North Reading Middle School School Improvement Plan 2016-2017
I. SCHOOL COUNCIL OVERVIEW The Law: A school council is a representative; school building-based committee composed of the principal, parents, teachers, community members and, at the secondary level, students, required to be established by each school pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 71, Section 59C. North Reading Middle School Council-Mission Statement: It is the role of the North Reading Middle School to regularly meet and assist in the identification of the educational needs of the students attending the NRMS and to subsequently make appropriate recommendations to the principal for the development, implementation, and assessment of the NRMS Improvement Plan. Specifically the Middle School Council will: 1. Adopt educational goals for the school that are consistent with district educational policies and statewide student performance standards. 2. Help to identify the educational needs of students attending the NRMS. 3. Review the annual school building budget. 4. Formulating a school improvement plan. Council Membership: The principal is responsible for establishing the membership of the School Council "pursuant to a representative process approved by the superintendent and school committee," and to define the size and composition of the council. The following stipulations were considered when the middle school council was established: 1. Parents "have parity with professional personnel on the school councils" (read: the number of parent representatives must be equal to the number of teachers who serve on the council plus the principal). 2. "Not more than fifty percent of the council shall be non-school members." "Non-school members" are defined as members who are "other than parents, teachers, students and staff at the school." 3. The membership of school councils "should be broadly representative of the school building and community." 2
School Council Membership: 2015-2016 Catherine L. O Connell Middle School Staff Theresa House and Carla Lister Parent Representatives Collen Menis and Leslie Schultz Community Representative: Nancy Parsons Middle School Council Meetings 2016-2017: All meetings are held at the Middle School in room B33 and are open to the public. The meetings commence at 2:30 pm and end at 3:30 pm. Projected Meeting Dates (2016-2017): October 13 th, November 10 th, December 8 th, January 12 th, February 9 th, March 9 th, April 6 th, May 4 th, and June 8 th. 3
II. SCHOOL PROFILE STAFFING Faculty Ms. Catherine O Connell, Mr. Michael Maloney, Assistant Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Kristin McNiff Cathy Tremblay James Coger Kathleen Brown Kristine Davis Nicholas Damiano Maria Bunten Wayne Schanck Joseph Davis Karen Caruso Theresa House Marc Gorgenyi Michael Leyden Laura Wall Kathryn Jones Helena Meyer Audrey Nicholson Diane Moody Sally Sorrentino Linda Pescione Jessica Lockley Jennifer Novicki Christopher Roofe Jaime Todd Jean Houghton Lacey LaHaie Guidance/School Psychologists Carly Greenstein (Counselor/School Psychologist K-Z) Sylvia Weisz (Counselor/School Psychologist A-L) Special Education Erin Ficociello (Grade 6) Karin Becker (Grade 6) Cathy Stankus (Grade 7) Johanna Callahan (Grade 7) Jeanne Cappuccio (Grade 8) Laura Oliveto (Grade 8) Laurie Blake (Pathways) Heather Driscoll (Speech) Maureen Russell (Reading) Jean Walsh (Reading) Gina Sacco (Connections) 4
General Arts Faculty Susan Musacchio (Technology/Robotics) Charles Osgood (Technology/Robotics) Dana Sinerate (Video Production) Eric Forman (Band) Carla Lister (General Music/Chorus) Maggy Miller (Foreign Language grade 7) Eric Archambault (Physical Education/Health) Melissa Cefali (Physical Education/Health) Gayle Damore (Health) Jessie O Brien (Art) Health Services: Penny Kulakowski, RN Secretarial Staff Maureen Cusolito Janice Martin Paraprofessionals Carol MacHugh (General Paraprofessional) Janet Deshaies (General Paraprofessional) Paula Bugli (SPED Inclusion)) Linda DiMascio (SPED Inclusion) Meghan Dalton (SPED Inclusion) Tracy Stats (SPED Inclusion) Irene Yull (SPED Inclusion) Lori Boyd (SPED Inclusion) Janine Beaudoin (SPED Inclusion) Linda Reynolds (SPED inclusion) Faith Reynolds (SPED inclusion) Erica Beaudoin (SPED inclusion) Shari Riley (SPED inclusion) 5
North Reading Middle School Mission Statement The mission of the North Reading Middle School is to create a safe, supportive, and challenging academic environment for all students to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for success in a rapidly changing world. North Reading Middle School Core Values RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY & COMMUNITY Grade and School Configuration Policies EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM North Reading Middle School houses grades 6 8 with a current student population of 608. Creating smaller schools and taking on a Team Approach are important strategies here in North Reading. We believe that smaller schools and teams offer students the most direct path for forging stable relationships with teachers and peers. In general terms our Team approach has the following characteristics: Provides sufficient team and individual planning time to teachers Allows team teachers the flexibility to adjust students daily schedule while they are on team Designates grade level areas of the building We presently have a School within a School model in grade six comfortably housing grade six in one area of our school. We use the Team Approach in all three-grade levels, actively scheduling students and teachers onto academic teams. There are two teams in each grade. Grade six and seven carry four academic core classes (English, math, science and social studies) with two General Arts offerings per day (six period day) and in similar fashion the grade eight program carries a five academic core class load which includes Foreign Language along with two general arts offerings (seven period day). All three grades operate on separate schedules and as a result we do not ring bells. Class Size Policies Although there is no official class size policy in North Reading we work very hard to keep class size manageable in order to optimize learning. At North Reading Middle School every effort is made to keep class sizes in the content classes below thirty. School Scheduling Method At North Reading Middle School each individual grade has its own unique schedule to accommodate the needs of the students in each grade. In grade six and seven we have created a six period class schedule. In grade eight, the schedule is based on a seven period day as we introduce Foreign Language as the fifth core academic class. The school day starts at 7:55 with all students attending a five-minute homeroom period and the school day ends at 2:21. Students have a twenty five minute lunch period, along with their regular classes. 6
Students are scheduled into classes in the summer of the preceding school year. Each student takes, math, science, social studies, and English as their core academic classes. Eighth graders also have a foreign language, French or Spanish, as part of their academic core of classes. These classes run for the entire year. Additionally, each student has two general arts blocks each day; these classes consist of art, music, health, video production, tech ed., and robotics. In seventh grade students also take an exploratory foreign language class. These classes run for 1 semester. Band and chorus are also offered during the general arts blocks for students who choose to participate in one or both of these offerings. Band and chorus run for the full year. Additionally, all students take physical education for the full year. Teaching Methodology and Structure We believe that instituting a team approach is an important step in developing a positive, supportive and integrated middle grade learning community. Teams within a middle school model enable young adolescents and educators to interact daily on a formal and informal basis. Teams offer students the most direct path for forging stable relationships with teachers and peers. The team provides the support system that young adolescents need in order to foster their intellectual and interpersonal development. Our team approach consists of four or more teachers and the group of students they commonly instruct. Together, teachers on a team-teach all of the core academic subjects. Some of the benefits to the team approach are: Encourages students to form relationships with team of teachers Allows students to see connections between disciplines (integrated curriculum approach) Creates teams of teachers that take ownership of a specific group of students Encourages collaboration and opportunities for teams of teachers to look at student work together and to talk about individual students who need additional support Our team structure consists of a team leader and the content area teachers. For the 2016 2017 school year, the sixth and seventh grade will have two four-person teams. The eighth grade will have two five-person teams. Each team also has a special education teacher and paraprofessional support. Special Education Each grade has 2 special education teachers and 2 para professionals that support students both in and out of the classroom. Each grade also has 2 dedicated learning centers for support that takes place outside of the content classes. Modifications and accommodations are provided to help students access the curriculum to the best of their abilities. Additionally, we have three specialized programs: Pathways, Connections and RISE. These programs are designed to meet the individual needs of the students and are staffed by special education teachers and para professionals. 7
ENROLLMENT 2013-2014 Grade 6-220 Grade 7-221 Grade 8-241 2014-2015 Grade 6-205 Grade 7-220 Grade 8-221 2015-2016 Grade 6-187 Grade 7-207 Grade 8-214 Projected Academic Class Size Data 2016-2017 194 Students- Grade Six 2 Academic Teams (8 content teachers) ELA, Social Studies, Math, Science Approximately 24 students per class 187 Students- Grade Seven 2 Academic Teams (8 content teachers) ELA, Social Studies, Math, Science Approximately 26 students per class 207 Students- Grade Eight 2 Academic Teams (10 content teachers) ELA, Social Studies, Math, Science, Foreign Language Approximately 21 students per class General Arts Classes Physical Education, Health, Music, Video Production, Art, Robotics, Technology, Foreign Language in Grade 7, Chorus & Band Approximately 15-30 students per class 8
III. School Improvement Plan: 2016-2017 North Reading Public School District Mission Statement The North Reading Public Schools provide a safe, supportive, and contemporary learning environment where dedication to excellence, service, and life-long learning is paramount. All students are challenged to work collaboratively and to become creative and critical thinkers. Emphasis is placed on mastering core academic knowledge, developing twenty-first century skills, pursuing individual potential, and fostering citizenship in a global society. North Reading Middle School The mission of North Reading Middle School is to create a safe, supportive, and challenging academic environment for all students to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for success in a rapidly changing world. OVERVIEW It is our belief that to effect lasting change and improvement for our school we need to work towards creating a culture of high expectations that is actively supported by a purposeful community that comes together around a clear focus and does what is needed to accomplish its goals. To this end, we are pleased to publish our School Improvement Plan, 2016-2017. We believe this plan will provide the basis for continuous improvement. We believe that we have incorporated the ideals of all our stakeholders: students, faculty and staff, parents, administration, and community members in this plan. Further we are committed to keeping everyone informed about our school s journey towards high performance. The North Reading Middle School Improvement Plan 2016-2017 has been organized, with our goals, strategies, and expected outcomes around the following three district targeted improvement areas for NRPS 2021: Teaching and Learning Technology Integration Student Support Services 9
Teaching and Learning Goal Statement #1 Continue to reduce the amount of ability grouping for the 2016-2017 school year (NRMS 2.0 recommendation) Group all students in grades 6,7,8 for all subjects by mixed ability except for math. Teachers Classroom instruction will improve Student achievement will improve More equitable approach to teaching and learning Goal Statement #2 Create a video production course (NRPS 2021) Goal Statement #3 Improve the median Student Growth Percentile for mathematics in two of the three grades based on the PARCC data from the spring of 2016. Include a video production course for grades 6,7,8 This course will become a part of our current general arts offerings Data from the 2016 math PARCC scores will be analyzed to determine focus areas for the 2016-2017 school year Teachers Math curriculum leader Math teachers General arts offerings will be enriched Middle school students will use the tv studio More interest from students to continue studying video production in high school Student achievement in mathematics will improve Individual student success plans will be created for all students who fail the math PARCC exam in 2016 Title 1 teacher Analyze the June 2016 i-ready math scores and administer the 10
Goal Statement #4 Improve the climate and culture of the middle school. (NRPS 2021) i-ready assessment to all students in September 2016. Analyze these results. Students who performed poorly on the math PARCC and i- Ready exams in 2016 will be recommended for MTSS math intervention and Title 1 math support Analyze the results from the June 2016 climate survey given to students and staff and share data with leadership team and staff Leadership team Teachers Climate levels in the building will improve Student achievement will improve Attendance will improve Implement a plan in September of 2016 to improve the climate levels based on the data results 11
Technology Integration Goal Statement #1 Continue to follow the district s plan to make instructional technology integral to curriculum, instruction, and assessment Encourage teachers to use available technologies as they develop lesson plans and assessments (i.e. Eno boards, IPads & Google chrome books) Continue to provide ongoing training for teachers to integrate instructional technology into the curriculum by accessing the digital learning specialists Teachers Director of digital learning Digital learning specialists Use of technology in instruction will increase Sharing of best teaching practices incorporating technology will increase Students technology skills will improve Goal Statement #2 Encourage teachers to observe other teachers who are expert at integrating technology into their lessons Increase the usage of our 21 st century learning spaces (Distance learning lab, TV studio, performing arts center and library media center) (NRPS 2021) Regularly promote and encourage the use of these spaces Encourage teachers to coordinate with our digital learning specialists Communication with high school staff around shared use of these spaces Teachers Director of digital learning Digital learning specialists Use of these spaces will increase More opportunities for students to benefit from the use of our 21 st century learning spaces 12
Goal Statement #3 Prepare for the administration of online state assessments (NRPS 2021) Encourage teachers to regularly use the Chrome books for classroom assessments Continue with year 2 of the i-ready online math diagnostic test Teachers Director of digital learning Digital learning specialists More opportunities for students to gain experience taking assessments online Student achievement will improve 13
Student Support Services Goal Statement #1 Continue to implement the Massachusetts Tiered System of Support. (NRMS 2.0 recommendation) (NRPS 2021) Offer 3 sessions of ten (45 minute) academic intervention blocks throughout the year at the end of 1 st, 2 nd and 3 rd quarter Implement a positive behavior intervention support (PBIS) framework focusing on the non-academic needs of students. This will include the creation of a PBIS team Leadership Team MTSS teacher leader PBIS team School Psychologists Teachers Student academic achievement will improve Students emotional well-being will improve Student behavior will improve Utilize the additional school psychologist to help us better meet the social and emotional learning needs of our students Goal Statement #2 Implement year 3 of a social emotional learning curriculum based on current research to better meet the social and emotional learning needs of our students (NRMS 2.0 recommendation) Schedule 10 (45 minute) lessons per year for students to meet with teachers in small groups 12:1 to work on social emotional learning. 8:00 am 8:45 am (extended homeroom blocks) PBIS team Faculty and Staff Student academic achievement will improve Students emotional well-being will improve Student behavior will improve 14
Lessons to be created by the PBIS team Lessons to include stress reduction and mindfulness techniques Goal Statement #3 Ensure that in-district programming at the middle school meets the needs of all of our students (NRPS 2021) Continue to work with the special education department and the Director of Pupil Personnel Services to adjust special education programming at the middle school to provide a continuum of service for students Secondary Coordinator of Special Education Director of Pupil Personnel Services Provide in-district programming vs. out of district placement Establish a RISE program Expand the current Pathways program Hire 1 special education teacher for the additional programming needs 15
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