Salina Intermediate School Improvement Presented by Abdulnasser Ahmed, Inaya Bazzi, Majed Fadlallah, Glenn Maleyko, Nadra Shami Zenib Ali and Hayat Motahhar (parents)

Mission  The mission of Salina Intermediate School is to increase academic achievement by implementing and evaluating a technology integrated comprehensive curriculum which enables students to become literate problem-solving critical thinkers. We have high expectations for all students, and provide a safe and nurturing environment collaboratively with parents and community to ensure that all students become responsible, productive citizens.

 We envision an innovative, successful school where diversity is respected and celebrated, where all students use higher order thinking skills to meet high standards developed collaboratively by a motivated, compassionate, and highly skilled staff, working in partnership with parents and the community. Vision Vision

Salina Immigration & Mobility School Year

Limited English Proficiency Student Population

Economically Disadvantaged School Year

Schools Do Make a Difference  Effective School Research of Ron Edmunds, Larry Lezotte, Wilbur Bookover, Michael Rutter, and other concluded:  All children can learn; and the school controls the factors to assure student mastery of the core curriculum

Schools Do Make a Difference  An analysis of research conducted over a thirty-five year period demonstrates that schools that are highly effective produce results that almost entirely overcome the effects of student backgrounds. Robert Marzano, What Works in Schools, 2003.

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Visionary Leaders Leaders can use vision to build trust rather than break it if they are willing to let their rhetoric give way to reality and allow their vision to become a blueprint rather than public relations baloney.  Reeves, Douglas (2006). The Learning Leader.

Effective visions help individuals understand that they are part of a larger world and also reassure them of their individual importance to the organization.  Reeves, Douglas (2006). The Learning Leader.

MEAP- Language Arts AYP Proficiency Growth

MEAP - Mathematics AYP Proficiency Growth

School Improvement Plan  Goal 1: Writing  Goal 2: Reading  Goal 3: Math/Problem Solving

Goal One: Writing All students will demonstrate improvement in writing across all content areas with 78% of the students showing proficiency by meeting the state standards based on the 2009 English Language Arts AYP Proficiency Index.

Comment Codes: 1 = Lacks focus on one central idea 2 = Demonstrates limited control over sentence structure, vocab. and/or conventions 3 = Needs details & examples to adequately develop the ideas & content 4 = Lacks coherent organization &/or connections between ideas 5 = Needs richer development of the central idea w/ some additional, relevant details and examples to receive higher score 6 = Needs tighter control of organization &/or the connections among the ideas to get a higher score 7 = Needs greater precision and maturity of language use to get a higher score 8= Earned the highest score of 6

Building Wide Writing Across the Curriculum Building Wide Writing Across the Curriculum Constructive & Descriptive Feedback

Understanding and Improving Salina’s WAC Program

Thinking Maps

Goal Two: Reading All students will demonstrate improvement in reading comprehension in all content areas with 78% of the students showing proficiency by meeting the state standards based on the 2009 English Language Arts AYP Proficiency Index.

DRA Independent Results Spring 2008 GradeBelowAtAboveTotal 4 th th th th th Total

Reading Partnerships in Comprehensive Literacy Model (PCL) Comprehensive Intervention Model (CIM) Sheltered Instructional Observation Protocol (SIOP)

Guided Reading Teacher SupportOn-going Assessments

Goal Three: Math/Problem Solving All students will demonstrate improvement in mathematical problem solving with 90% of the students showing proficiency by meeting the state standards based on the 2009 Mathematics AYP Proficiency Index.

Problem Solving Across the Curriculum Problem Solving/Math Rubric Technology Integration Thinking Maps Across the Curriculum Study Island Math Intervention - Middle School

Parent Involvement  Writing - Pen Pals  Reading Buddies  Family Math and Family Science  Friday Computer Class  Family Literacy-Technology Night  Parent-Principal Forums  Parent Advisory Committee  Parent Faculty Student Organization (PFSO)

Middle School Literacy Intervention Class  Students in grades six through eight who are two grade levels below the appropriate reading level are flagged for this class.  Other data can also be used to flag these students.  They receive an additional 50 minute period each day in lieu of an elective class.  There are 3-4 teachers and one paraprofessional in this classroom for a 1:5 ratio teacher to student.  Guided reading and computer software are the major resources that are used in this class.

Elementary Literacy Intervention Class  Students in grades four and five who are two grade levels below the appropriate reading level are flagged for this class.  Other data can also be used to flag these students.  They receive an additional 35 minute period each day.  The scheduling involves having 2 groups of students coming together in a large group setting for enrichment.  Guided reading plus and Comprehension Focus groups are used for this intervention

ELL Newcomer Literacy Center  We have developed a newcomer literacy center that integrates reading across the curriculum in grades 4th through 8 th.  All students receive at least five hours per day of intensive literacy instruction throughout the content.  They receive two 120 minute blocks per day plus 60 minutes using ELL software.  ELPA, Common Assessments, and DRA results are used for appropriate student placement in the newcomer literacy center.

Implementation of Special Education Co-teaching  Co-teaching in 4 th through 8 th grade has been implemented in language arts and mathematics.  We have followed the research by Dr. Friend.  We have also been implementing an intensive literacy class for our struggling students and are looking at adding numeracy.

Instructional Dialogues and Intervention Process Teachers meet in teams with the intervention team and the principal to discuss struggling students. It is mandated at least three times per year. They must bring DRA data, writing data and other data to the meeting. Pending the outcome, we then decide on an intervention. Teachers meet in teams with the intervention team and the principal to discuss struggling students. It is mandated at least three times per year. They must bring DRA data, writing data and other data to the meeting. Pending the outcome, we then decide on an intervention.

Precision  To get something right.  Precision is in the service of personalization because it means to be uniquely accurate, that is precise to the learning needs of individuals.  Fullan, Hill, & Crevola (2006).

Data-Driven Decisions & Instruction  The implementation of student portfolios that will include writing samples, DRA tests, common assessments, performance assessment samples and other pertinent data.  An assessment wall is used in all team rooms for writing prompts and DRA results. This wall assists us with the identification of children in need of interventions.

Accountability  Writing Across the Curriculum Program.  Administrative Building Walk-through and First things First.  Faculty best practices learning walks.  Administrative observation and the teacher evaluation system.  Administrators/teachers need to put First Things First and Collect Data and use it in a precise manner.

Standard Based Assessment  Our entire building is implementing the standard based assessment 4 th through 8 th grade  We are looking to use more performance based rubrics and eliminate percentages.  Thus the E-M-P-C scale for all classroom assignments.

Leadership Teams Meetings  Grade level teams  Literacy/SIP team  Special Education team  Intervention teams for middle school and elementary grades  School Support team  DFLAP team

Several Leadership teams meet on a regular basis. Add PLC calendar

All of us can consciously decide to leave behind a life of mediocrity and to live a life of greatness---at home, at work and in the community. No matter what our circumstances may be, such a decision can be made by everyone of us. Steven Covey

The history of a free man is never written by chance but by choice– their choice. Dwight D. Eisenhower

Presentation References  Covey, S. (2004). The 8th habit: From effectiveness to greatness. New York, NY: Franklin Covey Co.  Dufour, R., Dufour, R., Eaker, R. & Many, T. (2006). Learning by Doing. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree.  Dufour, R., Dufour, R., Eaker, R., & Karhanek. (2004). What ever it takes: How professional learning communities respond when kids don ’ t learn. Bloomington, Indiana: Solution Tree  Dufour, R., Dufour, R., & Eaker, R. (2002). Getting started: Reculturing schools to become professional learning communities. Solution Tree: Bloomington, Indiana.  Dufour, R. & Eaker, R. (1998). Professional Learning Communities at Work: Best Practices for Enhancing Student Achievement. Bloomington, Indiana: Solution Tree.  Education Week,, (2002) Technology in Education, October 1st,  Fullan, Hill, & Crevola. (2006). Breakthrough. Prentice-Hall.  Gardner () Do Technology Based Lessons Meet the Needs of Student Learning Styles  Jackson, Anthony W & Davis, Gayle (2000). Turning Points 2000: Educating Adolescents in the 21st Century.  Marzano, R. (2006). Classroom Assessment and Grading that Work. ASCD Publications.

Presentation References  National Association of State Boards of Education (2002)  McLaughlin, M., & Talbert, J. (2001). Professional learning communities and the work of high school teaching. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.  Sarason, S. B. (1996). Revisiting ‘The culture of the school and the problem of change’. New York: Teachers College Press.  Souden, Mike (2003). Evolution of Standards: Enhanced Information opportunities that technology provides. Taken on October 24, 2003, form  Stiggins, R. (2004). Student Involved Classroom Assessment: 3 rd Edition. Prentice Hall.