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Village School
Comprehensive School Plan
Finalized and Adopted: May 2011
Focus Area: Improving Academic Performance
Rationale: The members of Village School recognize that society needs educated, active citizens who can communicate clearly, employ technology, have a bank of knowledge and skills, and can use higher order thinking. This frames the direction for this focus area, which attends to raising the academic performance of all our students. It demands consistency and high quality in curriculum, instruction, and assessment across classrooms, as well as across the district. Given this, it is our mission to develop curriculum, instruction, and assessment that enable high quality, continuous progress for all students.
Goal: To improve our understanding and expectations of best practices in curriculum, instruction and assessment relative to K-2 / 3-5 development and academic achievement, as measured by standardized test data and classroom-based assessments.
Objectives:
1. All professional staff will be proficient in the interpretation and integration of data to inform their instructional practice. K-5 professional development calendar will include opportunities to allow time for staff to do this after data release periods and will provide professional development as needed. (DIBELS, CBM, NWEA-MAP, NECAP, MEA, etc.)
2. Professional development opportunities will be afforded to promote a learning cycle that allows reflection, dialogue, inquiry and action with open and clear communication.
3. All staff (Teachers, Ed Techs, other support staff) will refine their personal skill sets and knowledge base regarding instruction, assessment, and use of performance data in order to ensure appropriate progress toward the district reading and math goal (percentage reading and doing math on grade level as determined by standardized test scores.
4. All staff (Teachers, Ed Techs, other support staff) will be proficient in their use of new Common Core Standards in Reading and Math for the purposes of instruction, assessment and reporting.
5. All staff (Teachers, Ed Techs, other support staff) will become proficient in the use of technology to enhance their work with students and data, as well as seek continued opportunities to foster authentic technology integration within the realm of instructional practice.
Focus Area: Developmental Needs
Rationale: As an inclusive community, Village School is committed to attending to the whole child. This means that areas of emotional, social, and academic development are considered when planning for school experiences. We believe that individual students inherently have multiple intelligences and attach more meaning to their learning when it has personal significance. The teaching of real-life problem-solving skills empowers students to take responsibility for their own learning while respecting othersí learning. Attention to this focus area enables students to acquire the resources to confront situations, reflect upon them, and grow as a result. It is important for our students to have experiences that will nurture complex thinking, quality production, community contributions, collaborative
work, and self-directedness in a developmentally appropriate manner. Given this, it is our mission to create opportunities for staff and students to gain understanding of, and attend to, the cognitive, social, and emotional needs of learners in grades K-5, so that each child is aware of who they are as a learner and realize a connection to the school community.
Goal: To have a school that supports the cognitive, social and emotional needs of all learners.
Objectives:
1. Both adults and students understand the developmental stages and needs of each age group, as part of a developmental continuum.
2. Promote a focus through directed frameworks and activities on getting to know students as individuals and attending to the whole child through enhanced character development and connections to the Code of Conduct.
3. Create opportunities for shared learning experiences within and between grades (through role modeling and planned activities), as well as community-oriented events that foster a greater sense of togetherness.
4. Village School members create and share a culture based in mutual respect and compassion for all as a community of learners (adult and children), balancing our work within frameworks of student supports (RTI, Classroom and School-Wide Behavioral Supports, etc.) that are anchored to our vision and mission.
Focus Area: Community Relations
Rationale: While we consider Village School to be a community in and of itself, we understand that building relationships with the parent community and the community at large is important and serves multiple purposes. Village School believes that clear communication with the parent community fosters a strong home-school link. This is critical for conveying the concepts that school is important and that learning does not cease at the end of the school day. We also believe that frequent and clear communication of school events and initiatives will foster greater community support. Given this, it is our mission to foster and maintain community relations.
Goal: Broaden communication across our parent community and community at large.
Objectives:
- Foster a designed comprehensive information system that keeps everyone informed and involved in terms of an increased understanding of curriculum, instruction and assessment practices at Village School.
- Standards-based curriculum, instruction, assessment, and reporting system
- Understanding standardized assessment data and implications (DIBELS, CBM, NECAP, NWEA, MEA, RTI)
- All Village School parents and staff members will have increased opportunities for authentic learning, community service projects, enhancing access to community resources, program reviews and social activities created to foster and expand home to school connections (including consistent and frequent communication between home and school).
- Seek continued opportunities to expand our inclusion of volunteers, community resources and non-involved parents into the work of our school.
Focus Area: Adult Development
Rationale: This focus area attends to the art and technology of teaching and learning. It enables the adults in our school community to keep “learning about learning.” We are committed to enriching our school environment by supporting adult learning in a focused manner. It is believed that the more we know, the greater benefit it is to our students. Adults engage in ways to gain knowledge and understandings about theory content and practice. Given this, it is our mission to enable and encourage on-going professional development.
Goal: To insure relevant and high-quality professional development (skill acquisition and deeper understanding.)
Objectives:
- K-5 School Leadership, in conjunction with K-5 Leadership and staff, will create a professional development plan to support all staff in all new initiatives and ongoing work (see Focus Area: Improving Academic Performance) to include:
- Instructional Best Practice (Reading, Writing, Math and Content Areas - Social Studies and Science)
- Culture and Climate Building
- Writing
- RTI Tier 1 (Socio-Emotional) Implementation / Interventions / Differentiation
- Professional Development Study Teams
- Reading Street / Everyday Math / Standards Based Reporting
- Personal Technology Proficiency / Technology Integration within the classroom
- 90% Goal - Reading Street / Literacy & Everyday Math / Math Instruction
- Assessment Reflections
- Professional time for VPA Specialists to work together
(See appendix - K-5 Professional Development Planning 2011-2012)
- Create a culture of shared accountability (individual and collective) and analysis using inquiry that involves reflection, dialogue, inquiry and action, thus engaging all as colleagues within a greater community of learners.
Focus Area: Wellness
Rationale: This focus area highlights the importance of building relationships within our school community. We work toward creating a sense of community within our school where children and adults engage in positive interaction and communication. We find it imperative that our school community members share a feeling of belonging and purpose. Given this, it is our mission to promote personalization among staff and students to enhance school climate.
Goal: Each member of the Village School Community will feel safe, respected and accepted.
Objectives:
1. Provide time and continue to expand student and adult wellness opportunities to enhance student growth and connections, as well as to meld us as a group.
2. Promote involvement of stakeholders in decision making, as well as shared opportunities to lead, improve teaching and learning, and responsibilities for the implementation of our decisions, initiatives and agreements.
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