2013-2014 Goals and Expectations

2013-2014 Goals and Expectations

Essentially, the health of our school and success of our students is measured in three areas: Environment, Progress, and Performance.  Similarly, our goals share the same three domains.

(1) Learning Environment Goal:  By (a) increasing team function & collaboration, (b) focusing feedback (both peer and supervisory) on research-based rubrics, and emphasizing improvement on the Classroom Environment and Social Norms rubrics, all categories of the LES will increase.

Increase parent, teacher and student satisfaction on Learning Environment Survey by 40% in each category.

(2)  Student Progress Goal:  By increasing opportunities for assessment and analysis of student performance on assessment, students will make more informed choices in Work Time and have higher quality Conferences.  Thus, course passing rates will rise.

For both high school and middle school, at least 80% of all students will pass each individual course.  

For both high school and middle school, at least 80% of students in the lowest third and/or with IEPs will pass each individual course.

(3)  Student Performance Goal:  With continued focus and development on core LC formats (Unison Reading, Conferences, and Work Time), we will increase average NYS Middle School and Regents exam scores  (scaled) and overall course passing rates.

In the middle school, UAI's performance on the common core state math and English exams was in line with the rest of the state.  As we adjust to the higher demands of the common core, we will continue to use Learning Cultures as our primary vehicle for alignment.   Our goal for 2014 is to have a minimum 30% increase in average exam scores and overall proficiency rates on both the NYS Math and English tests.

In the high school, Regents performance continues to improve across the board.  We did not meet our goal of reaching the 80% overall pass rate, but we continue to improve.  Like with the middle school, our goal for 2014 is to have a minimum 30% increase in average exam scores and overall proficiency rates.

To achieve these goals, we need to do the following:

• Guarantee Opportunities for Learning 
  (1a) at least 4 Unison Reading/Table Share groups per marking period
  (1b) students with IEPs have at least 2 UR/Table share groups with the ISS teacher.
  
  (2) at least 1 conference for all students per marking period
  (3) at least 2 conferences for students in the lowest third per marking period
  (4) at least 4 conferences for students with IEPs* per marking period "
  
  (5) at least 1 share for all students per marking period
  (6) All unit arcs must have clearly identified methods of self-assessing and tracking progress
  (7) All unit arcs must clearly identify Performance (summative assessments) activities and
        Progress Activities (activities for practice, growth & learning)
  (8) Jumprope must be updated for student/advisor use at least weekly
  
  *This year, Special Ed teachers will also be evaluated using the records.  Therefore, co-teachers must work collaboratively to make sure groups and conferences are coordinated and planned well.

• Strengthen Social Norms (and build community)
  - Focus on Social Norms and Building Grade Team Capacity
  (1) Unified implementation of the Ladder of Consequences
  (2) Building Collegial Support and Feedback Loops on Social Norms
  (3) Grade Team Periodically Reviews Student Course Pass Rates, Works to Develop a Variety of Interventions, and Tracks Response to Interventions over the course of the year.
   
• Strengthen Independent Work Time (and build student autonomy)
  - Focus on Classroom Environment Resources and Stations (Subject Team)
  (1) Develop common skills stations for subject area across grades
  (2) Develop tasks that can successfully be completed independently during work time
  (3) Develop/Use Standards Checklists to track coverage of content and student mastery
  (4) Build Collegial Support and Feedback Loops on Classroom Environment and Lessons
  (5) Use Data to target student need and build supports and interventions into work time
    activities to respond to student need and measure student growth (response to intervention)