Rich Township Coalition for Better Schools: 2013-08-04

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District 227's Continuous Improvement Process for School Year 2013-2014: Draft

In our efforts at school district turn-around, we look forward to your continued input, contribution, and support in getting the job done. We would like to pay special thanks and tribute to the many individuals, educational consultants, Principals, parents, teachers, community leaders, and community organization representatives in attendance. The following individuals attended our second meeting on July 31, 2013 and took part in the deliberations and feedback. We apologize for any missed attendees and committee members not listed or those whose names were missed or who may not have signed in on the attendance sheet.

Dr. Doris Langon, Dr. David Morgan, Mrs. Cynthia Hudson, Dr. Larry Thomas, Mrs. Cheryl Coleman, Dr. Stephen Jones, Ms. Cynthia Butler, Mrs. Venesa Woods, Mrs. Ilene Waite, Mrs. Mary Brown, Mrs. Gail Burks, Dr. Olliver Taffe, Mrs. Robena Morgan, Ms. Shelia McCray, Mrs. Julie Grohn, Ms. Lakeisha Keenon, Mr. Nate Grant, Mr. Michael Robinson, Mrs. Karen "Penny" Kerr, Mr. Vincent Ashley, Ms. Shalonda Redfield, Mr. Anthony Wood, Ms. Arrie Christian, Dr. Theresa Dixon, Dr. Herbert Ellis, Dr. Leonard Fourte, Mr. Edward J. Johnson, Mr. Danny Tolliver, Mrs. Renee Felker, Mr. Terrance Felker, Mr. Fulton Nolen Jr., Mrs. Cynthia Hudson, Mrs. Cheryl Mallard, Ms. Nicole McMorris, Ms. Deidre Richie, Mrs. Cheryl Rutherford, Ms. Yolanda Williams, Mr. Clifton Graham Jr., Mr. Reginald Walker, Ms. Bev Thomas, Ms. Hattie Bender, Ms. Chipporah Hightower

In our efforts at district-turn-around, we expect more district participation at our next August 14, 2013 meeting at 6:00 p.m. We look forward to your continued input, feedback, and support. Without community participation and support, we cannot win. With it, we cannot fail.

(1) RTTT2 (Race To The Top) SOW (Score of Work for School Year 2013-2014)

(2) C111: The District and its three high schools will have an aligned Vision/Mission

Statement that supports a learning environment which is emotionally safe and

conducive to learning.

(3) RT3 Expectation: The District will implement the State-Approved Survey of

Learning Conditions

(4) Plan: The District will implement and establish feedback based upon State

Approved Survey of Learning conditions on a continuous basis with stakeholders

(5) Status: Partial Development/Implementation

(6) C111: Increase the District's performance ratings scores on the 2013 Survey of

Learning Conditions.

Five Essential Components of organization and climate related to improving our three high schools: (1) Ambitious Instruction, Neutral. (2) Effective Leaders, Neutral. (3) Collaborative Teachers, Weak. (4) Involved Families, Weak. and (5) Supportive Environment, Weak. The keywork of school boards is governance to improve student achievement levels.

THE ROLE OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT IN CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
ROLE OF SCHOOL BOARD	ROLE OF SUPERINTENDENT
1. Follows a regular process to review student achievement data to ensure continuous improvement	1-A. Recommends to the board a process for continuous improvement. 1-B. Sets and reviews benchmarks and performance indicators that demonstrate student progress related to the district's strategic plan and standards. 1-C. Provide clear analysis of relevant data related to student achievement. 1-D. Seeks input from professional staff on changes needed to strengthen instructional programs. 1-E. Recommends changes to instructional program indicated by data and sfaff input.
2. Take part in training on principles of continuous improvement including use of data and customer focus.	2-A. Schedules training on principles of continuous improvement and participaton with the board. 2-B. Assures ongoing training for all employees on principles of continuous improvement. 2-C. Assures professional development to build understanding of information provided by data and to encourage staff participation in needed changes.
3. Participates in work sessions to better understand needed changes in curriculum and instruction based on related data.	3-A. Presents information to the board on needed curriculum instruction changes. 3-B. Explains data to support recommended changes.
4. Provides funding for continuous improvement.	4-A. Reviews curriculum and instruction plans and costs as part of the board's budget planning. 4-B. Presents budget recommendations to the board on resources needed for continuous improvement.
5. Adopts board policies that supports continuous improvement.	5-A. recommends policies needed to support continuous improvement efforts. 5-B. Conducts periodic review with the board to identify ( or review 4 to 5 week assessments) additional policies needed or to revise existing ones.
6. Supports publicly and communicates the value of continuous improvement to the community.	6-A. Communicates the process and results of the district's continuous improvement efforts to key stakeholders as part of the district's communications plan. 6-B. Communicates both proposed and approved curriculum and instruction changes to stakeholders affected, such as students, staff, and parents.
From: The Key Work of School Boards.

School improvement is challenging work. In the situation we are in today, it also requires a continuous formative/evaluation/accountability/monthly-board-superintendent-planning-meeting process with such essentials and administration-action steps involved in board-superintendent-principals-administrative-staff-involvement in MANAGEMENT BY WALKING AROUND. Without observation and real management by walking around time to observe strengths and challenges in multiple areas or with lack of an effective framework in continuous evaluation measures, continuous improvement and data-driven accountability, District 227 has struggled to improve. Researchers at the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research have defined the five essential district 227 areas of organization and climate related to school improvement. The University of Chicago researchers maintained, with compelling evidence, that schools strong on these 5 Essentials are more likely to:

(1) Improve student learning and attendance year after year

(2) Graduate students from high school better prepared for college or

careers

(3) Improved student ACT and PSAE scores

(4) Get students into college; and

(5) Keep their teachers

Schools in Rich Township High Schools completed the five essentials school surveys and the data indicates that District 227 is not yet organized showing weak to neutral in the following essential areas: (1) Ambitious Instruction: Classes are challenging and engaging. (Neutral). (2) Effective Leaders: Principals and teachers implement a shared vision for success (Neutral) (3) Collaborative Teachers: Teachers collaborate to promote professional growth (Weak). (4) Involved Families: The entire staff builds strong external relationships (Weak). (5) Supportive Environment: The school is safe, demanding, and supportive. (Weak)

Our Evaluation/Accountability Planning Committee's future meeting dates and times are as follows: (1) Wednesday, August 14, 2013 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. (2) Wednesday, August 28, from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. In creating the future and in our strategic planning for school district 227, we thank you again for attending our school improvement sessions. We look forward to your continued participation and feedback in our community's continued school improvement initiative toward completing addressing these five essentials of school improvement with community participation and feedback.

Every school board and school district must recognize the importance of supportive and involved parents and community. School boards that involve the broader citizenry through effective community engagement activities have had the greatest success in garnering broad support for the five school improvement essentials. School-community-collaboration-engagement can generate and bring into schools additional social, emotional, and experiential resources that can raise student achievement performance to new heights unattainable by superintendent, principals, and teachers working alone.

VISION WITHOUT ACTION IS MERELY A DREAM. ACTION WITHOUT VISION JUST PASSES THE TIME. VISION WITH ACTION CAN CHANGE THE WORLD. VISION IS NOT ABOUT WHAT WE ARE, BUT WHAT WE WANT TO BECOME.

RICH THSD 2013 SURVEY OF LEARNING CONDITIONS: FEEDBACK AND RESULTS FROM OUR COMMUNITY'S CONTINUOUS EVALUATION / PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING ON JULY 31, 2013 ADDRESSING THE UNIVERSITY OF CHIAGO'S RESEARCHERS 5 ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS FOR SCHOOL SUCCESS.

5 ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS FOR SCHOOL SUCCESS	(1) AMBITIOUS INSTRUCTION		(2)EFFECTIVE LEADERS	(3) COLLABORATIVE TEACHERS	(4)INVOLVED FAMILIES	(5) SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT
PERFORMANCE SCORE	NEUTRAL 42		NEUTRAL 44	WEAK 27	WEAK 38	WEAK 33

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS: GROUP I	Ms. Lightfoot: 8/14/13 Meeting Focus: Supportive environment Indicator: School-Wide Future Orientation
	227 COMMUNITY'S RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
GROUP II	Ms. Falkner: Meeting Focus Supportive Environment Indicator: School-Wide Future Orientation

SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT	HOW CAN WE SUPPORT TEACHERS IN helping THEM SUPPORT STUDENTS' ACHIEVING ACADEMIC GOAL?
WEAK	1. Staff Development 2. Determined by Teacher needs and cultural diversity. 3. Peer to Peer Interaction. 4. Teacher Questionnaires for feedback
1	Determine what is and what is not working (PLC). Teachers share best practices techniques/methods in attempting to help students succeed . Assess, determine, and discuss whether they were successful based upon the data and student success.
2	Frequent celebrations of excellence and academic improvement.
3	District website addresses students' planning for ife after-graduation-careers, professional development for counselors, classroom computer technology for 21st century instruction.
4	Life goal planning sessions.
WEAK	HOW CAN WE ENHANCE STUDENT SAFETY IN SCHOOL?
1	Crisis Plans/Drills
2	Increase armed security at main entrance of schools
3	Hall Monitors, All stakeholders wear ID's at all times. Specific and enforced consequences for not wearing ID's, Situational issues In-School Consequences
4	Volunteer Hall Monitors, Follow Daily Schedule of Expectations, Follow Daily Schedule of Expectations, Tinley Background checks, Safety Meeting with all students
WEAK	SUPPORTIVE ENNVIRONMENT: AROUND SCHOOL
	Closed school campus, Students remain in building with no external lunch periods.
1	Increased adult visibility, Safe school zone enforcement, Intergovernmental Crisis Plans/Drill,
WEAK	TRAVELING TO/FROM SCHOOL
1	Door to Door Safety, Intergovernmental Agreements regards Student incidents, Community safe Page,
2	Around School: How can we increase the level of mutual trust and respect between students and teachers?
3	Respect and trust must be reciprocal. All leaders must practice "MANAGEMENT BY WALKING AROUND" and monitor staff accountability and responsibility.
	INVOLVED FAMILIES AND GROUPS
1	Identify Key Strategies, Identify Key Strategies, initiatives, Pilot Programs to increase our weak (38) Involved Families performance rating.
RICH THSD 2013 SURVEY OF LEARNING CONDITIONS: RESULTS 5 ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS (CONT)
CHANGE THE CLIMATE		Communicate to the community that we welcome, value parent involvement, use a common language, express how we value their time and input
COMMUNICATE COLLEGE GOALS WITH PARENTS		Increase parent-teacher interaction time, Embrace parents and the community, Address ways to remove barriers, Communicate not only when there are behavior problems, Partner parents with staff/teachers/ school-community, Tap parents' talents, Volunteer programs, invite parents to Special Programs, Invite family to Special Programs.
CHANGE THE CLIMATE		Invite families to Special Programs, Be visible in the community, Survey kids regarding what they want, change language around, ID's, Assign a teacher to one or 2 parents, Plan coffee meetings.