of implementation with discussions regarding possible “professional agreements” in the spring.
Name/Title - Expanding Repertoire of Assessment Tools
Description - The GRADE (Group Reading Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation) test will be administered at every grade level at both schools to assess reading skills. A repertoire of assessment options will made available for all teachers to assess individual children’s needs and to use as helpful resources: these include DRA, DIBELS, QRI, One Minute Reading Probe, and Concepts of Print. GRADE results and the number and value of other assessment tools will be used to assess future use.
Assessment - Teacher feedback at faculty meetings will aid discussion and decision-making.
CURRENT INITIATIVES -Elementary Schools
Name/Title - Strengthening Teamwork
Description - Acknowledging synergy among and between team members, creating more time for teachers to work together to reach out to the knowledge base of their colleagues, and increasing skills needed for highly functioning teams will be accentuated to establish strong professional learning communities and to maintain healthy school cultures.
Assessment - Principal attendance at grade level meetings and teacher feedback will provide data on the effectiveness of this goal.
Name/Title - Character Development / Respect and Responsibility/Second Step
Description - The ongoing “Stop and Think” initiative at Doyon, and the “Respect and Responsibility” projects at Winthrop, will provide common language for growth of, and explicit teaching of, positive behaviors and character traits. Responsive classroom strategies and practices, role plays, and cross-grade partnerships will be used to continue building safe, secure, and respectful school communities. In addition, both schools will expand use of the Second Step impulse control and violence prevention program, while continuing to build leadership role models through Student Leadership Councils.
Assessment - Number of behavioral issues, SLC members, and third part feedback will be used to assess this goal.
Name/Title - Building Community Partnerships
Description - Partnerships with Rotary, Biolabs, Senior Citizens, The Ipswich Garden Club, The Historical Society, Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary, Bradley Palmer, Willowdale Forest, Marini Farms, Russell Orchards, Trustees of the Reservation, Open Space Committee, Ipswich Bay Circuit Walking Trails group, Wastewater Treatment Plant, Water Department, Ipswich River Watershed Association, ICARE, etc. to broaden curriculum units, develop stewardship for Ipswich resources, and establish community role models.
Assessment - List of partnerships.
Name/Title - Facilities Maintenance
Description - Aggressive renovation of key building and grounds needs: floors, carpeting, play areas (both schools), electrical issues (WS), and parking (DS).
Assessment - Number of projects completed.
FUTURE INITITATIVES-Elementary Schools
Name/Title - Literacy: Balanced Literacy Writers Workshop
Description - From 2004-2007, we provided elementary faculty with training in the components of the “Readers’ Workshop” reading comprehension instructional approach. We look forward to the opportunity to shift the focus to written composition, perhaps continuing our partnership with the Center for Applied Child Development at Tufts University.
Assessment - Multi-year tracking of fall and spring open-response essays, (scored by rubrics and kept in cumulative files), MCAS Long Composition feedback, informal input from faculty and staff.
Name/Title - Professional Development Funding
Description - Full implementation of the District’s Professional Development Plan, including adequate funding for substitutes and provision for internal large-group common learning opportunities as well as external workshop experiences.
Assessment - List of Professional Development experiences sorted by teacher, type, number of days, etc. to contribute to analyze successful implementation of the Professional Development Plan
Name/Title - Technological Resource Funding
Description - This year, one of the district initiatives involves the development of a Technology Committee charged with an analysis of need and recommendations regarding future usage that will advance learning opportunities. We look forward to the recommendations that emerge from the committee and are anxious to implement these suggestions for improvement. In the immediate future, there continues to be an outstanding need for hardware and software upgrades and a new influx of computers for student and staff use.
Assessment - Feedback from technical staff regarding upgrade and repair needs, complete report from Technology Committee.
Name/Title - Program/Staffing Resources
Description - Priorities would include provision of full-day kindergarten programs for all students, reinstating the Elementary Librarian, adding a Reading Teacher at Doyon, implementation of the SPARK (formerly ELP ) program, reinstatement of summer reading and library hours, expansion to .4 FTE for the position of Fine Arts Director, expansion of the Doyon Reading Tutorial to grade five, expanding the Speech and Language Teaching Assistants at both schools to full time, funding after-school tutorial support and club activities, and creating a cadre of “Shared Curriculum Mentors” for collegial instructional support.
Assessment - This goal will be accomplished incrementally as we add programs and resources.
Name/Title - Instructional Resources
Description - Acquisition of additional text resources in support of literacy, and instructional equipment and resources especially in the area of science.
Assessment - An increase in related budget lines.
Name/Title - Facility-related
Description - Anticipated space issues at Doyon and Winthrop arise in future years as projected by the demographics report completed in 2006. With the loss of the modular at Winthrop, and our reductions at many grade levels, the need for additional classroom space will impact both buildings within the next 3 years. Existing facility goals remain from prior years: replacement of doors at Winthrop, upgrade to playground at Winthrop and the preschool playground at Doyon and Winthrop, landscaping the mud areas in both playgrounds, additional parking at both schools and new hot-top especially at Doyon.
Assessment - Accomplished by increments as each goal component is addressed.
FUTURE INITITATIVES-Elementary Schools
Name/Title - Full Day Kindergarten
Description - Full Day Kindergarten in place for all Ipswich kindergarten children.
Assessment - All Ipswich kindergarten children in full day programs.
Name/Title - Administration
Description - Assistant-principals for the Elementary Schools.
Assessment - Positions in place.
Name/Title - Preschool
Description - Access to quality affordable and accessible pre-K programs for all of Ipswich’s three and four year olds.
Assessment - All Ipswich three and four year olds with access to affordable and accessible high quality pre-K programs.
