1. School Improvement Highlights 2010-2011
Chowan Middle School
School Improvement Highlights

2. Overview of Goals (Student Learning Goals)
By 2011, 75% of students in grades 6-8 will perform at a proficient level on writing assessments correlated to state accountability standards.
Each subgroup will meet AYP in reading and math as measured by No Child Left Behind.
The percentage of students in each grade level meeting their individual expected growth in reading and math will meet the standard of “high growth as measured by the NC Accountability Standards.
The question mark/exclamation point represents the inconsistency in the way writing has been measured over the past several years. Writing has been a moving target for us since It has been measured differently each year. We are continuing to implement writing across the curriculum and continuing to score it using the state rubric. All three grade levels will be doing that this year through the moodle provided by the state. By the measurements currently used, we have improved our writing scores to well over 50% in all three grade levels but we have not yet hit the 75% mark.
The up and down arrow for AYP represents the fact that we met AYP our first year of this plan but we did not meet AYP last year. We missed it in the area of math with students of disability and our black subgroups although we improved marginally in both areas by 1 to 3%.
The area that we are probably the most proud of in our SIP is that of student growth. For three years in a row we have achieved high growth as a school which means that at least 60% of our students are meeting or exceeding their individual growth targets. This means we are moving them closer to proficiency. Not only did we meet high growth last year as a whole in reading and math, but we also met it in each grade and subject area except for two and those two were three or less percentile points away from that 60% mark.

3. Overview of Goals (Organizational Effectiveness Goals)
The total number of instructional hours lost annually due to inappropriate behavior will be less than 5,000. (Hours = Days x 6)
90% of the faculty and staff will respond positively to questions regarding working conditions and school climate on the annual surveys.
90% of the students will respond positively to questions on the annual safety and climate surveys related to feeling safe at school and being contributing members of the school community.
Our first goal was developed two years ago because of the philosophy that our school has embraced about teaching students. We believe that in order to teach the students, they have to be present in our classes. It is our job to make sure we keep them there to the best of our ability while maintaining an environment that is conducive to learning. We put in many strategies in order to make this happen which have been projects in previous school improvement plans. We have proudly met this goal with 3,777 hours. When we first wrote this goal back at the end of , those instructional hours missed were in excess of 15,000. We decreased our out of school suspensions from 101 at the end of 2008 when we wrote these goals to 45 last year.
CMS will improve the atmosphere of trust and mutual respect that promotes the creation of and adherence to a shared vision. We met that mark with in every area of our staff community building survey – 5 questions all 90% or above and 4 of those five 95% or above. The number of teachers who strongly agreed also increased significantly in each of those five questions. We also met this goal in the Teaching Working Conditions Survey. This was measured by 5 questions each of which received a 94.7% or higher rating and greatly exceeded the state average for those questions.
CMS will increase students’ perceptions of safety and school engagement. Notice that the bullet here is an arrow pointing upwards indicating that we made progress in this goal but did not meet the goal entirely. We met the 90% mark in 2 of the 4 areas measured. We were 91% in students feeling safe at school and 93% in students feeling like they had a choice in activities. We improved from 43% to 66% in the area of students feeling like they are involved in the planning of school activities and from 70% to 80% in the area where they feel they can find an activity that matches their interest.

4. How Far Have We come? Perf. Composite: 61.53% Reading (All): 48.48%
At the end of 2008…………..
At the end of 2010………………
Perf. Composite: %
Reading (All): %
White: 66%
Black: 27.8%
SWD: 19.2%
ED: 32.3%
Perf. Composite: 76.6%
Reading (All): 70.3%
White: 82.9%
Black: 55.1%
SWD: 50%
ED: 57.9%
How Far Have We come?
This plan originated/was developed at the end of the school year. At the end of that academic year,

5. How Far Have We come? Math (All): 65.1% White: 78.9% Black: 47.3%
At the end of 2008…………..
At the end of 2010………………
Math (All): 65.1%
White: 78.9%
Black: 47.3%
SWD: 33.3%
ED: 50.9%
Math (All): 84.8%
White: 93.8%
Black: 74.2%
SWD: 65.5%
ED: 77.9%
How Far Have We come?

6. So what does it all mean?
Though we have made great gains, met or exceeded the state average in almost every grade and subject area, and are proud of our growth – we know that we have so much more to do.
Currently, our teachers are systematically analyzing many data sources in regards to student achievement to determine what are greatest opportunities to improve are and during the second semester will be analyzing our data in regards to the organizational effectiveness of our school to determine the same thing. We are using EVAAS data, testing data, profile data, survey data, discipline data, and data from our current goal analysis to uncover our biggest weaknesses. From there will be write new goals that will challenge us to continue to grow and help our students become more and more successful and prepared for the high school and ultimately life.

7. CMS Learning Team Plan
1. Analyze EVAAS data and its classroom implications
2. Develop professional level knowledge of formative assessment
3. Isolate essential standards and write formative assessment plans
Our LT plan has three phases. The first phase led my Mrs. Turner engaged teachers in analyzing the EVAAS data of their students. All teachers manipulated the data and produced their own reports unique to their classes. Teachers of non-tested subjects now have reading and math data to help them know even more about their students and plan their lessons. Now in the second phase, CMS learning teams delve into NC FALCON, North Carolina’s Formative Assessment Learning Community’s Online Network. Each team is following a step by step guide through the moodle that allows for natural discussion and collaboration as they develop their knowledge of formative assessment together. The final phase will focus on writing clear learning targets and creating formative assessment plans for teacher selected essential objectives. These FA plans can then be taken to vertical curriculum teams for alignment purposes and feedback. These groups will also offer assistance to any teams that may be struggling with this new way of looking at the objectives.

8. Laying the Foundation and Learning Together
The state of NC has adopted what they are calling the comprehensive balanced assessment system. Formative Assessment forms the foundation at the classroom and school level, with Benchmark and Statewide Assessments still unknown. As we prepare for the changes that are to come, whatever they may be, Chowan Middle is laying the foundation by learning together as a professional learning community.

9. Development of Honor Math Classes in all Grade Levels
6th Grade: Math Games and
Activities Club
7th Grade: Advanced Math classes
8th Grade: Algebra 1
Members will participate in math related activities and games, such as geocaching, code breaking, string art, etc.

10. Development of Vertical Teaming by Content Area
Vertical Alignment
Expand Learning Targets of New
Teacher Evaluation System
Review samples of Reading in
Content Area
Grade to Grade – CMS to JAH
Thinking Maps, NCSCOS, Professional Development Opportunities, Teacher Observations
Grammar Learning Targets for benchmarks
Grant discussions – math/science
Common vocabulary
Essential Skills
Create vertical planning handbook

11. Technology Moving Forward …..
Learning Station
Laptop
LCD Projector
Document Camera

12. Technology Moving Forward
Mobi
Classroom Performance System (CPS or Clickers)
IR & Pulse
Teen Read Week

13. PBIS at CMS
CELEBRATE!!!
CELEBRATE!!!
CMS earned designation as an Exemplar School awarded by the North Carolina Positive Intervention and Support Initiative’s Annual Recognition.

14. PBIS Proud of a Downward Turn
DATA HIGHLIGHTS:
Since PBIS start in there has been a 58.5% drop in referrals
This equals a drop of 277 referrals and a gain of 4080 more instructional hours in the classroom.

15. PBIS Data Makes a Difference
Core Zero (club day)
Moved from Tuesdays at 8:20 to Fridays at 2:05
Discipline problems were higher on Tuesdays because of the transitions on Core Zero days.
The Core Zero move to Friday seems to be working great!
Celebrations more frequent
Team celebrations are held every 3 weeks which fills in the gap between School Wide Celebrations each 9 weeks.

16. PBIS Celebrates Success!
New for this year:
Celebrating staff members earning advanced degrees
Adding a recognition of Support Staff person of the year.
PTA is supporting us with incentives for our celebrations and providing ways to use reward “tickets” (Christmas store & game stations)
Celebrate student’s positive behavior rewards with school wide drawings that students can enter every 3 weeks.
Working more intently with the top tier students with the most referrals early in the first 9 weeks with behavior contracts and referrals to our Behavior Specialist.