2010-2011 GOALS
CURRENT INITIATIVES - District-Wide/Central Office
Name/Title - Achieve Targeted MCAS Goals
Description - Our goal is to reduce the achievement gap for low-performing subgroups, as measured by CPI, by 25% by 2014. For Ipswich, these subgroups include students with disabilities, students from low income households and students with limited English Proficiency.
Assessment - MCAS progress; evaluation of programming for students in these subgroups
Name/Title - Comprehensive SPED Review by Futures HealthCore
Description - The District will conduct a comprehensive review of our Special Education Program, including, but not limited to, our Service Delivery Model, Transportation, Class Size, Utilization of Instructional Aides, Analysis of Financial Support and observations of satisfaction of parents and students regarding Special Education.
Assessment - Final Report to the School Committee.
Name/Title - Bullying Intervention/Prevention Plan
Description - The District will develop a District Bullying Intervention/Prevention Plan as required by M.G.L. c. 71, §370, utilizing the available Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Templates and requirements set forth by the Commissioner of Education. The development of this Plan will be in consultation with teachers, school staff, professional support personnel, school volunteers, administrators, community representatives, police, students and parents.
Assessment - Final Plan submitted to the School Committee and the DESE.
Name/Title - Race To The Top (RTTT) Implementation Plan
Description - The District will develop a comprehensive plan detailing how RTTT funds will be spent over the four-year allocation period using the following criteria: (1) implement the State's Evaluation Frameworks; (2) align local curriculum to common core standards; (3) strengthen climate, conditions and school culture; (4) create Data Teams and use data to improve instruction; and (5) initiate a project of the district's choosing to improve teacher and administrative effectiveness in schools and classrooms.
Assessment - Final Plan submitted to the School Committee and the DESE.
Name/Title - Early Childhood Center Study Committee
Description - Continue the Early Childhood Center Study Committee as we explore the feasibility of establishing an Early Childhood/Community Learning Center within our community. The Committee has been meeting since the Fall of 2009 and has developed both a Mission and Vision. This ongoing initiative involves our Birth to Three Program, Pre-K education, and Pathways for Children (which is the contract provider for "Head Start"). We also are exploring what other educational opportunity we might be able to provide to other segments of the Ipswich community.
Assessment - Ongoing analysis and reporting by the Committee to the School Committee.
Name/Title - Development of a Financial Procedure Manual
Description - The manual is to clearly define and document effective financial controls and processes for the staff of the Ipswich Public Schools. It will inform those involved in the financial aspects of running our schools of what is expected of them, thus reducing the risk of procedures not being implemented properly. The manual will be a repository for information regarding current business practices.
Assessment - Improved communication regarding business practices between the schools and Central Office.
CURRENT INITIATIVES - Elementary Schools
Name/Title - Use Assessment Tools to Better Inform Instruction
Description - Now that many standardized and common assessments are in place across key subject areas and are being tracked more deliberately, the next goal is for teachers/teacher teams to use this information to better inform their everyday planning and instruction. Mainly this comes through providing time for teachers to look at individual, whole class, and whole grade scores comparatively, the ultimate goal being the development of a professional learning community keyed into the continuous improvement of students in the academic areas.
Assessment - Designated faculty meeting time for the purpose of examining student work.
Name/Title - Strengthen Writing Curriculum
Description - As reflected in our School Improvement Plans, refinement of our writing philosophy, scope and sequence, instructional strategies and assessment is a top priority. This critical language arts component needs clarity beyond our existing professional agreements in an effort to bring consistency and explicit expectations to our curriculum. One key step in this process is the establishment of writing "labs" where members of the PLC can explore best writing practices and philosophies.
Assessment - Updated professional agreements, identified scope and sequence addressing process, composition, genre and mechanics, establishment of writing labs at each school, records of visits to these labs.
Name/Title - Support Subject Area Curriculum Goals
Description - A robust curricula is the lifeblood of learning. Subject Area Committees are the conduit by which curriculum recommendations and adjustments are made. Each year, SACs create focused curricular goals. With limited resources, it becomes more important than ever to support these curricular improvement efforts.
Assessment - Surveys, feedback from teachers, discussions of each SACs goals, implementation of changes.
CURRENT INITIATIVES - Ipswich Middle School
Name/Title - Mentor and Transition Assistant to the Principal, Reinstitute Full Time Status
Description - We have an exciting year ahead as we work together as a new team. This is an important position with many responsibilities. The Ipswich Middle School will require a full time assistant to reach our academic and social goals.
Assessment - Evaluations and feedback.
Name/Title - Collaborative Teaching Model in all Grades, Year long Common Curriculum, Assessment and Data Collection
Description - We will pilot this year, in all grades, a co-taught instructional and year long placement model. This decision was made with a renewed focus data driven decision making and educational research highlighting the importance of student-teacher relationships. Our schedule allows for common planning time every day to support teacher collaborations and data analysis. Classrooms have been moved to help facilitate subject pair partners to plan and teach together in a collaborative setting. We expect to see increased effective team work, produce measureable goals and a focus on shared data. Students have been placed with a primary teacher in each content area and will not make the "Cluster Switch" in January. All curricula will be taught in a year long syllabus with common assessments on a trimester calendar.
Assessment - Teachers, parents, students and the School Council will evaluate effectiveness in mid spring and make a recommendation for the 2011-2012 school year.
Name/Title - Anti- Bullying and Social Conscience Goal
Description - In light of the new legislation we will ensure that all students are informed and educated about the serious and zero tolerance for bullying in and out of school. All students will access social conscience curriculum in health class and in other settings. We will establish reporting and investigating protocol and educate parents of the process and consequences and support which will be available.
A major goal of the IMS Council for the last two years was to organize and host a Student Development Fair in the spring. This has been extremely well received by parents, students and faculty. Students will once again choose modules to attend which will deal with healthy choices (social as well as nutritional), drugs, bullying, peer relationships, and "tween" pressures. The IMS Council will plan and produce this entire event.
Assessment - Feedback from the students, parents and teachers in the evaluation form.
CURRENT INITIATIVES - Ipswich High School
Name/Title - Common Assessment
Description - Include in several of our Thursday Professional Development sessions, the continuation of developing common assessments for courses not completed the prior year. In addition, each curriculum department will review the prior year's common assessments, investigate the results of the exams and review those results to impact teaching, learning and the assessment device itself. This will be done each semester going forward.
Assessment - Department Chairpersons will report out the progress on this goal and the impacts on instruction and assessment at monthly department chairperson meetings.
Name/Title - Bullying
Description - Develop a training program for students that is tailored to their age and circumstance. Involve the School Council in helping to design a program based on respect and tolerance that moves from the opening day training session for each grade to a deeper understanding of the issue. Work to create a climate which promotes positive interaction and condemns the aspects of bullying. Work to foster our current climate and school culture to fully embrace supportive relationships among students while appreciating the negative emotional impact of bullying.
Assessment - We have pre-data from a survey each of the last two years. Conduct a post survey in the spring to examine current attitudes and experiences. Evaluate the number, significance and impact of reported bullying incidents for the year to help determine the effectiveness of the training program.
Name/Title - Technology Initiative
Description - Using input from parents, teachers, students, administrators and a larger sense of what is happening at other quality high schools, examine the technology needs of Ipswich High School in the short term and for the next few years. Review a variety of technology which can impact instruction in math, science, and the humanities to determine the best and most significant ways to improve curriculum and instruction. Broaden this needs assessment to include hardware, software and other items which will help prepare the school for any future available funding. Develop a priority list which meets the needs of all constituencies of the high school.
Assessment - Review the findings with each constituent group to be certain that all needs have been identified. Present the priority list to each group with the accompanying arguments that provide a rationale for appropriate placement on the list. Create a list that is both forward thinking and practical.
October 2010
