Niskayuna CSD Middle School Review Vicki Wyld- Iroquois MS Luke Rakoczy- Van Antwerp MS

MS Review-Goals Year 1 – Collecting and analyzing data on our middle schools. – Building a rapport between faculty and consultants. – Helping to facilitate/plan visits from Annette Fante and Jack Berckemeyer.

MS Review Goals: Year 2 Continue review process with volunteers from our summer work group. Build faculty vision around the emerging topics for improvement. Creating a 90 day action plan to begin to meet our vision of an effective middle school.

Year 1: Information Gathering Survey/perception data Classroom observation Conversations with principals and district office Reviewing scores, schedules, program, etc. Conversations with focus groups – Extended Learning Time – Challenging, Engaging and Relevant Learning Opportunities – Teaming – Teaching Assistants – Student – Parent – District Administration

Collaboration A Iroquois/VA Shared Decision Making Team (SDM) acted us to plan the consult and acted as a faculty liaison group. -Helped to recruit for focus groups - Helped to word the surveys and analyze results. - Communicated questions and concerns - Shared information at faculty and PTO meetings.

Where are we now? We met from July with Annette Fante and a combination of 26 teachers and administrators. - Interpreted student, parent and faculty survey trends. - Discussed common values related to middle level education and change theory. - Identified emerging topics for improvement based upon data from year 1. #16 Letter Outlining Outcomes From the July 2011 Visit #17 Consultant Progress Report

What are we most excited about as school leaders? The opportunity to “dream big” and look at all aspects of our program. The opportunity for dialogue and PD specifically geared towards the middle level. The opportunity to work with nationally recognized middle level experts. Working towards a shared vision with our faculty and staff. Building something that improves learning, opportunities and support for students.

MS Review Timeline January 2010 Start of MS Review September 13 &15, 2010 Consultant Interviews January 17, 2011 Consultant Visit #3 October 25, 2010 SDM Meeting November 15, 2010 Consultant Visit #1 January 4, 2011 Skype with Annette Fante. December 6-8, 2010 Consultant Visit #2 January 25, 2011 Marzano Survey Distributed Continue

MS Review Timeline January 26, 2011 SDM Meeting February 7, 2011 Consultant Visit #4 June 23, 2011 Discussion with Dr. Shea April 4, 2011 Consultant Visit #5 April 27, 2011 SDM Meeting June 8, 2011 SDM with Dr. Shea. May 11,2011 Building SDM Meetings July 25, 2011 Consultant Visit #6

MS Review Begins January 22, 2010 First discussions regarding middle school review and working with consultants.

Interviews September 13 & 15, 2010 Skype interviews with those submitting proposals. Committee of Dr. Shea, principals and teachers from both buildings. Annette Fante emerged as the committee’s unanimous top candidate. Back to Timeline #1 and #2- RFP and Proposal from Jack and Annette.

September 20, 2011 SDM Meeting Updated the SDM on the interviews with RFP responders. Discussed the basic timeline for preliminary work with consultants. Discussed SDM’s role in working through the middle school review process. Planned an update to be given at the next faculty meeting.

October 20, 2011 Skype w/Annette Fante Set dates for visits through school year. Agreed upon walk through tool for classroom observations. Agreed upon team planning observation/data gathering rubric. Planned for introduction of Annette and Jack to MS faculty/staff.

October 21 & 22, 2011 NYSMSA Conference Vicki and Luke attended with 5 teachers and introduced themselves to Jack Berckemeyer. Jack Berckemeyer ran a session on teaming attended by Niskayuna teachers/principals. Jack Berckemeyer does an evening keynote attended by Niskayuna teachers/principals. Back to Timeline NYSMSA Conference Details

October 25, 2011 SDM Meeting Reviewed a calendar for consultant visits. Further discussed the process and the role of SDM in the middle level review. Discussed classroom observations, their intent and answered teacher questions. #4 Memo to faculty regarding classroom observation & #4.5 Walkthrough Tool Back to timeline

November 15, 2011 Consultant Visit #1 Jack Berckemeyer and Annette Fante visited. Introduction/Reception held for faculty and staff in each building. Consultants met with district office and middle level principals. Consultants observed classroom instruction. Back to Timeline #5 Agenda for November Visit

December 2010 Consultant Visit Annette Fante visited and completed… – Observations of classroom instruction – Interviews with district curriculum leaders – Interviews with MS principals Annette and principals reviewed and discussed current master schedule. Back to timeline #6 Agenda for December Visit

January 4, 2011 Skype w/Annette Fante Discussed the ongoing development of survey tools for student and parent perception data with SDM Developed the staff survey based on student/parent surveys Planned for Annette and Jack’s work with focus groups Back to Timeline

January 17, 2011 Consultant Visit #3 Jack Berckemeyer visited – Completed observations and conversations with middle school teams. Back to Timeline

January 25, 2011 Robert Marzano Survey Distributed Marzano survey distributed to faculty and staff Survey aimed at getting perceptions of curriculum and instruction at the middle level. Back to Timeline #7 Marzano Survey

January 26, 2011 SDM Meeting Back to Timeline #8 Parent Survey and #9 Student Survey Finalized wording of student/parent surveys before they open

February 7, 2011 Consultant Visit #4 Annette Fante visited Faculty and staff took part in a “fishbowl” discussion based on previous readings. Annette completed additional classroom observations. Back to Timeline #10 Articles used as the basis for fishbowl conversation

February 23, 2011 Skype w/Annette Fante Back to Timeline #11 Focus Group Process Followed up on the February visit. Discussed ongoing communication with staff. Planned for focus group topics and process.

March 2011 Student and Parent Surveys Parent surveys opened and posted on each school’s website. Student surveys administered to all students during the school day. Sent a letter regarding the parent survey to all middle school families. Back to Timeline #8 Parent Survey and #9 Student Survey

March 7, 2011 SDM Meeting Gave SMD an update on parent and student survey participation. Planned for consultant’s work with focus groups. Back to Timeline

April 2011 Faculty/Staff Survey Faculty and staff survey opened. Questions designed to provide similar information to that of the parent and student surveys. Survey posted in each school’s staff area. Back to Timeline #9.5 Staff Survey

April 5-7, 2011 Consultant Visit #5 Jack Berckemeyer and Annette Fante visited. Attended a BOE dinner. Consultants completed… – Meetings with focus groups – Observations of before school music rehearsals – Final team observations – Strategic planning with principals and Dr. Shea. Back to Timeline #12 Faculty Letter and #13 Agenda for April Visit

April 27, 2011 SDM Meeting Back to Timeline Began reviewing response data from student and parent perception surveys

May 11, 2011 SDM Meeting Meetings held at VA and Iroquois to review building-specific survey data. Back to Timeline

June 8, 2011 SDM Meeting Dr. Shea attended SDM meeting. Discussed the MS review in regards to… – Transition to a new Superintendent – Budget – Possibility of summer work. Back to Timeline

June 23, 2011 Discussion of MS Review We were informed that the study will continue for – This included the opportunity to get together this summer to discuss program and scheduling. Back to Timeline

July 25-27, 2011 Consultant Visit #6 Annette Fante met with a group of teacher, principal and director volunteers. Discussed middle level philosophy and values. Discussed change theory. Reviewed sample schedules. Worked in smaller focus groups to articulate basic values/commitments for future use. Back to Timeline #14 Agenda for July 2011 Consultant Visit, #15 Powerpoint & #16 Letter Outlining Outcomes From the July 2011 Visit.

Resources Niskayuna Middle School Review The link above includes documents from the middle school review process. Scroll down to the bottom of the page for links to middle level information, regulations, research and professional organizations, etc.