1. STUDENT-CENTERED SUPPORT SERVICES
J.E.Hill-Sampson L. Freedman Middle School School District of Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA
Introduction of presenters
Diane E. Hathaway, Principal Aliya Catanch-Bradley, Literacy Coach
Pamela T. Anderson, Learning Support Teacher

2. J.E.Hill-Sampson L. Freedman Middle School “Be Proactive”
School Type - Magnet
Size Students
Geographic Location - Urban School in Philadelphia
Assessments - Terra Nova, PSSA, Gates, WRAP, Star Reading/Math, Benchmark Assessment
Other - Special Needs Population, Early Childhood Population
1.Sean Covey’s Seven Habits, foundation of Hill School and will be the framework of this presentation
2.Intimate school setting
3.Special Needs - MDS,AS,LS,GS

3. School District of Philadelphia “Be Proactive”
270 Schools - Twelve Geographic Regions
180,000+ Students
12,000+ Teachers
State takeover in December 2001/SRC
PSSA gains in scores have been increasing or have been maintained
Reform initiatives yield positive impact
1.Dramatic variations from school to school and classroom to classroom in practice around teaching to standards
2. Challenge of explicit alignment of what is taught and what is tested;No classroom level guide to teaching to proficiency
3. The percentage of all students scoring advanced/proficient in math increased from 19.5 percent to 42.5 percent or an outstanding 23 percentage point gain between 2002 and 2006, even though the number of students tested increased substantially. In turn, the percentage of students scoring below basic in math dropped 19.8 percentage points, from 59.2 percent to 39.4 percent. In reading, the number of students scoring advanced/proficient increased 13.7 percentage points, from 23.9 percent in 2002 to 37.6 percent in The comparable drop in students scoring below basic is 13.6 percentage points, from 49.4 percent in 2002 to 35.8 percent in 2006.
4. The lesson that can be inferred from looking at trends in all student scores is that the reform initiatives of the past four years including the standardized curriculum, increased time on task, extensive Extended Day/Extended Year programs, and intensive professional development for teachers have positively impacted all grade levels.

4. Varied Instructional Ability Levels Lack of Unified Curriculum
Challenges of Meeting a Child-Centered Environment
“Be Proactive”
Lack of Resources
Varied Instructional Ability Levels
Lack of Unified Curriculum
Parent Education
Student Work Ethic
Communicating Data
1.“BE PROACTIVE” We can control only one thing…how we respond to what happens to us…Proactive people make choices based on principles
2.Financial, social and human lack of resources.Meeting the educational needs of children requires principles, teachers, staff and parents to make respond and make choices using research-based tools and apply that research to instruction which will make a significant difference for all children. Favorably the art of teaching and meeting the educational needs of students has transcended into practice the science of teaching
3.Authors of “Classroom Instruction that works” sites that researcher Larry Hedges’ overall conclusion and recommendation for educators is to look for general trends in the findings from research studies and composite results of those findings should be considered the best estimate of what is known about the topic. In other words, scientifically for what will possibly work to meet the needs of students.
4.Parents not necessarily equipped with skills and abilities to meet educational goals.
5.Apathy and disenfranchisement…Students not accustomed to working rigorously
6.Data drives instruction, however there was lack of communication between teachers’, administrators’ effective use of data

5. Core Curriculum “Be Proactive”
Need for Equity and Coherence
Provides Alignment
Detailed, Prescriptive: What, How, When
Six Week Chunks/PSSA Checkpoints in Week 2 and 4
Benchmark Assessment and Analysis in Week 5 Remediation, Enrichment, Re-teaching in Week 6
1. Based on research out of CGSC and realities of urban education
2.Highly transient student population (Up to 35%), Hard to staff schools…significant influx on new teachers yearly
3.Variation in school leadership quality…need for communities of common practice
4.Benchmark Assessment results back by the end of week 5…review of data: Benchmark item analysis, PSSA check point analysis, other assessments,Benchmark analysis protocols
5.Revision in instructional practice-Remediation, enrichment, re-teaching in week 6 via Teacher Protocol (see attachment) .

6. Assessment “Begin with the End in Mind”
Baseline data to assess varied ability levels
SchoolNet
Principal dashboard
Communicating data
Student self-monitoring
1.“Begin with the end in mind” Rigor in executing the process,Getting organized “where are we beginning?Planning for what’s important
2.Students transfer in from 26 different schools, need for baseline data-Star Reading/Math..Report Card Data
3. IMS- Information Management System/a customized, immediate desktop access to support data-driven decision making, Schoolnet provides a suite of solutions acts as a catalyst for performance improvement
(PSSA,Benchmarks,TerraNova/Supera)Benchmark Data Protocols, Intervention, Tagging Saved, Disaggregated reports Insight for School Improvement,Teacher PagesFamilyNet ,Online Lessons Plans,Online Curriculum ,Digital Textbooks District Wide PD,PD Planner
4.Dashboard gives principals a snapshot of their school
5.Important to communicate and share data, Increased Use of Data in Instruction,Data dialogue,Regions using data templates and teams to review data to provide remediation and targeted instruction in the classroom…Access to IMS has increased based on Phased roll-out and PD ,Coaches, principals and teachers use results from IMS to assist in further instruction in the class room,Using and sharing data in grade group and subject meetings to analyze and redirect instruction,On-line grade book, assessment sent to parent, parent access SchoolNet data
5.Student portfolio reviews each report period. Students also analyze their own data reflect and set goals for the next report period.

7. Crossing the Digital Divide “First Things First”
Bridging the Achievement Gap
Modeling and Exposure to Excellence
Enhance Instruction
Remediation, Review and Enrichment
Powerful Twenty-First Century Tools
Bridging the gap - large percentage of minorities that lack technology, large percentage of students that graduate from School District of Philadelphia lacking profanely in Reading and Math
Modeling Excellence - distance learning Assoc. of Supervision and Curriculum Development and United Streaming
Enhanced Instruction - laptops, online grade book, online lesson plans, trumba calendar
Remediation, Review and Enrichment - showcase of school programs that are used to reach all students
Powerful tools - laptops carts, wireless services, design tech lab, mini labs in each room, ratio of 1 computer for each two students

8. Teacher’s - “The Greatest Resource” Student Experiences
Philadelphia - Our Extended Classroom Promotion of Natural Ability “Think Win-Win”
Teacher’s - “The Greatest Resource”
Student Experiences
Accelerated Program for all Students
Resources of the City
Arts Program
Broad Spectrum of Special Needs Population
“Think WIN-WIN”- Getting along with others;invest in the relationships that make “winning” possible - Trust
1.Sense of community
2.Howard Gardner’s philosophy of multiple intelligences. Provides multiple experiences
4.Arts program (performances) another “model of excellence”.Requires students to communicate, cooperate and perform in excellence which penetrates and transforms skills with academic instructional expectations.
5.Students in special needs programs ranging from autistic support, MDS, LS to GS are provided with challenging programs to meet their needs. Many opportunities for all students to merge and to be included through arts programs
6.Tenacity, dedication and innovation of teachers to meet the needs of all students. Curriculum and instructional designs tailored by teachers provide appealing options to maintain and even motivate students’ desire to learn, and learn exceedingly well.Feinstein suggests that an educator’s task is to curb feelings of inadequacy and promote a sense of mastery in students.

9. The Teenage Brain “Seek First to Understand”
Adolescence is a Pivotal Time
Student Work Ethic
Novelty and Structure
Informed Rules and Guidelines
Instructional Strategies
Diverse Arts and Sports Programs
1.Changes teen experience much determines their character, who they will become…Teaching becomes more global in that preparing students to become productive citizens of society
2.Sheryl Feinstein “Secrets of the Teenage Bran” indicates that the activities teens invest their time/energy in influence what activities they’ll invest in as adults
3.Novelty..but craves structure and organization
4.Adolescents are “emotional creatures”reacting rather than being proactive and preventive, trouble anticipating consequences of their behavior.Programs to foster conformity to rules-Project Wisdom,7 Habits, Outward Bound, Tiered Discipline program

10. Formation of Positive Habits Model for Excellence Goal Setting
Building Community - Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens “Seek First to Understand”
School-Wide
Mission Statements
Formation of Positive Habits
Model for Excellence
Goal Setting
1.Author, Steven Covey/Sean Covey -organizes good habits into seven categories.students are introduced during 6th summer orientation session, then maintained through guidance classes throughout the school year.Work text and premiere agenda book
2.Another vehicle to promote a sense of “can do” for students.The practices of this resource empowers both teachers and students to become “highly successful”.
3-4.Includes personal as well as public practices, positive habits which fosters the development of the whole child.another opportunity for students to learn and demonstrate “communicating, cooperating and performing in excellence”
Goal Setting - key in achieving mission statements. Students must be able to identify what goals are and what is needed to reach them

11. Compensation of Areas of Inherent Disadvantage or Fragility “Synergy”
Students as Stakeholders
Coordinated Student Services
CSAP
Guidance Classes
Medical Services
Students are to be the interrupters of their own data. Students are on the frontline of their data and they are to learn where they are and where they need to be. Students are given the tools to facilitate growth in areas of weakness
Safety net for students includes comprehensive student assistance programs - also a CSAP accessor and licensed social worker
Guidance classes are facilitated by the school counselor and follow the seven habits and project wisdom models.
Big initiative by the SDP- each child must have a physician

12. A Structured/Organized Comprehensive Middle School Program “Synergy”
Ease of transition
Community vs. institution
Student self exploration and development
Support and structure
Feinstein emphasizes that Knowledge about the teenage brain and its unique characteristics should be reflected in how we run schools and classrooms
1.From child brain to adolescent brain from elementary to middle school
2.Nurturing teens’
3.Explore, develop self-identity, express themselves - diversified programs to productively channel and invest their energy and enthusiasm

13. Summary Points “Renewal”
Key Learning's
1. Vision and Leadership are Essential
2. Sense of Community
3. PDSA: Plan, Do, Study, Analyze
Challenges Still Ahead
1. Raising the Bar - Continuing Excellence
2. Continue to be Agents of Change and Renewal
3. Doing More with Less
Learning’s
1.From the principal down, everyone must share the vision…vision from the leadership counts
2. Everyone must contribute their gifts and talents to the team
Everyone must utilize the continual process evoked using the PDSA
Challenges:
Self fulfilling prophecy - fulfilling expectations that we place on ourselves. Once excellence is achieved the greater challenge becomes maintaining the high levels it took to get to that pivotal place
Trend setting and modeling positive change becomes challenging. Not getting “stale”is key
In the midst of budget cuts it is always essential to find the resources and vehicles necessary to do more with less.
Challenges
1.The Continuous Improvement Cycle: (PDSA) Plan:Identify improvement opportunity, collect relevant data and plan the change Do: Implement the change and collect in-process results data Study:Analyze the results Act:Adopt the change, refine the change, or abandon the change
2.Continuous improvement is built with assessment of organizational processes and their relationship to the achievement of desired results
3.Equity…programming, technology, instruction
Financial resources - blended funding